HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-01-22, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22,1992.
Life in France brings surprises for student
Christina Roulston, a Blyth-
area resident and a student at
the University of Waterloo, is
presently studying on a year
long exchange program at the
University of Nantes, in west
ern France. She writes home
with these observations of life
in France.
until November someone told me,
which would be fine if they weren't
having an abnormally cold fall.
Kelleigh (a roommate) and I
went out and bought a little radio
for $18.40. Neither of us had a
radio so we couldn't listen to any
French music. Turns out they listen
to English music 95 per cent of the
time anyway.
Nov. 1: Today is a national holiday
in France. It's called "Tous Saints"
(All Saints Day). It's a celebration
of the dead. Everyone puts flowers
on the graves of deceased family
members. Florists must have a hay
day. Everything's closed, even the
university restaurants. Kelleigh and
I each bought a baquette (French
bread) to eat for breakfast and
lunch.
Nov. 4: Most of the houses here
tend to be a lot smaller than ours.
that comes to mind. Both the hous
es I've been in had a fireplace and
what we'd call French doors and
windows. The floors are usually
carpetless in the main areas of the
house like the diningroom, kitchen
and living room. They get really
cold so you have to keep your
shoes on or put on slippers. The
houses aren't well insulated either-
no storm windows, etc. but then
they don't have weather like Cana
da. Still it can get pretty drafty
sometimes.
They have microwaves, VCR's,
dishwashers and TV's just like
ours. In most ways the French are
just like us, but not how they eat!
Patrick and Eric (two French
friends) frequently make comments
on our bizarre method of eating,
but no one has taught us how to eat
like the French, and cafeteria food
is not normal French food.
Oct. 20: The weather here is nor
mally pretty rainy. We do get sun
sometimes though. What bothers
me though is the cold. Our room is
freezing. They don't put the heat on
Families are smaller too, on the
whole. Everything's smaller: cars,
refrigerators, ovens, streets, stores.
Big stores do exist, but for the most
part, everything is small. When
describing a house, quaint is a word
I think you're supposed to eat
something like this: first an ap6ratif
(some drink), and with that cookies
or crackers, then an entrde (like
cold fish, or cold rice), then the
main meal, then salad, then cheese,
Presentation
First Vice-president of the Brussels Lions Club, Ron Clarkson, left, accepts the Boy Scout
charter from leader Larry Proulx at a special meeting last week. Mr. Proulx said he had
discovered the charter just recently and felt it should be in the hands of the Lions Club, which
sponsored the Scouting organization in Brussels when it began.
and then fruit and then a digestif
(more alcohol like cognac). They
don't always eat that much, but the
order always holds. If I eat my
salad before my main meal they
look at me like I'm from out
erspace. And when you eat cheese,
you don't just eat it with your
hands, you spread it on bread.They
looked at me as if I was weird
when I didn't do that. I think food is
.the hardest thing to get used to
here.
Nov. 22:The university students are
talking about going on strike here.
They're striking because there are
too many students for the poor
facilities. The facilities here are
pretty bad. I've never seen such ill-
kept buildings. They're filthy ano
unpainted. The library is zilch-o.
The reason is because everything is
state-funded and the state is ignor
ing education. I was talking to one
of the German exchange students
and she said she found it rather dis
gusting too and said the universities
in Germany aren't like that. The
students could take better care of it
though. They all smoke indoors
and just leave cigarette butts every
where and cups of coffee from the
coffee machine, etc. We (the Cana
dians) hate walking into our build
ing because we get lungfulls of
smoke.
Dec. 12: I'm sorry I can't tell you
more about Christmas in France.
Everything is the same, only even
more commercialized here...and
Santa is skinnier. They have a big
family get-together on Christmas
Day. Santa comes down the chim
ney, they hang up stocking and
everything.
It's been hovering around the
freezing mark for about two weeks
now. I believe this is exceptionally
cold weather for them. It rarely
snows here, but I'm still wishing for
a white Christmas.
Dec. 26: For Christmas Day meal
(she spent Christmas with a family
in the countryside near Nantes) we
started out with oysters with this
special onion sauce. I liked the
sauce better than the actual oysters.
Then we had different types of
pates with bread. We then had sole
with another nice sauce and topped
with shrimp. Then we had goose
with chestnuts and salad. After that
we had cheese and bread (actually
we had bread with everything).
Then we had fruit- oranges,
bananas and apples. Then came the
ice-cream cake in the shape of a
house with little Santa Clauses at
the doors. Then we had coffee and
tea. I forgot to say that with each
dish that was brought out, there
was a different type of wine to go
with it. The meal started before 1
o'clock and it ended at 4:30. That's
because they eat one dish, wait a
bit, then bring out the next dish.
r HURON COUNTY A
BOARD OF EDUCATION
invites tenders for
NEW LIFT FOR
HANDICAPPED ACCESS
Sealed individual tenders properly
identified for the General Contract
for the New Lift for Handicapped
Access at South Huron Distnct High
School, Exeter, Ontario, addressed
to The Huron County Board of
Education will be received by the
office of Kyles, Garratt & Marklevitz,
516 Huron Street, Stratford, Ontario,
N5A 5T7 before 2:00 p.m. local time
on Thursday, February 13,1992.
Bid Bond in the amount of
$10,000.00 and consent of Surety to
Bond must accompany tender.
The successful contractor shall pro
vide a 50% Performance Bond and a
Labour and Materials Payment
Bond.
