Bonjour à tous! The spring semester is off to a good start. I am still enjoying my classes and students, and I am really enjoying my extra time! Last semester, I taught 15 hours of classes in a week, but this semester, I only have 10. With my extra time, I have taken advantage of more of the social aspects of Angers. I have been seeing more movies, going out more with my neighbors and students, and attending more cultural events such as concerts. I’m really trying to soak up as much of the culture as I can before my return!
These past two weeks have been pretty relaxed. Unfortunately, I was sick with the stomach bug and confined myself to my room for two days, but I got over that fairly quickly. The school weeks have been going by so fast – I can’t believe we’re already in our fourth week!
We actually have a vacation coming up at the end of February. I’m taking that time to visit my college roommate, Bekah, in Italy. She is working as a Resident Assistant at the new Meredith College study abroad site in Sansepolcro, Italy – a small town in the Tuscany region. We are meeting up in Florence for the weekend, and then we’re heading together to Sansepolcro. I am not sure what we’ll be doing during the week, but I am so excited just to see her and play “catch up.” A lot has happened in the past few months! I’ll be ending my Italian vacation in Milan visiting a friend whom I met through Bekah. Her name is Amber, and she is doing Christian mission work in Milan for two years. I cannot wait to see them! Seeing people from home definitely helps with the homesickness.
Luckily, I haven’t had too much trouble with homesickness over my trip, but in the past few weeks, Virginia Beach and Raleigh have gotten quite a bit of snow. I have had the opportunity to webcam with my family and friends there, and I was so jealous that I wasn’t there to cave-dwell and play in the snow with them. I hope all of you that have been affected (or continue to be affected!) by the snow stay warm and safe; I know people do some dangerous things when weather conditions are bad. The weather has been cold here, but we haven’t had any snow. Catherine is predicting that all the snow that has hit Washington D.C. is heading our way, but we’ll see…
To combat the homesickness, I have tried to fill up my free-time with activities. I mentioned some of the things I have been doing above, and I have also taken up a tutee. Catherine’s hairdresser has a son who is studying English. She was looking for someone to come and speak with him in English for an hour a week, and I gladly offered my services! It’s been a great way to get to know another family as well as earning a little extra pocket money.
That’s really all that I have for now! I hope you all are well back in the U.S., and please be safe with all the crazy weather! I miss you lots, and you’re in my prayers. A la prochaine, mes amis!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
I've finally written!
Hello everyone! I am sorry it’s been so long since my last update! I have been so busy, as you will soon find out…
When I last wrote, I was leaving for Italy to meet Peter’s family for the ordination of his brother, Josh, as a priest with the Legionaries of Christ. Peter’s father had found and rented an apartment for the week near the Vatican; we were five minutes by foot from St. Peter’s Square. It was absolutely amazing. We went to a prayer service led by the Legion on Friday night, and then had the ordination on Saturday.
It was held in St. Paul’s Basilica, and it was a sight to see! There were about 60 priests ordained that day, and the basilica was packed with around 5000 people. Mr. and Mrs. West had special seats for parents, and the rest of us were sitting around the basilica. Luckily, they had an elaborate film system and projectors everywhere, so every seat was a good seat! Father Josh celebrated his first Mass the following day at St. Peter’s basilica.
The following week was a blur of sightseeing. We went around to different churches, monuments, and museums around Rome. We also got to see the Pope twice – once at the Sunday blessing and again at the Wednesday audience. We were sitting pretty close to Benedict, maybe only about 100 ft away! During that week, we also traveled to Assisi and Naples, where the Wests showed me where they used to live. They took me to an excellent pizzeria, which was cool since Naples is the birthplace of the pizza!
Another very memorable event happened in Rome – Peter proposed in front of the Trevi fountain! He asked me to marry him on December 16th. We had just gotten out of a museum with his family, and we were splitting up. Peter and I went with his sisters to do some more sightseeing while his parents and brother went to do some shopping. Peter’s sisters stopped to watch a street artist painting, and Peter and I continued on towards the Trevi Fountain. Once we were there, we sat down to look at the fountain, and Peter gave me this strange look. I asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? Is it because you love me?” and he responded, “I’ve been thinking about how to say this, and this is what I came up with: I can’t wait to tell our kids about this story. Will you marry me?” He pulled out a beautiful diamond ring, and I was speechless. The whole time, I was thinking in my head, “Oh my gosh, this is really happening!”
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Of course, I said yes, and he put the ring on my finger. There was a photographer at the fountain who took our picture so that we could capture those few precious moments after the proposal. When we were walking back to find his family, I kept asking him to pause so I could stand and stare at the ring. When we found his family, everyone was excited, and Mr. West ordered a round of Amaretto for all. I will certainly treasure this memory forever.
To inform you quickly about what we have planned for our wedding so far, we already have a date – August 21, 2010, and we have a church reserved in Virginia for the ceremony. I have colors picked out – dark purple and white -, but that’s about the extent of what we have planned. It’ll be interesting to organize this big event from abroad.
