Dear all,
How’s your fortnight been? Apologies for the lack of newsletter last week but it was one of those weeks where you end up utterly exhausted and I was too wiped out to sit and write. However, I’m back now!
Thanks also for your feedback on the audio segment - there will be more in coming editions!
But, as you will have noticed, this edition is also running late, so no audio this time (other than in Podcast Corner!).
Right, before it gets even later, let’s get on with it! In this learned episode…
Kimchi
Mugs
Cinema
…and much more!
So, pull up a hot drink and put your best reading face on!
Have a great week!
James x
James uči*
This week (and the week before), to mix up my learning of Norwegian and German, I have been mainly trying to learn Croatian…
I would like to say that I have been a roaring success at this venture but, if I’m being honest, it is beyond complicated. I have had the extreme luck to have been able to avoid languages that require me to think about the genitive, accusative, dative and friends since I someone passed Russian and Latin at university.
For those of you who don’t know, which, I am guessing, is most of you, I took politics at Edinburgh University. Back in the day, you were encouraged to try other subjects. In year one, I tried Russian. It’s very hard. I scraped a pass on the second attempt.
In year two, not to be outdone, I chose Latin. My director of studies at the time, a fantastic Irish revolutionary Marxist who spent a lot of time in Mexico and seemed, most of the time, utterly bemused by me, called me into a meeting. “James, why do you want to study Latin?”
“Well, I found it really hard at school and I feel like it beat me. I don’t want it to beat me.”
“OK… but are you sure? It’s not going to be any easier now!”
“Yes, I want to make sure I can say that I wasn’t beaten by Latin.”
We skirted around the subject for a bit and he tried to find other things that I might like to do that were less… Latin. Looking back, he was right. But, on the other hand, I was stubborn.
I took Latin.
And I passed.
Second time. 50%.
The reason that I mention that is, as you can imagine, those were the last times that I was worried about the nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative and ablative… but some of them are coming back to haunt me now! And I’m worried that I might not manage to get to 50% this time!!
As a wise women once told me, “Strpljen, spašen”, (Everything with be okay if you’re patient)
*James uči = James is learning
New Things
In the spirit of ‘trying new things’, I decided that we would try kimchi last weekend.
Kimchi is a Korean delicacy made from salted and fermented vegetables, usually either napa cabbage or Korean radish, along with a selection of seasonings such as gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal.
It is very good for your gut health, apparently.
Although, like many things that are good for you, it’s not to my taste! I like spice but this was brutally spicy. We’ll probably try another one in a few months - just to be sure. But… oof!
Podcast Corner
I have recommended the DW Inside Europe podcast before but, in this pivotal election year across Europe, it really is required listening.
Kate Laycock and DW’s correspondents really do create an engaging and informed podcast that will give you more insights that you can imagine.
The latest episode is excellent…
Get it in your ears now!
Croked West
For those of you (and I know there are some) who pass through these parts, I have sad news to report from St Pol de Leon - the borderline iconic CrokWest has closed.
A stalwart of the centre of town, CrokWest served up typically French fast food, freshly cooked, with a smile, for about 15 years. At one point, I seem to remember they also had a food truck that did the rounds of events in the summer.
It changed hands about four years ago and was never quite the same.
I don’t think it will come back - the kitchen and everything inside has gone. Sad times.
Wonderful Independent Cinemas
I have been to the cinema more times in the past 10 years than I did in my 40 years in the UK. There are lots of reason for this but one is undoubtedly the choice of venues - from big corporates to tiny, not for profit cinemas.
I have always loved small cinemas. There is something about them, an added complicity in the experience.
The one that I will be in this weekend has two screens - one with 177 seats and one with 87.
Most of my cinema visits in France have been to tiny, volunteer-run cinemas and, if you don’t live here and get the chance, I would very much recommend going to one.
They’re lovely and show everything from the huge Hollywood blockbusters to art house shorts and everything in between.
Also, there’s this…
Three full-price tickets in one of the local cinemas for 20€48. That works out (for you Brits) at about £5.75 a seat.
And the best part? With every ticket bought, these cultural jewels stay open.
Which is just another reason to go more often.
Support your local cinema!
Fun Facts : France has over 2,000 cinemas, over 6,000 screens and over a million seats! In 2023, over 181 million tickets were sold.
Mundane Moment
I bought some new mugs. 99 cents each in Action.
I realise that’s quite dull but I like them. And coffee is important!
Le Mot
Remember Wordle? Still do it?
How hard can it be? :)
Interstellar
Looking through some old photos, I found this from our local paper when Interstellar was on at the local cinema. I didn’t go and see it because I felt it looked like a rip-off of another film that was out at the time. I’m all for homage but this is just next level copying…
Not Long To Go…
The co-pilot is making is final preparations before his Erasmus+ trip to Norway. I have two main jobs - order the tablet and open a bank account - and the second one is proving very difficult due to an insistence that we should have a document that (basically) doesn’t exist if you are not French! [Rolling eyes emoji!]
Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to his tablet. Using a tablet will make his life easier while he is out there. You can find out more about his Erasmus+ trip and why he will be looking at support for dyslexic students in Norway by clicking on his face below!
As I’ve mentioned before, he’s set up a Gofundme to raise some money towards a tablet to use on the trip. Any contributions would be gratefully received.
For info, we are looking at a Xiaomi Pad 6 because, having spent some time in various shops, prodding various devices, it seems to offer a lot of tech for a very reasonable price (especially compared to certain fruit-based tablets!)
There will be updates from the co-pilot while he is out there - and they’ll be added to this newsletter!
Thank you!
As I write this, Russian citizens are going to the polls in a sham election that Putin will win.
Among them are some very, very brave people who are disrupting the election - starting fires, destroying ballot papers, blocking access and more. A lot of them will end up in prison.
In a country run by fear, hope is still alive.
One day, they will get their dream.
Hopefully, sooner rather later.
Take care, everyone. And don’t take for granted the freedoms that you have - because they’re very easily lost.
James x
Why don't you look into a WISE account for his Norway and any subsequent travels? https://wise.com/ I use it all over the place and don't have to change money for countries not on the Euro
Thanks for the post James. For a first experience I think you went in hard with that kimchi. I have friends that make It and I’ve been planning to make my own for awhile. But instead I put it on the shopping list. It’s been there for months. Hard to find round here.