Wednesday 27 February 2008

oops!

After Marc's laptop dying yesterday, we weren't too impressed when we tried to switch mine on this morning and it didn't want to! Fortunately it eventually gave in and decided to cooperate, otherwise I wouldn't be blogging now. We had known that Marc's was on its way out for a while, so he had backed-up all his work, meaning that he isn't behind on his assignments. We are just going to have to be very organised about who uses the remaining laptop when for the next two weeks until essay deadlines, so if I don't get much time to blog, that could be why!

Sunday 24 February 2008

getting concrete (but possibly not water or electricity!)

We had a letter last week from Grace, the missionary translator I visited back in 2003, and who we'll be working with in Benin until her retirement in 2010. She was able to give us news of the village, news of plans to build us a house, and practical help about things we need to think about taking out with us or things we can buy out there. The mission have definitely decided to build an extra house ... it's just not entirely clear when it will be built ... but we expected that. It's rare enough for builders to finish anything on time in the UK, so having already experienced African timing we didn't expect things to be any better out there! She also gave us the good news that water and electricity should be arriving in the village, as a teacher training school is being built ... but again, there's no way of telling when that will be available! So she advised us to invest in a kerosene fridge - pricey but reliable.


Her conclusion to all of that was that when we and the other, Canadian, family arrive in the village, "life could be interesting for a while". At least we've been warned!! We are still planning to travel out there in November, and Grace's comment was that that was very good timing in that we'd be arriving at the coolest time of year, so it wouldn't be such a shock to the system. We're already more than halfway through our year at college, and November isn't sounding so far away any more!
Grace's house in the village:


Thursday 21 February 2008

home sweet home?

"Where's home for you?"


Today wasn't the first time this year that someone had asked us this question. The short answer is, "Our flat here on campus!"

The longer answer is more complicated. Our home church is in Nancy, our extended-family-homes are in Cardington and Jouy-le-Moutier (where our parents live) ... and here we are really in a transitional phase, despite being very happy in our flat and in the college community.

Another aspect of "what makes home" which is important - but hard to explain - for me is what kind of building I'm living in. When I was living in a flat in France it never seemed quite as much "home" as my parents' home had done when I was growing up. I thought that when I was married that would change, because I'd be living in a family again, and to some extent it did ... but I never felt as entirely at home as I remembered having done as a child.

I think that it comes from something which I suspect is a bit English. A flat never seems as much home to me as a house does. Though again, what it is about a house that makes it homelier is hard to specify. I think our flat here on campus feels a lot like a house because though it is all on the ground floor, we don't have anyone living over us, and in fact we rarely hear the neighbours, which was not something we could say about our flat in Nancy! Plus we have our own front door, and when it isn't too muddy to do so we can even park our car just outside it!

What makes a place feel like home for you?


Saturday 16 February 2008

the n-word

Simon has a new word. I thought he was just repeating us, but a conversation this evening made me wonder...


Me: Simon, would you like some more courgette?


Simon (shaking head and arms from side to side): Nah!


Me: Have you tried the chicken?


Simon (still looking unenthusiastic): Nah!


Me (holding out a piece of chicken): Oh, well, would you like to?


Simon (looking at the chicken distainfully): Nah!


For anyone who is worried about his eating habits, I can reassure you that he had already eaten some courgette and lots of rice, and was persuaded to try the chicken before finishing off with plenty of grapes.


I had just hoped it would be a little longer before he learnt to say no ... I mean, couldn't he have focused instead on learning heart-warming phrases like "please", "thank you" or "I love you"?? ;o)


Sunday 10 February 2008

and he's off...!

Simon took his first steps on December 30th, but seemed to have decided it was too risky, and so it wasn't until about ten days ago that he took off again. But then there was no stopping him, and he is more often seen on two feet than hands and knees now. He also loves walking outside, and has taken me on some interesting walks, including a blackbird chase yesterday!

He will still walk holding our hands, as that gives him more balance, and here is a family photo, taken by a friend of ours who came to stay last week (thanks, K!).


Friday 8 February 2008

contentment

This morning I was standing looking into the woods, listening to the birds singing, and I thought, "Wow ... I think we must live in the most beautiful place in the world!" I immediately realised that this wasn't a very realistic statement ... but that didn't stop me feeling as if it was true!


Tuesday 5 February 2008

damaris

Here is a message from a really excellent website providing resources from anyone who wants to be able to think about contemporary culture from a Christian point of view, or anyone who is helping others to do that:
Have you seen www.pollardonfilm.com and www.culturewatch.tv? These are new free websites from Damaris providing short downloadable videos that explore the issues raised by the latest films. They are fully integrated with www.toolsfortalks.com which means that the downloadable videos are ideal for use in talks, discussion groups, school assemblies or lessons. They are also part of Youtube (see www.youtube.com/pollardonfilm and www.youtube.com/culturewatch) so they can easily be republished on websites or blogs. Damaris is also providing a free monthly email service which will remind you of what videos they have produced and what films they plan to cover in the next mo nth - so you can plan ahead for specific talks or discussion events (click here for details).