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.

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.

Parakito

The Parakito, also written as Para'kito, is a brand that sells anti-mosquito products.

I'm 23, I've never been eaten by mosquitoes. Sure I've had the occasional bite, but never more. This week I've been really badly bitten. I have twenty or so bites on my arms alone. 

I thought the easiest option would be to get some kind of a bracelet, because I can remove it without difficulty. My worry with sprays is I'm asthmatic and to remove them it'll involve washing or airing. Plug in devices exist too, but my plugs are either under my bed or under my desk. 

I saw these on display in my local pharmacy and while I love the colours I know I wouldn't get away with the outrageous neon orange... A couple of years ago a family I babysat for bought the same ones and apparently they worked well. Although at almost 12€ that's a big investment.

I did some Googling, and asked around. It seems people have mixed views on these. They're designed to mask your smell with a strong, some have said overpowering, mix of essential oils. Some swear by them working. Others say they don't.

It is however made in France! Meaning it supports European manufacturing and jobs, so that's another plus. I found several cheap knocks offs on Amazon and eBay but they were probably made in China under questionable conditions. I try and support European manufacture whenever possible. As well as fair trade. I'm a hippy.

In the end I decided it was worth a try. 

If it doesn't work there's always faffing about with essential oils until I find a combination that works. 

I chose black. Why? Because it's probably the most discreet colour there was. Although I wish I could get away with neon orange.

In the pack there was the bracelet, two pellets that I keep calling refills and the instructions.

The instructions were in most common languages even though the pack was only in English and French. They were short, brief and to the point.

Smell

When I got the sachet open I gave the refill a quick smell and I found it agreeable. However twenty minutes in I was getting the occasional strong whiff of it that was a little shocking. I'm not sure what the exact small is but it can be strong. I think the worst is when I don't move. It creates an aura of odour. 

The second day the smell has gone down a lot! It's nowhere near as overpowering. However that begs the question of if it loses its effectiveness over the two weeks meaning the first day it's brilliant and the last week it's useless. Time will tell. 

Appearance 

It's practical, functional and compact. It doesn't look like a feminist bracelet, but looks fine pared with hiking gear, and everyday clothing. This is not the kind of thing you can dress up for an evening out. However you could always clip it to your bag and hey do a key ring version that would be more discreet on a belt for example. 

Does it actually work?

For me it has worked so far. Although we've also had a dip in temperature. 

Three days after using it I got my first bite. There was only one, on the wrist I wasn't wearing he Para'kito. 

Over a month of suing it I've only had two or three bites. I'm pleased with it! I bought one for my mum too, for when we went to Scotland. I was out with the midges once but I didn't get bitten by anything so it might work against them too. 

It's a big investment but it seems to work for me. 

A letter to my local MP

I've not done this before, it's a big step writing to an MP. There's a lot of things floating around saying that they can block the referendum vote being acted on. If this works I'll be very happy. This was written to Andrew Tyrie, the Chichester MP and I've included his details below on the off chance someone else wants to send him something.

.........

Andrew Tyrie

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

andrew.tyrie.mp@parliament.uk

Dear Mr Tyrie

The implications of the recent EU referendum are far reaching and quite possibly worse than we can all imagine. I'm writing to you hoping you can address my concerns with your fellow MPs. 

From your constituency I've heard an absolute horror, one of my mother’s narrow minded friends voted leave simply because she doesn't like having Polish neighbours. I cannot comprehend this idiocy, and I fear racism is abundant in the area. Sadly, my Dad and I as proud Scots suffered casual anti-Scottish comments in the area, to the point where someone even destroyed my Saltire and the police in your area don't take these hate crimes seriously. My real concern is some people have taken the Brexit victory as a license to be racist. It's not even been a week but look at the anti-Polish sentiment that's spread like a cancer across England. I'm yet to hear stories from the rest of the United Kingdom. 

