So what do you do with a refugee?
Throughout France at the moment young men are being persuaded by the French government to leave Calais. They are rightly told they cannot get to the UK and if they start applying here in France for asylum they will get shelter, food , a bit of money and health care.
When your tented home is being pulled down with nightly raids and tear gas, it seems like a good option and it is. The young men are encouraged to take out asylum here and last year all our young arrivals did just that. Five have now gained asylum and moved on with their lives, the others await first or second interviews.
When the young men arrive they have generally been traveling for months or years and many want to tell you their stories.
They are young men who have seen and had tough times, but once they settle in for the wait for all their asylum interviews, life can be boring.
Last time French lessons were organised daily and I am sure will be again.
Nothing though replaces a bit of company and an outing. Many speak English so for us ex pats we have an immediate language link.
Today a friend has offered to go and give cookery lessons, they will love that. All our boys loved to cook and share their dishes with you.
They love seeing the area round about. I remember having a trip to St. Antonin for a lica sim card when suddenly the car was full and I was being encouraged to go for a joy ride round the local villages... on someone's phone a sitar was playing and the boys were humming along.
So we discovered they liked cooking and trips out. They loved Najac and also going into Toulouse or Montauban.
I often went to the market on Sunday and had coffee with two or three.
When we got to know them a little they loved coming to our home and seeing how we lived.
The Pakistanis and Afghans liked cricket and the Sudanese football.
So are you thinking you would like to be involved and feel you have something to offer?
Why not think of coming along and offering your time or an interest that they may like,they arrive in October at the old gendarmerie in Bruniquel.
I will remind you.
