All Roads Lead to Rome

All roads lead to Rome, and after my previous travels, there was an Italian shaped void on my checklist that needed to be booted off.

Sunset at the Vatican

Italy has long since been a country I want to explore in all its glory. From Venice to Florence, Naples to Milan, so many Italian cities evoke images of grandeur, history, romance and sun. Given the time (and the money) I would spend many months unearthing the treasures of this country, which certainly wasn’t built in a day.

The Eternal City needs no introduction; from its Roman heritage, to its religious significance, Rome is a living testament to centuries of human development.

Thankfully, this urban landscape packs an entire metropolis into a limited area, and so walking around Rome is one of the best ways to explore. Head to the Travestere district, west of the River Tiber, to get a sense of Rome from the local perspective. Here, the streets are a maze of restaurants, hidden churches and boutique shops and art fairs. The houses are all painted in different colours, and tiny cars from the 1960s and mopeds are actually out in force. Food is at its cheapest here, with pizzas from six euro, and pasta dishes not costing much more.

Visiting the Colosseum

For those looking to travel back to Roman times, the old ruins are all surprisingly close which makes for a great day hopping between reminiscing about gladiator battles at the Colosseum and imagining the bustle of a bursting Roman Forum, before visiting the most iconic of religious temples. Tickets to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum can be bought as a combined package for under 10 euro, but make sure to arrive at the Colosseum early should you visit during peak season, or on warm days.

Altar of the Fatherland

Other highlights include the “Wedding Cake” building, a monument to Victor Emmanuel, the first King of Italy, official called the Altar of the Fatherland. Its scale dominates the Piazza de Venezia, with its white marble screaming importance and decadence. The view from the top is well worth the extra expense for a central city outlook. The adjoining Capitoline Museums are also worth several hours of your time, housing a number of Italian sculptures and artworks, as well as monuments to Marcus Aurelius and Constantine and the remains of the Temple of Jupiter. If that doesn’t sway you, there is an excellent private terrace that overlooks the whole of the Roman Forum, for a picture perfect moment.

The view from St Peter's Basilica

The Vatican City is a must regardless of religious outlook or philosophy. From its art to its architecture, this is certainly an inspiring marvel, that is a testament to the skill of some of the most talented and enlightened individuals of history. The Vatican Museums will take a good three hours of your day at any time, but the history of the different rooms and the expansive detail in each work of art is so intricate that it merits more than a rushed photo. The museums give way to the Sistine Chapel, where photos are forbidden, but the real impressions are left from craning your neck back to admire the painstaking ceiling fresco that depicts numerous passages of scripture with dynamic realism, whilst leaving an air of the divine at play.

St Peter’s Basilica itself leaves any visitor in awe, and the peace that the basilica instils is tangible. From the scale of the building, there is sublime sense of being connected to a greater being, with light pouring in from high windows, and huge pillars leading to the dome. A view from the roof is also a must – but beware of the 550 stairs. Try to visit on a Wednesday if possible, when the Pope gives his weekly address.

Gelato in Travestere, Rome

For alternative Rome experiences, check out the Castel San’Angelo, close to the Vatican City. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, it later became a castle and strategic defence and hideout for the Popes. To put a bang in your visit, don’t miss the midday cannon fire at the Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi. This free spectacle, with a complementary inspiring view across the city, is steeped in tradition, and was a signal for all the bell towers in Rome, which failed to accurately mark the passing hours. The cannon fire was introduced to keep time, and continues to this day.

Giolitti gelato stole my heart.

One last piece of advice: try as much gelato as is humanly possible whilst on your trip. Of course, this goes without saying – Rome is a food capital and you will be spoilt for choice. However, make sure you are constantly popping into different gelaterias for one scoop here and there to dabble in all the flavours. Some favourites were Grom, Roma and Giolitti, where I think I lost my heart to ice cream. Three scoops (slabs more like) of some of the most delicate and creamy gelato you will find, fresh cream, and a chocolate covered cone for under 3.50. More of this please.

Private Beaches

The French Riviera has long since been an area reminiscent of glamorous film sets, ports brimming with expensive yachts and rolling beaches. Indeed, there is some truth to these images, even if they are somewhat exaggerated. However, for the most mesmerizing views, clear blue waters and private beaches, you should head to the Calanques near Marseille.

The Calanques, rocky inlets across the south coast of France, are known in the region for their outstanding beauty and unparalleled scenery. For several miles between Marseille and the small town of Cassis, the Massif de Calanques offers over thirty of these isolated and idyllic slices of paradise, which attract plenty of locals throughout the year.

Far from your standard beach near a sleepy suburb, or the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the Calanques make you work for your reward. Their location, away from main roads, and along a mountainous ridge on the coast, means that you are expected to trek for anywhere between half an hour and two hours to reach these private beaches. This could involve some tarmacked road, but more often than not, the trekking routes cut through forests, steep hill sides and some of the most untamed parts of nature in the south of France.

