As the child of two university graduates I've been expected to go to university myself. Only I completely messed up my life, several times. Not the mention the whole student loan situation putting me right off and just having Alexandros and in general life being chaotic and such.
Now I'm 24, things are evening out a bit. I have some savings. Sorry, had, I'm doing Open University and that costs around £3000 a module. I know which domain I want to work in. Childcare. Hah, how skilled and intellectual of me. I'm now at a point where I'm beyond caring, my line of work makes me happy. I've chosen to do the Early Childhood BA (Hons) degree. Fancy, right? I'm doing the modules E109 and E110. I'm now one month into my first two modules and I'm working on my Tutor Marked Assignments. They call these TMAs for short. A TMA is basically an essay, at least for what I've been asked to do it is.
As I said I'm doing two modules. E109, Exploring Perspectives on Young Children's Lives and Learning. This is mainly psychology based, it talks about the influences of culture, family and the like and how they can transform a child socially. Concepts of identity, belonging, attachment, development. It's all very interesting and I'm only on week three, I'm a week behind. E110 is about Young Children's Play and Creativity. It's about how children grow and develop mentally and physically helped by play. It covers influential practicioners who shaped modern perspectives.
I already knew about Montessori from my CAP Petite Enface in France, the centre where I studied was based on her ideas, I didn't know much about Froebel. He was just a passing name, here we learn in more detail who he was and his views. As well as Steiner, Isaacs, Malaguzzi and McMillan. It's interesting to compare the similarities and differences of so many teachers from so many different backgrounds.
Four weeks in and I'm already feeling smarter.
Thursday 2 November 2017
Sunday 19 March 2017
Life as a vegetarian in France
In France saying you're vegetarian goes one of two ways, if you're lucky you get a vague indifferent look and a mumbled pas de soucis or a strange reaction akin to announcing you have Ebola.
If you're ever invited to someones house for dinner and you say "by the way, I'm vegetarian" be careful. You never know what to expect. I've had things ranging from a basic salad of only lettuce, fish, fried chicken, pepperoni pizza and being told to peel the meat off, and vegetables that were roasted in animal fat. Yeah. It's that bad. So every time I get invited somewhere new I seem to precise it once again, I don't eat this, this or that. Then you'll have someone invite you back and they'll have forgotten, trust me. It'll be awkward.
Hospitals are a nightmare. They don't do vegetarian, ever. I was told if I wanted vegetarian food I'd have to see a dietitian first. So they kept giving me fish, and I kept saying I wasn't hungry. That's still better than the things I've had given to me during my visits with Alexandros mind. I've had a mystery quiche that was vegetarian but smelt of bacon, two or three salad leaves with a smug comment about how they forgot I eat weirdly, the most disgusting fish I've ever tasted, and pasta with a tiny bit of butter that's somehow meant to flavour it.
Restaurants can be hard. A good one will have veggie options! A less good one will have a decent selection of fish, or will be willing to make you something without meat. However you need to know your stuff. Some soups have dripping in them, usually cow or pig. Animal products can hide pretty well, and telling the person serving you that you don't eat meat isn't always enough. A crap fast food place like McDonland's, you're out of luck, you either have meet or fish. Also be careful with cultural restaurants like sushi bars, they'll have meat and fish, but only salad and rice for veggies. Chinese is kind of the same too, but it depends on the place. Fancy burger places do normally have a vegetarian option though, some are better than others, but it's always worth looking.
Which comes down to the easiest option, I'll occasionally eat a bit of fish. This started when I was in the young mother's home and wasn't eating very well, with either rice or pasta on a daily basis and then they'd be the problem of not having any protein and being too poor to buy my own food. Then when I started going out more I found it increasingly difficult. Fish doesn't bother me as much as meat, although it's rare. Sometimes weekly, sometimes I'll go six months without. It depends on what's available. It's very rare I buy fish to cook at home though. I did twice last year, to make fish suppers.
I wouldn't change though, I'm happy being meat free. I just wish it was more accepted.
If you're ever invited to someones house for dinner and you say "by the way, I'm vegetarian" be careful. You never know what to expect. I've had things ranging from a basic salad of only lettuce, fish, fried chicken, pepperoni pizza and being told to peel the meat off, and vegetables that were roasted in animal fat. Yeah. It's that bad. So every time I get invited somewhere new I seem to precise it once again, I don't eat this, this or that. Then you'll have someone invite you back and they'll have forgotten, trust me. It'll be awkward.
Hospitals are a nightmare. They don't do vegetarian, ever. I was told if I wanted vegetarian food I'd have to see a dietitian first. So they kept giving me fish, and I kept saying I wasn't hungry. That's still better than the things I've had given to me during my visits with Alexandros mind. I've had a mystery quiche that was vegetarian but smelt of bacon, two or three salad leaves with a smug comment about how they forgot I eat weirdly, the most disgusting fish I've ever tasted, and pasta with a tiny bit of butter that's somehow meant to flavour it.
Restaurants can be hard. A good one will have veggie options! A less good one will have a decent selection of fish, or will be willing to make you something without meat. However you need to know your stuff. Some soups have dripping in them, usually cow or pig. Animal products can hide pretty well, and telling the person serving you that you don't eat meat isn't always enough. A crap fast food place like McDonland's, you're out of luck, you either have meet or fish. Also be careful with cultural restaurants like sushi bars, they'll have meat and fish, but only salad and rice for veggies. Chinese is kind of the same too, but it depends on the place. Fancy burger places do normally have a vegetarian option though, some are better than others, but it's always worth looking.
Which comes down to the easiest option, I'll occasionally eat a bit of fish. This started when I was in the young mother's home and wasn't eating very well, with either rice or pasta on a daily basis and then they'd be the problem of not having any protein and being too poor to buy my own food. Then when I started going out more I found it increasingly difficult. Fish doesn't bother me as much as meat, although it's rare. Sometimes weekly, sometimes I'll go six months without. It depends on what's available. It's very rare I buy fish to cook at home though. I did twice last year, to make fish suppers.
I wouldn't change though, I'm happy being meat free. I just wish it was more accepted.
Thursday 23 February 2017
A new blog for 2017
After much reflection, and realising that my old blog crossed a lot of difficult subjects I have come to the decision to tidy up by starting over once again. Version 5. Copying over the posts I'm actually proud of, fixing up hyper links and things, and expanding on new and more relevant subjects as my life has changed.Five years ago when I started My Uneventful Live Version 3 I still lived in the UK, I had fewer aims and less ambition. I couldn't have fathomed how much my life has changed since then. A total transformation. A new country. Fluency in two languages in a way that still surprises me. A deep depression. A small boy who adores me. An amazing job. Having a useful qualification.
I have achieved so much and come so far.
Later on when I start My Uneventful Live Version 6 I'm sure I'll be just as surprised.
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