Les souvenirs de Narbonne, Pt. 2: Oddities & Quirks

When most people picture life in France, they picture walking the streets of Paris with a baguette in hand and a constant view of the Eiffel Tower. Or, maybe, living along the Riviera, going to the beach all the time and bumping shoulders with the rich & famous. Or maybe they even picture life in a small, picturesque village in Provence.  Most people do not picture life in a small-ish town of 40,000 inhabitants (60,000 including the suburbs) 9 miles from the Mediterranean where the wind blows until you feel like your soul might WHOOSH right out your ears. The latter is exactly what I was was given as my French experience, and I made the best of it and truly loved my little French home. However, there are several things that were either very interesting or even downright annoying.

Other titles considered for this post were: "Things I just can't stand about Narbonne" (as a follow-up to "Things I just can't stand about France"), as well as "You've seen the Good, now see the Bad & the Ugly." However, both of these titles invoke only negativity, when I really want to convey not just that which bugged me, but also that our little town was just a little bit... weird.

We'll say it had character. Which it did. If you're thinking to yourself, "How could she be so cynical about her French home?", I'd like to direct you to my most recent post, "Les souvenirs de Narbonne, Pt. 1: Places", in which I sing Narbonne's praises.*

Also, I'd like to inform you that I'm a realist. So, if I'm to pay fair tribute to my year in southern France, I have to be 100% honest.

Here are the things which I got quite annoyed with in Narbonne:

Le vent: The wind. Oh my gosh, the wind. The wind is absolutely insane there. The locals can tell you which winds (by name) are active or approaching by the weather conditions: the temperature, the sun, the sky, the season, the direction of the wind. It's impressive. But more than just impressive, it's an indication of what an integral part of local life and culture these winds are. This short description of the 5 SEPARATE named winds of Languedoc, le pays du vent (the land of the wind) gives a good idea of how serious the winds are. Please ignore the Comic Sans. (Pourquoi?)

There were times when I would be walking at like a 65° degree angle if I was walking against the wind. Seriously. There were times when my heavy bag would be blown back and remain horizontal and away from my body if I was walking against the wind. Are you picturing a cartoon character walking in a storm? Good. It was exactly like that. There were times in the winter when I declined going out at night because I knew I'd have to walk there and back in the wind and the cold, and I just couldn't. There were times when, in my 5th floor (or 4th floor to a European) room, I could hear the wind howling all night and I couldn't fall asleep. It never let up. It just howled, like before a hurricane,** but not in gusts. Consistently and relentlessly.

They say wind can drive you mad, and I 100% understand that. There were times when I thought I'd go mad if it didn't stop, and I feel like I lived there for a long time, I might truly go slightly insane. It's just... so much. And I've lived in Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock winds are nothing compared to this. (Though I guess there is one positive to the Narbonne winds: no gritty dirt blowing in your mouth like in Lubbock. So, at least there's that.)

This photo was taken in Leucate, where we went for the Mondial du Vent (world championship of wind) in April.***

Please note that my hair managed to be THIS windblown while it was IN A PONYTAIL. Merci, le vent. Freaking superwind.

The complete lack of green spaces: Honestly, there were no real parks to speak of within the city of Narbonne. We noticed this after a while, and thought to ourselves "There HAS to be a park somewhere. There has to be. We need some nature up in here." So we got out a map of Narbonne. There was a little green circle (roundabout, right by the kebab, we already knew about that), and we also saw a nice big green space near us! Of course, we went to check it out straight away.

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 It was a cemetery. 

So, you know. It would have been really nice to be able to go somewhere green to sit and relax. Which, by the way, is something it's generally pretty easy to find in France, as the French on the whole appreciate nature. But it was not easy to find in Narbonne. Also, at that point in my life, I wasn't running yet, but I was entertaining the idea of starting. But there was nowhere nice to run! I had three choices: 1) Run around in small circles in a roundabout. 2) Run among the dead. (New series idea: The Running Dead. No?) 3) Run along boring suburban streets in the wintry cold and, of course, in the wind. (Remember I wasn't really close to downtown/the canal, which would have been a nicer place to run.)

