Exploring.

After arriving yesterday and being taken back to the appartment, Lea fed me une tarte aux pommes de terries and then I settled in for a nap. After sleeping from 4:30-9pm, I got up and had a shower, then settled back into bed to sleep periodically from 11:30-2:30, then 3:30-5:30. I didn't realise how warm it would be inside! After rugging up to go to bed (socks, trackies and long shirt), I removed my socks thinking I might get too hot, then removed my trackies at 2:30, and then changed into a singlet at 5:30. I also opened my sky light to let some cool air in. Despite being so tired yesterday, I was fine when I woke up again in the morning. It's pretty cold, 9 degrees today, but it didn't even get light until about 8:15am. I'm surprised it's not colder actually. I've been told it is pretty warm for this time of year, next week should be cooler. I Skype called mum, dad and Laura and after finally unpacking, when exploring.

My street

View from the end of my street

I used my knowledge of where the river is to make it to quinconces and then found the main shopping district, it's about a 25 minute walk/10 min tram ride from home. The shopping district is huge! It runs all over the place. I think after spending a year here, I won't have discovered everything. There are cafes and boulangeries on every corner. There are several main streets. I only know how to get there via the river and quinconces so far, I'll have to discover alternate ways from home that are quicker. After shopping for about an hour (I bought a baguette!), I met up with some of the others and we grabbed lunch (baguettes avec poulet et salade). After shopping with them for a bit, and finding out about sim cards, I left them to make my way back home for a bank appt at 3pm. Before stopping at zara and H&M to pick up a weather proof jacket, some boots, gloves, beanie, magazines, and 2 jumpers. Thank goodness for sales. Post-christmas sales here amazing, the best I've ever encountered! On my way home, I stopped into a store to pick up from some juice and spreads for my baguette.

Exploring streets

Along my way to Quinconces

Quinconces

Andrew, Candice, Luce and Moi at Quinconces

One shopping street - morning so not busy

Shopping

After arriving home, it was starting to get a bit cooler, so I put on a scarf and gloves and headed back into town so Lea could show me a few things and explain the trams and trains and then we picked up my transport card (200 euros for a years travel in Bordeaux). 

Outside the appartment

I headed out about 6:30pm to do my grocery shopping. We're all cooking separately, so I bought everything I thought I would need. There are still a few things I forgot, like eggs, but I got all of the main stuff to last me a loooong time and it only cost 36 euros in total!

Tonight we're all heading over to Andrew's for some party!

Strangely, the language hasn't been that big of an issue. That was the one thing I was really anxious about before I left. But, it's not too bad. At the moment, I've been getting by. People don't speak as fast as I thought, and once they know that you speak english/can't understand them if they speak too fast, they slow down a bit. Most people can also speak a bit of english so if I'm stuck, they usually just translate words they know.