Thursday, December 21, 2006
BRRRR!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
My Crib
Photos from my schools.
My Job! My students and schools.
talk to you all again soon! A lot of you heard from me last night, those who didn't probably will soon. Like I said, leave me a facebook message or email at elklips@gmail.com with your phone numbers! Free calls to the USA people, FREE!!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
YAY FOR BROADBAND!!!
Clermont-Ferrand II -- Various Clermont Photos (with a couple Moulins shoved in)
Clermont-Ferrand III
Joyeux Noël de Moulins et Clermont-Ferrand
Tété
Le Reste....La Fin de L'Année 2006
check back often on this last on as I will be adding more photos (probably tomorrow, I should have time)
Love you guys and I should be in touch more from now on!! Bye!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Updates! Updates! Updates!


So voilà, there you have it, Place de Jaude full blown Noël style... Also this past weekend I went to a Concert in Clermont Ferrand which was AWESOME considering the time I've been in France is definately the longest i've been without seeing a concert in the last four years. I went to see a French singer-songwriter named Tété (click for website) If you want to listen to some extraits, click on Tété on the bottom left of the site, Tracklisting, and then Try out Fils de Cham, Madeleine Bas de Laine, La Relance, Caroline, La Croisée des Chemins...hell the whole album is excellent. Also from another album, absolutely BEAUTIFUL is A La Faveur de L'Automne... I recommend the download to anyone interested in French, or just in good Music. but the words are truly amazing. I might also go see Grand Corps Malade which is the "Slammer." Slam is somewhat like rap, but more resembles poetry. Check out the website here, the track Les Voyages en Train is my personal favorite, he compares peoples love stories with travelling by train... and my other favorite is Toucher L'instant where he talks about poetry and writing's ability to overcome evil and pain. The visual metaphors are amazing in this song...
On a trempé notre plume dans notre envie de changer de vision
De prendre une route parallèle, comme une furtive évasion
On a trempé notre plume et est-ce vraiment une hérésie
De se dire qu'on assume et qu'on écrit de la poésie
Il existe paraît-il, un instant dans l'écriture
Qui oublie la page blanche et efface les ratures
Un véritable état second, une espèce de transe
Qui apparaît mystérieusement et s'envole en silence
Que l'on rape ou que l'on slame, on recherche ce moment
Il allume une flamme qui nous éclaire brièvement
Cette flamme est la preuve, laisse moi t'en faire une démo
Qu'il est possible de combattre le mal par les mots
C'est tout sauf une légende, on espère juste toucher l'instant
Les quelques secondes du poète qui échappent à l'espace-temps
Les moment rares et irréels que la quiétude inonde
Rouda, n'oublie jamais notre parole du bout du monde
On ressent comme une coupure dans la nuit, comme un rêve
On oublie les coups durs de la vie, comme une trêve
C'est un phénomène puissant, je ne te parle pas d'inspiration
Mais d'un souffle plus profond comme une seconde respiration
On voit et on entend l'encre devenir vivante
On goûte et on sent la saveur d'une rime errante
On touche du doigt l'instant qui nous enveloppe de sa puissance
C'est sans cesse la renaissance de l'essence même de nos cinq sens
C'est le moment où on passe de l'autre côté des paysages
On sympathise avec le vent et on tutoie les nuages
Il fait jour en pleine nuit et il fait nuit en plein jour
Profite de cet instant, il ne durera pas toujours
C'est tout sauf une légende, on espère juste toucher l'instant
Les quelques secondes du poète qui échappent à l'espace-temps
Le moment où le voile se lève et la magie s'élance
Là où j'ai croisé Souleymane au bout du sixième silence
Si on a pas atteint le Nirvana, on doit en être au seuil
Pourtant je suis simplement assis là devant ma feuille
Peut-être que cet instant n'existe que dans mon esprit
Et que je suis complètement mythomane lorsque j'écris
Mais laisse moi mon stylo, y'a pas moyen que je m'arrête
J'ai une envie d'écrire comme t'as une envie de cigarette
Et pour m'enlever ce désir je te demanderais de repasser
Car tant que je pourrais écrire je continuerai de penser
Que c'est tout sauf une légende, on espère juste toucher l'instant
Les quelques secondes du poète qui échappent à l'espace-temps
Les moments que l'on redécouvre, que l'on connaît plus ou moins
Tu l'as déjà touché Jacky, j'en suis témoin
On a trempé notre plume dans notre envie de changer de vision
De prendre une route parallèle, comme une furtive évasion
On a trempé notre plume et est-ce vraiment une hérésie
De se dire qu'on assume et qu'on écrit de la poésie.
