Thinking Allowed: Bonjour Au revoir in Pau

That time of year has rolled around again where Aurora and Sophia have to take exams. It has been kind of intense fitting two exam periods into one year but that is just the way it worked out after half a year off to walk Japan. This time around we found a school in Pau, France, which was accomodating to both Aurora and Sophia's exam needs. Also fitting that Aurora has managed to complete the three main exam sets on three different continents. Point for us and double points for the crazy large influence of the British education system. The school in Pau is much different than the last one in Kuala Lumpur. The staff are more laid back and open, with the biology teacher coming to cheer on the students with a giant toy lizard before each biology exam.

Pau has been a lovely town to relax in. It is beautiful and peaceful. There is always that hopeful view of the mountains on the horizon. There is a palace (Henry IV was born here!). There are lots of bakeries. There is a river. There are cobblestones and spires. Everything one could hope for in France. Here are a few things that also come to mind.

The library here is a mediatheque. At first I was dubious of this progressive new title as my interest is in books rather than media. However, in moving with the times I think they pull off the distinction excellently. A mediatheque seems to be a library with perks. A floor dedicated to video, CD, and record loans. A small room for video game play and loans. Access to computers and printers. Finally, a big internal courtyard where there are regular concerts. I really enjoyed sitting in the kids section reading books to Levana on Sunday mornings while the live music drifted up from below.

The lunches here are epic. Pau really is most alive between the hours of noon and two pm. Shops all open late and most things close early (including public transportation). The middle of the day however by far makes up for the quiet mornings and evenings. People stop work. Kids leave school. Shops close. Everyone piles into the streets for a long, leisurely and social lunch or stroll. How glorious these terrace lunches seem to me. Such a great tradition. With the small caveat that smoking is prevalent on the terraces.

There are many social rules and norms in France. My favourite, that is universally adhered to in Pau, is the practice of saying hello and goodbye. It is considered quite rude not to greet a person before speaking to them or when entering any building. Similarly, at the completion of any transaction or on departure you must thank the person and say farewell. This holds true even when entering and exiting a bus. It must be much nicer being a bus driver when each person says hello to you and then hollers out their thanks and farewell on departure. Seems kind of normal but it did make me realize that we don't really consistently do this. So the children and I have doubled down on ensuring we always greet and farewell.