‘Sup With Pete

View from the Glacier at Les Deux Alps

Me, skiing on a Glacier on Dec 1st!

Us waiting for the tram after the discotheque. You can see there’s smashed class. This is from one of the many many many many many many many………. etc. strikes that happen in france. Riots happen oftern (manifestations) and things get broken. Basically people broke glass at all tram stops in the city that weekend.


I’m hiding behind Laura here. She’s from Finland and we had a party for her before she returned home for Christmas. We all got these “Caramel Brulés” at the Pirate Bar. They fire it up, as well as the bar, and you stick a straw in the middle and down the drink. The alcohol is on fire too, even though the picture doesn’t show it. Don’t worry, it doesn’t burn … too much. I think this is a cool pic.


A piste/mountains at Les Deux Alps - not much snow yet.

Another view from the top, on the glacier. People are going up on a T-Bar. These are everywhere in France, don’t know why they don’t just put in more chair lifts like Canada - maybe Canadians are more lazy, but I still prefer to sit!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Hello,

(this isn’t the most interesting – won’t be upset if you just want to look at pics –Pete)

I am really enjoying being in France at the moment, there’s always things to do and places to see, however there’s medicine to do too, so I haven’t been up to much over the past 2 weekends/weeks, although I’ve been feeling quite busy.

When I say ‘not much,’ I mean 2 weeks ago I just went out and met people / had 2 migraines that week. There are 2 Swedish girls on my floor, and another 6 floors up. They had a ‘Glamour’ party at a bar, which basically meant dressing up all Glittery-like. I didn’t dress up much, but put on a black shirt that got covered in sparkles. It was also another international night, so there were again loads of people there from all over the world. I took lots of pics over the night (none very good though), and through taking my camera in and out of my pockets, my keys must have fallen out, because when I returned home at 2am, my keys weren’t in my pocket! I thought, ‘this has never happened to me before!’ and I’m always so good at checking before I leave the bar. We called our Swedish friends who are on speaking terms with the bar manager who checked the floors after everyone left and luckily found them! They said I was lucky, they don’t usually check for lost keys, but who can turn down 3 tall blond Swedish girls who bring a hundred people to your bar – of course you’ll look for their friend’s keys! Now I keep my Bristol keys on a separated key chain from my Grenoble keys just in case!

Two days later, on Friday, November 23 I headed out with people from my hall to a night organized by the international society. it was a stage show and discotheque. However, we missed the entrance to the show, which was some sort of contemporary dance, and the disco wasn’t very good. We left early. The following day I had a migraine and stayed in, mostly just watched movies – Troy, in French.

Last week I mostly sorted out stuff so that I could go skiing! Yes skiing. I can’t remember if I’ve ever been skiing on December 1st before, but last Saturday and Sunday I went skiing at Les Deux Alps – about 1 hour and a quarter from Grenoble. It started out when I was called into a meeting by the ERASMUS secretary. She told me that I only had health insurance. I responded, “yes – I need that in case I’m hurt in France.” She said yes, but in France you need Civil Insurance in case you hurt someone else. I was confused. Basically she used this analogy – if you put potted plants on your window sill, then they fall on someone, you are liable. As a medical student/person living in France, I, as well as everyone else, need insurance to cover others if I hurt them. Kind of like comprehensive driving insurance.

Back to skiing. Well, my UK bought health insurance doesn’t cover Skiing, luckily this Civil insurance also has professional insurance (ie. in case I do something/ something happens to me at the hospital) and personal insurance – which covers skiing! So I’m covered.

Skiing is quite simple at Grenoble. You pay €30 only for the year. This gets you discount at 3 resorts in the area, and you can buy tickets to travel with the university or you can go on your own. Basically a round day trip to Les Deux Alps with full access to the whole mountain costs you €24.50 which is an amazing deal. Normally the day pass without travel to and from Grenoble would cost you €28.00! The ‘École de Glisse’ also gets you 20% discount at ski rental places. And that gives you skis at €15.00. This is great for ski prices. Anyway – boring number stuff, but I was quite impressed at how cheap they keep it all for students.

I had 2 wonderful days at Les Deux Alps. The first day I went with friends from La Tronche. They weren’t very good (no offense guys), so I didn’t do much of the more challenging stuff. I think if we go again I’ll try snowboarding so we’re all at the same level. The second day was just me and a medic friend. It was sunny, cloudless in the a.m., and we basically went everywhere that was open. Only 33% of the hill was open at this time of year.

As for medicine, I finished my radiology placement – which got a bit boring. Now I’m in Orthopaedics which is awesome! I work on wards sometimes taking ECGs, I’m allowed to help with casting, which I haven’t done yet. I can go into surgeries and I sit in on consultations. I’m trying to do a bit of work in the afternoons too – you know, learning.

Otherwise, keeping busy with swimming, jogging and squash. The French squash instructor has been too nice to me and not told me that I have to pay (I am a non-comprehending anglo-saxon). But the students let me know that there was a €36 membership fee. I can’t play again until I return in Jan, because it’s done for the year, so I’ll pay for my membership when I return. We play at a club, so it’s only free for students on Thursday afternoons.

Well, I’m back to UK in 2 weeks, and Canada 2 days after that for the Holidays. Can’t wait!

-Pete