A ray of sunshine

Hello again! I am hoping that this update is somewhat less depressing than the last couple… and that maybe, just maybe, I'm over my little breakdown. Fingers crossed! 

One daily bonus is the Moomin cutlery! Like, who knew you could get Moomin cutlery?! Also, where do I get some from? 

So, here's some strange things I have noticed in my (almost) two weeks here;
* Many French people like to speak English with an American accent. I can only assume that they watch a lot of American films and television. Who knows?
* It is pushing impossible to find something as simple as body spray. You know, like Impulse or something just to freshen up. So during the hot weather I gave up and just resigned myself to the fact that I will smell better when it's cold…
* Personally, I think the postal system is weird. Why wouldn't you have a number on your house? I don't get it.
* People here don't actually have to know French. There are so many nationalities here that they essentially give up and all speak English. That's great for them, but I'm a strong believer that if you chose to live in a country, you really ought to make some attempt to learn the language.
* Discipline is VERY different here. Like, non-existent (unless that's just here) 
* People are not polite. Only tourists are polite. Barely anyone even smiles. You'd think that if you had enough money to buy a couple of houses here and there, you'd have more to smile about. Apparently not. 

I was forced to build this monstrosity. 

I wish I could say I did it on my own, as that would've been infinitely easier than the reality of building a basketball hoop with a child. A child whose mother came out to look at the finished product and criticise the methods. Wonderful esteem booster that was! 

Anyways, after the day from hell (I shall call it woeful Wednesday) I met Hannah! Thank the lord for poor Hannah, who had to absorb all of my problems like an overwhelmed sponge. However, I really appreciated 

a. meeting a likeminded person, who actually listened to me and showed interest in what I had to say
b. talking to an adult, rather than a 9 year old boy.
c. spending time out of the house, regardless of the appalling weather and our inability to communicate efficiently in French. 

So thank you Hannah. Truly and sincerely, thank you. I don't think you realise how much you helped me today. It is often when we are faced with hardship, that a little sunshine breaks through the clouds to light up a gloomy day. Today, Hannah was my little ray of sunlight.