Anyhow, continuing with our Christmas vacation…
After Italy, Peter and I continued onto France. We landed in Paris, and it was covered with snow. A big cold front/snow storm had gone through France, and almost the entire country was covered by a blanket of snow. We caught a train from Paris to Strasbourg, a city on the eastern side of France, by Germany. They are known for their Christmas market which resembles those in Germany. It was magical with all the Christmas lights, the snow falling from the sky, and the hot wine to keep us warm. We stayed there for 2 days, and then we were off to Geneva.
While in Geneva, we didn’t see much. We walked around downtown a bit looking for a place to have dinner, but that’s all. We were there to catch our flight to Sweden, where we would spend Christmas with my friend Siri and her family.
For those of you who don’t know Siri, she is a Swedish girl I met while I was studying for the first time in France. We were in some of the same classes, and we did one project together. We’ve kept in touch and our acquaintanceship has blossomed into a friendship that I hope will last a lifetime. She invited Peter and me to spend Christmas in Karlshamn, a small seaside town on the southeast of Sweden, where her family lives.
Peter and I flew into Copenhagen, Denmark, and took a three-hour train ride to Karlshamn. It was so good to see Siri again! It was like we had never had time apart. Her family is very nice as well, and they speak English superbly. They welcomed us as part of the family, and we got to share in some Swedish traditions! We had pickled herring at dinner, learned how to say “Merry Christmas” in Swedish, and witnessed their drinking songs. Let me explain; in Sweden, before each sip they take – whether it be schnapps, wine, beer, liquor, etc. – they sing a song. They have different songs for each type of drink. It was fun to watch them all sing and smile at the table with a uniquely Swedish tradition.
In Sweden, we went to a neighboring town where Siri’s father works. It is a navy town, so we got to see some of the ships and the military base there. We also went to visit Lundt, the town where Siri goes to school. We had a nice, relaxing visit at each.
After Sweden, we flew back to Geneva and caught a train to the town of Avignon in southern France. It was nice to come back to warmer weather and longer days – we only had about 6-7 hours of daylight in Sweden! In Avignon, we went to see the Christmas market, Ft. St. Andre, the Chartreuse (an old monastery), and the Palace of the Popes (where the Popes resided in for about 100 years while the civil wars were going on in Italy). Peter and I had a great time taking it easy and getting to see all of the sites.
After Avignon, we headed back to Angers where he stayed with Catherine. We celebrated the New Year with her, and she fed us well! We saw all the sites around Angers – the Chateau of King Rene, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse, the chocolatiers, the shops, etc. We also went to visit Nantes – an old port city about 45 minutes west of Angers by train. It is famous for being the capital of the Brittany region before it became a part of France. We saw the chateau there along with the cathedral. It was so cold while we were there; some of the fountains we saw were frozen solid! We fortunately managed to stay inside warm buildings out of the cold.
We headed to Paris for his last night in France; we walked around and saw the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Elysees. It was beautiful to see Paris at night.
The next day, I saw Peter off to the airport. It was a tearful goodbye, but luckily, my friend Ginny arrived the same day he left. She definitely cheered me up and got my mind off of Peter’s departure. It was her first time coming to Europe, so it was neat for me to see everything through her eyes too. We went around and saw some of the same sites again, along with some new ones – Notre Dame and the Louvre. We also walked through some of the neighborhoods in Paris and got to see some of the less-touristy side of the city.
We left for Angers the next day. She stayed with me in my room at the residence, and while it was tight, I think we managed it well. While she was in Angers, she met Catherine, saw where I worked, and got a taste of what everyday life is like for me. Unfortunately, we had some bad weather while she was here – freezing and snowy – so it limited our traveling a bit. We did get to see the sites in Angers as well as travel to Nantes. Overall, I think she enjoyed her stay. I saw her off at the train station last Monday, and then real life started for me again.
I started my classes again last Monday. I only have a handful of new students this semester which is nice because everyone already knows what I expect in class and I already know a lot of names! I am also teaching fewer hours this semester which is such a blessing as it allows me more time to enjoy life in Angers as well as more time to plan a wedding!
This weekend was a little bit different of a routine for me though. As some of you may remember, I spent Thanksgiving with a Meredith alumna and her husband who live here with their two children. Their names are Debra and Charles, and unfortunately, Charles has been having problems with his sciatic nerve. He has been having intense pains in his left leg and spent all of last week in the hospital. They discharged him this past Friday, and Debra asked me to come over this weekend to help her with the kids. They live in a small town near Beaufort, which is about 50 minutes by car to the east of Angers. They bought half of a farm which they renovated into their beautiful home. It is absolutely enchanting to walk outside and see nothing but fields and farm animals. There is also a tranquility there that you could never find in Angers.
I had a great time there this weekend. Cayleigh (2 years old) and Jayden (8 months old) were so much fun to play with! Jayden just sat, played, and drooled by himself almost the entire weekend, and Cayleigh was a ball of energy. We walked around outside, watched some movies, played with PlayDo, etc. Despite the pinching and general testing that a typical 2-year-old goes through, I had a wonderful time with her!
I came back by the train today, so my second week is starting. I hope you all are well and had lovely holidays; thank you for those who sent letters and emails! I’ve really enjoyed them. Please continue to pray for me during my marriage preparation and my remaining time teaching here in France. I should be able to update more regularly now that I’m not traveling all of the time. Many blessings, and until next time!
