FLASH - Argh.

Last week I presented the midday show and this week it was my job to present the 'flash' which is essentially the 12 O'Clock news. It happens at midday, then at half past, then at precisely 12.57. I have discovered in the past two weeks that:

• When panicking and trying to say something in French, my brain becomes too confused and simply says words in English instead. I recently enthusiastically announced WELL! in the middle of an otherwise French sentence. Swapping between two langues is clearly too much for my overtired cerveau.
• Similarly, I cannot say numbers in French on air. I've always been spectacularly bad at all things mathematical (shout out to Mrs Fidler, my year 9 Maths tutor who tried, but ultimately failed, to help me understand long division), but it seems like my ineptitude for all things numerical is MULTIPLIED whilst trying to speak on the radio. So I just spontaneously make up numbers that don't actually exist such as 'eighty-five fifteen'. Then the lovely presenter has to explain to the listeners that I have said a made up number and tell them the correct one. Sorry to all who have been affected by me getting the date of everything wrong... 
• Talking is hard. A word as simple as libéralisation becomes a minefield, as I witnessed today. I struggled on: liber... liberaliseaa... liberalazeatieeeon... but it was all in vain. At least the technician found it funny.

Some more successful radio endeavors have included a report on people stealing chemical toilets in Bulgaria, which involved me spending the afternoon translating Bulgarian twitter comments into French. Probably my most successful piece of work to date to be honest... 

Today I also attended my first ever press conference. I didn't know I was going until an hour before and rocked up in shorts and a snazzy T-shirt. Unfortunately  everyone else there was a middle aged man in a suit. Whatevs.

Tomorrow, I am going to PARIS. It's been over two years since I was last there and I can't wait!

A bientot xxx