2015 Reasons to Count my Blessings

REASON 6

The Island

I first came to live here 30 years ago. I had been living, and teaching, in France and had come over  to help out a friend for the summer. On returning to France, I finished my contract and moved back to the island permanently.

The island is divided into 12 Parishes, a bit like mini Swiss Cantons. Each Parish has its own system of government, primary school and Parish Church. We live in one of the urban parishes, just a short walk from the centre of town (St. Helier), and a short walk from the beach.
Every day I drive around the south coast to work. The tidal range is huge- one of the largest in the world- and the sea is at a different stage of tide each day.
The college is in a village on the west side of the island, a lovely location and very picturesque.
The crime rate is incredibly low and most people have jobs, unlike many other parts of the world at the moment. We have a thriving community of Portuguese and Eastern European workers.

The old language, Jerriais, is still spoken in the country parishes, and is now being taught in the schools. It is similar to the old Norman of William the Conqueror. I can read it and understand some of what is said to me, but I can't speak it.

It is a fascinating place to live, full of old traditions and old buildings. The 13th C Mont Orgeuil Castle stands proud on the East coast- only superseded when Elizabeth castle was built by Walter Raleigh for his Queen.