Visiting the Calanque d'en Vau

Indeed, friends of mine have fallen several times, or managed to cut open their feet due to inappropriate footwear. The Calanques are not for someone who likes to simply lay on a beach all die – the effort might prove overwhelming.

Hiking endurance, then, certainly pays off in the case of the Calanques. Over the past months, as the weather has improved (well gone from spring to summer, because winter never fully hits here), my friends and I have taken our time to enjoy and explore some of these great locations.

From the most visited Calanque de Sugiton, with its panoramic viewpoint, its small rocky beaches, and crags used as impromptu dive boards, to the remote Calanque d’en Vau, deep in a gorge, with light only overheard for four or five hours of the day, no two of these natural wonders are the same.

Overlooking the Calanque de Sugiton

Some of the Calanques have been made into make shift ports and harbours, such as the Calanque Port-Pin or Calanque de Morgiou, which means that you are able to appreciate the tiny fishing villages that have formed around the inlets, and also admire some of the gleaming vessels which are the pride of their owners.

From the centre of Marseille, you would have to take the metro to Rond Pont du Prado, and then the appropriate bus (19,21,22,23) and then subsequently hike the challenging terrain for a minimum of thirty minutes or take the train to Cassis, and approach the hike from the far end of the coast.

The only other way to visit these remote regions is by a boat tour, but these will only provide a brief glimpse of the beauty here and there are no stops to enjoy a beach or two.

Despite the difficulty in reaching these beaches, families still come with young children, and even carry babies on their backs. Such is the allure of these frigid, crystal waters, that should you have an afternoon off work or school, you are almost sure to head here as a local.

Calanque de Sormiou 

Stunning scenery, small beaches, exercise and golden memories are guaranteed with the Calanques.

Tongue Twisters

Sharing ideas with other language assistants can be a great source of inspiration and motivation. Not only do you brainstorm entire new lesson plans and ways in which to engage an audience, there is the satisfying reassurance that other teachers are experiencing similar difficulties. Together, growing your ideas and using these connections helps both teachers grow.

Such was the case this week when, over coffee, a friend and I noted how we were losing steam with our ideas for how to engage a class. We discussed our teaching methods and reminisced on some of the better lessons we had delivered over the course of the year so far.

As with chocolates and football, the key seems to be never to complicate matters more than necessary.

Tongue Twisters left the children with funny faces.

My friend suggested I try a lesson of tongue twisters to help my students hone in on their pronunciation, whilst having fun at the same time.

In Marseille, where teenage attitude favours rap and hip hop above all else, this seemed a perfect method to connect with the students. Many of my classes have certain pupils who try to avoid speaking each week, and this seemed like it would encourage an overall level of participation, whilst also nodding to some of the favourite hobbies of these would be rap stars.

Introducing the tongue twisters, the children were a little shocked and perturbed. I rattled off several different examples without pausing and when I got half way down my list to “How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck if a wood-chuck could chuck wood?”, I not only had stunned silence, but certain nervous glances shot around the room.

I explained that these were difficult for English people and gave a few examples where I had difficulty such as “Red lorry, yellow lorry”, (which one student later did perfectly to everyone’s amazement).

To start out, I had individuals pick one of the rhymes to practice. They would say it slowly and I would correct their pronunciation for everyone to repeat. Gradually they would say it quicker, until I told the student to keep going until they messed up, leaving several out of breath and red in the face, but smiling.

After, I split the teams into two groups and they had a rap-off battle, where a member from each team was sent up to face off in a tongue twister battle. I was later told that this led to one avid pupil rapping “Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?” for the whole week much to the consternation of other teaching staff, who had no idea what the boy was talking about, or why the other children found it so highly amusing.

This teaching tip was a brilliant way to reinvigorate the classroom and match the mood of a number of my teenagers. Collaborating with others can be just as important as leading your own classroom.

Fishy Food

To say that France is known for its food would be somewhat of an understatement. As a gastronomy capital of Europe, and indeed the world, there is nothing the French enjoy more than a great cuisine and local specialities, be it wine, bread, cheese, meat, or, more wine.

So over the past couple of months I have sampled a couple of the well-known dishes in the area.

Marseille food is very much embedded in its fishing culture. Fresh produce is on sale nearly every day down at the Old Port in the centre of the city, where the smell of fish is now a permanent fixture. 

Consequently, the restaurants serve up a number of tasty meals from the catch of the day.

Firstly, snails – or rather sea snails. As stereotypical as snails are in France, I had never tried them before so this was a culinary adventure. Although I wasn’t completely convinced by the idea, nor was I too impressed when I had to remove the snails from their shells, overall they are quite delicious, if not a little plain. They are for all intents and purposes a more squidgy and chewy mushroom, and when served with accompanying dips and sauces are quite light but satisfying starters.

