A negative mind will not create a positive life....

This week, I am eagerly embarking on my 6 week internship for DMU Square Mile and what a week it has been. Since Monday my awareness of the important outreach work that DMU Square Mile is facilitating with the local, ‘Square Mile’ or community, has made me appreciate and zealously take a hold of this opportunity with both hands.

My role as Research and Engagement officer is to aid a team of people to create an event that showcases the research that takes place at DMU, through the SMART programme, standing for Square Mile Academic Research Team.
After our engaging training session, where the full extent of our project was divulged to us, I believe maybe my eagerness had diminished, and replaced with apprehension. Was it really within my remit to create an event, that showcased research as of yet I knew nothing about?
However, a negative mind, will never create a positive life, and with this firmly imprinted on my mind, the very next morning I met with my first researcher Dr Graham Lawson.

What a great start, Dr Lawson, was really able to gage with me, the importance of his research. This impacted me in a profound way, I was starting to see the real importance of research and why people give up hours upon hours, year on year of their lives to conduct research. Inevitably it could improve your life and in some situations even save it. It also highlighted that my role would be extremely vital, as what is the point in researching, without communicating that research to people?

I furthermore appreciated the importance of what SMART is doing, and the importance of my role within this team.

So without further explanation, this propelled me to go out of my comfort zone, and create my first Video. To engage with an audience, you always feel to have to relate to how people use media, and how people will understand, and for me I felt this would be the perfect place to share this project from my point of view.

I hope you enjoyed it, and also I would like to add that feedback is greatly welcomed and encouraged.

Amiens

It was so much sadder than I had imagined leaving my idyllic summer behind, but I had to forge on, everyone has to forge on with life. I miss them children and that family dearly, although life goes so fast and that was over two months ago now.
Meanwhile I am yet to write about my trip to Amiens and Paris. Firstly Amiens, is one of the nicest French towns, I have visited. Ok not as nice as La Rochelle but equally as charismatic.

I decided to hire a bike, to explore the city, think green and all of that Jazz. This posed a few minor problems. Initially it became a great French exercise, to work out how to hire the bike to begin with, secondly I had my bike, and was shocked at how heavy it was to ride. It never figured I had a flat tyre, until a very well to do, French lady stopped me on the street and exclaimed ‘Regarde, vous avez un pneu crevé ’

Only slightly embarrassed, no who am I kidding, probably going as red as a tomato, trying to look effortlessly cool, riding around a french city on my bike (Pour moi, c’est tres Parisian et chic). Instead, I had to walk to the next bike service area avec said bike, and bemused French helpers, trying to show me the way. On arrival at the bike service station I was lucky enough to find some council workers, who helped me no end. As I rode away, they were very pleased with my comprehension of their English, if only I had more courage like them, in French.
Finally I rode my way around Amiens, through Little Venice a quaint canal area of Amiens full of little restaurants and cafes, my favourite part of Amiens actually. I then went in search of le maison de Jules Verne.

Jules Verne moved to Amiens, later in his life, and this was the place he died. A treasure trove of detail and memories, I was unaware of Jules Verne’s impact on French literature and society, and have since read, ‘Around the world in 80 days,‘a great majestical adventure, around the world, with an English gentlemen and his French butler, Passepapout.

I even had time to explore the musee du Picardie, a small museum which if I put it frankly was not my cup of tea, especially when the lady asked me, if I was there to collect the fish. I was so excited to explore the exhibition on Lady Godiva, the lady who walked down the street naked in protest, which turns out was one painting.

Nethertheless, I realised I had so much love for this small city, and before I forget, you should all go and see the Catherdral, the biggest in France, I believe. With a believed connection to the Iluminate.

Next stop Paris.

Write soon xx

Il est temps pour moi de dire au revoir!

Don't wait for life to find you, find it!

My bags were packed, my plans were finalized, I was leaving Picardie, and heading to Amien and then Paris before embarking on a journey once again back to England.  During the last few weeks, everything had changed, the season and with that the weather, the children were more settled in School, which meant more time, to ponder to myself.  I would go out on a bike, but my hand's would shiver from the crisp, icy autumnal wind, and indeed autumn was finally upon us and my little French summertime adventure was, all but finished.

The night before I was due to leave, I sat Clemence and Louis down, to eat our dinner, When Clemence abruptly said, ‘Natalie, I think you need to find a boyfriend’.

‘Ow... thanks Clemence, but why, I am happy as I am’

‘The world needs more Hettle’s in it, and you need a boyfriend for that.’

‘Well thats not going to happen soon,.’ To which she informed me, I need to have meet the guy I will marry by the time I’m 25 and then stay together for three years, after which we should get married, then after that have children.   

To conclude her answer was‘You just need to look online,’Children of today.

The little, inconspicuous moments, that happen when you work with children are irreplaceable. .. 

So I left this small, quiet village, in the heart of northern France, but I will never forget, how welcomed I was, from the waitress in the local restaurant/park ensemble , all the dinner parties I went to. The uncle, who thought in the Algerian war, and shared his remarkable photos, with me, even taking the children Ice Skating at La boule.

Life is better like this.  

Au revoir, Picardie! Tu me manqué 

'We had seasons in the sun'

But the wine and the song

Like the seasons have all gone.

We had seasons in the sun;

But the stars we could reach

Were just star-fish on the beach.

Perfectly placed lyrics, for my last few weeks in Picardie! Indeed the season in the sun, is for another year, over for me. The mornings are crisp and cold, and I long to stay under my warm duvet for just a few minutes longer. Forgetting to pack for the harsh autumn see’s my poor limbs nearly turn blue. Ow I long for sun again!!

I can let you all reminisce, with a few more photos, from this summer's escapades.

I thought I would entail some more British girl dilemmas in France or more commonly known as cultural differences. I now feel comfortable kissing anyone or anything...French people have so much practice  maybe that's why it’s called the French kiss! Give me a person, and I will kiss you, no problems, although not four times, that just too much for me. So in theory no French person should be a bad kisser??!

 I definitely need to sort out my accent, because I get alot of replies in English, (Tip – Watch Allo Allo), I don’t want to put on a accent because, I think people will think I’m mocking them (Also I do have a ridiculous French accent which tends to come out, after an aperitif or two or three, yes normally takes three) So embarrassment aside, there are some things I don’t know how I will survive without in England.

As for Frenchness, I don’t know how I will survive without Saussison sec, ow my.. And I am now perfectly adjusted to the taste of Red Wine. Also if in doubt just add chesse and pepper to your food, and never overcook, always under cook  Although saying this, you never crave a croissant after a night out, so I will keep my English breakfasts thanks. 

Maybe we could combine the two cultures, and throw in some Finnish must haves (Sauna, snow, etc) Perfect country, or this could just be Europe, which I discover every day, I love more and more.   

The children are back at school, and French kids are lucky enough to get Wednesday of (How nice is that?), this means I have more spare time, and can blog until my heart is content. Also try to prepare for the manic final year of University.

Going back to Terry Jacks song, about Star Fish on the beach, I went to the seaside!!

A tout! 

Nattie x