On inspiring and educating boys

This blog is the promised sequel to the March blog on educating girls. As a mother of two teenage boys, I can now cast my mind back and comment on their education. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Both parents and teachers do the best they can at the time. Here are my reflections on the future of educating boys.

Developmental differences

Both of my sons were born in June. This makes them some of the youngest children in their respective school years. They are 9 months younger than September-born children. Girls are often two years in advance of boys' development. So we could be talking a 3-year difference in development. This is a very significant difference in primary school and gives boys the feeling of being "behind" at the very start of school. This is a serious blow to the confidence of Summer-born children.

Both Daniel and James suffered early learning difficulties. Neither boy missed any significant milestones before starting school. James, my younger son, was actually ahead of most children in terms of physical development - e.g. walking at 9½ months. He was also fascinated by sums between 1 and 100 in nursery school, while others were still counting from 1 to 10. 

Daniel

My elder son Daniel suffered with extreme hypermobility. This gave him many of the social disadvantages of dyspraxia. Writing was extremely difficult for him. His hands were simply too flexible to control a pencil. Occupational therapy helped to build up his hand strength. It was very hard for him to keep up in class. He simply couldn't write as much as the others within a given time slot.

An early drawing with writing (copyright D. Netto)

To this day, Daniel writes with an unconventional grip. Children learn to compensate. He developed a fascination with computers. On arrival at high school, he was advanced in ICT skills. He was placed in the Gifted and Talented Group. Today, his fingers fly over any keyboard or keypad. He will shortly be taking his A' levels and plans to study computing at university from October 2015.

In Daniel's primary school days, the rough and tumble of the playground was a nightmare for him. He was always falling or getting knocked over. He adopted the wise strategy of heading for the medical room before getting hurt. He enjoyed a good chat there. He couldn't keep up with the boisterous boys so he talked to the girls and the staff instead. He excelled at the oral part of the old English GCSE as a result. 

Early learning difficulties are in the distant past now. Daniel compensated by developing into a "geek" with excellent verbal skills - just what businesses are crying out for. Teamwork skills came later - thanks to the excellent Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

James

Although my two sons are like chalk and cheese*, my younger son James also had early learning difficulties - both with reading and writing. From babyhood until the first year of school he suffered  a seemingly endless series of ear infections. He could hear, but we later discovered at Great Ormond Street Hospital that some of the pathways in his brain were immature. So, we were all trying to teach him to read without the basic sound foundations in place. His ears worked. His brain worked. They just didn't work together to make the necessary sound connections.

An e-learning programme helped him to catch up. Ordinarily, such a child lacks social confidence. James has always been an all-round sportsman. He is not competitive. He is a team player and makes friends easily. I remember reading that Richard Branson succeeded in business because his dyslexia forced him to delegate. Unfortunately, school will never be James's favourite place - and now they want to keep him until 18! I have no doubt that his personality will take him far.

My little sportsman  c. J Netto

A special primary school project brought the major turning point for James. An inspirational NQT (newly qualified teacher) took a special interest in encouraging him. For homework he had to create a poster on astronomy with words and pictures. He chose Pluto. Why? Because he felt sorry for poor Pluto. Once it had been a planet, but they downgraded it to a dwarf planet. He was inspired by its "underdog" status. He wrote more in one evening than we had ever seen him write before. It got easier from that point. His teacher and I made a really big fuss of his efforts. He remembers it well.

Solar system - dwarf planet Pluto at the back - now often left out © La Gorda

Looking back, I remember how James regularly used to miss History and Geography lessons for extra literacy support. They became two of his favourite subjects at High School. In History and Geography, he is inspired to write more by the facts, interesting subject matter and visuals. Today, James's favourite GCSE subject is Media Studies. Teaching literacy through other subjects seems to work better.

The UK's National Curriculum has become very prescriptive. I do not believe that it allows teachers enough flexibility to inspire the individual personalities before them. League tables, constant assessments and targets seem to stress both teachers and pupils. Even the reports have become very formulaic. Parents are none the wiser for all the data. KPIs belong in businesses, not in schools. Not everything that counts in education can be counted.

To my mind, the most important thing is to teach children to love learning. Boys generally seem prone to doing the bare minimum (if they can get away with it). The pace of technological change means that today's children will need to keep reinventing themselves. They will need to adapt and learn new skills more frequently than previous generations. A love of learning is paramount. Boys are now falling behind girls. Today's teaching methods favour girls.

