Truc

I always try and label my posts with an observation, then the first paragraph of my blog explaining the title. So this time, I've gone for truc.  Truc is a word they are obsessed with over here. Absolutely everything is a truc.
Example: A 'truc qui tourne' is a turnstile.
C'est quoi, ce truc? What is that thing?
That's just 2 examples of truc I've heard in the last day or so, but everytime I go out, a new way of using truc is discovered, and it always makes me giggle. I'd say the closest translation is the word 'thing', but it's used for other stuff too. Anyway, on with the show.

Sunday was rememberance day in the UK, which I've discovered is quite different here. Today I showed a class of 2nde our commemorations. I gave them only the date and a video taken from the BBC.  I got asked questions like 'Why are they sad?'. 'Why is the queen not moving', 'What is that flower'. I gave them the answered they were looking for, and then asked if anything happens in France. The response: Not really, it's just a day off work. A good thing about this job is that I'm basically presenting British culture to a group of kids who know nothing about it, but then I try asking them if there is anything similar in France. They seem to enjoy telling me about their country (in english of course), and I quite enjoy hearing it. Differences between cultures has always interested me.

I spent Sunday at the war museum in Meaux (Musée de la Grande Guerre), for a museum that I would imagine very few people have heard of, I was really impressed. It was quite a complete collection of artifacts from the late 1800's to the armistice of 1918. It featured some information about school life back then, and a really interesting video of the lead up to the war (some of which I didn't realise until I saw things on a map). There is a war memorial on the hill given to the people by the American's and so the museum has a small section of America and the war, a nice thanks from the people of the town to the American people as a sign of gratitude.

A few other things that came out of today's lesson I did on November. The first question I asked was 'Does anything in the UK happen in November'. One student replied 'Yes, everyone grows moustaches'. Then we moved onto firework night, I asked why we do fireworks on the 5th November 'Because you turn on the christmas lights'.  (Oddly, not too far off. Oxford Street turned on their lights on the 5th November). 
We then moved onto charity as I mentioned children in need. I said a few random fundraising ideas. The bath of baked beans amused them. They didn't get it at first, then it was 'Do they eat the beans?'.  Usually once they have bathed in them no, was my response.  A sensible student replied 'That is a waste of food.' 

I leave you with that thought. A tres bientot.