Bienvenue en France

We arrived at La Rochelle airport around 5.50pm and was shocked as our plane seemed to be the only one there! The airport looks the size of one lounge at Heathrow! There's a cafe/bar but nothing else! Very bizarre! The flight was good, and RyanAir have slightly more leg room than EasyJet which is good for me. The only thing that would've made it better would've been if the woman in front of us changed her child's nappy. We were close to grabbing him and doing it ourselves at one point!!
It took us a bit longer than I anticipated to get to Poitiers, but next time I have to do it, I'll know what bus to get and where from/to. Our train was the last one to Poitiers (7.45!) - luckily we were there early enough to get a sandwich and our tickets.
We couldn't find a lift at the station so we went down a ton of steps with our heavy suitcases.. then up the other side. Then we got to Poitiers and again, couldn't find a lift (are there no disabled people in France?!) so, down the steps then up some more (a woman grabbed my suitcase cos i got the giggles half way up the stairs and nearly fell down!)
We got to our residence at about 9.30. The office seemed to be shut so we were quite annoyed as we'd already told the guy in charge we were arriving late. Sofia then knocked on a door and a guy came out - luckily he had our keys and we didn't need to sort out any forms until this morning. We then got settled in our room and were too wide awake after unpacking so had a look at everyone's rooms then decided to go for a walk to see what was about. It's really well lit here, which we really like because it feels quite safe because of this. We were walking up the road and think we walked a bit TOO far as we saw 2 women who were more than likely prostitutes!! (A great start!) Then we found a kebab shop on the way home so Sofia and Charlotte bought some food but the sight of the place made me feel sick so I didn't get anything! Once we got back, we were so tired, but ate some food (I gave and had a few chips!). We then tried to watch a bit of the film "10 Things I Hate About You" but just ended up chatting over it. Then I think I got to bed around 1.30am.
I slept really well. I have a sofa in my room that pulls out into my bed (it rolls back up easily with my bed sheets on, luckily). I'm really pleased with my room, it's really nice - I wished we had these residences in the UK - it makes much more sense! We each have a bedroom with a sofa bed, desk, a table to eat at, a bedside table, a small stand with drawers (that lacks a TV unfortunately) and some shelves and built in wardrobes. Then we have a little kitchenette with a nice sized fridge, all pots and pans, 2 hobs and a microwave. The only problem is there isn't an oven, but I'll get used to it easily enough. Then we have a nice sized bathroom with a shower. The people who we've dealt with in the offices seem really nice as well.
This morning I got up at 8am to go downstairs for around 10am to sort out the paper work and rent. It took quite a while to start with but we whizzed through it once it had been fully explained to us. It all seems to be very well organized.
After we did this, we went to explore the Centre Ville. Unfortunately we have to climb what seems like a million steps (or walk around the road which would take twice as long as it bends) to get to the Centre Ville or the supermarket etc. I found this photo online for you to get the sort of idea of the agony my legs are in at the moment!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davers/354758687/ The photo doesn't show all of the steps - they go round slightly too. But, I managed it well enough! The town centre is really pretty, very typically French. We found a Monoprix (but we aren't sure if it's the cheapest one yet - it might work out cheaper to get a bus to Auchan).
My fingers feel like they're going to come off after carrying back our food and suitcases from yesterday.. luckily we found a bus stop that goes back to near our residence. For the rest of the day, we've mainly been relaxing and watching DVDs!
Then we just popped to the station and I saw a sign for a lift.

I've been doing lots since I last blogged. And then I forgot to update. Mum, Dad, Tim, Grandma and James came over last Saturday for my birthday. We walked quite a lot, my legs are still recovering.
Then on Thursday, my friend Sofia came to Berlin. I'm really tired from all the walking I've done over the past week or so!
I'm feeling much better than I was a few weeks ago, anyway. I'm not that dizzy anymore, so I'm finding it much easier to go to sleep now. Apart from family and friends being here, I haven't really done much else. I've FINALLY finished the translation for work. But now I need to read over it and check that it's complete and all makes sense. Some of it was too hard so it took me a while to get it to make sense. I'm looking forward to finding out what they want me to do next for work.
I'm going to the theatre on Thursday. To see some strange thing about East German football. I agreed to go and see it before I realised what I agreed to! I hope I don't fall asleep during it. And I also hope it doesn't go on too late, I'll be so tired otherwise. Hopefully I'll have time to come home between work and the theatre for a nap!
I don't have much else to say at the moment... I'll try to remember to update again at some point...

Mother informed me that I didn't update with my diagnosis.

Basically, I need to have aphsiotherapy on my neck because it's something to do with my neck not being allined properly. And same with my spine - she says I have mild scoliosis and that is what is causing my dizziness and headaches.

However, I am still alive. And its not planning on killing me anytime. So thats positive.

Went to Munich to meet up with Dad and Tim and then stayed overnight. The train there was really cool, and luckily I had my laptop so I watched lots of TV shows that I downloaded. I had a wander around Munich, and had forgotten how pretty it is there.
The train journey back was quite boring but I managed to sleep for quite a while. The journey is 5 and a half hours. Was glad when I got into bed last night!!!
Only problem about travelling for a while is that I get so tired - it was so hard to get up this morning.

I'm trying to look for a work placement in France. I've been given 2 places to ask from uni but they're both in the suburbs of Paris, which is revolting. So I think after work tomorrow, I'll be coming home and searching the internet for possibilities.

I think it's bedtime now. I'm shattered.

Still no better...

I managed to find an American doctor online, so I had an appointment yesterday. She said my ears look healthy (which makes a change) so it's not an ear infection and there's no sign of anything different on the ear drum - so it's definitely not my ears that are causing my dizziness. So she then felt the back of my neck and said she could feel a lump/knot in the back of my neck, so wanted me to go for x-rays to see if anything will show up. So, I went to that today.
Germans obviously like to keep people waiting - I waited just over 2 hours to see my doctor yesterday and then another 1 and a half hours today for my x-rays. Tomorrow, I have to go for an appointment with my doctor so she can look at my x-rays and have a further look into it... Hopefully I won't have to wait too long. I remembered my book today so luckily I wasn't completely bored - unlike yesterday.. All there was were parent and baby magazines in German.
I'll probably update tomorrow after my appointment in the evening to update on whatever is wrong with me - if she manages to find anything!

The last few days have been rubbish. I'm feeling awful at the moment.
On Wednesday I woke up feeling like I was on a rocky boat - really dizzy. Then I almost collapsed on the way to the bathroom because I couldn't see. And I keep getting this on and off. And headaches in the morning when I wake up. Luckily they haven't been as bad as on Wednesday when I could barely move it was so painful. I'm struggling to sleep because strangely, it's worse when I lie down - which is highly irritating because I am so tired but I feel sick when I lie down. Thankfully, I haven't been sick so that's one good thing! I still have my appetite thank god... but because I haven't been at work, I've just been wanting to eat constantly. And my Bahlsan Leibniz addiction is only getting worse.
I've managed to get a lot done today which is good, because it doesn't hurt my head sitting up at the computer. I've been a bit homesick today because I'm not feeling well and usually I have someone around that I can moan at or to get me stuff, but I'm pretty much alone.. and feeling lonely!
So for dinner, I made myself jacket potato, beans and cheddar cheese! That cheered me up a lot :) Hopefully if I feel better tomorrow, I will be going to a museum. But, it's open on Sundays as well so I might go then instead.

After feeling dizzy and sick all morning...

Everything just seemed right again :)