My first Open University certificate came through today. I’m now entitled to use the letters Cert French (Open) after my name.

I won’t be doing this, I don’t even use my degree letters as a rule (BSc. Hons, I believe, though there may be some detail difference).

To start using Cert French (Open) would be equivalent to writing my GCSE/O Level/A Level qualifications!

Still, it’s nice to have the bit of paper. The next one, assuming that I finish the course, will be Cert Hum (Open).

No, I won’t be using it, it may get silly.

Article by Murk, BSc (Hons); Cert French (Open); PGCE; A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science, Physics; City of Guilds Amateur Radio Examination; RoSPA minibus training, GCSEs in English (Lang and Lit), Maths, Technical Drawing, Electronics, French, Geography, Chemistry and Physics; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award, 6th Kyu Ni Judo (from 1981!), yellow belt judo (similar vintage), cycling proficiency, 50m swimming; Milk Monitor.

According to the BBC News website, protestors in Nantes spent december 31st protesting against 2007. "Now is better".

They "called on governments and the UN to stop time’s “mad race” and declare a moratorium on the future"

The tension mounted as the minutes ticked away towards midnight - but the arrival of 2007 did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm.

The protesters began to chant: "No to 2008!"

They vowed to stage a similar protest on 31 December 2007 on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris.

Further details (in English) and in French (1) (2)

I have the result for my French Open University course.

It’s okay, but it could have been better. I got good marks for completion of task, but was let down on accuracy and range of language… which to me is the main point.

On the ECA, the completion got B in the written and A for spoken. The accuracy and range got C in each. The overall average was in the 70-84% range (77%) which is a B. The average for both the ECA and the coursework was a little lower (somewhere from 70-77% depending on the weighting). This is a B grade, which I suppose on any objective scale isn’t bad, especially as my brain fundamentally doesn’t work easily in these areas.

Having said that, I’m quite ambivalent about the result. It’s not great, but it’s acceptable. I’d have been disappointed with sub 70%., but can’t be happy unless I’m in the top grades. It’s average - and I’m not happy with that (though, as I say, I’m not unhappy). To learn a language properly, immersion over an extended period is really the best option, unfortunately it’s one that was unavailable to me.

It’s seemed like forever, but the result of my French course should be here next week. Each day I check the post and the result doesn’t appear…

I’ve been working pretty solidly since I got home from work, as there is a deadline for AZX103 tomorrow, and due to various commitments I’d not got the essay completed before now.

The essay is about the Colosseum, and the reactions that the ancient writers had to the games. It’s been a big job, not many words, granted, but as it’s a foreign discipline for me it’s been quite tricky! I’ve got the work on a USB device, so hopefully I should be able to check it again before sending it in (I can do that electronically). I don’t trust myself to send it in today as I’m now really tired and I need to read it with a clear head. I just hope it doesn’t slip my mind tomorrow with everything that is to be happening!

The next block of work (to be done by new year) is on the French revolution (Vive la Revolution!), this is followed by two topics of greater interest to me, ‘Art History and Philosophy’ for the end of january and ‘Religious Studies OR History of Science’ for the start of march.