I did a little bit of the sad cold suburban street running, but mainly I succumbed to the cold and the wind and the lack of greenery and waited til I got back to Texas to start running in earnest. Which is unfortunate, because I certainly had the time that year. And, looking back at photos, I kind of needed it to counteract the pastry intake. Oh well.

The fact that it was kind of hard to make the most of the region without a car: Okay, so comparing Narbonne to, say, Fort Worth, Texas, it's MUCH easier to get around Narbonne without a car. In Texas, as in much of the US, if you don't have a car, game over. You ain't goin' nowhere. Public transport is nonexistent unless you live in the center of a major metropolitan area.

I'm thankful for the SNCF (train system) (bum, DA dum DA dum... If you've spent any time in France, I know you just heard that in your head) so that I could get around the country. And, of course, I'm thankful for our little buses with the crazy blue seats so that I could get around Narbonne.

However, if we wanted to go to anything that was kind of peripheral to Narbonne (the big movie theater, the bowling alley, the beach, Les Hauts de Narbonne where I tutored), the bus system was pretty sketchy. Buses to all of these more remote locations were very intermittent, and you had to catch a bus TO another bus and get all the timing right, and by the time you got there it took so long you practically had to start your return journey. So that wasn't great. Luckily I got to go some places because some of our friends had cars (Corentin, Carmen, my teacher colleagues, my tutor students), and I'm thankful for that. And I am grateful for our buses, but even in the city proper, the buses stopped at 8:00 pm and on Sundays. After that, we had to fend for ourselves. Between that and the wind, it made returning from nights out interesting.

Les travaux: THE CONSTRUCTION. The portion of the canal that ran through city center was under construction the WHOLE time we were there. It was finished shortly after we left, because of course it was. It was really a bummer. I'd love to go back and see it someday now that it's all finished! Of course, we're set to have a reunion in Narbonne in July 2018, so I guess I will then! (When Dörte writes the date on torn parts of a pizza box and hands it out to everyone, you know it's official. See you guys there, only 2.5 years to go!)

the.whole.time.

The crazies: Okay. I love most everyone I knew in Narbonne. I've said many times that I'm so thankful I was in a small city where it was easier to meet people and integrate. However, sometimes the people were just... colorful. Yeah, really colorful.

Sometimes this was fun, like when it came to all of the characters we'd see at L'Échoppe dressed up in costume (who, incidentally, could sometimes be found in the middle of the day in a top hat, trench coat, crazy long beard, riding along on a kind of weird elongated bike).

Luckily, Zack took a picture of the bike. Zack saves the day. Again.

Sometimes it was just weird. I could kick myself for not keeping better track of all of our weird interactions with people. Why didn't I write them down?! I do remember a couple of instances in particular.

-One time, I was walking along the Boulevard Gambetta talking on the phone to my dad when a woman came up to me and said "Pardon, est-ce que je peux utiliser votre portable?" (Excuse me, can I use your phone?") Alright. Here's the deal. Who asks someone that WHILE THEY'RE ON THE PHONE? Also, I was speaking in fluent (and fast) English. How'd she know I even spoke French?! I just looked at her for a second, bewildered, and told her no, because I was, as it turns out, using it. She walked away, but not without huffing and puffing a bit. (Meanwhile, my dad's all "Katy? Hello? You're speaking French.")

-One time, I was sitting in the laundromat, listening to Mumford & Sons and minding my own business while I waited on my clothes, and some guy just waltzed in, sat next to me, yelled some things in French (which I didn't really hear because I had the music), and sat with his head in his hands for a little bit next to me. I'm sitting there, thinking "Be cool, Soda Pop," and also "Dear God please whisk this crazy man away from me so I'm not murdered and someone else finds all my wet clothes including my panties." Luckily, he left after only a couple of hoedown songs. But... what?!

