The “Université de Caen Basse-Normandie” is great, and the city is a wonderful, thriving place to be a student, but it’s just not Cardiff.

Nights out

You might not realise how lucky you are, students of Cardiff, but if you go to a bar in France, and are expected to pay 3€ for a half pint of beer… well, you might think again. I never thought that I’d say it, but the Woodville pub has got me feeling homesick on more than one occasion. See you in September 2014.

50 minute lectures

I don’t think I’m ever going to complain again about being in class in Cardiff. Here, lectures are a minimum of one hour long, but are quite often two hours… without a break.

Food and drink

I will marry you, dear reader, if you open up a Kama Lounge in France. Bacon, eggs, sausages I of course miss you all too. Also, the concept of takeaways is very different here. Perhaps my perception is warped slightly, as I lived on Crwys Road last year, but the amount of times I’d love to get pizza, chicken, fish and chips…

Housemates

We used to cook together, eat together, make cups of tea for each other, go out together. Everything was shared, and part of communal living. I’ve now been living in France for two months, and out of my flat of eight, I know two people – one of them I only learned her name this week. Everyone keeps themselves to themselves, and while this means I have a LOT more free time (cups of tea could take up to 3 hours back in Wales) it can get a bit lonely.

Reliable internet

People of Cardiff. Perhaps your internet goes a little bit slow if everyone in your house is trying to download a film at the same time? I’m never going to be complain about this again. Every week day evening in Halls, the internet shuts off here. Usually at about 7 or 8pm, but sometimes as early as 5 or 6. It stays shut off until about midnight.

Short weeks

(If you’re a medic/science student, then sorry for this one) Last semester, I had just 12 hours a week of contact time with my tutors. Can someone please explain to me why I’m spending 18 hours a week at uni, and I have classes that go on until 7:30 at night?

Weather

I know what you’re thinking… “How can she miss Welsh weather?” Well, it turns out I don’t mind the cold and the rain so much. In Cardiff, if it rains, it stays raining for the whole day. All I ask for is consistency.