Breaking the language barrier, JACKIE CHAN STYLE!

The vaguely annoying thing about the Swiss, other than a general inability to drive properly (it’s called an indicator people, it’s right next to the steering wheel), is that they are really keen to practice their English speaking skills. The reason I find this annoying is that I am trying to improve my French. Hence, last week, I found myself in the local post office buying stamps, with the clerk speaking English and me speaking French.

I have been getting better with it though. When I first came here my fall back statement was ‘Je ne parle pas Français’ and now it’s Je ne parle pas Francais tres bian’. Basically, I’ve gone from saying ‘I can’t speaking French’ to ‘I can’t speak French very well’.
I used to watch French TV, before I realised that French TV is really rubbish.

As a nation the British don’t really attempt to speak other languages, we just hope that all the people that we need to interact with will speak English. I’m trying to break that habit myself, but it’s not easy when you’re being spoken to in English anyway.

The reason that I’m saying this is because it was my last French lesson today. No more homework or early morning train journeys. Even though the class was only one and a half hours for three days a week it took me an hour to get there and an hour to get back, meaning I only really had the afternoon to do anything on those days. So once I get back from Scotland I am going to take full advantage of not having the lessons and my touring will begin. Woo!

What else is there to say? The weekend was an odd one, not much really happened worth writing about. Some shopping was done, another visit to the swimming pool. That’s about it.
I’m planning on going to Neuchâtel tomorrow. Neuchâtel has a rather nice lake called Lake Neuchâtel, which I’m going to have a wonder around. I’m also going to take in the town and one or two of the museums. If I get the time, that is.

Another amazing thing that I found out this weekend about Switzerland is until the mid 1980s it was required that all houses built have access to a bomb shelter. This led to me standing in a proper, working, ready to use bomb shelter yesterday, with a hugely heavy door and everything. It’s very weird knowing it’s there, but strangely comforting.
It’s nice a cool down there too.