I fully appreciate that it is difficult to teach different material to children in the same class. Analyse any child's performance and you see spikes in progression. They do not learn in a linear fashion to a preconceived plan. Dwelling too long on a weakness can be harmful to their love of learning. There must be an answer to educating boys in one son's love of technology and the other's Pluto-inspired motivation.

We need to motivate boys to love learning as much as girls. Today's boys will have girls as bosses. However, society needs equality, not role reversal. I believe that boys and girls should learn to work with each other side by side. We just need to find more innovative ways to motivate them.

Boy and girl learning side by side  © nearbirds - Fotolia.com

Let's also appreciate that not everyone is destined to be an academic. People often have strengths that the outside world appreciates more than schools.

I remember playing the game Blokus one Christmas with James, my sister and brother-in-law. James was just 7, playing for the first time - he beat three graduates outright - and we definitely didn't let him win. He discovered the most extraordinary visual gift allied with a strategic brain.

Visually appealing, strategic online space game © nearbirds

From my experience, I think that the trick lies in discovering what a child is good at early on. They need something that they feel good at - better than others. It doesn't matter if it is just beating their brother at an online game. It creates confidence that spills over into other areas. It gives them the resilience to find a new level of effort and overcome adversity.

Boys and girls need teachers who inspire them. Teachers with First Class Honours don't necessarily make the best teachers. They need role models who inspire them. Steven Gerrard of Liverpool is James's hero.

Life is not fair. We are not all blessed with the same intelligence or skills. Slow and steady** often wins the race in life.  Those for whom life has come easily often give up at the first hurdle; whereas those who have had to try hard to succeed will keep going against the odds and triumph.

* Like chalk and cheese = completely different from one another
** Slow and steady wins the race 

Karen Andrews (Netto) is the proud Mum of two boys described above. Her other full-time job is running Anglicity Ltd., offering content writing and French to English translation/transcreation. 

Contact: karen@anglicity.com for further information 

Is the British linguist endangered?

Is the British linguist as endangered as the red squirrel?

The corporate language in many companies today is often English. Rumours are circulating that even the European Union is considering using English as its sole working language. Clients expect translators only to work into their mother tongue. The European translation standard EN15038 recognises this. It seems that our largely monolingual British politicians consider the supremacy of English an advantage. As a linguist, I recognise how important language training is to understanding other cultures and broadening the mind.

Languages in the business world

I read recently that the Kristalina Georgieva, the Bulgarian Vice-President for Budget and Human Resources at the European Commission accepted that she had to speak English for her career. For the British linguist, the situation is very different.

During my career, there have been many occasions when I could have handled a meeting in French or German. They all usually took place in English, because at least one of the senior British managers could only speak English. This situation leads to the erosion of a British linguist's language skills and confidence.

Contrary to popular belief or published surveys, UK companies do not appear to value language skills as highly as they claim. They generally prefer to employ other nationalities. Nordic countries, Germans, the Swiss and the Dutch generally speak English extremely well. However, they can rarely write it as well, or fully appreciate nuances and idioms.

Promote the British linguist

I believe that the UK language-related institutes should promote the cause of the British linguist. This is not to suggest that they should neglect the interests of members with other nationalities. You can hardly expect the German BDÜ to promote linguists' education and language professions in the UK, can you?

Promoting the British linguist © UMB-O

"Non-native" translation

When I was a Council Member at the Chartered Institute of Linguists, an article appeared in The Linguist presenting a German translator's case for translating into English. At the time, I wanted to write a letter to the editor. Having written my MSc dissertation on EN15038, I felt quite strongly about the issue. However, I respected that it was not considered appropriate for a Council member to criticise the editorial policy in print at that time.

Cultural understanding

Most politicians in our country are monoglots. They are accustomed to conducting business abroad in English. Many seem to feel that it is an advantage to speak English. As a linguist, I appreciate how much cultural understanding is missed or lost. I was studying in France in the 1980s when Margaret Thatcher was arguing with the EU over a budget rebate. The French very much respect and enjoy a good debate. However, I remember how every time I went into my bank, they were always baffled by our Prime Minister's manner and approach.

Is English an advantage or a disadvantage?

Misunderstandings can easily arise if if a foreign national has to present their case in English. The discomfort can even lead to a build-up of resentment. It is difficult to express everything as clearly and in as much detail as you might like. On the other hand, it is also said that it is easier to keep your calm and emotional distance in a foreign language.

