Lessons from the city of love

J'adore Paris! Wooooah it feels like I was there for way longer than two days! Rather than blabber on about every single thing that I did, I thought I'd tell you five things that I learnt :) It waaaaas meant to be an educational visit after all :P Other than the fact you must be a MENTAL person if you want to take a class of thirty children to Paris, here is what I learnt...

Un

Contrary to what I was taught at school, to order stuff you want you can actually say 'puis-je avoir'  instead of 'je voudrais' :) I am a français novice but I think being in Paris and trying to talk French to one another has been beneficial to me; all the MFL guys were so helpful!! I feel like all my basics are rushing back.

Deux

It is perfectly acceptable to have an all butter croissant with nutella for breakfast. Followed by a HUMONGOUS baguette for lunch and numerous fresh nutella crepes. Having a 'food baby' would be a total understatement, I'm surprised I'm not a stone heavier than when I left. The meals at our hostel were a bit rubbish but Paris has plenty of yummy looking and great smelling food on offer.

Trois:

The Paris metro is a crrraaaazay place! I don't think I have done as much running and diving through doors in my entire life. Anyone who has ever done the London underground will appreciate how mental it can get. BUT it is possibly worse! There are guys who sing and play instruments then run from carriage to carriage, people steal stuff if you aren't careful and there is a great possibility you will get stuck between barriers. I had the unfortunate experience of having to squeeze past a barrier because I was stuck between two of them... I honestly felt like my nipple had been ripped off/I'd been shot in the boob. Despite the crazy, I still loved every second on that damn metro.

Quatre:

If you burst into a very loud rendition of the French 'Head shoulders knees and toes' on the metro.. people will film you. For anybody that is interested in learning this beautiful song, here are the words :) there are numerous youtube videos available too for you eager beavers.

Tête, épaules, genoux, pieds - genoux, pieds.

Tête, épaules, genoux, pieds - genoux, pieds.

Les yeux, les oreilles, la bouche et le nez, 

Tête, épaules, genoux, pieds, 

Genoux, pieds.


Also, f you sing Frère Jacques on the metro.. people will join in.

Cinq:

Finally... life will never be complete until you have a picture with the Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomphe, musée du Louvre, Notre Dame...

xox

So this week...

This week has been super busy so rather than write an essay, when i should really be using these words for actual Uni work, I will give you a wee overview...

I went on an after work Starbucks date with Emma because she felt so inspired by my Autumny blog last week. We had a little cosy catch up and I finally got to try the Pumpkin Spice Latte.. YUM! We may have repeated this yesterday afternoon too.. oops :P

I have been lusting over Leah Flores' prints for adventure enthusiasts on Fab UK and these gorgeous silver stacker rings on Etsy. I love checking out all these websites as well as Folksy and Pinterest for some interesting and quirky finds. Me and Sam even bought Deathly Hallows necklaces off Ebay this week... geeky but cool ;)

I checked out the Cosmopolitan quirky tattoo gallery because I am adamant that I will eventually get inked. I'm not brave enough for an entire back or foot masterpiece but how awesome are these?!

York had a load of Student Lock-ins on Tuesday so obviously I had to go along for the live music, free alcohol and goody bags even though I wasn't going to buy anything. I did walk away with a new Superdry hoody though :) who can complain at 20% off? It is so soft and warm that I just want to wear it with everything.

I took my QTS tests (teacher tests for you non-primary edders) and passed!!I was genuinely really quite worried about them so I feel like I've jumped a massive hurdle on my road to becoming a fully-fledged teacher :) Feeling like a kind of mathematical genius now but if I hear the words "...what percentage of pupils got a level 4 or above..." in a question one more time, there is a possibility of a mental breakdown.

(For primary edders who haven't booked yet, it's hard to find the link so here you go)

We had our first Primary Education Society social! Free champers on the night and a card that entitles me to free entry to Club Salvation all year? YES PLEASE!

I completed my first month as an Oxfam volunteer! Those 4 shifts flew by! I like my little Sunday contribution because it's not too busy and I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile with my time rather than sitting around watching jeremy kyle re-runs and eating.

My hair has been on my mind a lot. It is FINALLY starting to look a bit longer; I even sported a pony tail for the first time in years on Friday. I'm getting to that point where I am really fed up with it though. It's a never ending journey trying to get long hair :( I have been thinking about getting a splash of blonde or colour but obviously have to keep the job interview possibilities at the back of my mind... wacky hair doesn't usually equal employability!

For my Friday night date I went to Prezzo in York, they have a deal on at the moment where you can buy one meal and get the second for £2! I liked them even more because they text you a code rather than you having to print off a voucher (my ink is always low or non-existent). Time saving and eco friendly! I think I have now established myself as the crazy, hippy, voucher Queen... not too sure why he is still dating me.

I organised my life.. WAHOOOOO! Feel like I'm actually on top of the million things I need to be doing. I am sorted (kind of) for the Durham NQT pools, I passed my QTS, I have millions of helpful websites stored away and for the first ever time I got books out of the library early.

