Postcard: Music, Football and Summer Sunshine

Eddie in France

Summer holidays begin

Having just reached the summer holidays, things have been absolutely fantastic! The end of the school term was a whirlwind of excitement, with what felt like a never-ending schedule of class goûters, followed by a lycée-wide football tournament complete with customised jerseys (my class proudly sporting a lovely shade of light blue) and a grand finale featuring coloured flares to celebrate the end of the year.

A special moment in music class

In the elective music class I took at school, we finished with one final performance, which my entire host family came to watch. Different groups from Seconde and Première performed a variety of pop songs, and I was fortunate enough to be asked to introduce the concert and announce each performance. As many of the songs had English titles and artists, my music teacher seized the opportunity to have someone who could confidently pronounce all the names that can sometimes be a little tricky for French speakers.

Feeling truly integrated

One particularly rewarding moment came at the end of the school year when my homeroom teacher took me aside to tell me how pleased both she and the school were with how well I had integrated. Hearing that meant a great deal to me, and it was incredibly satisfying to know that the effort I’d put into embracing life here had been noticed.

Exploring Lyon

Since the holidays began, I’ve had the opportunity to spend a week in Lyon, an incredible city with Roman amphitheatres dating back nearly 2,000 years, a rich silk-weaving history hidden within its famous network of secret passageways (traboules), and one of the best food cultures in France. I visited several museums, my favourite by far being the Musée Lumière, dedicated to the Lumière brothers, where I stood on the very site where the world’s first motion picture was filmed. I also took a boat cruise along the Saône and, of course, tried Lyon’s famous Praluline; a buttery brioche filled with vibrant pink praline almonds that has become one of the city’s most iconic treats (I can attest as someone who isn’t even a big ‘sweet’ person, it’s amazing).

Family time in Paris

I have also recently returned from another visit to Paris, where I met up with my aunt and cousin during their trip through Paris and London. It was wonderful to spend a few days with family and to have the chance to speak English for extended periods for the first time in months! At the same time, it was satisfying to realise just how much my French has improved, where I seized the chance to order in restaurants or helping us navigate our way around the city.

A day trip to Saint‑Malo

Another highlight was a day trip with my host brother to Saint-Malo. Although it was incredibly busy with summer tourists, the historic walled city and stunning coastline made it well worth the crowds.

Reading, cycling and French language immersion

And when I’m not busy-busy I’ve continued riding my bike and reading in French. This has evolved from simple children’s picture books, to early reading books (100% recommend Le Petit Nicolas, so cute and witty but enjoyable for all ages), and now full length novels. Most recently I’ve been making my way through the classic Belgian Tintin series. I have to admit it feels rather satisfying to be able to say I’ve read such an iconic bande dessinée in its original language!

Sharing Australian culture

I’ve also been enjoying sharing as much Australian culture as possible with my host family. I recommended The Dry by Jane Harper to my host mum (published in French as Canicule “Heatwave”, which has felt particularly appropriate given the temperatures Europe has experienced over the past few weeks), and afterwards we watched the film adaptation together.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, the rest of the summer is already packed with exciting plans, including time at a holiday house in the mountains, camping trips, beach days, and several highly anticipated evenings spent playing board games, participating in quizzes, and tackling jigsaw puzzles at a friend’s in Rennes.

“It meant so much to hear how well I’d integrated – it made every effort worthwhile”