When I last wrote, I was leaving for Italy to meet Peter’s family for the ordination of his brother, Josh, as a priest with the Legionaries of Christ. Peter’s father had found and rented an apartment for the week near the Vatican; we were five minutes by foot from St. Peter’s Square. It was absolutely amazing. We went to a prayer service led by the Legion on Friday night, and then had the ordination on Saturday.
It was held in St. Paul’s Basilica, and it was a sight to see! There were about 60 priests ordained that day, and the basilica was packed with around 5000 people. Mr. and Mrs. West had special seats for parents, and the rest of us were sitting around the basilica. Luckily, they had an elaborate film system and projectors everywhere, so every seat was a good seat! Father Josh celebrated his first Mass the following day at St. Peter’s basilica.
The following week was a blur of sightseeing. We went around to different churches, monuments, and museums around Rome. We also got to see the Pope twice – once at the Sunday blessing and again at the Wednesday audience. We were sitting pretty close to Benedict, maybe only about 100 ft away! During that week, we also traveled to Assisi and Naples, where the Wests showed me where they used to live. They took me to an excellent pizzeria, which was cool since Naples is the birthplace of the pizza!
Another very memorable event happened in Rome – Peter proposed in front of the Trevi fountain! He asked me to marry him on December 16th. We had just gotten out of a museum with his family, and we were splitting up. Peter and I went with his sisters to do some more sightseeing while his parents and brother went to do some shopping. Peter’s sisters stopped to watch a street artist painting, and Peter and I continued on towards the Trevi Fountain. Once we were there, we sat down to look at the fountain, and Peter gave me this strange look. I asked, “Why are you looking at me like that? Is it because you love me?” and he responded, “I’ve been thinking about how to say this, and this is what I came up with: I can’t wait to tell our kids about this story. Will you marry me?” He pulled out a beautiful diamond ring, and I was speechless. The whole time, I was thinking in my head, “Oh my gosh, this is really happening!”
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Of course, I said yes, and he put the ring on my finger. There was a photographer at the fountain who took our picture so that we could capture those few precious moments after the proposal. When we were walking back to find his family, I kept asking him to pause so I could stand and stare at the ring. When we found his family, everyone was excited, and Mr. West ordered a round of Amaretto for all. I will certainly treasure this memory forever.
To inform you quickly about what we have planned for our wedding so far, we already have a date – August 21, 2010, and we have a church reserved in Virginia for the ceremony. I have colors picked out – dark purple and white -, but that’s about the extent of what we have planned. It’ll be interesting to organize this big event from abroad.
Anyhow, continuing with our Christmas vacation…
After Italy, Peter and I continued onto France. We landed in Paris, and it was covered with snow. A big cold front/snow storm had gone through France, and almost the entire country was covered by a blanket of snow. We caught a train from Paris to Strasbourg, a city on the eastern side of France, by Germany. They are known for their Christmas market which resembles those in Germany. It was magical with all the Christmas lights, the snow falling from the sky, and the hot wine to keep us warm. We stayed there for 2 days, and then we were off to Geneva.
While in Geneva, we didn’t see much. We walked around downtown a bit looking for a place to have dinner, but that’s all. We were there to catch our flight to Sweden, where we would spend Christmas with my friend Siri and her family.
For those of you who don’t know Siri, she is a Swedish girl I met while I was studying for the first time in France. We were in some of the same classes, and we did one project together. We’ve kept in touch and our acquaintanceship has blossomed into a friendship that I hope will last a lifetime. She invited Peter and me to spend Christmas in Karlshamn, a small seaside town on the southeast of Sweden, where her family lives.
Peter and I flew into Copenhagen, Denmark, and took a three-hour train ride to Karlshamn. It was so good to see Siri again! It was like we had never had time apart. Her family is very nice as well, and they speak English superbly. They welcomed us as part of the family, and we got to share in some Swedish traditions! We had pickled herring at dinner, learned how to say “Merry Christmas” in Swedish, and witnessed their drinking songs. Let me explain; in Sweden, before each sip they take – whether it be schnapps, wine, beer, liquor, etc. – they sing a song. They have different songs for each type of drink. It was fun to watch them all sing and smile at the table with a uniquely Swedish tradition.
In Sweden, we went to a neighboring town where Siri’s father works. It is a navy town, so we got to see some of the ships and the military base there. We also went to visit Lundt, the town where Siri goes to school. We had a nice, relaxing visit at each.
After Sweden, we flew back to Geneva and caught a train to the town of Avignon in southern France. It was nice to come back to warmer weather and longer days – we only had about 6-7 hours of daylight in Sweden! In Avignon, we went to see the Christmas market, Ft. St. Andre, the Chartreuse (an old monastery), and the Palace of the Popes (where the Popes resided in for about 100 years while the civil wars were going on in Italy). Peter and I had a great time taking it easy and getting to see all of the sites.
After Avignon, we headed back to Angers where he stayed with Catherine. We celebrated the New Year with her, and she fed us well! We saw all the sites around Angers – the Chateau of King Rene, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse, the chocolatiers, the shops, etc. We also went to visit Nantes – an old port city about 45 minutes west of Angers by train. It is famous for being the capital of the Brittany region before it became a part of France. We saw the chateau there along with the cathedral. It was so cold while we were there; some of the fountains we saw were frozen solid! We fortunately managed to stay inside warm buildings out of the cold.