I also tasted some Tartare de Saumon, which is raw salmon that has been seasoned and garnished, alongside a small salad and some toast. Think sushi a la francaise.

Bouillabaisse

Finally, one of the most infamous dishes in Marseille, and certainly one of the tastiest I have sampled since living here, is Bouillabaisse, which is a fish stew. However, this is no ordinary concoction – no the brew is brimming with just about every fish fresh from the sea. The soup itself is made up of several different fish that have been boiled down and mixed together, and then extra fish are cooked whole and chunks are liberally spread throughout. The stew comes with small pieces of toast and a garlic/mustard sauce called Alioli and is surprisingly filling. I found it difficult to finish my (huge) portion, but the challenge was worth it.

Recipes can be found online for those with kitchen know-how, but to give you a flavour of the fish that could be found, here is a sample ingredient list for a traditional Bouillabaisse.

Ingrédients:

1,8 kg rouget (Red Mullet) 1 congre, en 4 tranches (4 Slices of eel) 10 petits crabes (10 little crabs) 1,3 kg rascasse (Scorpion Fish) 1,3 kg baudroie (Monkfish) 1,3 kg grondin rouge (Searobin) 1,3 kg Saint-Pierre (John Dory) 900 g tomates, coupées en 4 (Tomatoes cut into 4 slices) 4 oignons, en tranche (Sliced Onion) 2 gousses d’ail, haché (Chopped Garlic Cloves) 2 c. à s. concentré de tomate (Tomato Purée) Huile d’olive (Olive Oil) Bouquet d’herbes: aneth – Dill (2 brins – Sprig/A touch of); laurier – bay leaf (1 feuille – Leaf); persil – Parsley (1 brin – a little/a touch of); Pelure d’orange – Orange peel Sel, poivre – Salt, Pepper 2 c. à c. safran – Saffron

Arriba, Arriba

The South of France has many hidden treasures to explore; sleepy towns and villages that almost seem forgotten by time and tourist. Yet, these are some of the most interesting places for day trips.

The Bull Run

Along with a couple of friends, I spent the Easter weekend visiting the old town of Arles, about an hour away from Marseille by train. The town had been described as quaint and traditional, with small streets, uneven pavements, Roman ruins and amphitheatres and the haunt of Van Gogh.

Imagine our surprise then, when arriving in the town we were met with an endless row of police cars lining the street from the train station down to the town itself. Slightly perturbed, we walked down to Arles, only to head into an ongoing bull run in the street.

Bull runs, we later discovered, are a continuing tradition in the city and there are lots of monuments, engravings, and even graffiti dedicated to bulls around the town. The amphitheatre itself was hosting a sold out bull fight, more commonly associated with Spain.

Roman Ruins in Arles

Proving popular, the bull run in the street had been designed with fences wide enough for spectators to fit through – an open invitation for people to test their nerve against the cattle that were let loose along the street. Inhabitants were not shy of entering the “arena” either, with many enticing and antagonising the animals before running back through or climbing up the fences when charged upon.

The Rhone Delta

Away from the chaotic scenes, the small town was what we expected – a quiet place that makes for a perfect day exploring away from Marseille. The history of the town was felt through the ruins of old Roman temples that have been carefully preserved along with parts of a forum. The Vincent Van Gogh Foundation, whilst disappointing for its lack of Van Gogh exhibits, offers visitors an interesting collection of modern art that has been inspired by the famous artist, as well as a roof top terrace across the uneven small roofs of this town.

Horseback exploration

Arles is also the gateway to the stunning Camarques, a special wetland delta of the Rhone River, which extends from the city for approximately 50 kilometres until France meets the Mediterranean Sea. I had the chance to explore the delta on horseback, through a three hour ride. There are lots of fauna and flowers that are unique to the region and hundreds of species of birds use the area as a home, breeding ground and lay over during migration seasons. The Camargues are particularly known for their white horses, and dazzlingly pink flamingos.

A horse tour took my friends and I along the river delta, through mud plains and fields, and along the golden beaches of the Mediterranean – but be warned, mosquitos are also common.

Visiting the Camargue beaches

Festival Fun

On weekends, leaving Marseille to visit the surrounding areas has become a favourite pastime of mine and my friends. On a simple 20 minute ride, you can visit the seaside village of Cassis, or within half an hour, you might find the beaches of Bandol.

The Float of Fire (and confetti)

Last weekend, my friends and I decided to visit La Ciotat, a cheap train ticket away, for an afternoon of exploring. Whilst small, the town was supposed to be a mix between French traditions, docklands and some natural beauty, all of which were delivered as promised.

However, the highlight of the weekend was certainly stumbling upon the Carnaval that was held in the town this weekend. Since we have not read about the event beforehand, and simply picked our destination that morning, it was an unforgettable and authentic experience that you wouldn’t get from the tour books.

Venetian masks

Carnaval is a popular festival to mark the start of lent or the Easter period in many cities across Europe, although its presence in the south of France is not common.