With the utmost respect for the leave campaign I feel that their campaign was one of scaremongering, propaganda and lies at best. It was full of casual racism, and now the referendum is over European migrants, and other nationalities have suffered from disgusting comments telling them to leave the country. This is appalling. The British public seem to have no idea how Europe works and some don't even know what the European Union is. Until they're educated I strongly think this referendum should only be taken as advisory. I honestly don't think a referendum on this scale can be, let alone should be, organised in as little as four months. 

Life is an adventure and my adventure is currently in France. I came here in 2012 and I've been around Paris ever since. I've been working and studying and I profit fully from the freedom of movement act. I have a normal life in France with French colleges and friends, I know one English person and about twenty other Scots. We've all been affected in varying degrees, a woman from church was crying on Sunday because she's in despair. My French friends and colleagues are horrified at seeing the news on the racist attacks, incidents or whatever you shall call them, when I tell them that sadly this is normal but usually hidden they're even more disgusted. Sadly people will be seeing this image as the new independent Great Britain. Although the leave side wasn't full of xenophobia I feel the xenophobes have won.

I'm scared to bring my three year old son to Chichester as he only speaks French. As a mother I understandably want to protect him and I'm worried people will jump on us with all their hate speech, so for now I'm postponing all holidays. I sadly know this is a possibility as when I received a phone call in the town centre and was talking on the phone in French someone yelled at me to “fuck off back home” along with many dirty looks thrown at me by complete strangers. I have a terrible accent when I speak in French, but people don't care about that. They're more keen to see me as yet another foreigner. 

There is no exit plan. Nobody on the leave campaign reflected on that before the public made this life changing choice. Look how Labour have fallen apart since the vote was announced. There is too much division in the government. I worry that with these divides it could be the worst time to go through with leaving the European Union. A step in the dark can easily cause a fall, I don't want to see the UK flounder because of one gigantic mistake. 

The pound has fallen in value, this means the world marker doesn't have much confidence in the United Kingdom outside of the European Union. Not to mention the United Kingdom is barely united these days. Is it any wonder Scotland wants to leave?

Another concern of mine is that the majority of leave voters are apparently over 65, if the exit plan fails and the consequences are long lasting they won't have long to live through it. My generation, I'm 23, will have decades of suffering to put right this one monstrous mistake. The European Union has taken decades to build to its current status, and we have been involved for a long time. We could lose so much progress in leaving. 

You, as a member of Parliament can voice these concerns and I am sure that I'm not alone in contacting you, and other MPs across the country. To make it easier for you to reply I've included my mother's address, she still checks my post when I receive things. I look forward to receiving your response. 

Yours sincerely,

And obviously I signed it. 

Mother's Day Mugs

In France Mother's Day isn't the same day as in the UK. This year it's the 29th of May.

I wanted to do something special but not too difficult with the children I babysit. Something they'd be capable of doing that had a functional purpose, but could also be decorative if it was too sentimental or pretty to use. 

I chose painted mugs, proposed the activity to them and they happily accepted. 

Who with? 

With children aged 3 and up, I found this fun as an adult. They have to be able to hold a pen and ideally draw or write. 

Where?

Ideally outside where if they make a mess it's leas of a problem. Otherwise on a low table with plenty of sheets of paper. Ceramic paint is a nightmare to clean up. 

Materials

I found these paint liner pens in Hema for 5€50 and tested them. They seem to work as ceramic paint pens would but I got four for the price of one real ceramic paint pen.

• - Ceramic paint in pen form (or paint form with brushes for older children)
• - Pale or white mugs
• - Newspaper to protect the surfaces
• - Aprons
• - An oven to bake the paint 

Objectives

• - Make something for Mother's Day with a practical use. 
• - Involve the children in their Mother's Day presents. 

Secondary objectives

• - Drawing or writing with the kids.
• - Talking about the colours in English, as I'm meant to be teaching them basics. 

Before, preparation  

Obviously before involving the children in this activity I did a trial run to avoid any disappointment. I didn't want them making beautiful mugs and then the paint washing off. 