We headed to Paris for his last night in France; we walked around and saw the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Elysees. It was beautiful to see Paris at night.
The next day, I saw Peter off to the airport. It was a tearful goodbye, but luckily, my friend Ginny arrived the same day he left. She definitely cheered me up and got my mind off of Peter’s departure. It was her first time coming to Europe, so it was neat for me to see everything through her eyes too. We went around and saw some of the same sites again, along with some new ones – Notre Dame and the Louvre. We also walked through some of the neighborhoods in Paris and got to see some of the less-touristy side of the city.
We left for Angers the next day. She stayed with me in my room at the residence, and while it was tight, I think we managed it well. While she was in Angers, she met Catherine, saw where I worked, and got a taste of what everyday life is like for me. Unfortunately, we had some bad weather while she was here – freezing and snowy – so it limited our traveling a bit. We did get to see the sites in Angers as well as travel to Nantes. Overall, I think she enjoyed her stay. I saw her off at the train station last Monday, and then real life started for me again.
I started my classes again last Monday. I only have a handful of new students this semester which is nice because everyone already knows what I expect in class and I already know a lot of names! I am also teaching fewer hours this semester which is such a blessing as it allows me more time to enjoy life in Angers as well as more time to plan a wedding!
This weekend was a little bit different of a routine for me though. As some of you may remember, I spent Thanksgiving with a Meredith alumna and her husband who live here with their two children. Their names are Debra and Charles, and unfortunately, Charles has been having problems with his sciatic nerve. He has been having intense pains in his left leg and spent all of last week in the hospital. They discharged him this past Friday, and Debra asked me to come over this weekend to help her with the kids. They live in a small town near Beaufort, which is about 50 minutes by car to the east of Angers. They bought half of a farm which they renovated into their beautiful home. It is absolutely enchanting to walk outside and see nothing but fields and farm animals. There is also a tranquility there that you could never find in Angers.
I had a great time there this weekend. Cayleigh (2 years old) and Jayden (8 months old) were so much fun to play with! Jayden just sat, played, and drooled by himself almost the entire weekend, and Cayleigh was a ball of energy. We walked around outside, watched some movies, played with PlayDo, etc. Despite the pinching and general testing that a typical 2-year-old goes through, I had a wonderful time with her!
I came back by the train today, so my second week is starting. I hope you all are well and had lovely holidays; thank you for those who sent letters and emails! I’ve really enjoyed them. Please continue to pray for me during my marriage preparation and my remaining time teaching here in France. I should be able to update more regularly now that I’m not traveling all of the time. Many blessings, and until next time!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Joyeux Noel!
Hello to everyone! I hope you all are doing well and that the craziness that is this time of year has been pleasant enough to handle. This week has been quite a frenzy for me, trying to finish my classes and pack for my month long adventure coming up.
Last week was really a lot of fun. I had the chance to go to "Mardi Cafe" on Tuesday. Mardi Cafe is sponsored by a student organization at UCO that was created to help French and foreign exchange students mingle. Each Tuesday, they host a social event at a different bar in Angers with themes. This past one had a theme of Latin America, and it was a great time. I invited my neighbors, and we all went as a group. I got to spend some time with my students outside of the classroom, as well as meet other foreigners. I had a mojito and a margarita - they were both delicious!
Friday night, I was invited to dinner at Gaelle's (one of my students) house, and she made a delicious pork, rice, and vegetable dinner. For dessert, I made a pumpkin pie that was nothing like what I have eaten in the U.S.; it had more of a flan consistency. We sat talking for several hours about learning languages and exchanging some cultural information - things like songs, comedians, etc. It was really nice to have a Friday evening out!
On Saturday, I went to the Saturday market and the Christmas market with my neighbor, Anziz, and his sister, Amanda, who was visiting during the weekend. I loved the Christmas market! There were chocolates to taste, products of craftsmanship to admire, and hot spiced wine to drink. There was Christmas music - surprisingly in English - playing in the streets, and all around was the enchantment of the Christmas season.
Places all around are getting ready for Christmas. There is a manger scene in the main hallway of the building where I teach at the university. We have a decorated Christmas tree in the lobby of the student residence. You hear Christmas music when walking around downtown. It's strange to think that the time has gone by so fast!
Anyway, to continue with my Saturday agenda, I went to a foie gras tasting with Catherine before having lunch at her apartment. For those of you who are unfamiliar with foie gras, it is a kind of pate that is made from the liver of a goose or a duck. It is a very expensive French delicacy that is traditionally eaten at Christmas. It was positively divine!
Afterward, I went back to Catherine's house for lunch, helped Elena buy her tickets from the airport in Paris back to Angers, chatted with Peter online, went to Mass, and had dinner. I went to bed at a reasonable hour because I had to be up early to help Catherine prepare for our Thanksgiving celebration!
Despite the fact that Peter was nice enough to send ingredients to make an "American" Thanksgiving, Catherine didn't use any of them. She told me she would save them to make a meal for Peter when he comes to visit Angers in a few weeks. This frustrated me a little bit because I was really looking forward to some stuffing and pumpkin pie, plus I was hoping that Peter would get to taste some good French cuisine while he was here. That aside, the meal was superb. My favorite dish was a cauliflower and chestnut casserole; my mouth is watering now just thinking of it!