-This isn't specific, but a really strange number of people asked me "Wait, so if you're American, how can you teach English?" Or, "Wow, that's so cool you can talk with your friends from England even though you're American!" Like, too many people. I felt like I was talking to Mean Girl Karen.

To be fair, I'm know that a lot of Americans ask foreigners ridiculous questions like this, too.

Anyway, like I said, most everyone I knew was absolutely lovely. However, there was a seemingly disproportionate number of crazies, and it was just a little bit strange. But I think I know what the explanation is: THE WIND. After all, they do say wind'll drive ya mad. And I believe 'em.

As a conclusion to this post, please accept these pictures of dogs driving a car in front of the Hôtel de Ville. 

And in a pedestrian zone, to boot!

Keep Narbonne weird.

♥

*I also wrote "Things I LOVE about France."

**Which I can say, because I've lived through a hurricane. Gustav? I'm lookin' at you. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN.

***Where I casually became a famous stand-up paddler, in case you missed that.

Insider's England, Pt. 2: Fakenham & Norwich

On the morning of May 12th (2013, that is... yes, we're that far out now that I need to remind you of the year), my train pulled out of Reading station as I left my friend Emily (and the random guy in the alligator suit at the station) and headed north to the station in Norwich to see my friend Lottie. Norwich is the county town (like county seat) of Norfolk, a county that's north of London and has a lot of coastline.

this map (highlighting Norfolk) comes from Wikipedia.

You may (or may not) remember from my post about my time with Emily that these visits to my friends (fellow English assistants in Narbonne) were my first time experiencing non-London English life. I was so lucky to find these girls and was even luckier that they both graciously invited me to visit them in their family homes!

Lottie's been featured in many posts, not only about Narbonne, but also Morocco and Spain. I was so glad to arrive to see her and see some of her England! She and her mom, Jane, came to pick me up at the station. Her mom, Jane, is so sweet! I had met her before when she visited Narbonne in the spring, and she was lovely and warm and laughed at my stories, and I was happy to see her again, too! She also loves America and studied American culture at university, and she and her family had taken many trips to the States before. (Never Texas, though; we'll have to change that.) We took off to walk around Norwich in the afternoon, since Jane actually lives in a smaller town outside of Norwich.

Norwich is situated on the River Wensum.

I just love how green England is. I just kinda wish it could somehow be green without all the rain! (Luckily it was not actually raining this day, which is a success!)

Elm Hill is a famous cobble-stoned street, which features houses that date back to the Tudor era. You can see it below!

Elm Hill has been featured in some movies, such as Stardust.

Lottie and me! Looking back, I can really see the pain au chocolat right in my face. #worthit #noragrets

English telephone booths... just because

C'est vrai.

more modern Norwich street

Norwich Castle, a Norman castle built during the time of William the Conqueror's reign

more castle

one last view of Norwich

After we had a lovely stroll around, we headed to Jane's home in the town of Fakenham. Lottie actually grew up in the nearby village of Guist, but Jane moved here later. In early May it's still pretty cool in England,* and we enjoyed a night in watching TV and eating some chili. It was nice to have a calm night after my weeks of traveling!

The next day was nice and sunny (but still far too cold for May), and we headed out to the Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, where Lottie had worked in high school (and where her brother still worked). I was excited to a) spend some time in nature, especially since it was sunny and b) see another part of Lottie's history! We had nice walks and talks and saw lots of beautiful flowers and little English (and maybe some adopted English?) creatures.