I always prefer to listen to someone speaking in his or her native tongue. I find that it is far easier to assess their personality, intellect and intentions. I also believe that speaking other languages has made me more receptive to other cultures and more open-minded.

MPs

I was appalled to read about Caroline Lucas' experiences as an MP in the Press recently. It is hardly surprising that there are so few female MPs. It must be very hard to have to vote with the party line against your conscience. And why would you not choose the best person possible for a committee based on their skills?

Open data?

As we all know, the British linguist has had a very difficult time. It is sad that the review of the MoJ Framework agreement has been delayed until after the elections. I attended a UKTI Smart City event for SMEs in March at City Hall, London. I understand that the speakers were unable to reveal some Smart City information until after the elections there too. I can't help wondering how much other information is being delayed. Is this democratic? How can voters decide properly if all information is not shared with them? Is this approach in keeping with the new era of open data?

Public v. Private Sector

Of course, unlike many of my former fellow Council members, I have spent almost my entire career in the private sector. I have only ever worked in the public sector temporarily. I have never had to sign the Official Secrets Act. I suppose my views may be construed as ignorance or naïvety on how the public sector functions.

MoJ Framework Agreement

I remember writing to my MP, Sir John Randall about the MoJ Framework agreement. At the time, I was writing an article for Multilingual Magazine. Until recently, John Randall was the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. He was Deputy Chief Whip between 2010 and 2013. He famously resigned as the Opposition Whip over the Iraq War. I thought that he might be particularly interested in the MoJ Framework Agreement. After all, he is a linguist who studied Serbo-Croat at university. I was disappointed that he didn't attend a debate after I had raised the issue with him. I know he was very concerned about modern-day slavery in the area. (As a safe Conservative seat, our new MP is expected to be London's Mayor, Boris Johnson).

Ethnic identity

I should like to make it clear that when I refer to non-native English, I am not referring to ethnicity. My own children are mixed race on their father's side - a mixture of Indian, Portuguese, Irish and Welsh. I increasingly detest ethnic monitoring forms. What is "white British"? Should one brother tick a different box because of a slightly darker skin tone? I am glad that as teenagers, my sons can now decide on their own ethnic identity. They both consider themselves British. They support England in the football, cricket, etc; Lewis Hamilton in the F1. Unfortunately, they don't speak Tamil, Hindi, Portuguese, Gaelic or Welsh. The National Curriculum even put them off Spanish.

Identity over 3 generations

I remember attending an event at European Commission Representation in the UK during the Cypriot Presidency of the EU. Writers of Greek and Turkish Cypriot origin discussed their work together. One of the writers described a similar situation to that of my children. She was in the third generation of her family in the UK. She mentioned how the first generation (her grandparents) had found the adjustment after immigration difficult. Her parents in the second generation had more of an identity crisis between the two cultures. She considered herself British. She supported England in the football, although some of the extended members of her family disapproved.

A' level language range

I feel that dropping rarer languages from the A' level syllabus is short-sighted. Yes, it is important that immigrants speak and write English. However, it is also important to retain and pass on a sense of cultural identity and history. The latest issue of The Linguist has an excellent article on Saturday schools for children.

Polish in West London

In West London, Polish is the second most commonly spoken language. I believe that it would be an enormous loss to Britain if immigrants were to entirely lose their Polish. Without a formal education in Polish, children would not be able to speak or write their grandparents' mother tongue accurately. Trade with Poland could be greatly facilitated if Britain actively promotes cultural understanding and the Polish language in the younger generation.

Ruislip has a very long association with Poles. I hear Polish nearly every day. My home is near the Polish War Memorial. Polish airmen were based here at RAF Northolt. They fought with the British in World War II. Many had to settle here after the war. They are very much part of the local community. Now new generations are following them.

Polish War Memorial, Ruislip CC BY-SA 3.0

Cultural diversity

Britain today has an extraordinarily diverse population. Mass immigration is placing a strain on infrastructure, but this diversity could also be turned to great economic advantage. Britain has the opportunity to become much more attuned to other cultures and languages. Perhaps it is not viable for all languages to have their own A' level. Could the Chartered Institute of Linguists or another body create suitable professional examinations in rarer languages?

Grey squirrel © robert cicchetti

The British population is already very culturally diverse. We're not endangered red squirrels, we've been grey squirrels for centuries already. The best place to see how to handle cultural diversity is in primary school playgrounds. British linguists do not have to be an endangered species. We could have a whole new generation of bilinguals, if only we realise and promote the opportunities.