The African history section

As such, the festival at La Ciotat is still a recent introduction to the social calendar, but a date that many enjoy. Each year has a different theme and 2015 saw “Raconte moi une histoire” – Tell me a story - as the designated subject.

Clubs, societies and groups throughout La Ciotat and other local towns designed different floats and costumes to inspire and impress the jubilant crowds who lined the docks in eager anticipation. From the Knights of the Round Table, watched over by a 15 foot Merlin, to Venetian kings and queens, and African dancers, the streets were soon alive with music and colour and my friends and I were quickly covered in confetti.

Both children on the street and performers in the parade threw balloons, confetti, string and all manner of decorations in a multi-coloured frenzy that later washed into the harbour.

The parade lasted for over 20 minutes and was eagerly cheered on by hundreds of spectators.

Being completely taken off guard, the festivities provided a jovial surprise and were a perfect souvenir of the little town. The beaches here are small, but golden, and the cranes around the docks still cast a metallic shadow, but the day was certainly one of the more memorable from recent trips.

Covered in confetti

Capital Crisis

Following its year as European Capital of Culture, has Mediterranean Marseille stalled again?

Marseille Vieux Port

Descending to the métro at Gare Saint-Charles, a large advertisement asks commuters “Do you still listen to clichés about Marseille?”

Questions of Marseille’s reputation have never been so pertinent. As 2013 Capital of Culture, the city hoped to shake its seedy status and rebrand as an international destination. Spurred by an ambitious regeneration project, Marseille benefitted from a 680mn euro investment from the CoC fund, and private investment totalling a staggering 3bn euro. 

When January 2013 arrived however, Marseille was not ready. The inauguration of new museums, including the first national French museum outside Paris, MuCEM, was delayed. Shining new shopping centres in the revamped port district were not opened until half way through the year. The T3 tramline remains a work in progress today.

Sophie Carrano, a teacher in Marseille, told me “In 2013, there were different local events every week. People from all the arrondissements were involved. Marseille was united for probably the first time. It is already a distant memory.”

Marseille has long since been a bubbling bouillabaisse, a city synonymous with gangs, crimes and drug circles. Despite all efforts in 2013, crime is seeping back in, with 20 gun related deaths last year, and widespread standoffs with police. Away from the centre’s multi-million euro investment, Marseille has some of the most impoverished areas in the country.

New maps highlight how poverty in Marseille remains an incongruous anomaly on the sun-drenched French Riviera, as the city with the most socio-economic deprivation in France. Unemployment, whilst reduced, remains above national averages.

Claire Bullen’s report for the European Cultural Foundation found Marseille to be on the precipice of further demise. “Socio-cultural organisations that were involved in the initial bid… are starting to become either circumspect or cynical” she suggested.

“Life for ordinary people seems to remain precarious and the tensions between the different urban agglomerations seem as rocky as ever. [Artists] no longer see a future for themselves.”

When MuCEM finally opened, designer Philippe Starck described the building “a clairvoyant, untamable wild animal”; a metaphor which might be used to describe Marseille itself. As efforts towards regeneration fail to tame the animal, or fail to discourage criminality, Marseille is threatened by a criminal undercurrent that seemingly cannot be dammed by any wave of investment.

(I originally wrote this article as part of a bursary application, but really liked the end result, so I am publishing it here too.)

Football Fever

When football fanatics dominate your class, throw them a ball.

As I mentioned towards the start of the year, football is a way of life in Marseille. All residents are passionately invested in the beautiful game and show loyal support to their home team, especially when it comes to sworn enemies PSG.

How to turn this adoration of football into a useful means of coaching the children in English?

With exams looming soon, the teachers of the school had further impressed the necessity of oral work, so as the children could talk on any subject for a couple of minutes.

Often simple ideas are the best when instructing a class of semi-invested teenagers. Therefore, I went to a local shop, bought a ball, and wrote words or questions across it.

Taking it into school and lifting it out of my bag was like lifting a trophy in front of the children. 

“We’re getting to play football, Mr Jackson?”

I explained that I was going to pass the ball around, and they had to answer the question, or talk about the topic under their right thumb when they caught it for a minute.

At first, they seemed horrified by this idea. “But what questions?”, “We haven’t had time to prepare!” “Is this part of a test?” were a few of the sudden interjections. 

However, having soothed many of their concerns, I was able to start the ball rolling, by demonstrating how I would respond to “What did you do last weekend?”

The children ended up warming quickly to the activity, even if they were unsure of vocabulary. The added distraction of the ball being passed from person to person as if a hot potato was amusing and took away from the pressure of speaking unaided for a minute.

I was both impressed at their efforts and contented by my energies to introduce the game, as at the start of the year, had I been met with such a wall of confusion and worry, I might have let the idea go altogether. However, the exercise demonstrated my own development in both leading the class, and understanding the learners themselves.

Play time can still be class time.