I also love where he says J'ai une envie d'écrire comme t'as une envie de cigarette. One day im gonna translate all this stuff into english and post it on here... Definately this song though. The only reason i hesistate to go is because i dont think hes coming to clermont ferrand and also, i find it touch to pay 20 euros or more just to go watch someone talk...there isnt really much value in the "Live experience" with Grand Corps Malade.

Thursday, November 23, 2006
photos!!!
for you non-facebook users (ie. people with real lives):
http://uga.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131001&l=bf1e3&id=4923654
http://uga.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131007&l=384d8&id=4923654
I have a lot more i want to upload but as im limited to public computers for the moment i dotn really have te chance so be patient with me!!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Ma nouvelle adresse...
but quickly for everyone my new address is below. I should have internet within 3 weeks. yeah it takes 3 freakin weeks in france to get adsl set up; even though they charge you immediately for the subscription:::blag. hope to be around more often by the end of the year.. hope everyone has a great thanksgiving; ill be celebrating it teaching class since it doesnt exist here but the students are really interested to learn about it even though they find the concept of pumpkin pie disgusting. im gonna try and find the ingrediants and make them one to show them its the best dessert on earth... also with my new internet subscription i can call fixed phone lines in the us for free so you should literally be "hearing" from me by the end of the year... bye everyone!!
Patrick Ladue
15 rue de l'Oiseau
Résidence St. Pierre, Bâtiment A
03000 Moulins, France
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Le bordel qui est France Télécom
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sorry for the wait!
Been keeping up with the elections here too, I could almost say its talked about more here than in the USA, its a pretty big deal. I really wont get into the results much more than to just say that the French are very aware of American politics. I guess they have to care though because what we do affects everyone. itll be interesting to see if anything can get done with a democratic congress and a republican president.
I recently found out that on the channel CNN international which i have in my room, but wont have right away at my new apartment :( there is the Daily Show Internation edition which is awesome because I was really missing some john stewart....Here it is your international moment of zen lol...
I go today to sign papers for my new apartment and i move this weekend. im hoping that I can get the process started for the internet connetion because it can take up to 3 weeks... The problem is that before in france, France Télécom had a monopoly over all phone service but in the last 5 years or so i think, it was opened to other companies...so now france telecom is the most expensive but if you want to use someone else for phone or internet they make you wait because the other companies have to get permission to use the equipment of france telecom...its stupid too because all it is is someone flipping a switch somewhere to turn the phone on and then set up the line for adsl, they dont even have to come to the apartment... anyway sorry this update wasnt too long, i wanted to write in more detail but i dont have much time right now because i have to go meet the owner of the apartment. also i bought a phone card to call some of you but the freakin thing doesnt work...I called the customer service and all she could tell me was to wait 48 hours and try again....anyway here is a small list of what im listening to these days...
Club Music
David Vendetta - Love to Love You Baby
David Guetta vs. The Egg - Love don't let me go
Fedde La Grande - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit
Moby et Mylene Farmer - Crier la Vie
Supermode - Tell Me Why
Tom Snare - Philosophy
Other Music
Evanescence - The Open Door (album)
Faf Le Rage - Pas Le Temps (Prison Break)
(i must note here that the french are NUTS about the show prison break...)this is the french theme song for the show...
Faudel - Mon Pays
Gérald De Palmas - Un Homme Sans Racines (album but mainly Elle Habite Ici)
Grand Corps Malade - Midi 20 (download Toucher L'instant and Les Voyages en Train)
Julieta Venegas - Sí (album but mainly Lento and Andar Conmigo)
Kyo - Le Chemin (album)
Olivia Ruiz - J'traine des pieds
Pleymo - Rock (album, French hardcore music...didnt think it existed)
Tété - Le Sacre des Lemmings (very good album, download Fils de Cham also La Relance) this is the best; you must download this album!!!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Enfin! Je déménage!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
finally...what should have been 10/27/06
Im on vacation right now and while everyone else is traveling or whatnot, im staying here saving money looking for an apartment. Ive seen 2 furnished so far but they were both disgusting and the 2nd one was way too small, there wasnt even a closet to put my clothes in! I think i might take the first one but first i gotta find out if i can get the CAF which is the government aid for my rent, im pretty sure im eligible. I get it here at the crappy foyer tower... By the way, i wanna say that the logo for this place has little dots which are "Hébergement, Formation, Restauration, Réinsertion sociale, Hébergement d'urgence" which means "lodging, ummm formation is like the transation from school to work, i.e. writing resumes and internships and whatnot, restauration just means there is a restaurant, you can eat here; and now the scary part... "reinsertion sociale" which is exactly what it looks like social re-insertion which only makes me think of one thing....Prison... and also "hebergement d'urgence" means Emergency lodging. Plus the fact that there IS a prison right up the road from here AND the fact that there are some pretty rough looking people living in this place... Im so ready to get out of here... Also the first apartment i looked at was PERFECT for my needs and a good location, but it was completely filthy, but i looked through it with the owner and he didnt know it was like that, because the last guy who was there said he left it clean and apparently he hadnt been to look yet. it was GROSS!!! But he was very embarrassed about it and said he would have it cleaned immediately (which in french could mean....months lol) and he was also gonna put some new furniture in it. But its in a good location very close to downtown but still walking distance to 2 of my 3 schools. anyway i wasnt really intending on writing a post right now because i dont really have time.
