This blog does not promote violence towards women.... except at easter and with the use of whips

The end of March and the beginning of April have seen the end of the year abroad for the English assistants charged with trying to impart some degree of English-language based wisdom to generally unwilling students. Had I been aware that they finish 2 months earlier, have less hours than students and get paid in addition to student loan I probably would have been a little less keen on the Erasmus exchange option. Nevermind, its been sad to say goodbye to some friendly faces. In Paris many seem to be staying on and working, which is good, but some are leaving and so it has been a slow precession of goodbye dinners(any excuse to go and have a steak ;) ) so far and they will continue I am sure. Also many people around France from Southampton are beginning to head back, so it really does feel like the start of the end of the year abroad.

For instance, this past weekend has seen the last meeting of Mayhem in a French city for the Fam-a-lam, Reims this time the destination. Would like to take a sentence out to thank this newly formed little group, J-dog, Dad, Parch and Jarule, it has been a pleasure travelling the country with you all! The result was more or less the same as previous trips, bare fails. This lovely city granted us a very creepy hotel room, an intense game of laser tag (which I won) :D and some rather questionable cocktails in an Irish bar. Still rigorously sticking to my very minimal drinking I was given Coke in a cardboard cup (thanks, make it obvious yer) and was somewhat dismayed to find the planned champagne "tasting" at the Martell Champagne Cellars (which dad tried to transcend by applying international drinking rules) was instead a thinly veiled drinking session in which potential customers where given 3 full glasses to try and then finish in the space of about 10 minutes to tempt them into a drunken purchase.








As has been standard on all these trips met a top group of people all trying to survive and generally fit in in their respective cities!! Don't worry guys, almost there!

Another highlight of the past two weeks has been the re-emergence into my life of the film Taken, in which Liam Neeson goes around tearing up Paris with cheeky one-liners and the attitude of an immortal. Its both superb and lazy in equal doses, gone are the studios of normal hollywood productions, in are geographically accurate locations, and as such, it is possible to trace the film's story round Paris. Unfortunately, I had to bow out half way through because my body still occasionally gives me the run around after my illness but I very much hope to complete it soon(picture is from Porte de Clichy, where Liam Neeson tracks down a Pimp).
I think the phrase "you have too much time on your hands" could be appropriate here, but unfortunately I don't, as the deadline for the 6000 word YARP looms ever closer.

Another highlight recently has been a trip to Fleche D'or. Would love to say that I saw some crazy cool international artists, unfortunately, the headlining bands were British. Felt very patriotic!! The extremely poor French opening band left the stage to muted applause(they were a poor man's Ting Tings!), followed by a distinctly average Spanish band, then the Brit's came on and blew everyone away. Dog is Dead and Morning Parade. I fully reccommend you check them out!!!



I got back to Paris from Reims around lunchtime on Easter Sunday, to find my flatmates wining and dining in the kitchen. The easter egg hunt seems to be fairly standard international Easter day tom foolery, but I thought I would share with you a typical Czech easter time.

Below are sticks called Pomlázka which the boys must make from snapped twigs in order to whip all the girls on Easter Monday. Meanwhile, in a 4 day long preparation during which the whole country is on holiday the girls paint ornate easter eggs waiting to give them to the boys who whip them. After this ritual, the girls are cleansed, young, and beautiful. Now, I'm not one to criticise other cultures, if anything, this seems like quite a sweet deal for the blokes. Just wonder whether the guy that came up with this is the same guy who wrote the article about swallowing semen being beneficial for health. Whoever he is, Czech men must love him.





On Thursday I am going home for a touch over two weeks for my 'Easter' holiday, which in typical French style is not over easter. Looking forward to some good BRITISH live music, catching up with friends and fam and a few travels visiting Nottingham and Edinburgh!

Hope you all had a very Happy Easter wherever you spent it,

Easy,
Will.