After the amusement of Sunday came the busy hustle of Monday. This week is especially busy as I have to turn in grades and finish the minute details of my trip around Europe with Peter. I am definitely a type A person, and I want to have everything organized before I leave.
I keep alluding to a trip around Europe, but I haven't yet outlined what the trip will entail! I am leaving this Thursday, December 10th, to go to Paris. I will stay the night there and catch an early flight to Rome. There, I am meeting up with Peter and his family who have come to see Josh, Peter's brother, ordained a priest. The ordination is taking place on the 12th, and then afterward we are staying in Italy for the week! Our week-long excursion includes tours of the Vatican, a trip to Naples, and hopefully the Wednesday audience with the Pope. I am sooo excited to see the West family and to get to share this important event with them!
On the 20th, Peter and I are leaving Rome and heading to Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg, which is located in the Alsace-Lorraine region (right next to Germany!), is famous for its beautiful Christmas market. We'll be there until the 22nd, when we head down to Geneva, Switzerland for a flight that leaves early on the 23rd to go to Copenhagen.
In Copenhagen, we will meet up with my friend Siri whom I met during my studies in France in the fall of 2006. We've kept in touch over the years, and I went to visit her in Washington D.C. when she came to visit a year and a half ago. She invited Peter and me to spend Christmas with her and her family, so we get to have a Swedish Christmas this year! I'm so excited to see her again and finally meet her family. It was so kind of them to invite us.
After Sweden, we are heading to Avignon France and staying there for a few days. Right now, the plan is to leave on the 30th, but we're not sure where we are going to go next. Maybe Grenoble, France to spend the New Year with a French student who stayed at my family's house this summer. Maybe Rennes to spend the New Year with another student who stayed with my family. Or maybe we'll head back to Angers to recoup from three weeks worth of traveling!
As you can tell, I am going to be doing a lot of traveling over the next few weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to update my blog, so I will take this opportunity now to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you all for your prayers as Peter and I travel. Please know that you'll be in ours!
Last week was really a lot of fun. I had the chance to go to "Mardi Cafe" on Tuesday. Mardi Cafe is sponsored by a student organization at UCO that was created to help French and foreign exchange students mingle. Each Tuesday, they host a social event at a different bar in Angers with themes. This past one had a theme of Latin America, and it was a great time. I invited my neighbors, and we all went as a group. I got to spend some time with my students outside of the classroom, as well as meet other foreigners. I had a mojito and a margarita - they were both delicious!
Friday night, I was invited to dinner at Gaelle's (one of my students) house, and she made a delicious pork, rice, and vegetable dinner. For dessert, I made a pumpkin pie that was nothing like what I have eaten in the U.S.; it had more of a flan consistency. We sat talking for several hours about learning languages and exchanging some cultural information - things like songs, comedians, etc. It was really nice to have a Friday evening out!
On Saturday, I went to the Saturday market and the Christmas market with my neighbor, Anziz, and his sister, Amanda, who was visiting during the weekend. I loved the Christmas market! There were chocolates to taste, products of craftsmanship to admire, and hot spiced wine to drink. There was Christmas music - surprisingly in English - playing in the streets, and all around was the enchantment of the Christmas season.
Places all around are getting ready for Christmas. There is a manger scene in the main hallway of the building where I teach at the university. We have a decorated Christmas tree in the lobby of the student residence. You hear Christmas music when walking around downtown. It's strange to think that the time has gone by so fast!
Anyway, to continue with my Saturday agenda, I went to a foie gras tasting with Catherine before having lunch at her apartment. For those of you who are unfamiliar with foie gras, it is a kind of pate that is made from the liver of a goose or a duck. It is a very expensive French delicacy that is traditionally eaten at Christmas. It was positively divine!
Afterward, I went back to Catherine's house for lunch, helped Elena buy her tickets from the airport in Paris back to Angers, chatted with Peter online, went to Mass, and had dinner. I went to bed at a reasonable hour because I had to be up early to help Catherine prepare for our Thanksgiving celebration!
Despite the fact that Peter was nice enough to send ingredients to make an "American" Thanksgiving, Catherine didn't use any of them. She told me she would save them to make a meal for Peter when he comes to visit Angers in a few weeks. This frustrated me a little bit because I was really looking forward to some stuffing and pumpkin pie, plus I was hoping that Peter would get to taste some good French cuisine while he was here. That aside, the meal was superb. My favorite dish was a cauliflower and chestnut casserole; my mouth is watering now just thinking of it!
After the amusement of Sunday came the busy hustle of Monday. This week is especially busy as I have to turn in grades and finish the minute details of my trip around Europe with Peter. I am definitely a type A person, and I want to have everything organized before I leave.
I keep alluding to a trip around Europe, but I haven't yet outlined what the trip will entail! I am leaving this Thursday, December 10th, to go to Paris. I will stay the night there and catch an early flight to Rome. There, I am meeting up with Peter and his family who have come to see Josh, Peter's brother, ordained a priest. The ordination is taking place on the 12th, and then afterward we are staying in Italy for the week! Our week-long excursion includes tours of the Vatican, a trip to Naples, and hopefully the Wednesday audience with the Pope. I am sooo excited to see the West family and to get to share this important event with them!
