So, March may have been a month of ups and downs in respect to job hunting, parties and trips home, but April was a month of exciting times with friends and family, both en France and back in the UK.
The month began well, one of her best friends from school (wow, was it really that long ago BritGirl ponders) came to visit for the weekend with her three year old son! It was touch and go for a while whether they would make it, getting cheap flights at the right time was tough and tears were shed by BritGirl a few times, when her hopes were so high at having a friend to visit and spend time with and show her new home only to be dashed when flights fell through.
But it happened!! BritGirl stood at Bordeaux Airport waiting to see her friend and son come through the gates...it was exciting!! BritGirl had missed a little bit of girly time and this would be it, but also BritGirl was looking forward to showing people around her new home city and letting them experience French life. Although sometimes it got her down living so far from home and feeling alone in the daytime, it was exciting to be able to show people around but also spend quality time with them.
If only the Bordeaux weather had felt the same, it rained everyday. The skies were grey and without fail, it rained daily. In between the rain, trips to the local parks and gardens were had, ducks were fed and lots and lots of talking was had. BritGirl enjoyed the conversations, the catch ups, the glasses of wine in the evenings...this was something she had missed and was so glad to be able to do. Three year olds were fun and in this case VERY WELL BEHAVED. BritGirl played, drew, coloured, read books, watched Toy Story repeatedly and enjoyed herself. For 4 days her time was full, there was no stopping her, no routine, no job hunting - which was nice for a change - she was starting to feel herself and also like she was on top of her life in France. She could show people around and feel proud of what had been achieved in the past few months.
So, the first visit from friends went well. BritGirl was very grateful that her friend had made the effort to travel from the UK with her son on her own without her husband or support for the journey, she was lucky to have such a well behaved son too!! It was a lovely week and BritGirl felt tired afterwards, but happy.
This happiness continued, only 4 days later, she was back at the airport!! This time another flight on her own back to the UK for one of her best friend's hen weekend!! BritGirl was very excited, more time with friends and family, some secrets for the weekend and she would be busy. BritGirl had learnt over the three months en France that she needed to be busy, whatever it was...cleaning, walking, going to the shops, writing a letter, cooking, writing this blog, she had to be occupied.
BritGirl had her plan for the week, a weekend with her friends to celebrate the impending wedding, a trip home to see family and friends there, her boyfriend would then travel to the UK for the stag weekend - a messy occassion was expected, then they would both travel back to France ensemble (together). BritGirl would learn, plans were not to be kept and to keep an open mind at all times!!
First things first, the hen weekend seemed to be a success, no secrets were divulged ahead of time.....even after much pestering, questioning and rambling from the Bride to Be, the weekend went without a hitch (pardon the pun!). A day shopping and having lunch, an evening in a hotel/pub with good wine and good conversation or and the best desserts you could imagine and then a day being pampered, relaxed and thoroughly chilled out at a spa! No wellies were needed, no camping was had, no garish dressing up or strippers were needed. BritGirl had a lovely weekend and was pleased to see her friend enjoy the same...it was a brilliant start to her trip back in the UK.
Afterwards time was spent at home with friends and family, there was lots of eating, drinking, story telling and remembering times gone by as well as new stories of life today...there was also one big talking point over the week...Iceland and its volcano! Yes, at the beginning of her move to Bordeaux BritGirl remembered filling in a form about her new apartment stating that there would be no effects from volcanic action here...how wrong that was. The volcano, Eyjafjallajökul, in Iceland had errupted. No problems you would think, what would that have to do with BritGirl, she was in England and lived in France, nowhere near Iceland....until the ash clouds covered Europe. A no fly zone was called - especially across the UK where wind direction meant we were living in a bubble with no flights in or out.
BritGirl watched the news with stories of people "stranded" outside of the country and spending thousands just to get home...the world had changed over night. BritGirl realised that her boyfriend would not be flying into the UK and therefore would not make the stag do. She was right, no flights and living so far south meant he just couldnt get to the Channel for a boat/train...he would be stuck in Bordeaux for the weekend without silly boy shennanigans!
Volcanic ash cancelled BritGirl's flight back to France, she had a further week in the UK!!! This was not a problem, more time was spent with friends and family. It was hard though, everyone worked and had their lives to continue, BritGirl felt like she didn't belong somedays and did have too much time on her hands.
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