BCN

Outside the Sagrada Familia

Barcelona is a diverse and vibrant city, evidenced in its (sometimes contested) infusion of Catalonian roots and Spanish culture. A quick trip to visit friends in the most popular of Spanish cities has been another travel highlight, but be warned of expensive attractions quickly draining financial resources.

Inside the Sagrada Familia

From beaches to a selection of rich Spanish heritage, Barcelona packs a punch, proffering the best of a beach holiday and a city break all in a convenient location. Of course, the main tourist hotspots are the Gaudi designed buildings of Casa Batllo, Park Guell and the remarkable Sagrada Familia, still under construction.

Of these, I was most impressed by the Sagrada Familia and spent three hours admiring the feat of engineering that is still being constructed under the partially preserved plans of architect Gaudi. The exterior scenes are some of the most intricate and detailed works of craftsmanship and the contrasting interior may appear simple at first, but boasts elegance with its stain glass windows filtering light in different directions, and columns designed to create an urban jungle, resembling different trees. Make sure to book in advance however, as queues are difficult to contend with and last for hours.

Up Mount Tibidabo

I also was able to enjoy a hike up Mount Tibidabo, which provided views across the mountainous Catalonia region and down across the entire Barcelona Cosmopolitan area. Try and head up when the adjoining theme park is open for some fun thrills and spills on the mountainside.

For a less taxing walk, I would recommend the viewpoint from “The Bunkers”, an old Spanish civil war bunker on top of a hill built in the 30s, which I prefer to the packed Park Guell. Here you have a free view over all of Barcelona, with hardly any tourists to contend with, and remarkably few Spaniards as well. The true advantage of this 360 panorama compared to Tibidabo is you remain very much in the city. It is perfect for an afternoon visit or a sunset stroll to watch the lights come on. Take the metro to Alfons X station and just keep heading up the hill.

At Bunkers El Carmel

Otherwise, to minimise spending (I cannot emphasise how expensive Barcelona seemed to me), I suggest spending days strolling around Gracia, El Carmel or the Sants districts, which have different markets and cheaper shopping alternatives. 

Barcelona beaches and the W hotel

Climb Every Mountain in Lisbon

Lisbon city centre

Lisboa, the capital of Portugal, is an almost forgotten European capital that breathes effortless elegance and charm on every turn, and is surprisingly affordable and efficient.

The city of Lisbon itself is only home to half a million people, meaning that this remains one of the few European cities that hasn’t lost its old charms amidst the rise of tourism and commercialism.

Sao Jorge Castle

Trams and hills

Coffee and cake culture is the crucible of all Lisbon life, so make sure it plays a central role in your visit. Coffee is cheap at even the most famous of cafes, and freshly baked cakes will leave you salivating until dinner. Try Pastis de Belem, a creamy custard cake that bears some resemblance to an egg custard – which I ironically find disgusting. However, I could eat these treats every day.

Other culinary delights include the Francesinha. Forget your English breakfast – this is the ultimate hangover cure, loaded with cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat and covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce served with French fries. I might die, but I would die happy eating one of these.

Fortunately, the hilly city will make you work off all those calories. As an older San Francisco, the hills here command amazing views across the Tagus Estuary. Visit the São Jorge Castle around sunset for an impressive vista over the coloured houses, ruined chapels, and the river down the 25 April Bridge (again, you might mistake it at first glance for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran).

Alternatively, trek to the many Miradouros dotted around the city. These are excellent vantage points that offer panoramic views of Portugal from different angles (the hills change your perspective a lot). One of my preferred spots, the Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantara, offers a fantastic perspective over the city and the castle, whilst the Miradouro das Portas do Sol in one of the oldest districts of the city seems to have been stolen straight from a postcard, with its old monuments and white washed walls descending to the river.

The Tile Museum

Jeronimos Monastery

Monument to the Discoveries

Visit the historic quarter of Belem for some of the popular hotspots, including the Monument to the Discoveries, the Belem Tower and the Jeronimos Monastery. On the other side of the city, be sure to check out the National Tile Museum, which has a collection of over five centuries of intricate tile art from across Portugal and the world and I honestly found this to be an interesting exhibit, showcasing some of the most influential work in the country.

Admiring the view over Sintra and
the Atlantic

The architectural gem, the Palace
of Pena

Escape the city centre for a day, and take a train from Rossio station to the suburb of Sintra, a UNESCO world heritage site, famed for its gardens and palaces. Walking around this expansive collection of city walls, parks and estates gives an idea of the historical importance and regency of Portugal. Head up to the National Palace of Pena, a visual treat. From its tenacious mix of Romantic and Germanic architectural styles, to the traditional Portuguese tiles, to the contrasting bright red, blue and yellow facades, this site is as beautiful on the exterior as its lavish fittings on the inside. Impressive to the end, the view down to the Atlantic Ocean left me with a feeling of mighty importance, looking out on to the Ocean that marks so many discoveries and voyages of history.

