Since we can’t go to the Roudourou stadium in Guingamp anymore, I had told Jean-Baptiste we would go and see them play in Lyon and Annecy. So last Sunday, we were in Lyon for one of the big games of the year. The stadium was packed.
We found the visitors entrance fairly easily and were among the first ones to arrive. Some joined us later. There were about 100 of us, most of us had come all the way from Brittany, but a fair number were from the region. It was good fun. We lost, but we had a great time with Guingamp supporters, singing and supporting the team.
At the end of the game, it was a new experience for us. We had to stay in until the stadium was empty before we could leave the place.
We went back to the tube under the rain, queued with everyone else, but by the time we got into the tube, most people had gone. We met a few other Guingamp supporters who had made the journey especially from a village near Guingamp for the event. We arrived home safely after an uneventful train journey.
Category: Daily life
Going west
Today, we are going west. But in order to go west, we must head towards the North-West from where we are. I know, it is strange but that’s how France works. In France, when you speak about the West, you speak about the region West of Paris. Anyway. We are going towards Le Mans. I am speaking at a youth conference organised by and for Hmong Believers. We are all going, which is nice.
On the way, we are stopping In Montluçon, where my grandmother lives. We’ll try to go and see her and will spend the night in a hotel there.
The countryside is never far
It feels strange living here
I grew up in Vimines, a village about ten minutes drive from where we now live. I went to primary school in Vimines, but spent the first few years of my secondary education in Cognin, the town where we now live, on the outskirts of Chambéry.
Living in the countryside, we often went to Cognin. The church was in Cognin. There was also a small supermarket in Cognin. I played basket ball in Cognin for a few years. It sometime took the bus to Cognin before heading home. But I never actually lived there. Cognin was a small place you had to drive through on your way to the bigger town, Chambéry.
But now I live in Cognin. It is a strange feeling. I feel like I know the place. I can find my way around. The buildings are familiar. But at the same time, I feel like I don’t know the place at all. Strange, and exciting new experience.
Where people meet
We’ve been in Cognin for about two weeks now. The centre of the town is mainly made of building blocks, about 8 floors high for most of them. Ours is the tallest, with 15 floors. It means it is quite compact. Everything is less than 5 minutes walk away.
Yesterday afternoon I took Jean-Baptiste to his first training session with the local football team. It is across the road. There is a also a park. There were dozens of children playing around. The parents were sitting on benches or standing around. Some were chatting, others were reading. It downed on me that when people live in building blocks, you have to get out when the weather is fine. So people seem to spend a significant amount of time hanging around and chatting.
It was different in Pabu. Many people had gardens around their houses. There were no building blocks. That meant that houses were more spread out, but also that many people didn’t feel the need to go out of their properties. It actually could be easier to make contacts here because many people want to get out of their small flats. Time will tell.
How’s the view?
Last night, a neighbour told me in the lift that the view must be nice from the 12th floor. It is nice indeed.
