Sign-up week at the music school
Well this week was sign-up week at the music school and, although I withdrew from the committee, I said I'd go along to help with inscriptions.
My task this year for the evenings I was there was to look up people's surnames in the big folder which was not entirely arranged alphabetically and where people could be filed under a completely different surname because of the French standard of ladies retaining their maiden name as their legal name for all purposes linked with the state. So sometimes it was quite a challenge to find people !
Very good for your French !
Once I found people I had to obtain their signature on the authorisations for various activities etc...
Today was a bit more bizarre - the Fête des Associations, where we have a table to interest people in learning an instrument at the music school. The thing is that it was raining and we had no shelter, so our table was entirely bare apart from a Blue Plastic Trombone - all leaflets and information sheets being stowed in the dry beneath the table.
However the Blue Plastic Trombone was a terrific draw. I ALMOST persuaded one gentlement in his mid to late fifties to take up the trombone as a worthy mid-life crisis - just as noisy as a motorbike and just as annoying to everyone around, but entirely safe. Small boys LOVED making the loudest noise possible. It was great fun.
The Maire of Pessac, Jean-Jacques Benoît came round to shake hands, as did various others town councillors. I only really know the adjoint for culture, but the others generally say "Je suis un élu". Then Alain Rousset, the Député for Pessac and Gradignan came round wearing a splendid scouts neckerchief.
My task this year for the evenings I was there was to look up people's surnames in the big folder which was not entirely arranged alphabetically and where people could be filed under a completely different surname because of the French standard of ladies retaining their maiden name as their legal name for all purposes linked with the state. So sometimes it was quite a challenge to find people !
Very good for your French !
Once I found people I had to obtain their signature on the authorisations for various activities etc...
Today was a bit more bizarre - the Fête des Associations, where we have a table to interest people in learning an instrument at the music school. The thing is that it was raining and we had no shelter, so our table was entirely bare apart from a Blue Plastic Trombone - all leaflets and information sheets being stowed in the dry beneath the table.
However the Blue Plastic Trombone was a terrific draw. I ALMOST persuaded one gentlement in his mid to late fifties to take up the trombone as a worthy mid-life crisis - just as noisy as a motorbike and just as annoying to everyone around, but entirely safe. Small boys LOVED making the loudest noise possible. It was great fun.The Maire of Pessac, Jean-Jacques Benoît came round to shake hands, as did various others town councillors. I only really know the adjoint for culture, but the others generally say "Je suis un élu". Then Alain Rousset, the Député for Pessac and Gradignan came round wearing a splendid scouts neckerchief.
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