This very sunny picture makes me happy.

that head tilt though

pretty paths

Fakenham's war memorial (and random car)

That night, Jane, Lottie, and I went downtown (which is not actually called downtown in British English... so I guess we really went to the city center) to see Les Misérables at the cinema. Lottie and I had wanted to go see it in Narbonne, but France is not so big on musicals, let alone musicals about their own history. Most French people I talked to think it's a "Disneyfied version" of historical events. Okay, sure. True. But sign me up anyway. They had shown Les Mis for one week at the cinema in Narbonne... and of course, it was the week we were in Morocco. So we had waited until May to see finally see it, and it was worth it, y'all. I just remember all three of us kind of sitting as if we had just been hit with a hurricane-force (or Narbonne-force) gust of wind. It was intense.**

Our last day together, we headed up to Blakeney Harbor to go on a seal tour! This is apparently like, the thing to do in Norfolk. Which is true. It was! I love spending time by the ocean (even if it is freezing), and it was very picturesque, and who doesn't love seals? Face it, they are ocean puppies.

sheep on the way (this reminds me of a video I made years ago discussing fields of English sheep...)

Check out my gear! I was READY! Also it's 2 1/2 years later and I'm carrying another black and white striped bag. (Granted, it's just my school bag... but still. Some things never change.)

bundled up! Also, this is our last photo for the year... :(

(Spoiler alert: Not our last photo ever!) :)

Lottie was wearing gloves from our Canadian assistant, Zack (also featured in several posts).****

sweet babies

Not just ocean puppies... two land puppies on board, because why not?

We stopped at Blakeney Point, a little island inside the harbor, for a stroll.

back on board, back to shore

After the tour, we headed to the cute little port town Wells-next-the-Sea. I remember Lottie telling me some facts about this picturesque little village, but I can't remember them now. I feel like someone famous had been here? Or maybe I'm dreaming? This is what waiting 2 1/2 years to write a post will do. (Lottie just told me the only thing she might have told me was that the beach Gwyneth Paltrow walks out onto at the end of Shakespeare in Love is near this town. That must have been it.)

Don't want none unless you got buns, hun!

Look at these little beach houses! They're not big enough to stay in, but people rent them to store their beach gear.

SERIOUSLY this is like something from a movie. How lovely.

After our day of strolling the coast, we headed back home. It was pretty cold and we wanted to be cozy for my last night in Fakenham. So we drove home, but then, guess what?

We got locked out and spent some time in the backyard. And it started to rain. Because of course. But aren't these plants pretty? At least it was nice back there.

Me, locked out in the cold version... need I remind the world I don't do cold well?!****

We finally made it in and got cozy. Also, those are Em's house shoes I'm wearing! Between Zack's gloves and Em's shoes, it's like our friends were still with us keeping us warm. #cheesyalert #♥

It was so lovely to go see Lottie and Jane in Fakenham. They were so welcoming, and it's so fun to put together the pieces of your friend's history! We looked through old albums from their trips to Florida and relived stories from Narbonne. I was lucky to have gained Lottie as a friend this year; I love her positivity, her silliness, and her willingness to try anything. Plus she's kind of awesome and studied Spanish AND French; she headed off a few days later to spend the summer in Madrid for an internship! I miss her (but I'm thankful for Whatsapp) and I know I'll see her again! Maybe in Texas next time?!

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I loved my time with both Emily and Lottie getting to see everyday English life (as opposed to London life). I spent a lot of time in nature with both of them (and eating warm food!) and I really liked getting to see small town life and the English countryside, which I'd never seen other than driving through on day trips to Stonehenge, etc. from London. And, spoiler alert: I very happily got to see them both in summer 2015... hopefully I'll blog that one day on the up-and-coming new blog! (Again, blog name TBD.)

*Upon reading this post, Lottie told me that this was the coldest May she can remember in England. Offfff course. Just for me! 

**To this day, every time I watch the movie Les Mis, I think of seeing it with Lottie and Jane! Also, when Lottie told her mom that I was writing about my them, the first thing she brought up was us singing the Les Mis songs. Did you know I like to sing?!***

***Footnote within a footnote. This is a joke question for all my irl people because I love to sing and do it all.the.time. Sorry, everyone.

****These are Lottie's photos she shared with me. :) Merci, Lottie!