If possible, I would encourage you to sample some of the traditional Fado music over Portuguese tapas and sangria to wrap up your tour of this fantastic city.

Fresh Tapas prepared at the table

Marrakesh Madness

My first trip to the African continent was a sensory blur of mountains, camels, food and markets wrapped together like some addictive drug – and I want back.

Low cost flights between Marseille and Marrakesh and cheap accommodation meant that visiting Morocco with teacher friends was a must this past school holiday. Return flights to the south of France are as low as 100 euro and with a wide selection of Riads in the Medina, you are able to choose a relaxing and warm Moroccan home, without the hassle of haggling.

Souks

My friends and I stayed in the Medina, just a two minute walk from the impressive Djemaa el-Fna square, and I would recommend finding a hotel here above any other area. The vibrancy of the old city centre, with its thriving souks and maze of criss-crossing alleyways is an unparalleled experience. Together, my group spent the best part of our first afternoon attempting to navigate this complex web of market stalls, with limited success, but much hilarity all the same. At one point, a shop keeper attacked me with a pashmina, because how could I be out in a T-shirt in February? (Answer, the daytime temperatures were a very pleasant 24 degrees and sunny.) A little while later, one of the many children around the Medina offered us a “guided tour” so as we could find our way back to the Square, and we could not shake him until we agreed. His tour took us nowhere near our starting point, but we found several artisan stalls and more impressively, the tanneries which show some of the skilled craftsmen at work.

Djemaa-el-Fna

Djemaa-el-Fna itself is an animated and effervescent central hub for all Marrakesh life, no matter what time of day or night. This truly would be the square that never sleeps. During the day, the place is populated with story tellers, musicians, snake charmers, and monkey tamers, and at night all manner of food stalls take over, offering the very best Moroccan cuisine at the cheapest of prices, as each and every stall owner hollers at you to try and pitch his food. Follow your nose, it will lead you right. I had some excellent tagines and grilled kebabs in these markets, for under 5 euro each.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Aside from the bazaar bargains, there are number of architectural delights to be discovered around Marrakesh. One particularly impressive complex was the Ben Youssef Madrasa, an old university campus in the city centre. The university was embellished with engravings in Arabic, brightly coloured tiles, and fountains that served as much to provide an ambience of peace as to cool the courtyard. The Marrakesh Museum also offers an interesting collection of work from artists whose reputation has not yet become immersed in European culture, providing a refreshing perspective on Moroccan life.

The Majorelle Gardens

For a quieter affair, I would highly recommend a visit to the Majorelle Gardens, sometimes referred to as the Yves Saint Laurent Gardens after the iconic French designer, whose home can be found adjoining this wonderful quaint environment. Here, exotic plants from around the world are combined with vivid works of art that adorn the pavilions and museums. Most impressive is the “Love Gallery”, a collection of Saint Laurent’s posters and campaigns to promote universal peace. Amidst the fountains, the lakes, and the gentle guitar music, you easily find yourself removed from the madness of Marrakesh.

The lunch view in the High Atlas Mountains

To escape completely, there is no better experience than a trip to the Atlas Mountains, where scenic views, Berber villages and remote waterfalls are all part of the diverse picture that makes up this perfectly preserved piece of natural Africa. The mountains, the tallest peaks in Northern Africa, and the second after Kilimanjaro, command panoramic views out for miles and miles, and villagers here are completely removed from modern trends, but are amongst the most friendly and helpful we met. My friends and I were fortunate enough to stop for food in a Berber home about two thirds of the way up the mountains, being able to dine al-fresco with scintillating scenery that bore little resemblance to European landscapes.

An overwhelming whirlwind of a trip that left a headache on all the senses, Marrakesh seems to live in technicolour rendering entire swathes of Europe simply black and white by comparison. 

Whilst in the High Atlas Mountains

Keep Calm and Carry On

Keep calm and carry on has become somewhat of a mantra in just about every walk of life over the past few years, producing internet memes, colourful adaptations and an abundance of references to the saying in modern culture.

The phrase never seemed as appropriate as today; the day a child accused me of victimisation in class.

This week, pupils were working on presentation projects, recapping an item of news for the whole class. To prepare them, we had previously talked about newspapers, the future of print vs the internet, how the news has changed recently to stay relevant and what responsibilities news companies have in society.

As part of the project itself, the main class teacher had left me to assist half the group develop their individual stories in an IT lab. Unfortunately, technical issues plagued the lesson, with computers crashing and losing internet connection, causing some restlessness amongst the teenagers.

Nevertheless I continued to offer help and support, and talked to individual pupils about their projects, discussed the interesting facts and questioned why these stories were important.

My first problem with the pupil in question came after he decided to watch the Superbowl on his computer. For a couple of minutes I did not intervene as a number of the pupils had found articles with video content attached. However, it became clear that he was watching the match rather than brief highlights and reviews.