Tender documents are available at
Kyles, Garratt & Marklevitz, 516
Huron Street, Stratford, Ontario,
N5A 5T7.
Lowest or any tender not necessarily
accepted.
Bob Allen
Director
Bea Dawson'
Chair
BLYTH
Students to debate Rails to Trails issue
Students from six north Huron
elementary schools will take part in
a debate on the "Rails to Trails1'
issue at Grey Central School this
afternoon (Wednesday).
The debate, involving grade 7
and 8 students from Brussels, Grey
Central, East Wawanosh, Tumber-
ry, Howick and Wingham schools
is the culmination of a two-day
enrichment workshop conducted by
Jim Barnes of Central Huron Sec
ondary School in Clinton.
The selected students learned the
basics of debating in the first day of
the workshop on Tuesday. Today
they will hear community resource
speakers and form debating teams
in preparation for the debate this
afternoon. The public is invited to
attend the debate from 1:30-2:15
p.m.
The proposal to convert aban
doned railway rights of way to
parkland is a controversial one,
with many landowners along the
way strongly opposed while many
people in favour of recreation see
the trails as a unique opportunity.
Go Ahead, Buy a
O
Box 152, Box 429,
Brussels, Ont. Blyth, Ont.
NOG 1H0 NOM 1H0
Find enclosed S6.00 for a 1-year subscription for:
Name:.........................................................................................
Address:...................................................................................
Only $6.00
Yes, 1 full year, a six pack of Townsman delivered to your
door, every other month.
6 Pack...
5
You Can’t Beat It!
6 Bucks r 6 Pack
Postal Code:
TTianfe a Mitfion Fu/ice Over
from the (BiytH ‘Festival
K sincere thanks to the many generous donors
who have contributed and pledged their support
to the Blyth Festival capital fund.
Glenn and Jean Elford, Sarnia; Audrey Y. McKinney, Burlington; Karl
Lentz, Goderich; Mrs. Sara Jenkins, London; Irene and Leslie Clinton,
Saskatoon; Dr. Brian Baker, Clinton; Dean and Lynn Nisbett, Clinton;
Peter and Joyce Fraser, London; Dr. P.G. Salsbury, Clinton; Dr. T.A.
Steed, Clinton; John Labatt Limited, London; D. Anne Rutledge, Goderich;
George Parson, Goderich; Fran Parsons, Goderich; David and Donna
Woodall, Clinton; Bevan and Annette Lindsay, Wingham; Mr. F.P.
Schneider, Waterloo; William and Margaret Galbraith, Waterloo; John and
Mary Bower, Chesley; C.I.B.C., Blyth; Goettler Fine Furniture, Dublin; Mrs.
Joyce K. Sowby, Toronto; Ruby G. Judge, Toronto; Dr. and Mrs. J.R.
Smiley, Hillsburgh; D.R. Gordon, Waterloo; John Labatt Ltd., London;
Jeanne Kirkby, Walton; J.M. Schneider Inc., Kitchener; John Hawrylyshyn,
Ripley; Mary Marshall, Toronto; The Lawson Foundation c/o Col. Tom
Lawson, London; Carman Guild, Toronto; H. Lenore Roszell, Stratford;
Douglas R. Howson, Blyth; George and Alva Baum, Guelph; Maarten
Bokhout, Clinton; Bill Huzar, Goderich; Bruce A.Sully, Goderich; Mr. and
Mrs. Ross Wilson, Kitchener; David and Susan Wilson, Melbourne; Don
Galbraith, Toronto; Charles H. Ivey Fd., Willowdale; Nancy McNee,
London; Elaine Scrimgeour, Blyth; Rob Richards, Nepean; Mrs. Joan
Fitzpatrick, Westmount P.Q.; Duane Gibson, Brussels; Don McCaffrey,
Exeter; Paul A. Rouble, London; CKNX Broadcasting Ltd., Wingham;
Ward and Uptigrove, Listowel; Wm. Dawson, Kitchener; Violet Large,
Southhampton; Ronald P. Baird, Kitchener; Joseph Chinsky, Willowdale;
M. Louise Proctor, Goderich; Shelley Rechner, Ingersoll; Helen Videan,
Goderich; Bill and Susan Howson, Blyth; Muriel Taylor, Belgrave; Edith
Lockhart, Kincardine; Anne Juhasz, Chicago; Brussels Lions Club; Carol
and Jerry McDonnell, Blyth; Rob and Carole Lawrie, Blyth; Florence
Elford, Seaforth; Bill and Claudia Spink, Brussels; Frank and Cenetta
Bainton, Blyth; Alex and Gloria Westerhout, Clinton; Blyth Women's
Institute, Blyth; John MacDougall, London; Jim and Janet Lawrie, Blyth;
Marie McGavin, Walton; Rob and Sheryl Evans, Goderich; Robert and
June Peck, Blyth; Elizabeth Battye, Blyth; University Women’s Club c/o
Joyce Leifso, Elmwood; Dorothy Wallace, Goderich; Mr. and Mrs. Murray
Gaunt, Wingham; Richard Allan Yake, London; Elise Brady, Blyth; Dublin
Lions Club; Joanne Walters, Goderich; Pat and Gayle Waters, Bayfield;
Chesley Lions Club; The Mutual Group, Waterloo; Donald Jenkins,
Bayfield; Doris Batkin, Clinton; Dan Webster, Wingham; Leone and
Richard Raster, Hanover; Rob Hunking, Auburn.