Untukmu Para Pengunjung

Before I start to ramble on about Skype, the next chapter will be on tomorrow, you remember, the one where we go to Cuba and change our lives. After this, the funniest stories you will read will follow.

(PS went to my Dentist today, it is confirmed, I am going fishing with him, another story has started to take shape today...it seems I am going dancing on Friday with some ambassador's wives..I hate dancing, my wife asked me to go and I have no idea why!!!!!)

Anyhow Skype.

Since moving to France, we have had a different member of my family or my wife's stay with us every weekend. Yes, it's official, we are La Rochelle's only free hotel! No seriously, we don't mind, but we have guests all the time..right now, fully booked 'til Christmas! But one thing I have noticed is that for an expat, you have to talk to everyone a lot more. When we lived in the Uk, a call or 'pop-in' may only last five minutes, now, it has to last half an hour minimum!!

What about Skype?

Skype rings throughout our house all day everyday. It is ringing now..the noise makes me mad. What do they want? The routine is now as follows:-

"Thanks for the weekend" call from the outgoing guests.
"Do you want anything brought out?" call from next weekends guests.
"How were they?" call from relatives about the outgoing visitor.
"Did I leave my..?"call back from outgoing visitor
"Can we come..?"call from another relative or visitor
"What's the weather like?" call from yet another relative
"Want new windows?" call from some random window company that got hold of my Skype out number

This is typical of our lives now, every night another role call of questions from either friends or family. I am trying to get everyone on a Sykpe conference call next time. I may be able to eat before 10pm!!

Has Skype made things too easy to keep in touch? Was life better before free phone calls? I am wondering whether to host Skype conference calls for families abroad!!! Will it work or am I going mad!!!! Let me know and help my sanity, do you find yourself glued to Skype?

Anyhow, my next post will be about Chapter two of the book, but make sure to read over the weekend. I may just find out why I am going dancing with the ambassador of Gabon's wife...I don't even know where Gabon is!