The Truth
I've decided enough is enough. I've glossed over it, painted it like a whore and even downright lied about it, well not any more. I am going to reveal to you the full extent of my unhappiness here in Bordeaux and why doing French was a silly idea.
I was excited about it at first, got my hopes up a little too high in terms of expecting amenities to enable comfortable living. I discovered a barely serviceable kitchen and completely filthy dirty room. The walls are stained and the coverings (yes, plural, for one wall has avocado wallpaper on it) are peeling. There is dust all over the grey-ish lino floor and no bedding was provided. Culture shock, more like un-cultured horrors. I can speak none of the language which makes any attempt to complain impossible. Any complaints are met with hostility by our management.
I feel very isolated here among the African and Maghreb communities. I don't want to disturb our American friends, who clearly have lots of work to do now and my other English-speaking associates tend to just leave me alone. Today to my disgust I found what I can only assume was a leak in the toilet. And people put up with this.
I now fully regret doing French, for it catapaulted me here into this dump. I don't want to complain to home anymore, they'll all just tell me to get on with it. Well they can get on with the two breakdowns I've had since I've got here. I don't want to stay here anymore, all I want to do is come home and do something simple. There are plenty of things to which I could turn my hand back home.
It's only on here I can really make my feelings known. I don't want to burden home with it, it'll make things worse. I don't want to bring down my English-speaking friends, they're enjoying it. I can't speak French well, so there's no point there. Anyone left on this who will read it, please do feel free. And see what it's like. I'm half-tempted to get a Facebook group up to petition for my return home.
Oh well, whinge and rant over. Back to it, keep grinding away and all. Musn't upset people, musn't let them see there's anything wrong, it makes them feel worse.
I was excited about it at first, got my hopes up a little too high in terms of expecting amenities to enable comfortable living. I discovered a barely serviceable kitchen and completely filthy dirty room. The walls are stained and the coverings (yes, plural, for one wall has avocado wallpaper on it) are peeling. There is dust all over the grey-ish lino floor and no bedding was provided. Culture shock, more like un-cultured horrors. I can speak none of the language which makes any attempt to complain impossible. Any complaints are met with hostility by our management.
I feel very isolated here among the African and Maghreb communities. I don't want to disturb our American friends, who clearly have lots of work to do now and my other English-speaking associates tend to just leave me alone. Today to my disgust I found what I can only assume was a leak in the toilet. And people put up with this.
I now fully regret doing French, for it catapaulted me here into this dump. I don't want to complain to home anymore, they'll all just tell me to get on with it. Well they can get on with the two breakdowns I've had since I've got here. I don't want to stay here anymore, all I want to do is come home and do something simple. There are plenty of things to which I could turn my hand back home.
It's only on here I can really make my feelings known. I don't want to burden home with it, it'll make things worse. I don't want to bring down my English-speaking friends, they're enjoying it. I can't speak French well, so there's no point there. Anyone left on this who will read it, please do feel free. And see what it's like. I'm half-tempted to get a Facebook group up to petition for my return home.
Oh well, whinge and rant over. Back to it, keep grinding away and all. Musn't upset people, musn't let them see there's anything wrong, it makes them feel worse.