Well, this morning I had the most fun I've had in ages (I don't get out much...)
I was helping out at school at the 'Full English Breakfast' morning - the idea is that the French kids eat their bacon and eggs, marmalade and toast with tea, then talk in English about the experience and other topics, with volunteers - my topic being their future hopes for jobs or further education. It is quite unusual here for parents to help out - we even had the photographer from the local paper here to take a piccy for the record.
What a hoot!
There was the table with the big boys (there is always a group somewhere) - all chortling, pushing, and stuffing sausages into their mouths as fast as they could, all wanting to be mechanics, work with tractors or to be builders - they were very loud and giggly but frank and honest - apparently you can forget scrambled eggs but the bacon and sausages were great...
Another group, of four quiet girls, all long blond hair and carefully made-up, wanted to be doctors or go into commerce but were very animated when I asked how important the English language was to them, they all said 'very' especially if they wanted to do well. Another mixed group wanted to be farmers or vets, and working with children seemed a popular choice of work, and again, they felt English was important, but only because they had British friends!
The interesting thing is that all the kids expected to go onto further education, either lycée generale (like college for 'A' levels) or lycée professionnel (vocational training) and none said they would go straight to work - even if they could find a job!
So, they all found the experience of the Full English Breakfast quite novel, and I would like to think my little conversation with them might also be of use - if nothing else, at least they now know what Kath's mum is like!
