On dit bonjour ici... 15/09/07

I went into the town today and was accosted by Mormons AND Jehovah’s Witnesses. All in one morning! I smiled politely at the Mormon (who was speaking dodgy French with an American accent), shook his hand and took his card, which told me to call this number for the secret of eternal life, and promptly deposited it in the nearest bin. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were more cunning however and managed to draw me into a conversation. I’d already noticed that the leaflet the man was holding had one of those classic Beardy-God-in-the-Clouds pictures on it so I was on my guard but he turned out to be surprisingly friendly and engaging. He wasn’t even wearing a boring suit. Those miserable zombified-looking ones that knocked at my door in Sheffield the other week could learn a lot from this guy!

He didn’t really seem surprised or put out when I told him I’d heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses and wasn’t in the least bit interested in joining up. So we shook hands and said how pleasant it had been to make one another’s acquaintance, we promised not to try and convert each other and then we went our separate ways.

Going out and about today was my first culture ...not shock exactly, more like a ‘culture reminder’ of what I’d been told to expect. Everyone says bonjour to everyone – even complete strangers. A couple of older people said good morning to me as I passed them, and I returned the greeting, but I didn’t manage to find the courage to say it without a prompt until after a man told me in a rather stern voice: “On dit bonjour ici.” just after I’d passed him, smiling rather blandly. I thought he was really cross with me but when I sheepishly said: “Pardon. Bonjour!” he just laughed. Phew. My first cultural faux pas resolved nicely.

In other news... a coconut fell out of a tree right opposite where I was sitting on my patio this morning. It was just across the road from me and it made me jump out of my skin! As soon as I realised what it was I jumped up (losing several layers of skin in the unsticking process – did I mention it’s a bit warm here?) and chased it down the hill. Then, walking back, with my trophy proudly held out before me, I bumped into Lisette’s husband who I hadn’t met before. We said hello, ça va etc but I was so bursting with excitement about the coconut that I practically threw it at him. “Look!” I said. “J’ai trouvé un coconu ...coco...err” trailing off as I realised I didn’t actually know the French word for my amazing discovery. He smiled, the way you would smile at a two year old who’s just realised how to put his arm in his sleeve by himself. “Yes”, he told me. “They grow on trees”.

Speaking of trees, there are two banana trees and a lime tree in my garden. And I had no idea that bananas grew upside down! Well actually I suppose it depends which way round you think a banana should go, but I had always imagined them growing hanging from the fibrous stalky end but in fact they grow upwards from there. I felt a bit silly when I realised - but a bit less silly than during that coconut experience.

I think I’m going to stay here in Trinité instead of looking for another place. Geneviève (my tutor) drove me through Le Robert yesterday, which is the place ten minutes’ drive down the coast where I’ll be working, and it’s not a patch on here. The beach is a five minute walk away here – there’s no beach at Robert, there are loads of shops within walking distance and the apartment is fantastic and big enough to have guests.

So get those flights booked people. I’ve got a spare room! xx