If you would appreciate help with your technical marketing communications, email karen@anglicity.com 

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

technical writer and 

translator with over

15 years' global marketing

experience. Anglicity offers

marketing consultancy with a 

focus on innovation

and the environment.
Find me on Twitter @AnglicityKaren

A pan-European agreement on translation working practices?

 

Future-proofing panel at EC Rep. in the UK © Anglicity

At the French CNET conference, Miklós Bán of Proford explained how a 16-page agreement had transformed the translation business climate in Hungary. The agreement was worked out between AHTI (the Hungarian Association of Translators and Interpreters) and Proford (the Hungarian Association for Language Service Providers). I believe that s similar agreement should be worked out not only in France and the UK, but across the European Union - and maybe even worldwide in the future?

Towards a Pan-European agreement? © md3d

Miklós Bán is the Chairman of Proford, the Hungarian Association of Translators and Interpreters. Proford is a young association by comparison with the French CNET network founded in 1977 or the UK's ATC founded in 1976. It was founded in 2012 and has just 11 members. CNET has a membership of 30 French LSPs and the ATC has a membership totalling nearly 150 worldwide LSPs.

A future for the British translation industry? © UMB-O

Historically, there had been a lot of animosity between the freelancers and LSPs in Hungary. Cooperation was difficult and tough market conditions had exacerbated the situation. It was in the LSP's best interests to reach an understanding. After all, they need good translators for their businesses to function well.

Miklós viewed freelance translation and translation companies as essentially two different professions. There was a lack of understanding between the two sides. They needed a point of reference - a document that could act as a professional standard to outline what each side could expect from the other.

Recommendations

Recommendations for translation company associations to reach a similar agreement included:

1. Start any improvements on your own side first.

2. Do not criticise the freelancers.

3. Be prepared to make the first gesture - in fact, make the first 15 gestures to establish trust.

4. Invite freelancers to translation company events free of charge.

5. Work under the International Federation of Translators' (FIT) umbrella - for an external viewpoint, to check proposals against international practices and legal issues.

6. Recognise that in any conflict, there is generally fault on both sides. Always criticise your own side first.

7. Encourage any translator employees or freelance translators to join the freelance associations - especially younger generations with fresh viewpoints.

8. Share viewpoints on the whole translation process - companies often can't see the freelance viewpoint and vice versa.

FIT Conference in 2014  © Anglicity Ltd

Drafting the agreement

The agreement set out the rules between the parties and had several key stages:

1. agreement on the topics to be covered and scope

2. drafting

3. editing

4. lock-up

5. compromise

6. acceptance and endorsement

By the end of stage 3, they had two separate 16-page documents - a freelance version and an LSP version. At this point, they locked the two sides in a room together to work on a single, unified text. It took 8 hours. 

An lock-up lead to the final agreement © pict rider

Details

1. Definitions

They used those set out in the European translation standard EN15038.

2. Terms of cooperation

Covered non-disclosure, no sub-contracting, NDA, NCA, certification and references.

3. Quality

Mutual requirements. What input is needed? Who does what?

4. Complaint management

5. Technology

CAT, MT, IT, infrastructure

One of the biggest issues was over intellectual property (IP). Case argued for translation memory as client's property.

6. Payment

·      Capacity and output

·      Basis of payment

·      Payment terms - not the exact terms, but they have to be specified in advance and accepted. Payment has to be respected by the LSP.

·      Public procurement

Minimum rate

Proford tried to set a minimum rate. (I will return to my discussion with Miklós in the break on this subject in a separate blog).

The tricky points

Miklós outlined the tricky or sticking points in the negotiations between the two sides.

1.    Gain insight and empathy for the opposing viewpoint. (The viewpoint of the company owner may be far removed from the freelancer, if no project manager experience).

2.    Mutual reality checks on the right way to do business together

3.    Ownership

4.    Basis of payment

5.    Money

6.    Terminology/identity - what is an LSP?

7.    Change - climate change, openness, commitments, responsibility

A chain of agreements from Hungary to UK/Europe?  © H.Peter

The Hungarian document now offers an endorsed outline on best practice in the translation industry. Proford would like to share it outside Hungary. Having worked on nearly all sides of the industry (client, translation buyer, freelancer, project manager), I have witnessed the lack of trust and its consequences for all parties. I believe that this proposal should be given serious consideration and support by all national associations and the European Union.

For further information on Anglicity's services, email karen@anglicity.com.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

technical writer and 

translator with over

15 years' marketing

experience. Anglicity offers

marketing consultancy and

content marketing with a 

particular focus on innovation.