Once I found out it had worked we went to the shop together to choose our mugs. I asked L what kind of coffee her mum drinks in the morning (small or large) and she said large and choose a large mug. Then I asked R and he said small. L decided she preferred the small mug and wanted a small one for her mum. So we ended up with two espresso mugs which they both started calling coffees in English. 

We paid, went back to the house and the children cleared off the table. They got their drawing books, because I said where the pens were a bit difficult it would be one at a time. We also put paper on the table to avoid getting paint on it. 

I washed the mugs and the kids took off their jackets so they were in short sleeves. 

During, the activity

R went first because L was drawing out on paper what she wanted to write on her mug. 

I asked R which language he wanted to do his mug in and he said the language he speaks with his dad. I got the translation and he asked me to write it and chose a colour. Then I asked him if he wanted to draw something on the other side. He said a flower. We drew it in together and then he drew his family without any help next to the flower. I also wrote his name and year around the bottom. 

Then it was L's turn. She's much more inderpendant so wrote on "maman" with a heart for the middle m on her own. Then I wrote her name and the year on the bottom. 

I was making a mug at the same time and I'd written on the handle and they asked me to do the same on their mugs.

After, finishing 

I swore them both to secrecy and we hid the mugs in L'a room. The following day I did a second coat on the paint and baked them in the oven. 

The children actually put their own into the oven because they go into a cold oven. Warm to 180° and then leave for 30 minutes. Then turn off and leave to cool.

Once cool we filled them with sweetie hearts. 

Both children wanted to give them to their mums on the same evening we'd finished them to they did it a bit early than normal but everyone seemed happy. 

Mine is for my Italian  friend, hence the lack of sense.

Making a pear tart

For my classes I have coursework. I have to write a report on what I do with the kids. In the report I have to put in a creative activity and a daily activity, for my creative I've chosen to write about a pear tart we made. The kids are a girl called L who is 3 and a half, and a boy called R who is 3. They aren't siblings they're neighbours and we alternate between houses.

Planning 

L's mum likes baking and has a really well equipped kitchen. I think she'd made a tart because L found a cook book full of tarts and she asked if I'd read it to her thinking it was a story. I decided to show her the pictures while telling her about the flavours. R didn't want to read the story with us but I told him be could come join in later if he wanted. We drooled over this book for a good quarter hour, it was full of sweet and savoury tarts and they all looked good. 

It's not the first time we've baked together, we've made cakes, biscuits, salt dough, and we either worked in a team or the kids took turns. So I asked if they wanted to make a tart. They said yes and we chose a lovely chocolate and pear tart. We waited for the parents to get back and asked L's mother if she could get us the ingredients for tomorrow. 

She said yes!

The activity 

The day we made the tart we got back from school at the normal time and as I settled the kids at the table I said something about the pears and the roll of pastry in the fridge. L reminded me about the tart and I said something about making a chocolate and pear tart. The kids ate and I drank my coffee.

We went off to get the footstools so the kids were at the right level to use the kitchen and see what they were doing. Then we all washed our hands. One child went at a time with me supervising. I made sure they washed their hands properly and helped them rise all the soap away. And then They put in their aprons. First L helped me find all of the ingredients because they're in a high cupboard. I knew where they were but she likes being showing off a bit. Then R and I found all the things we'd need like bowls and a tart dish.

The tart base had to be forked first. So I gave them both forks and they stabbed quite well. Then I did the silly thing of saying it was done and stabbing it more for luck. They laughed. I put it in the oven to cook while we mixed everything else. I also put in place the no touch rule around the oven. The oven is child safe but I don't want them near it. 

Both kids helped me mix the ingredients. We had to do two lots one with and one without egg. So R mixed the eggs in the mixer and L mixed the cream and sugar by hand while I melted the chocolate in the microwave. Once the chocolate had melted I told the kids we needed to mix it with the cream while warning them it was hot. I gave them a spoon each and gradually added the chocolate in reminding them it was hot. Then we took half of it and mixed it with the eggs using the mixer. 

