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Wednesday 17 July 2013

Oh that's right we're in France


I feel like we have adjusted quite well to life in France and although there are lots of differences between here and home we are quite well settled. I am fully aware that I am in a different country and that things are done differently here. If I had wanted things to be the same as in NZ then I wouldn't have moved. Every now and then though the differences catch me by surprise and this was the case last Wedesday when the girls had their first swimming lesson. I had thought that having individual swimming lessons for the girls during the holidays would be the best way to go. Our local pool has an English speaking instructor who made contact with me and was happy to give the girls lessons every second day for the first two weeks of the holidays. A bit got lost in translation though as I thought they were each getting an individual half hour lesson and it turned out to be together for half an hour.

My idea had been that Penelope and Hannah would have their lessons and Jasper and I would watch. Upon arriving at the pool I discovered this was not to be the case. If I wanted to watch I had to send the girls into the unisex changing rooms unaccompanied while I waited in the foyer and watched them swim from behind glass - this was obviously not going to be to be able to happen as it was a new pool for the girls and they didn't know who their instructor was plus leaving Hannah to get changed, get her towel and goggles plus find the right place to go was all asking a bit much. So I reluctantly paid the €8 (NZ$12) for Jasper and I to enter the pool. On entering I discovered that apart from the life guards I was the only one not in a swim suit and just spectating. This is very different from home where most parents would just send their kids into the pool for swimming and just sit and watch happily from the sidelines! I also learned that not only did I have to pay for the girls swimming lessons but I also had to pay for their pool entry fee. The instructor was obviously not a employee of the pool but just used the facilities to give lessons.

It all worked out fine in the end but just reminded me of the things I take for granted from home that will be the same here and are very much not. The French must think I'm a bit of an oddity fussing about paying for pool entry and then sitting on the side of the pool in my shorts and t-shirt.

On the plus side the swimming instructor, Jerome, is lovely and although he finds Hannah a bit of a struggle at times as she wants to do her own thing rather then listen to him the girls are doing really well. Penelope has improved her style heaps and is also a lot more confident and is diving down to the bottom of the deep pool and jumping in which is great. The lessons have definitely been worthwhile and a continuation in me learning about French culture!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

1 comment:

  1. that's amazing that you had to pay just to watch and also pay for the girls entry as well
    lisaxx

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