I swiftly turned off the video and told him that he needed to concentrate on his presentation. If he wanted to talk about the Superbowl, he could read about the match, or a number of relevant items from sponsors, to adverts, to the half time show, but not waste time with the video.

However, not too long after he started aimlessly walking around the class. I told him to sit and work, otherwise if I had another problem, I would take his carnet (a behavioural record book in French schools). About five minutes afterwards, he and another pupil, frustrated by her constant computer problems, starting switching off each other’s computers as well as those of their classmates.

I shouted at the pair, telling them of their disruption and how their actions showed little respect for their peers, myself or their regular teacher and demanded their carnets.

When the lesson eventually ended, I took the troublesome twosome to the main teacher so as I could find the keys to lock the computer lab, briefly explaining these students were to be punished and I would detail the problems after having secured the computer room.

Upon returning, I found the pupil who had been the most disruptive to be contesting his reprimand. He was telling the teacher that I was victimising him, having shouted at him constantly throughout the lesson and no one else. He continued by saying he did not deserve any comment in his carnet and that he would not participate in my lessons in the future if he were treated unfairly.

Against this, I had to explain myself to the teacher and again to this student in French. Not only was I having to justify my decision in a foreign language, but had to contend with his constant interjections, which were progressively louder.

I calmly explained that his behaviour was not appropriate and that he had abused the lesson to watch videos, and then when told to work had avoided his project, instead turning off computers around the room. I also added that he should be careful of his accusations, since he was not the only pupil who had been asked to stay behind, and as such it would hardly qualify as victimisation.

My case was somewhat helped by the second pupil who admitted that the punishment was fair in her opinion.

Nonetheless, this was a daunting and difficult situation to overcome in a foreign language. I believe that it is testament to my improved French to hold my own in the face of antagonism in a foreign tongue, which clearly took the pupil equally by surprise. Although it took me a little time to formulate the best way of expressing the problem, I was able to convey why I was justified in giving a punishment, defending my position and overcoming a potentially significant professional road bump.

Now, back into the fray to carry on teaching. Calmly if at all possible…

Teacher Emergencies

As in any job, there are days where everything seems to conspire against you in a declaration of war against your sanity.

Now, for teachers, this is normally hormonal teenagers going through the most extreme of existential crises, that we could not possible understand. Today, however, was not one of those days. No, instead, it was a day when all the computers and the school’s internet were unexpectedly down (in addition to almost being late due to a traffic accident and a metro strike).

The golden rule for teachers – always have a backup.

With technology rendered obsolete, this meant back to basics and paper handouts for a lot of teachers. I, however, tried to remain dynamic in my approach to the classes and led a number of games with the students that encouraged them to work together in teams, and individually, so as to practice their English without a sense of disruption to the overall lessons.

I had to act quickly to make sure I was able to efficiently and effectively control the situation. I borrowed some dice from one of my colleagues so as I would have enough for a class board game of snakes and ladders, and had the children use markers from their pencil cases (rubbers, pen lids etc). The different versions of the game promoted the practice of different verb tenses, and the use of vocabulary for different body parts.

Later we also enjoyed a team activity of 20Q, where I wrote the name of a famous person on the board and one child had to ask questions to guess who they were.

With younger learners, we also played the alphabet shopping game, and introduced Simon Says.

Although the lessons were not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, the day challenged my ability to roll with the punches (or dice) and, whilst highly tiring, the classes generally enjoyed the day and mentioned this to me on leaving class, which always serves as a positive reinforcement for myself. 

Hakuna Matata

Showing video clips of popular programmes and famous films is another fantastic method of encouraging the students, and consolidating the amount of English they have learnt.

This week, I developed the film theme so as pupils could write their own reviews of famous scenes from different movies, or discuss the positive and negative aspects of their favourite cinematic blockbuster.

Starting the lesson, I explained that I wanted the children to read reviews of Disney’s inescapable “Frozen” (La Reine des Neiges), and tell me what the critics believed to be the strengths and weaknesses of the film.

Comprehension proved a challenge: the pupils were overly concerned with understanding every word perfectly, rather than the overall gist of the sentence. This proved a pivotal moment helping students change their reflex reaction of fear and panic to comfort when faced with unknown phrases. I simply read sentences and asked them if they were positive or negative, and what words they understood.

Together, the students discovered that they could respond to the majority of questions, even if there were several hurdles to overcome. The exercise challenged my ability to respond under pressure: pupils were becoming discouraged and I had to quickly find an alternative means of demonstrating that these texts were, in fact, accessible if they did not become bogged down in every single sentence.

I reasoned with them, “Do you know every word in the French language?” No, of course. But that does not prevent you from learning what a word means from context.

Difficult sell over, we watched clips of The Lion King and discussed the film making, the music, the animation, the comedy, and the tragedy and why the film was enjoyable all over the world. The pupils quickly forgot their angst from the reading comprehension and debated with each other over the finer points of the film, together writing a review that summated the story, praised the positive aspects of the movie and gave a rating. All whilst singing along to the “Circle of Life”, which is a universal classic.

