Lucy the Linguist and Friends

Please excuse the pretentious-sounding title. It's a rip off Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, of course, but you didn't need me to tell you that. Honest. 


Last weekend the Lancaster cohort arrived! On Saturday (after much pacing, nail biting, cleaning, bed-making and a slight washing disaster) I went to the airport. I got there about a million hours early, which gave me time to go through the whole range of emotions. From the 'YAY' kind, to the 'when I see them I'm going to cry' kind, to the 'why are they even coming? It's going to hurt so much to say bye to them again' kind. I don't know if it's just me that does this, but I often get a plan in my head that I will try not to enjoy myself too much, to avoid the 'please don't go' feeling. I don't think it's fair to say to people that I don't want them to go, in the same way that if any of you ever said in a serious but selfish manner 'please come home', I wouldn't be impressed. If I could be at home, don't you think I probably would be? (I'm sure I'll delve into this more at some point, the whole double-emotions involved in a YA which I know most of you don't understand because to you this is a great big holiday for me. Well, it's not. It is in fact a year of utter limbo, of losing your identity, finding it, wondering who you are and what the heck you've signed up for. And why do you miss everyone twenty times more than if you were just away at uni?) Anyway. By the time Raph, Emily and Ollie emerged through the arrivals gate I was up to the 'I'm flaming bored of waiting and if they don't hurry up I'm going home' stage, which is a pretty good stage to be at as it doesn't involve tissues.


So we piled into Geneva to get them all travel cards (exceptionally good value. The system here is a bit different to the Motherland - you don't pay the bus driver or anything, you have to either have a travel card or buy a ticket before you get on. No one will ask to see your ticket, but inspectors do spot-checks and there's HUGE fines. This wouldn't work in England, but the entire system here is built on trust, and as such we all need to make an effort to fit in with the system, otherwise some selfish tourists will make them change the system to something much more regimented and humanity will be one step closer to self-destruction. Lecture over.) Then we got on a rather full bus back to my flat and I had the joy of saying 'welcome to France' as we crossed the border. I do love that part! A cup of tea, a glass of wine and a lasagne later, we settled down to watch a film.

A Pacman cake. Severely limited on
baking products, but hey we persevere!

The next day (Sunday) was the lovely Ollie's 20th birthday. Which made the rest of us feel old (especially Raph and Emily, who are staring 22 in the face, muahahahaha! Sorry guys, I'm paying you back for all the short jokes). So everyone slept in, as they were all suffering from second-term-itis. I'll be honest, they're doing nothing to sell final year to me! After a solid 10 hours sleep each (at least!), life started to emerge and I think we all felt better for chilling out. I cooked a Sunday roast, we had chicken (!!!!!), roasties, carrots, peas, Yorkshires (but they turned out a bit pants as the flour here sends everything all to-cock), and some gravy which Emily had kindly bought be another tub of! Honestly, a country without Bisto. The Piece de Resistance, however, was sneaking up on Ollie with his birthday cake out on the balcony while he was taking pictures of the mountains. Of course, the wind managed to blow most of the candles out before he had chance to, but still, the thought was there.

So the long and short of Sunday was, we didn't do a right lot. It's a pain in the backside to get in and out of Geneva on a Sunday anyway, and everyone was very happy to soak in the French atmosphere with another bottle of wine and good company. I hadn't talked to this lot for well over a month due to their horrific workload so we had plenty to catch up on. Like the entirety of my new life here, and how rubbish third year is. 


Monday we went to CERN. This is the place that's been in the news for having the hydron collider and they're trying to find something very clever. All questions should be addressed to someone who has a clue about science. Anyway, it was very good! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I geeked out, and how many questions I felt the need to ask the boys (as they're both scientists). We spent ages there, even though there's only two exhibitions and a shop! Afterwards we went back into Geneva and walked towards the Jet d'eau and took the obligatory touristy snaps in front of that and the flower clock, and then it was time to head home. It was a day for pretending that turkey was in fact chicken (at least in my mind) and drinking more vino (I know we sound like alcoholics, but when a decent wine is 3,50 E a bottle, what is one to do???)


Right, I should get some shut-eye as I'm flying home tomorrow. Funny how I can never sleep before I fly. It's certainly not out of excitement though as airports are terminally boring (BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, made my own joke there and laughed at myself. I'm tired, leave me alone!) I shall be back with part 2 of our epic adventure very soon I hope! I'll try not to keep you in suspense. Ta-ra!