On the 20th, Peter and I are leaving Rome and heading to Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg, which is located in the Alsace-Lorraine region (right next to Germany!), is famous for its beautiful Christmas market. We'll be there until the 22nd, when we head down to Geneva, Switzerland for a flight that leaves early on the 23rd to go to Copenhagen.
In Copenhagen, we will meet up with my friend Siri whom I met during my studies in France in the fall of 2006. We've kept in touch over the years, and I went to visit her in Washington D.C. when she came to visit a year and a half ago. She invited Peter and me to spend Christmas with her and her family, so we get to have a Swedish Christmas this year! I'm so excited to see her again and finally meet her family. It was so kind of them to invite us.
After Sweden, we are heading to Avignon France and staying there for a few days. Right now, the plan is to leave on the 30th, but we're not sure where we are going to go next. Maybe Grenoble, France to spend the New Year with a French student who stayed at my family's house this summer. Maybe Rennes to spend the New Year with another student who stayed with my family. Or maybe we'll head back to Angers to recoup from three weeks worth of traveling!
As you can tell, I am going to be doing a lot of traveling over the next few weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to update my blog, so I will take this opportunity now to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you all for your prayers as Peter and I travel. Please know that you'll be in ours!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
...it's that time of year!
This week will be a rush of getting ready for the holidays and getting grades in. People, especially teachers, understand very well the chaos that comes with the end of the semester and the approach of a very welcomed Christmas break. Luckily, though, I stayed organized this semester, and it shouldn't be too complicated getting all of turning in everything before the end of next week.
My Thanksgivings were amazing, and the change of pace was certainly needed. On Wednesday night, I went to have dinner at the home of one of my students. Her name is Benoite, and she is interested in being the French assistant at Meredith College next year. I think she would be a great teacher! Below is a picture of her and her mother and brothers. They were all there for the dinner.
We had a fairly nontraditional Thanksgiving at her house. Her mom made two delicious quiches and a fruit salad for dessert. Below is a picture of one of the quiches. Benoite's family was so welcoming, and they've already invited me back again!
The Thanksgiving I celebrated on Thanksgiving day was absolutely splendid. Debra, a professor at the Catho who is a Meredith alumna and was a lectrice (like me!) 7 years ago, is living here in France with her family. She met and married a British man named Charles, and they have two small kids: Kaylee is 2 years old, and Jaden is 6 months. They are here initially to do mission work, but they teach English to pay the bills. They are a young and energetic family.
Debra made an EXCELLENT Thanksgiving meal. She had ingredients shipped from the U.S., courtesy of her mother, so we were able to have real stuffing! As a whole turkey is difficult to find in France, Debra bought turkey breasts, stuffed them with stuffing, and baked them. It was so delicious! She also made a white gravy for the turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Below is the pumpkin pie! It was just what I needed to get me through missing my family over the holiday.
I helped her set the table for the party of 20 she invited (all of which were first year students at the university - I have many of them in my classes too!), cut and empty the pumpkin, and watch the kids while she ran a few last minute errands. The atmosphere around the meal was also enjoyable. The students brought her flowers to thank her for hosting the event. In France, the relationship between professor and student is more distant than in the U.S., and I believe it was the first time they had ever been invited to a professor's house. They seemed to really enjoy it.
I still have one Thanksgiving to celebrate! That is coming up on Sunday. Catherine is hosting a Thanksgiving party for me and Trevor, the American that is staying with her. It should be great fun, and the food should be scrumptious (and authentic, thanks to Peter!). I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that the Christmas season brings you joy! Until next time!
My Thanksgivings were amazing, and the change of pace was certainly needed. On Wednesday night, I went to have dinner at the home of one of my students. Her name is Benoite, and she is interested in being the French assistant at Meredith College next year. I think she would be a great teacher! Below is a picture of her and her mother and brothers. They were all there for the dinner.
We had a fairly nontraditional Thanksgiving at her house. Her mom made two delicious quiches and a fruit salad for dessert. Below is a picture of one of the quiches. Benoite's family was so welcoming, and they've already invited me back again!
The Thanksgiving I celebrated on Thanksgiving day was absolutely splendid. Debra, a professor at the Catho who is a Meredith alumna and was a lectrice (like me!) 7 years ago, is living here in France with her family. She met and married a British man named Charles, and they have two small kids: Kaylee is 2 years old, and Jaden is 6 months. They are here initially to do mission work, but they teach English to pay the bills. They are a young and energetic family.
Debra made an EXCELLENT Thanksgiving meal. She had ingredients shipped from the U.S., courtesy of her mother, so we were able to have real stuffing! As a whole turkey is difficult to find in France, Debra bought turkey breasts, stuffed them with stuffing, and baked them. It was so delicious! She also made a white gravy for the turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Below is the pumpkin pie! It was just what I needed to get me through missing my family over the holiday.
I helped her set the table for the party of 20 she invited (all of which were first year students at the university - I have many of them in my classes too!), cut and empty the pumpkin, and watch the kids while she ran a few last minute errands. The atmosphere around the meal was also enjoyable. The students brought her flowers to thank her for hosting the event. In France, the relationship between professor and student is more distant than in the U.S., and I believe it was the first time they had ever been invited to a professor's house. They seemed to really enjoy it.
