A day for being thankful

for everything. Even the things that drive me nuts !

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One difference between we French and the anglo-saxon mindset is that

I was chatting with the dad of a friend of Gwilym. He works for a multinational aeronautics firm, so he speaks pretty good English (though we stuck to French), he knows that Welsh culture is different from English culture (hurrah !) and ... wait for it ... he has visited Cwmcarn many times. He said, "Of course, one difference between the French and the Anglo-Saxon mindset is that we are very logical while you are very pragmatic." I think I looked puzzled and doubtful... "You must do something", he said, "and if that does not work then you will change and do something else until you find out what does work. We must reflect before we do anything." He's so right. Although the verb 'to reflect' exists in English I don't think I ever used it and I certainly never did it. I MUCH prefer to do SOMETHING than nothing, even if it is the wrong thing. After all, in a crisis to do nothing is usually the wrong thing. However here in France I find that w...
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A bit about music exams in UK and France

They're really different. I think I have already mentioned that while in the UK people generally find a private teacher for their instrument, or do it through a school scheme, here there are municipal music school, conservatoires and so on. The situation is a little more complex than I had first understood, because the schools vary in the rigidity of their organisation: the most, the conservatoires, next the municipals, then the associations. Our music school is an association, but it tends to apply the standards of the municipal schools with its programme of cycles, etc. Britain - grade 1 to 8, grade 8 being roughly equivalent to A-level, pre university/conservatoire. France - 3 cycles, each taking about 4 years, with 3ème cycle being roughly equivalent to grade 8. Theory of music - UK to take grade 8 you need theory grade 5. In France you study theory alongside your instrumental studies, very slowly. Catrin's flute music is MUCH more difficult than the stuff she does in theor...
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Three weeks in Blighty

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