We didn’t really notice the fact that we were in France until we were on the train to Paris, when Lisa posed the question of all questions: "Est-ce qu’il y a quelque fois à boire dans ce train?" In a French lesson, this would have brought a sharp reprimand from the teacher, but in France all it brought was the derision of French people who thought it funny that we were trying to speak their language. This more or less set the pace for the entire trip. We were actually aware that we were very noticeable anywhere and everywhere we went. We were getting strange looks on the Metro, and speaking from a personal point of view, when we went to work, we got in trouble whenever we tried to speak our native tongue.

On the first night we were there, we were told there was no shower. I wasn’t daft enough to believe this claim, but all the girls were. When we got settled in, after going shopping (yet another wonderful character building experience), we were down for the night.

The girls had a big problem getting me up at 11.00 on the Sunday morning, as they claimed that they had been trying to get me up for half an hour. But I did get up, and we decided to go into Paris to have a look around. So we went to the George Pompidou Centre. This is a long way from the Eiffel Tower. A very long way. And, having nothing else to do, we decided to walk there. About an hour and a half later when we arrived, and expecting to go up it, we found that it was not only extortionate, but extremely crowded. But of course it was, it was Easter.

Monday came and we got our Cartes Hebdomadaires, which allowed us unlimited travel wherever we needed to go (which was only inside zones 1 to 3). We did very little that I can remember on Monday, for the simple reason that it was Bank Holiday and everything was therefore either shut, or overly crowded.

And naturally, following Monday comes Tuesday. We were all pretty much looking forward to going to work once we had established that the places we would be working at weren’t shady back street establishments. After work however, only one pairing from three were still pleased with their work, and I wasn’t part of this pairing. The only relief I got from work was the odd cigarette when told I could smoke. And Lisa didn’t even have that.

So the work isn’t really worth talking about, and all that is left is what we did apart from that. We went to Saint-Michel to eat, and were bombarded with ‘special’ offers from employees from the different restaurants along the street. So what happened was that we all ended up disagreeing, and three of us went to McDonalds, and the other three went to a Chinese restaurant. A bostin’ Big Mac meal was followed by a bostin’ crêpe, and me, Lisa and Sarah went home happy.

The only other place we went to all together was the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday night. When we saw it, we were glad that we hadn’t gone up it on Sunday. It was as spectacular as things get. And we had the added benefit that we met a school party from London which we joined and went up for about half price. We weren’t at all disappointed, although I was worried for a bit as I thought I wouldn’t be able to smoke a cigarette at the top (it’s psychological). But I did, and I have, and I’m happier for it.

Other sight seeing was done after work in our pairs, so it ended up that none of us went anywhere else touristy together, but we actually did get out and have a meal together, and we went to the cinema, to see the French version of Devil’s Own, a film which I understand has not yet been released in England yet. What was even more pleasing was that we all understood it.

All in all, the work experience was nothing we couldn’t have done in this country, but the sight seeing and the benefits to our listening skills (and our French accents) could not have been gained anywhere else but Paris.

By Joe Green