Yesterday I received an e-mail message from Michel Darmon, who is the director of Study Abroad students from America. The following is Michel's message: "This is a message to explain the situation in which we are not only at the University of Angers but everywhere in France in State Universities. There are two distinct problems. One is about the faculty strike. Some faculty are striking (not giving grades and not teaching because they fear for their status). A new law proposes to examine more closely than in the past the actual extent of their research which enables them to teach an average of eight hours a week. The second grievance is about the reform of IUFM (normal schools to become teachers) which concerns students. In short they will have to earn a Master's degree to be able to teach (elementary and secondary education). I am not commenting on the political aspects of this movement. The situation is very unclear. The support French program is working full time (fac de sciences)........I hope the movement will not continue too long."
More Cultural Trivia: Yesterday I discovered that the buses do run on Sundays, but with more limited hours. They arrive at the bus stops every hour instead of every fifteen minutes or even more frequently than that from Monday to Saturday.
I've discovered how popular hazelnuts are here, even though they are not grown in France. The French frequently add hazelnuts to chocolate bars, to cereals, and even market a very sweet chocolate, hazelnut spread under the brand-name "Nutella," although several less expensive generic brands are available in food stores. Wouldn't you know that I am allergic to hazelnuts!
More French student cultural trivia: "Pencil cases" or containers are big business in the school industry here in France. Most student here, and even teachers, carry their pens, pencils, erasers, felt-tip markers, highlighters, etc. in small, rectangular sacks often made of fabric with a zippered enclosure. They come in all varieties, patterns, and colors. When the University students arrive to class and sit down, they immediately take out their pencil cases and set them on the desk directly in front of them, usually above their notebooks. Therefore, it's interesing to look down the long tables where we all sit, and see all of these varied pencil cases lined up like "clock-work." The student pencil cases here remind me of when I was in grade school in Maine. My parents always made sure that I had a pencil case to hold all of my writing tools, etc. In addition, in another post, I think I already mentioned that the students here write on what we always called "graph paper" in the states. Since I'm still using the notebooks that I brought with me from the states, I haven't yet tried taking notes on the graph paper here, but today I plan to buy a small packet of it. The graph-lined note paper is sold everywhere here.
One other thing: When I discovered a small fabric store in the city center of Angers this past Saturday, I found that they were selling fabric made in America! In fact, they are charging 18.00 euros per meter (similar to a yard) for the same fabric that I purchase for about 4.00 dollars per yard in Maine. Plus, with the current exchange rate, I would actually be paying at least 23.00 dollars per meter at that Angers fabric boutique. I've been given the names and locations of two other fabric shops that are supposedly less expensive, which I plan to investigate this week, while on my vacation week. Here in Western France, the French term used for fabric is le tissu.
That's all for now until my next post. Please keep following my blog as I continue to update it.
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