Film lessons? Hakuna Matata – no worries.

Nous Sommes Charlie: France demonstrates its brotherhood renewed.

In defending their founding rights to liberté and égalité, the French have once more found fraternité.

Demonstrations, Place Castellane, Marseille

Silence followed the school bell that normally signals the sound of lunch at 12 noon last Thursday; no ravenous teenagers running down the hall to the canteen, nor shouts and screams of friends in the playground. Instead, a silence that is just as loud and palpable settled over the high school I am working in this year, as French teenagers, as unruly and apathetic as adolescents anywhere, stood and paid their respects to those murdered in the attack on the Charlie Hebdo headquarters last Wednesday.

Song superseded the silence, as, in unison, these adolescents, suddenly so ignited by fervent passion for their nation, burst into La Marseillaise, the national anthem.

To say that Marseille, where I am currently living and working, does not always get along with Paris would be an understatement. Marseille is an anomaly on the French map: a Mediterranean port town that has grown and cultivated its own traditions from an influx of immigrants, refugees, and French seeking a warmer climate, all mixed as the bubbling Bouillabaisse, the local fish delicacy.

Vieux Port "Love Letters" for Charlie Hebdo

Many of the children I am teaching are first or second generation French immigrants; their parents come from North African countries or beyond. These are people who, aware of their heritage, are not fully indoctrinated with the ethos of liberté égalité fraternité that proudly blazons from every official office and building around the major cities of the country.

Whilst the French remain proud of their introduction of liberty in modern Western Europe, there is not a nationalism or pride from the people themselves. France they see as a beacon of bygone greatness, at a time when the English language has come to dominate.

Demonstrations in Marseille, Saturday 10 January

Yet, the attack on Charlie Hebdo last Wednesday, and the subsequent attacks across Paris on Friday, have ignited a dynamism that has given France and her people an identity and a reason to believe in herself once more.

Millions demonstrated across the country this weekend. It was not just Paris that had large crowds; hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Lyon, in Toulouse, in Nice, in Marseille and everywhere in between. Out of a France in shock came a nation that is, for the first time perhaps since its painful decolonisation that still haunts parts of Marseille, cohesive and unified.

Marseille, renowned as the crime capital of France, has never felt the safest of locations, probably thanks to such dubious titles. Questions of assimilation and integration are rife: with a Muslim population of more than 40%, France’s oldest city is quintessentially un-French. In 2012, it was declared one of the most dangerous places to be young, with drug and gun crime so high that certain politicians suggested the army would be the only force strong enough to resolve the spiralling problem.

Demonstrations in Marseille, Sunday 11 January

However, this week, as friends ask if I feel in danger here, I can assuredly say that this is the safest I have been in this city, surrounded by a population moving as one. Together, the largest movement in France since the revolution has made other social factors mute. The French segregation of state and religion creates a void that has threatened to tear the country apart for decades; this weekend, the amalgam of Christians, Jews and Muslims walked Marseille together in a scenario almost thought impossible when such a high percentage of the population are still viewed as people of “foreignextraction” according to the town mayor.

With the republican march on Sunday, President Hollande declared that “Paris is the capital of the world today”, but more accurately, he should have said France is the capital of the world. The nation has at once found a voice that is had long since forgotten; all we have to do is point to the innumerable editions of Charlie Hebdo that mocked the French state and politics as a crumbling and cumbersome edifice.  However, in testifying for liberty and equality once more, the French found their brothers in arms, internationally, and, most importantly, nationally. As 1.5 million gathered in Paris, a further 2 million more marched in cities across the country. This weekend, there was not a person that did not find themselves embraced by the passion of a people injured, but unbroken.

Artwork at Vieux Port, Marseille

Le Monde, France’s largest newspaper, declared the attack “The French 9/11” and it is a comparison that might shock but the parallels are undeniable. Not only did the event ring true in America, but in Spain (the Madrid train bombings) and in the UK (7/7), where the idea of press repression still carries a bitter taste following the Leveson Inquiry. France, faced with fear and tragedy, responded with dignity and ignited a sentiment of resilience that spread fast through the country. Protests in Marseille this past weekend were without arrests.

At lunch last Thursday after the minute’s silence, the teachers are complaining that they are feeling ill. There is a sense of gravitas and momentum, and they can’t comprehend what is happening. A week ago it would have been almost impossible to think that a localised event in Paris would spur such movement at the opposite side of the country, but this is indicative of a French malaise. Stifled and sick from years of settling indifference, Charlie has provided a framework in which to discuss social and cultural issues that have been restricted and taboo subjects in France for decades, regardless of origins or doctrine.

Demonstrations in Marseille, Sunday 11 January

La Marseillaise, originally a call to arms, still echoes through the school corridors.