A blast from the past...

Being half-British I grew up learning how to read with Ladybird books. The words "Peter and Jane" take me back to a warm, fuzzy, nostalgic place in my memory. I use to love the stories about Peter and Jane and their terribly British household. Back in the 60s and 70s these books represented stereotyped models of British family life. 

Imagine my surprise when I saw a Ladybird book about Brexit at my local bookstore! It seems this delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them!

Being in the European Union is terribly complicated. Leaving it is terribly complicated too. Luckily the choice on the ballot paper didn’t look very complicated at all. It was something about the freedom of bananas. Confused about currency? Baffled by borders? Perturbed about passports?

Featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside brilliantly funny, brand new text this is a true flashback and had me giggle all day!

2018 Edition

The first books issued in 1964

I could only dream of a sweetie store like this in Switzerland where I grew up.

This was my favourite page in the book!!!

Foddie discoveries in Tokyo

At the exit from the airport, my mind focused on the fact that I was really, finally in Japan. Starting with that, I tried to collect and stack all the details I found: materials, light, texture, smell – I wanted it all at once.

Not a foodie by nature, I was more fascinated by the colours of the labels and the food presentation ranging from plastic examples of a dish to an exotic looking aisle of sweets or a colourful drink dispenser. The display of flavours with fake ice cream cones, however, took the cake! Never again will I be able to choose a flavour in an Italian gelato parlour without thinking of the Japanese showcase.

Our first night out and the sushi is EXTRAORDINARY!

These products seem to be very popular with the locals

Juice, milk or tea?!?

No clue!

Monoprix à la japonaise

This is when you realise how familiar you sweetie packing becomes after having grown up with it!

Fascinated by these drink dispensers

Food mock-ups displayed everywhere... and it just doesn't do justice to the real thing.

Can I take one of these home and hang it up in my room???

Might be hard to find the entrance?

A European hotel breakfast to get the day started. 

Oysters on the go... serve yourself to seasoning and sauce!

Chocolate and sweetie aisle... my favourite back home.

Tatsuya Tanaka “Miniature Life” exhibit at Nihonbashi Takashimaya department store 

It's British week at Mitsukoshi department store...

...and guess what... fake plastic scones on display... along with fake jam and fake clotted cream!

Tasting "Ningyo Yaki" sold at many shops on Nakamise street. A sweet cake filled with sweet red bean paste usually in shapes of dolls, birds and Asakusa’s symbolic lantern “Kaminarimon”.

When a number changes your life

Yesterday I realised there is yet another emotion Expat parents share, no matter which country you are in... the IB results! Over 165,000 students from 2799 schools across the globe received their Diploma (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) results.

As the International Baccalaureate celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, students from across the world received the results of their May 2018 IB diploma exams yesterday at 2pm GMT. Many a student was sitting on needles along with their parents waiting for the announcement upon which a crucial decision rested... will they have the required points to access their first choice higher education? It is a life-deciding moment that all IB students share across the globe. Luckily for most it is good news since the IB is all about inclusive education.

The IB believes that an inclusive education is something every IB World School should embrace and work towards. Students should be prepared to exercise their rights as citizens and take their responsibilities in the wider community. The IB Learner Profile implies a commitment to help all members of the school community to learn to respect themselves and others, as well as the world around them. Inclusivity then is larger than a recognition of cultural diversity. 

In this first session of 2018, more than 607,000 examination papers - the largest number since the introduction of the Diploma Programme in 1968 - were processed in 75 languages. Yes, that would be seventy-five languages! Over 13,000 examiners across the world worked together to establish accurate, internationally-benchmarked grading criteria across subjects, and ensure consistency throughout the evaluation process.

The average diploma point score globally was 29.78 (of 45 possible maximum) but the kids' school in Paris achieved a significantly higher average with a very healthy 34 points... 

... and a special shout out goes to an exceptional young lady who has hit one out of the ball park and straight into our family's hearts! You go girl!

Congratulations and well done class of 2018. So proud of you all! Good luck to all IB graduates in their future plans.

A souvenir from Expat boy's graduation: Class of 2017

May I have a glass of Champagne so I can take a selfie?

After having read an article in the New York Times that someone had been eavesdropping on Parisian shoppers and had actually published a book on fashion chatter... how could I resist? I rushed down to the most Parisian of all department stores to take a look for myself.