I will keep you updated though...Im on vacation right now until nov 7th... I only worked about 3 real days and then i got 13 days of vacation...cant complain... "on ne peut pas se plaindre!" I think i am going to visit some local stuff next week...go visit some castles in the region and possibly go spend a couple of days in clermont ferrand... anyway bye all and PLEASE email me! keep in touch! i love nothing more than opening up a full inbox! And I will try to do better as well about emailing you all and keeping in touch, its just hard not having internet access in my room now...it hasnt worked in over a week now, ive just given up pretty much...
Also last night I went back to "Les Murs Ont Des Oreilles" (the walls have ears) for the soirée bouef where everyone plays music together and not only did i play drums the majority of the night, I sang too! lol, The people playing at the time started playing "Welcome to Paradise" by Green Day, and i couldnt resist, so i jumped up and sang it all lol, then we went right into "She" by green day. Some of the girls took pictures so I will try to get those pics at some point and post them on here...I think the time change is tonight which all the discotheques are advertising for, because they get to stay open an extra hour its "The 25th Hour" as charlie folie's advertises, so i assume we will all go out tonight. Im starting to eat tuna and pasta all the time and im not really drinking much when we go out because im still waiting on my first salary which i dont really know when ill get it or if i even will before the end of november. I requested the advance but i have no way of knowing if all the paperwork went through or not.
Hey everyone, I can't remember what pictures ive posted links to on here and which ones i havent so ill just put them all up from newest to oldest. Anyone with facebook can access these already but I know there are some of you out there without facebook... anyway here they are!
WELL @E#R?I@"o38h/w2OIEF@o3h923rf I hate facebook...Now i see they have decided to remove the ability to share photos with non facebook users...isnt that special...I'll see what i can do and get back to you...this REALLY annoys me...that stupid website changes formats about 13 times a week..its impossible to keep up with it...
Friday, October 20, 2006
Je vous jure que je suis toujours vivant!!
So as far as what I've been doing lately, really im still trying to get settled in still...there is constantly something I still need to buy so I'm shopping a lot but trying not to spend too many Euros. My birthday was fun, I hung out with Toni and some of his friends, and all the assistants invited me to this little bar where they had a cake and stuff, which was really nice considering we had all just met. As far as the assistants are concerned we are all getting along GREAT! We definately have a range of personalities and the chemistry is awesome within the group. Its really a shame that we arent all lodged at lycee banville. Natalie (germany), Santiago (argentina), Lizette (american), Jennifer (canadian), and Aimee (scottish) all live at the Lycee Banville. Jan (germany) just found a studio so he lives downtown alone, and the last two of us, me and Lorenzo (mexico)still live in the foyer but we both hate it...we are looking for a furnished apartment which is not easy or cheap here in moulins. Also im worried that if we live together we wont be able to get the CAF which is the program where the government subsidizes your rent, for example if i stay here, i will only end up paying about € 110 of the €300 rent (For the studio) or € 260 for the room. Also the lycee is real uppity about us coming to visit during the week because there are students who live there during the week too and apparantly there was an incident with some foreign students last year, bringing like 30 people into the lycée, throwing a party, and i think some girls ended up running around the campus naked and screaming at 3am, so now they are kinda uptight about us coming in, even though its just two of us...but what is cool is during the weekend, no one is there, not even the surveillant. I will explain the lay out, a lycee is a usually fenced in compound with several buildings with classrooms, living facilities, a cafeteria and administrative offices. I will try to take some pictures to show you, but there is one main door that must be opened with a key or by the guy at the reception. but on the weekends, the language assistants are the only people in the whole compound, so we usually get together and cook dinner together in the kitchenette and just hang out, watch a dvd, go out together, or whatever. Its actually quite fun. it makes me wish i lived there, or at least within walking distance.
