I have been living outside Toulon, on the Mediterranean coast, since I ventured over here to play for the rugby club in June and I have had to focus hard on the inevitable big three changes to life: the climate, the language and the lack of Heinz Salad Cream.
Sometimes, I have found, you just have to take a deep breath and dive in there. And maybe try to enjoy your mistakes. Things such as queueing in supermarkets take time to figure out. I have stood for 10-15 minutes only to discover that I’m not in a queue at all. And yes, I could order my weekly shop online but I actually like getting out there among the hustle and bustle.
When I was trying to navigate my way through the traffic to Marseilles I put my foot on the brakes suddenly at a pedestrian crossing and a Porsche drove into the back of my car. Thankfully — because I hadn’t revised that section of my French textbook for a while — he didn’t take up the issue. You cannot expect to be fully welcomed here while wanting to remain a foreigner, looking to keep your distance and your peace and quiet. The more you are part of the community, the better. By integrating myself as much as possible into the French way of life I have found much more here than I ever thought possible.
Now, I know that’s simple for me to say. When you come to a new rugby club you have a suppport network ready and waiting for you. I have really appreciated that and it makes me understand what it must be like for other people who don’t have that safety net.
I have done my very best to speak the language whenever I get the chance and have undoubtedly made some monstrous mistakes. My last effort at an inspiring half-time team talk took so long to get out that by the end I was the only one listening — and I’m not sure even I understood it. I was then informed by one of the physios that over here they don’t use a term like “mate” as much as we do.