It really is all go go go! :)

Feeling Autumnal

I love all the different seasons for their own reasons, but if I had to choose a favourite, Autumn would win every time hands down. I have even given my blog layout a mini overhaul to get in the spirit!

Enough chitchat, here are my reasons for thinking Autumn is awesome :)

Cosy jumpers

It's always sad to pack away all the summer clothes, especially if  you only got to wear them once or twice (thanks British weather) and say goodbye to your legs for a good couple of months BUT it's now jumper season! I love chunky, oversized and downright cosy jumpers and leggings so this excites me a lot :D I will also be using mine to cover up my mince pie belly when we get deeper into the Winter months ;)

Check out the new addition to my knits collection.. only £4 from a Charity Shop! If you are in York you can pop down to Oxfam and see me modelling it on my shift today :)

Bonfire night

When I lived in Wolverhampton as a teen it was pretty much a tradition to get down to West Park with my mates or a boyfriend to celebrate bonfire night. The tickets were cheap and the bonfire and fireworks display were ace! The local radio station would usually be there playing music and doing competitions and stuff as well as a load of other stands and rides. In York there is something similar but it is waaaaaay too expensive! Bonfire night will always have a place in my heart though; wrapping up warm, having a cold nose, snuggling up with those you love, feeling the warmth of the fire and watching the displays with awe.

Starbucks trips & lots of hot drinks

It most certainly doesn't have to be Autumn for me to get a hankerin' for a cup of tea but the cold weather makes me feel a whole lot better about it. After a long day shopping on an Autumn day, you know it's pretty much mandatory to go and kick back in Starbucks for a bit; especially with the new seasonal drinks.. pumpkin spice latte anyone?

Nights in & Cuddles

I love a good night out, getting all dressed up and staying out till the early hours.. even getting addicted to gangnam style! But it's no secret that my nights in are loved just as much. Nothing beats a good snuggle and a movie or a meal and a natter :) Sometimes it's nice to tie your hair up, stick on the comfies and enjoy some good company. The Autumn months are perfect for this as it's when I start to feel like I want to hibernate!

Going on walks & Leaf Crunching

Big kid alert! There is just something about a big crunchy leaf that hasn't been stepped on that gives me a massive urge to lunge and stomp. Big piles of leaves are pretty much Autumn heaven.

Holding hands
Pink noses and cold hands are THE best flirting devices ever! Eskimo kisses and hand holding opportunities are plentiful in the colder months :) Hand holding in Summer is such a chore having to swap hands all the time to avoid the dreaded sweaty palm but in Autumn is so much better.. you know you want to warm your fingers with someone else's toasty mitts ;)

Scarves
The BEST accessory ever. Adding a scarf can update and improve almost any daytime outfit, I am yet to be disproved. I have a small collection of spring/summer scarves but it's not the same as the big, chunky knit babies you get to don in Autumn and Winter. You know your scarf will always be faithful and provide you with instant warmth :) and they aren't detrimental to your everyday activities.. here's looking at you gloves!

and it's nearly time for this song :) !!!

It just makes me feel so jolly.

xox

*All images on this post were found through searches on weheartit

Just say yes

I definitely need to pin this quote on a noticeboard or something! It's already my new Twitter bio because I love it so much. It starts off pretty grim but it makes you think of the infinite opportunities that you have and I'm not going to argue with that awesome thought. After what seems like days, maybe weeks of life reflection and inner debate, I think I have come to some sort of idea of what I'd like to do with my life. Third year of Uni had hit me so quickly and unexpectedly hard... smack bang and wallop in the face. I've been so focused on the present and getting my degree done that I hadn't really given my post-uni life much thought. I like to think that if you follow your heart and do what you love, that it will all fall into place.

I guess I always presumed I'd go back home, live with my folks and get myself a nice little job until I could afford to move out but two years down the line.. I don't think that is my best option! I don't know where I'm going to end up but I'm happy with where I am right now :) schools in Yorkshire and up North recognise my University so I have a much better chance of getting interviews.. and actually travelling to the interviews! Who knows, in five years time I could be living by the sea somewhere, planning lessons whilst sat in a hammock. Well, that's the dream! :P

I still have loads of stuff I feel like I need to try and do before I settle down. It scares me to think that I might never see the world and I could be stuck in the same school, doing the same stuff until I retire. I'm not even sure if traditional is even my thing right now... I'm still young and there's still so much to try out!

Now I'm a super serious Oxfam volunteer on a Sunday, I have realised this could open up some doors for me :) Apparently if you do three months volunteer work for them, they will pay for you to take part in Oxfam campaigns abroad. I'm keeping everything crossed that I get the chance to go and work on a school building project or teach under-privileged children. Before or after NQT year?? Who knows :) but if the opportunity arises I'll be sure to say yes! I'm just going to work hard, enjoy life and leave the rest up to God :D