anyway i have tons more i want to say, but im going to take a nap...plus my internet just croaked so i dont even know if I will be able to post this...wish me luck!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Le français parlé
Today was an interesting day. I had my first meeting at l'inspection académique which is like the board of education that administers all the primary schools here in Moulins and the surrounding areas. (I must not that when I say primary school, it refers more to the english elementary school. The school system here is as follows; école maternelle [maternal school] is free but not obligatory from ages 2-5, and is required at age 6. School is compulsory in France from ages 6-16. École primaire [primary school] starts at age 6 and goes to age 11. Then the collège [middle school] begins which is age 11 to 15. Then begins the lycée which is like high school though age 18. Students are required to complete at least one year of Lycée to age 16.) Whew! Just thought I'd get that out of the way! Anyway at the meeting this morning I met with several professors of English and German from the area who were mostly older French women or English or German men or women; of course I was the only American present. But they all seemed very nice and willing to help me with how to prepare lessons and what not. As far as the job itself I am somewhat scared because there was a lot of talk concerning discipline and keeping the kids attention. I also learned that I will not be allowed to speak any French while teaching, which I think is actually going to make the job harder rather than easier. But alas, on verra! We will see! Anyway It's midnight and although I don't have anything extremely pressing tomorrow to do, I would like to get up in time to eat breakfast which ends at 7h45! I think I'll put a movie on and crawl into bed. Thursday morning I go to visit the schools I will be teaching in...I'm pretty excited to have any opportunity to meet more people here in Moulins. The fact that it is a smaller town and most people here already know each other is making it a bit more difficult to meet people at first, but I think after some time, it will make it easier to meet more people as my social network grows more. I mean, it hasn't even been a week yet; I shouldn't expect to know everyone in the city yet. It just gets lonely in this little room sometimes, and especially when I'm out walking and everyone else is walking in a group and I'm alone. Anyway, Good night everyone and you will hear from me again soon! Bonne nuit à tous!
Monday, September 25, 2006
I Love getting shafted...
Comments...
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Bienvenue à Moulins!


Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
T- 2 days...

Hi everyone... Patrick here. Never thought I would buy into all this "blogging" business, but alas, here i am. I figured this would be the best way for people to keep up with my adventures in France during my year as an Enlish teaching assistant. So the basics i guess will be a good place to start. I will be in the town of Moulins, France (moulins = windmills) which including the surrounding areas has a population of about 40,000. Pretty small, right, but I'm hoping the small-town atmosphere will help me in meeting a lot of people and also in avoiding english-speaking tourists. I will be living in a foyer d'étudiants which doesn't really translate into English very well. I guess you could describe it as a dormitory that isn't really associated with any specific school. Hopefully I will be living in close proximity with the other language assistants for Moulins which means people my age from Spain, England, Portugal, Germany, etc. etc. This should be pretty cool because we will all speak French amongst ourselves as a common language. As of right now I don't really know anything! My contact in France, Madame Lecole (ironic name, since L'école means school!) refuses to answer my e-mails with anything more than a 4 or 5 word answer. I know I will be teaching in up to 4 different primary schools with children ranging from age 9 to 11. Should be interesting since I have no formal training in teaching! And as the assistants from last year in Moulins have told me, I will not be a teaching assistant as my job description implies, but rather the full-blown English professor. They told me I would most likely be the only person in any of the schools who even speaks English! I'm working on packing my suitcase right now and trying to decide what on Earth I need to take with me while minimizing the amount of crap I'm gonna have to lug around two airports, a cab ride, and a train station. I don't even know if I'm going to be able to take up lodging immediately in the foyer d'étudiants or if I will need to stay in a hotel/hostel the first few nights! Tout va se montrer en deux jours... All will reveal it self in two days! I will post again upon my arrival where I am sure I will have adventures to tell from the 20 hour process of getting from Dudley, Georgia to Moulins, France.
2.5 hours Dudley - Atlanta
3 hours International check-in, security, etc.
9 hours Atlanta - Paris
2 hours layover in Paris
1 hour Paris - Clermont-Ferrand
1 hour layover in Clermont, cab-ride to train station
1 hour train from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins