France's engaged youth.

French yougsters are very engaged in politics. If the gouverment wants to make a bad reforme, count on them to go marching down the streets!

One of the most relevant example I can give is the Fillon reforme. Named after the French prime minister of that time (2007) François Fillon, these reformes had a chapter concerning higschool studies. The main points of these reformes were to modify the baccalauréat, cut some courses of studies and some subjects such as art or music. These reformes were judged devastating for the school systeme and unaceptable by students. So the highschool and university syndicats declared war to mister François Fillon and the protest was lauched. In fact it has been one of the most impressive in french history concerning education. The school systeme was paralazyd all over France during several months.

Because thats the thing about student protest in France: not only do we march every week, but we aslo close down universities and higschools. This fact may be shocking for foreigners, but in France it is almost legal. Here's how it works: usualy in every highschool and university the most activist students form a group and take charge in planning the protest. They hold a meeting open to all students in wich they hand out leaflets sumarising precisely what the reforme is, then several people of the leading group pronounce speeches to explain why they think this reform is negative and why they want to protest against it. After them any student can express his opnion. And finally the blocus is voted by democratie. So if the answer is yes a first team comes at night, lockes the school doors with big chaines and puts a heap of junxters in front of them. School over! Teams take turns night and day to make sure the school stays closed. When concerning highschools the police never interfer in these actions unless there is violence.

With marches this is the most common way of protest french youth uses to be heard by the governement when its education is being concerned. And it is quite efficient: after month trying to resist and ignore us, mister Fillon just had to give up!

Student houses: always on the movement!

There's been lots of changes this weekend. In fact three of my housemates left. One of them had to moove out because he has finish his course at Regency College. He mooved to a shared house 5 minutes away from our place, so I think we will see him again soon! An other one mooved to an other student house ( her boyfriend leaves there). The third one went back to Germany.
So it was only me and Helena (my roomate) left; but not for long! A few hours after everyone left new housemates arrived! A Turckish man, a German woman and a woman from Dominican Republic. Its quite nice as being only two in the house would have been a bit sad. The only down side, I must admitt, is that they are all over 30. Big change of atmospere! At least the house is less messy than before lol.