Paris Peace Monument

 

Mur de la Paix in Paris

There is a peace monument near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Mur de la Paix (Wall for Peace) was built as a temporary structure in 2000. Like its more elderly "temporary" neighbour from 1889, it remains. It bears the word "Peace" in 32 languages and 13 alphabets. It was inspired by Jerusalem's Wailing Wall.

Eiffel Tower,  its "temporary" neighbour

The Peace Monument's location on the Champs de Mars is considered controversial. It has associations with war. Yet the chosen position is backed by French custom. Personally, I think it makes a timely reminder in troubled times. Paris seemed very nervous when I visited in March. Security was high after January's Charlie Hebdo attack and the Tunisian Museum attack during my stay.

Sadly, the peace monument was fenced off. Accès interdit (Entry forbidden). This seems an apt metaphor for peace in much of the world. Peace is fenced off - out of reach.

Sign forbidding entry to the peace monument

I walked away from the monument. I found myself at the gates of the Military School nearby, just as the young soldiers were emerging on Friday evening. Their girlfriends, friends and family had been eagerly awaiting them there for the weekend. I hope that those young French soldiers, and others like them, will always return to their loved ones with smiles and laughter.

On this Easter weekend there seems to be more hope for peace. An agreement was reached with Iran over its nuclear programme this week.

The Red Cross has been very actively involved in helping ordinary people caught up in crisis this week. It helps people in conflict and disaster zones whatever their religion. It is the world's largest humanitarian organisation. It operates as the Red Crescent in Muslim countries and is known as the Croix Rouge in French-speaking countries. The Red Cross responded to the fight against Ebola in Africa. It also helps with crises closer to home. My son James and I will be doing a sponsored walk over London's Bridges in May. Your support would be greatly appreciated however large or small via our Virgin Money Giving page.

Karen Andrews (Netto) runs Anglicity Ltd. She is an entrepreneurial French to English translator, editor, content writer and marketing consultant. 

Contact: karen@anglicity.com for further information on Anglicity's services.

On Round Tables

Round table artwork in modern art gallery at Beaubourg

A wall of neon signs flash "open" in numerous languages as you enter the main modern art gallery at the Centre Georges Pompidou. There is a large, round wooden table just inside the entrance. Round tables hold an important place in open negotiations and in international peace.

Neon "open" signs in different languages at gallery entrance

Furniture as artwork

The unusual table drew this carpenter's daughter in for a closer look. Furniture presented as artwork is perhaps more unexpected to others. The round table concept is also very familiar to me. I grew up near Glastonbury in Somerset. Glastonbury is reputed to be King Arthur's legendary Avalon. The idea of a round table is that it can have no head. There is a no preferential seating order, because there is no head of the table to sit near. Everyone seated at a round table is considered an equal.

Round table trend

I have attended a number of events using the round table format during the past year. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) used it at the London Language Show in late 2014. The same format was used successfully by UKTI at their recent Big Data event in Paris. It was also used at the FinTech Assembly in London in late February 2015.

Advantages

The advantage of the round table approach is that everyone gets an opportunity to speak. Less confident participants can feel more comfortable to speak in the more informal setting. You are also more likely to identify the right potential partners for your business. The approach lends itself to better networking and after event follow-ups.

Round table artwork

The table in the modern art gallery is elevated from the floor. Maybe this signifies that it is intended for those in elevated positions? There are words carved into table's centre. With my feet firmly on the floor as an ordinary citizen, I couldn't get the necessary height to read them. It seemed odd that the chairs were embedded in the table. I couldn't find any explanation of the piece. Nor could I find details on its maker. I noticed that the chairs at the table were not all the same. Not equal. Some were larger and stronger than others. Some seemed slightly crooked. One looked as if it might crack under any weight.

Equal?

Even if seated at a round table, all parties in a negotiation are rarely equal. In international negotiations, the more dominant personalities and stronger nations should allow alternative views to be heard.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is
an entrepreneurial
French to English
translator, editor,
content writer and
marketing consultant. 

Contact: karen@anglicity.com 
for further information 
on Anglicity's services.

 

At the Centre Georges Pompidou

Inside the Centre Georges Pompidou

"Where on earth?" That was my thought when I visited the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris for the first time. I had never seen anything like such architecture before. I still remember how the external pipework and escalators fascinated me as a young teenager.

When I revisited on 21st March, the enormous building still looked very innovative. Its visitor numbers and the very long ticket queues suggest that Beaubourg has retained its power of innovation and popularity.  The contents on the inside took me by surprise this time. 

Jeff Koons' Magenta Balloon Dog

Jeff Koons

I visited the modern art collection of the American Jeff Koons. Although much of it was pleasing to the eye, I am afraid that I found the majority somewhat shallow. I didn't really know what to make of the brightly-coloured and overgrown balloon sculptures. The Incredible Hulk, Popeye, a huge red lobster, etc all left me cold. 

Jeff Koons' exhibition at Centre Georges Pompidou

It all seemed too superficial to me. The explanatory blurbs generally seemed too contrived for my taste. Maybe they was some criticism of the modern commercial world and its fascination with how things look? The gold figures of Michael Jackson and his pet monkey might confirm this.

Hervé Télémaque

I much preferred the artworks in other galleries. For example, the ones that offered some historical comment or reflection on the current state of the world - e.g. racism depicted in the work of French Haitian-born artist Hervé Télémaque. 

Artist as archivist

There was a simple mound of white square blocks in one room. Some bore Arabic script. Some in Latin Script bore simple historical date information. I understood this to be a pile of grievances built up over centuries in the Middle East. The blocks could topple over at any time.

In the corridor outside were the two large works that had the greatest effect upon me. One was a painting. The faces seemed Far Eastern in origin. All were crying out looking at the sky. The colours were very bold - yellow, orange and red. What imminent disaster could they see in the sky? Global warming? A nuclear explosion? Armageddon of some sort? 

On the opposite side, there were shelves full of world globes. Each globe looked very swollen as if nursing large wounds. The wounds were taped over. Over and over again. Pinned to the shelves were pictures of major incidents. They looked Middle Eastern in origin - the scars and after-effects of fires and bombed-out buses. 

The American artist's balloons seem all the more superficial and detached from real life.

 

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

marketing consultant

with project management, 

technical writing and

translation skills.

Please do not hesitate to contact Karen for further information on Anglicity's services karen@anglicity.com

Spring Air in Paris

Spring colour in the Marché aux Fleurs, Place Louis Lépine

The third day of my recent Paris trip was officially the first day of Spring. The Marché aux Fleurs (Flower Market) in Place Louis Lépine was filled with spring colour and greenery. Paris will be hosting COP21 in the battle against climate change in 2015. Air quality was poor during my stay. French TV claimed it was worse than Shanghai.

On my first morning, the Eiffel Tower was obscured by mist and murk. At the weekend, travelling by Metro was free to encourage Parisians to use public transport instead of their cars.

Paris owes much to Baron Haussmann for its wide, "airy" streets. British cities simply cannot replicate his urban planning . Today, such an autocratic approach will not be tolerated. British cities also have much heritage to preserve and cannot emulate Paris despite inner-city congestion problems.

Boulevard Haussmann in Paris

The Recession seems to have left Paris with a backlog of maintenance repairs, but the solid infrastructure must leave many cities envious. Wherever I went, traffic seemed to move without too much difficulty - even during the rush hour. Accustomed to London congestion, I kept allowing too much time to get from A to B.  I couldn't help wondering if the wide streets were such a blessing if they made Parisians more inclined to drive into the capital.

I was very surprised by reports on French TV. Despite regulation, the French still smoke heavily in public places - and, French women are more likely to continue smoking in pregnancy. I have always understood the French to be very health-conscious.

I saw evidence of eco-friendly initiatives. Paris has its equivalent of London's "Boris bikes". I saw row upon row of them - all largely unused. Maybe because of the high pollution rates during my stay? I also saw electric cars being charged in the streets. Again, I was disappointed not to see one in use. 

Autolib' electric car sharing scheme in Paris

At the Centre Georges Pompidou, I saw an artwork by the British-born and New Zealand-based David Trubridge. It was an orange sphere representing the sun with white wings to either side. Trubridge used natural, sustainable and recyclable materials.

The work hangs above visitors' heads as a poetic reminder of the dangers of climate change. David Trubridge was inspired by both Maori legend and Greek myth. Like Icarus, Man is flying too close to the Sun. It seems an appropriate warning in the host city for COP21 - especially just after the solar eclipse.

If you would appreciate help with your technical marketing communications, email karen@anglicity.com or call Karen on +44 (0)20 8581 9369.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

technical writer and 

translator with over

15 years' marketing

experience. Anglicity offers

marketing consultancy and

content marketing with a 

particular focus on innovation

and the environment.