I still have one Thanksgiving to celebrate! That is coming up on Sunday. Catherine is hosting a Thanksgiving party for me and Trevor, the American that is staying with her. It should be great fun, and the food should be scrumptious (and authentic, thanks to Peter!). I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that the Christmas season brings you joy! Until next time!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello everyone! While some of you are slowing down this week due to the wonderful holiday we call Thanksgiving, things are picking up for me in France! The end of the semester is approaching, and along with that comes getting final grades together and preparing students for national exams.
Right now, I am organizing a review session for the Cambridge Exam, an exam that non-native English speaking students can take to measure their proficiency in English. In the French tradition, I wasn't given the materials to prepare my students for the exam until a few weeks ago, and they take the exam on December 9th. So, I have had to work very quickly to become acquainted with the exam and to figure out how to best prepare them to take the exam. It's been a challenge trying to work an additional 4 hours into my schedule. Luckily, though, I was smart this week and am having my students do "show and tell," so that buys me some extra time. :)
On a personal level, I had a really good week! I have had the opportunity to get to know my neighbors better. Thedi, a Bulgarian girl living on my floor, cooked a dinner for all of us on Friday night. She made Musaka(sp?), a dish with potatoes and ground beef and pork. It was sooo delicious! Saturday night turned into another impromptu dinner with my neighbors. Originally, I was supposed to have dinner with the Belgian and Paraguayan lectrices, but since we made WAY too much food, we invited our neighbors to dine with us. Our party of 3 doubled into a party of 6! It was so much fun - each person brought his/her own thing to share with the group. And, we were truly an international group; not one nationality is repeated. We have one: Paraguayan, Gabonese, Bulgarian, Belgian, French, and American. Needless to say, the cultural diversity makes each meal interesting.
On Sunday, we decided to have an "American Day." We were going to go to McDonald's (since I have never been to a French McDonald's - they wanted to share that experience with me!) and see an English speaking movie. However, on our way to McDonald's, we had a flash storm, and we got soaking wet. We decided to go back to the residence hall, change into dry clothes, and eat leftovers there. We did still go to the cinema. We saw the film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" in the "version originale" - the original version (i.e. English). It was a very interesting movie - very creative and imaginative. It stretched your imagination and appealed to your senses in a very unique way. I think the film comes out in the U.S. in January - I recommend seeing it! It's also Heath Ledger's last film; he died while he was filming that movie. It was so strange to see him up on the screen.
I also spent some time with Catherine this weekend. I went to the market with her on Saturday. After the market, we went to taste a red wine that only comes out the third week of November in France. It's called Beaujolais, and a French store (La Comptesse de Barry) was having a wine tasting in efforts to sell it. In my opinion, the wine was not the best I have had, but I think the appeal comes with the fact that it only comes out once a year.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and blessings. I am thinking of you from across the ocean. Please pray for me that I remember my gifts here and not be too homesick. I am actually going to celebrate Thanksgiving three times! The first is with one of my students (who is actually interested in being the French assistant at Meredith next year!) on Wednesday and then with Debra (the Meredith alumna here) and her family on Thursday. The third I will celebrate in December with Catherine. God has certainly blessed me with wonderful people willing to share the holiday with me! I'll give you an update on all of that next week. Bonne semaine, mes amis!
Right now, I am organizing a review session for the Cambridge Exam, an exam that non-native English speaking students can take to measure their proficiency in English. In the French tradition, I wasn't given the materials to prepare my students for the exam until a few weeks ago, and they take the exam on December 9th. So, I have had to work very quickly to become acquainted with the exam and to figure out how to best prepare them to take the exam. It's been a challenge trying to work an additional 4 hours into my schedule. Luckily, though, I was smart this week and am having my students do "show and tell," so that buys me some extra time. :)
On a personal level, I had a really good week! I have had the opportunity to get to know my neighbors better. Thedi, a Bulgarian girl living on my floor, cooked a dinner for all of us on Friday night. She made Musaka(sp?), a dish with potatoes and ground beef and pork. It was sooo delicious! Saturday night turned into another impromptu dinner with my neighbors. Originally, I was supposed to have dinner with the Belgian and Paraguayan lectrices, but since we made WAY too much food, we invited our neighbors to dine with us. Our party of 3 doubled into a party of 6! It was so much fun - each person brought his/her own thing to share with the group. And, we were truly an international group; not one nationality is repeated. We have one: Paraguayan, Gabonese, Bulgarian, Belgian, French, and American. Needless to say, the cultural diversity makes each meal interesting.
On Sunday, we decided to have an "American Day." We were going to go to McDonald's (since I have never been to a French McDonald's - they wanted to share that experience with me!) and see an English speaking movie. However, on our way to McDonald's, we had a flash storm, and we got soaking wet. We decided to go back to the residence hall, change into dry clothes, and eat leftovers there. We did still go to the cinema. We saw the film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" in the "version originale" - the original version (i.e. English). It was a very interesting movie - very creative and imaginative. It stretched your imagination and appealed to your senses in a very unique way. I think the film comes out in the U.S. in January - I recommend seeing it! It's also Heath Ledger's last film; he died while he was filming that movie. It was so strange to see him up on the screen.