After this we drained the pears and I had to put the tart together. Which was in a burning hot tart dish. I sent the kids off to play and poured the eggless sauce into the base. I put the pears in and spread the egg sauce around them. The tart went back into the oven to cook. The kids were still fine playing with the toys at L's house. 

I asked them if they wanted the lick the bowl and I got a resounding yes. So I got them a spoon each and gave them the bowl. They sat at the table and L was helping R to begin with but did try hogging the bowl a few times. 

While they were doing that I started in the cleaning that they couldn't do. Wiping the surfaces to actually clean them and taking apart the mixer. Then when they'd finished with the bowl L helped me with the dishwasher but R didn't want to. I didn't insist because he's small and not used to doing the cooking. 

We read a story while waiting for the tart to cook. It seemed to take a long time but I think it was my first tart so I'm sure it was normal. When it had cooked and cooled we all sat at the table and had a tiny tiny piece each. 

We waiting for the parents and gave them a bit each and it was admired by everyone. 

Notes and to improve upon 

L is more keen on cooking that R. He will do it because we are but doesn't ask to and doesn't seem hugely interested. L bakes with her mum and sometimes asks to bake. 

R does like to try but is quickly frustrated if it's not working or he can't play with the mixer. Pay close attention to him to avoid the mix doesn't get damaged. Once he actually put an egg shell in it. 

Both kids try to eat the mix while making the cake. Normally they stop when I tell them there won't be enough to make a cake they stop. 

Next time I don't think I'll make a tart with a hot tart base. It wasn't great because the children weren't involved with the entire project and couldn't be because of the burn risk. 

Otherwise this was a very good activity and I don't think there's a lot to improve on.

This was the tart we made. 

This is the same recipe made at my place with my two temperature oven. (Off and inferno) 

Things I have learnt from a month at my mother's

I've spent a month at my mother's house this summer, due to housing problems and a month long gap between studies. I'll probably not have another holiday for a year, possibly two depending on the work situation.

To begin with it was a novelty, being back in the dead end town. I spent years here and I've always hated it. However when I come back here on a holiday it's nice to wonder around aimlessly amongst people who don't seem able to or don't wish to see past the façade of emptiness. This town hasn't moved past it's history. It's quaint, but there's no future, no life. I've always described it as a retirement town, and although I see a slight change, there's more things in the town centre, I've not changed my opinion.

The other thing I understand more and more every time I come back is I was never here. I barely contributed when I was here, because I wasn't here very long and after excessive bullying when I was at high school I barely went out and had few to no friends. I can safely say I have no friends, seeing a total of three old friends while here for a month. I don't bump into people I've not seen for aeons because everyone has either moved away like me, or forgotten me completely.

At the start with it was nice, now I'm just lonely. I've not seen anyone for two weeks and it's like I've been here for too long. It's not my place here, that's what I've grown to understand.

I really understand how humans are temporary now, we'll be forgotten soon after death unless we're famous, and few people receive that level of fame. How many dead people can you remember outside of your own family? How many other people remember them? Case in point, we all forget. I'm not even dead yet.

Brambles grow quickly and they're a good anti-paedophile defence, because that bastard living here is still alive, and I'm not around to defend my family I'm glad to see that the brambles have grown meaning he now has to come up the front drive, rather than jumping over the fence and in through a window. However I have seen him looking over the fence. Hopefully he'll be dead soon because of his age, he has to be over 60, at least 70.

Too much free time is always a bad thing. Yes, I've cleared up a lot of things, got rid of many things I no longer want or need, but now I'm perpetually bored. I've run out of things to do, I'm still kitting but even that gets tedious after three full weeks.

I did go camping, but that was a disaster when one of the bags broke. I'm still working on my angry letter to Karrimor. Although I still raised £250 for Cancer Research, which I'm very proud of.

Soon I'll be back in France, next week I'll be signing my contract and starting my classes and work. Life is getting better. But my place is no longer here.