Football mania

I'm not a football fan; scenes such as Marseilles fans smashing up the town because they won puts me off.  However, there has been a spate of football related adverts which seem strange to me.  As the excitement builds up to the world cup, a number of adverts have proposed televisions with up to 100% discounts if the French team wins the world cup.  Now, it seems a little disloyal on the part of the TV retailers to offer such a large discount.  It suggests they are pretty confident that the French team will not win.  This can't being doing much for the players moral, unless they feel motivated enough to leave these same TV retailers with egg on their face by actually winning.  I suppose the argument could be that all those who buy the TVs will be spurring the home team on to win.  I'm no expert, but it looks like they'll need all the support they can get, as few commentators are giving them much chance in the competition.
In the meantime, we've got the scandal of certain players alleged relations with under- aged prostitutes, to keep us amused.  Once again, I'm surprised by the fuss the relevations have caused.  Okay, they should be role models but give young, not too bright men way too much money and what do you think they'll do?  And as for the young lady in question she seems to have achieved exactly what she wanted, riches and fame, appearing on the cover of Paris match.  She's not some Eastern European or Chinese teenager forced into sex with strangers to pay off her journey to France.  This is a savvy, high class hooker looking to make money out of rich celebrities.
I don't like football because it is no longer about football but the money and celebrity that goes with it.  That's why I will not be buying a new TV and not watching the world cup.  Unless of course England makes it to the final, and even better if they're playing France!

A film worth seeing

This is an interesting, if heavy film, that will make you think about the way we treat our land and the food that we eat.

Solutions locales pour un désordre global

Open farms and the first of May

The paradoxes of France never cease to amaze me even after 10 years.  Take for example this weekend,  Saturday was the first of May, workers day and as French socialist tradition dictates nobody is supposed to work.  If the 1st May falls on a weekday it is a public holiday, and if it is a Tuesday or Thursday many people have the bonus of a 'Pont'.  This is literally a bridge between the public holiday and the weekend, giving you a four day weekend.  Unfortunately for most of us this year the 1st May fell on a Saturday, however it was good news for those who normally work on Saturdays.
The paradox for me was that this weekend the 1st and 2nd May was the 'Bienvenue à la ferme' (Bienvenue à la ferme ) weekend in our region. On these two days partner farms open their doors to the public to present what they do, and sell their produce.  It seems strange that while the rest of the country is celebrating workers day the farmers are at work, I suppose it could be argued they work all year anyway.  At least the shoppers denied their saturday pleasure have something else to do.
We visited two sites, a vineyard in the Savoie and a dairy farm in the Chartreuse mountains (The chartreuse region/).  The vineyard was more interesting from an adults point of view as we were able to taste and buy wine.  Many French wine connoisseurs sneer at the mention of Savoie wines, but I find the Reds light and easy to drink, and the whites great with cheese.  Our second stop was for the kids and provided something of a surprise.  The ferme Habert is tucked away at the Northnmost extremity of the Chartreuse.  The location is stunning, as you drive up to the farm the moutains close around you in a semi- circle.  The farm raises Tarantaise cattle for their milk to produce cheese.  It is, in fact, a farm that operates to help people with psychological problems re-integrate society.  We were given a tour by a lady who was obviously part of the permanent staff before being handed over to a young man who clearly had some mental difficulties.  It was good to visit this type of structure for the kids to meet people that our society normally tries to hide away.  Everybody was very friendly and the kids particularly enjoyed the calf who decided to eat my raincoat.  We finished with a cheese tasting and splashed out on some cheese.
This type of event takes place every year in May and, despite the fact that this year it was the first so the farmers couldn't take their day off, it is a great way to discover the region and its produce.

Teaching English in France

One of the biggest sectors of employment for English speakers living in France is teaching English. There are various possibilities, from private language schools teaching business English, through to associations, universities and management schools. All have their advantages and disadvantages: one of the principle disadvantages, common to all, is the precarious nature of the work. The Mecca for many is a post within the 'Education Nationale'. Although the pay isn't great, this offers a secure job for life with long holidays. The problem with this solution is the dreaded 'CAPES', the French equivalent of a British PGCE. Despite the fact that qualifications across Europe are supposed to be harmonised, the French require Englishs speakers to take the 'CAPES' regardless of qualifications or experience. I would recommend the following book for anyone contemplating taking the 'CAPES'. It is a semi- fictional account of one American's attempt to take the exam. It is a great eye opener on the French education system and French attitudes to foreigners trying to enter their civil service. It had me tutting and muttering explitives after every chapter!