Loïc Prigent, journalist and fashion documentary filmmaker, started tweeting the weird and wonderful conversations he'd overheard hanging out at Le Bon Marché for a couple of hours a week during months, culminating obviously at Christmas season.

Now, I do wonder how he EVER came about this idea but it did make me giggle. Le Bon Marché is the epitome of Parisian lifestyle and a must on a Saturday afternoon if you wish to study the Parisiens et especially les Parisiennes.

According to Loïc the best place to eavesdrop at Le Bon Marché is the bookstore. Did you know there are people who come there every day to read? They dog-ear the pages and then are put out when the book they’re reading has been sold.

The best of what he overheard during his visits to the store have been emblazoned on a range of items some more peculiar than others: tote bags, erasers, baseball caps, necessaires, postcards, snow globes, aprons, mugs, pens, etc.

One phrase he picked up that I can just see crossing a fashionista's lips is: "J’adore la mode mais c’est tout ce que je déteste." ("I love fashion, but it’s everything I despise") but a truly unique one would be "I want something sublime. Not neo-sublime, not post-sublime, just sublime. I’m not fussy."

Gotta love those Parisiennes!

#overheardatthebonmarché

The most classic comment would be:

"I’m Left Bank! Only!"

"No, I can't try it, I'm on the phone bidding."

"I'm searching for something more geisha but less candy."

Gotta love that one!

My favourite:

"I’m looking for a mechanic’s jumpsuit, but for cocktail hour." 

It's sooo Parisian!

"May I have a glass of Champagne so I can take a selfie?"

Simply brilliant!

A woman telling her husband:

"Calm down, chéri. It’s just a suit. You’re not buying a building."

"Ah mais non! I’ve always been a size 38!"

"I'll take it anyway, I'll go on a diet to fit into it." 

"Are you open?"

"Which colour red do you have?"

"Does it shrink with champagne, eh, sorry, water?"

"Don't be sad, be sexy and mysterious."

"I’m allergic to beige, except if it’s a hysterical beige."

"May I pay you in cash? It would lighten my handbag."

The magical world of languages

Tucked away behind the Saint Sulpice church is a little magical world of linguistic treasures. If you love languages and are intrigued by their versatility like I am, it is a gem you must explore. This unconventional and educational exposé of languages is totally under the radar of Parisian map of museums. But boy, it is so worth spreading the word.

The interactive exhibit is the brainchild of a very passionate and studious New Zealander who many years ago wrote directly to Avram Noam Chomsky, the father of modern linguistics, asking him of the existence of a Language Museum. It seems there was one in the US but apparently not eager on collaboration. This was not to stop Mark Oremland, creator and designer of Mundolingua.

Mundolingua is home of well-thought themed spaces housing touch screens, maps, panels, scrolls, self-made quizzes and an extraordinary visual explanation of language grammar comparison. The Micro cinema allows you to view cult films and they even have their own tower of Babel.

You can give yourself up to the fascinating world of languages in this original - why yes, quirky -three floored museum covering 170m2 of modular spaces where multimedia technologies coexists with recycled natural materials and collectables from across the globe.

Mark even commissioned a life-size replica of the Rosetta Stone to the British Museum. This first recovered Ancient Egyptian bilingual text in modern time provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs... now if that does get your imagination going?!?

Without any state support or subsidy, Mark has embarked on this crazy adventure in the hope of making it an inescapable place for all language lovers, polyglots, adults and children alike. It has definitely made it into the top ten best places to visit in my Paris book.

Mundolingua, a little gem hidden between St. Sulpice and the Jardin de Luxembourg 

Welcome! Bienvenu! Willkommen! Benvenuto! etc, etc, etc ...

Sounds and phonetic alphabets 

One of the many modular spaces: this one is about WORDS

How to tell an American accent with 25 simple questions

Or how about a little French dictée?

Which language does your family belong to?

We can also do linguistic accents... a Swiss example

My personal favourite: a home-made visual grammar explanation comparing five different languages 

A little snapshot of the communication tower of Babel

You are always welcome at the Micro Cinema 

You can have fun with languages in the basement

Now the question is: in which language do I want to play?

Yes, this would be a lie detector!

Expat boy would probably even read THIS book!

Who remembers floppy disks?

An original Braille writer

 The Braille corner

Have you ever seen a real Enigma machine?