Guided tour in my world
I finished work on Saturday evening. My mother owns a shop in which she sells organic products (food, cosmetics, drinks, teas) and fair trade items, as well as plants and aromatherapy medicines. I love her shop. It's all in wood so the atmosphere is really warm and people also feel it. I know I'm not the only one to love this shop :)
My mother works with a friend, Isabelle. In France, we have 5 weeks of paid holidays, so Isa took one week on December 30th. And then we are supposed to work only 35 hours a week. If we work more, we have to get it back. For example, if you work 42 hours a week, you have 7 hours too much, so you can have a day off when you want. Isa had a lot of hours too much, so she took another week of holidays.
For Isa, that made 2 weeks at home, to rest and get better.
For me, it made 2 weeks of job and, so, money in my bank account.
For my mother, it made 2 weeks where she could really see me, instead of having me only for meals.
Win-win-win situation :)
Doesn't she look happy? ;)
We work 5 days a week, with days off on Sunday and Monday. Schedule is 9am - 12.30pm and then 2pm - 7pm, though we start at 8am on Tuesdays and Fridays because there is food coming to the shop and we have to put it on the shelves. I got to rest on Thursday mornings, so that I would have a approximately 35-hour week.
I love working there too, because people are usually interesting people. They are French people who believe in the importance of nature, in saving the planet and that usually comes with an awareness that you don't always find with other French people. They were mostly respectful and patients, people easy to joke with and easy-smilers :)
The counter with my mother pretending to work on the phone. We have baskets (under the postcards) that people can use to do the shopping. And all the boxes at the back are teas :) The entrance door is just left of the cards. Lots of essential oils and cosmetics on the counter and a lot of mess behind it...
From the door... Other shopping baskets and food, food, food.
It's horrible to work with so much food everywhere...
From the other end of the same row. Behind me are the fridge and wines...
Here they are...
The fridge was pretty empty that day. Usually, it's so packed that I don't know where to put things...
On both side of the fridge are 4 shelves. Two on the right for fresh fruits and two on the left for veggies
From the door again. Looking at some other postcards, CDs, cosmetics and stuff
From the tea boxes corner... Cosmetics, corner of the counter and such...
On the wall running on my left are all the alimentary complements and natural medicines.
Behind the cosmetics column, clothers and the "playground for children". We put my former toys and books, and children love to go and play there when their parents are doing the grocery (it's a big relief for parents too)
ps : Free Tibet!
The "bulk stuff". Help yourself with rice, quinoa, lens, sugar, dried fruits and nuts
You could see the back of this shelf on the former pic
Some of the fair trade products, from Africa, South America and Asia
I loved most of them and people bought a lot of them for Christmas presents
My mother works with a friend, Isabelle. In France, we have 5 weeks of paid holidays, so Isa took one week on December 30th. And then we are supposed to work only 35 hours a week. If we work more, we have to get it back. For example, if you work 42 hours a week, you have 7 hours too much, so you can have a day off when you want. Isa had a lot of hours too much, so she took another week of holidays.
For Isa, that made 2 weeks at home, to rest and get better.
For me, it made 2 weeks of job and, so, money in my bank account.
For my mother, it made 2 weeks where she could really see me, instead of having me only for meals.
Win-win-win situation :)
Doesn't she look happy? ;)We work 5 days a week, with days off on Sunday and Monday. Schedule is 9am - 12.30pm and then 2pm - 7pm, though we start at 8am on Tuesdays and Fridays because there is food coming to the shop and we have to put it on the shelves. I got to rest on Thursday mornings, so that I would have a approximately 35-hour week.
I love working there too, because people are usually interesting people. They are French people who believe in the importance of nature, in saving the planet and that usually comes with an awareness that you don't always find with other French people. They were mostly respectful and patients, people easy to joke with and easy-smilers :)
The counter with my mother pretending to work on the phone. We have baskets (under the postcards) that people can use to do the shopping. And all the boxes at the back are teas :) The entrance door is just left of the cards. Lots of essential oils and cosmetics on the counter and a lot of mess behind it...From the door... Other shopping baskets and food, food, food.It's horrible to work with so much food everywhere...
From the other end of the same row. Behind me are the fridge and wines...Here they are...The fridge was pretty empty that day. Usually, it's so packed that I don't know where to put things...
On both side of the fridge are 4 shelves. Two on the right for fresh fruits and two on the left for veggies
From the door again. Looking at some other postcards, CDs, cosmetics and stuffFrom the tea boxes corner... Cosmetics, corner of the counter and such...On the wall running on my left are all the alimentary complements and natural medicines.
Behind the cosmetics column, clothers and the "playground for children". We put my former toys and books, and children love to go and play there when their parents are doing the grocery (it's a big relief for parents too)ps : Free Tibet!
The "bulk stuff". Help yourself with rice, quinoa, lens, sugar, dried fruits and nutsYou could see the back of this shelf on the former pic
Some of the fair trade products, from Africa, South America and AsiaI loved most of them and people bought a lot of them for Christmas presents
So this was my world for 2 weeks. Call it "Le Jardin de la Terre", which means The Garden of the Earth.
I really enjoyed doing it, joking with regular customers and reading interesting stuff on how to make our life healthier and safer with natural ways. I liked working with my mother even if we got on each other's nerves sometimes. But I'm also happy it's over.
Now I'll be able to go around see my friends at last! We used to get back home at 7.30pm and then prepare dinner, eat, it was already 8.30 or 9pm. And then I was usually too weary to do anything. I didn't even want to think about taking her car and drive the 30min to go to Brest and - maybe - see friends.
This time is over :) Tomorrow I'm going to Brest, see my most formal friend (the President of my former university) around a cup of coffee (or a glass of beer - still haven't decided) but then we'll have some student partying in the week. I miss my university so much !!!
I really enjoyed doing it, joking with regular customers and reading interesting stuff on how to make our life healthier and safer with natural ways. I liked working with my mother even if we got on each other's nerves sometimes. But I'm also happy it's over.
Now I'll be able to go around see my friends at last! We used to get back home at 7.30pm and then prepare dinner, eat, it was already 8.30 or 9pm. And then I was usually too weary to do anything. I didn't even want to think about taking her car and drive the 30min to go to Brest and - maybe - see friends.
This time is over :) Tomorrow I'm going to Brest, see my most formal friend (the President of my former university) around a cup of coffee (or a glass of beer - still haven't decided) but then we'll have some student partying in the week. I miss my university so much !!!