I also spent some time with Catherine this weekend. I went to the market with her on Saturday. After the market, we went to taste a red wine that only comes out the third week of November in France. It's called Beaujolais, and a French store (La Comptesse de Barry) was having a wine tasting in efforts to sell it. In my opinion, the wine was not the best I have had, but I think the appeal comes with the fact that it only comes out once a year.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and blessings. I am thinking of you from across the ocean. Please pray for me that I remember my gifts here and not be too homesick. I am actually going to celebrate Thanksgiving three times! The first is with one of my students (who is actually interested in being the French assistant at Meredith next year!) on Wednesday and then with Debra (the Meredith alumna here) and her family on Thursday. The third I will celebrate in December with Catherine. God has certainly blessed me with wonderful people willing to share the holiday with me! I'll give you an update on all of that next week. Bonne semaine, mes amis!
Monday, November 16, 2009
...another atypical week!
Another manic Monday, and time to update my blog! Last week was another atypical week in France. Classes were normal on Monday and Tuesday. Monday I went to eat at Catherine's house, and she had some visitors over from out-of-town. There was a woman named Alberte, who is Catherine's age, her two daughters, and her grandson. They were over on Sunday, but I didn't realize that they would be staying until Wednesday. I had another opportunity to eat dinner with them and to get to know them better.
They're from the north of France, from a city in Normandy. Alberte is from Angers - she grew up here - and they were coming back to visit friends. The little boy, named Noah, was the CUTEST kid. I believe he is 3 years old, and his mom is expecting another little boy in February. There is nothing that brings a smile to my face quicker than hearing a little kid talk, especially in a foreign language! I love their high-pitched voices and their expressions as they're talking. We were playing with some origami birds that Hitomi had made for him, and when I would hide them, he would constantly say "Ou ca?" (where is it?) It was incredibly adorable.
Wednesday was a holiday here in France as well. While it's called Veterans' Day in the U.S., it's called Armistice Day here. No one had work or classes. I was invited to have lunch at Jacqueline's house, and I was there from 1pm until 6pm. Catherine, Trevor, and Nellie were also invited.
It was a typical French meal. I drank a lot of different wine and liqueurs that she has collected from her travels. The most interesting one was called Suze, and it's made from a plant in Spain. To me, it tasted like green beans. She served us a salad, beef tongue as the entree, cheese, and then apple pie for dessert. It was fun to just sit, talk, and laugh with them. I thank God for this group of people every day. They have really made my stay in France so comfortable; they are "ma famille angevine" (my Angevine family).
Thursday was a relaxed day for me as I only had one class, and Friday was a free day! Catherine invited me over for dinner, and afterward, I went out to a fair with Trevor. The fair in Angers comes during the month of November, and it's located on the other side of the Maine, the river that separates the town. They have rides and games that you can pay for, much like a carnival or fair in the U.S. For those of you in Va Beach, it is a lot like the Chesapeake Jubilee.
I went with Trevor because he had to take pictures of streets for a class project, and I really wanted to go to the fair! We rode on a "horror" ride and a super scary ride called "No Limit." With the "No Limit" ride, we were strapped in, and it flung us around - up, down, around, sideways, upside-down. It went on for a solid 5 minutes I bet, which is way to long for my body to be subjected to such conditions. I got off the ride feeling very sick to my stomach with a headache. While it was a thrill to the adolescent boys who were being macho during the whole thing, I enjoyed it the first three minutes, but the last ones were torture. That was the first time in my life that I have felt ill after a ride, and it made me feel like an old lady. I'd like to go back to the fair, but I probably won't try that ride again. "No Limit" definitely showed me my limit!
Saturday morning, feeling much better after that last evening, I woke up and went to the market. Turns out that the weather in Angers is much like home; when I left my residence building, it was sunny and warm. When I got to the market twenty minutes later, it was a torrential downpour. I was soaked, and worse, I couldn't find Catherine. I searched in the rain and finally went to her apartment, hoping to find her, and she wasn't there. I waited there, and eventually she got there, all wet just like me. I helped her unload her baskets, and then we had lunch. Thank goodness for a roof in weather like that!
That evening, I met up with the Spanish lectrice, Elena. We watched the movie "The Holiday," and then went to Mass. We tried a new church this time, one that was closer to my residence hall called St. Madeleine. I really liked the parish - it's much smaller than St. Joseph's. They also offer Reconciliation before Mass, which is great! I'd like to go sometime before Christmas; it'll be interesting to have a confession in French. After Mass, we made dinner at my residence hall.
Sunday was a pretty calm day too. I did my laundry in the morning then headed to Catherine's in the afternoon. I helped her to start organizing things for our Thanksgiving celebration in two weeks. We picked out a table cloth that was big enough, and I started translating cooking directions from English to French. Peter (my boyfriend) sent us some things to make stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce for the feast, and it was my job to translate the directions, measurements, and temperatures. I left Catherine's after dinner.
Today has been an ordinary Monday. It's actually making me a bit homesick as we are talking about American holidays and I'm going into detail about how we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know it's going to be difficult to be away from my family and friends during that time. Thank you all for your prayers because I really need them!
Also, my prayers are with you all who had to endure the nor'easter that came through last week. I know my family was without power for some time, and I hope those of you who were effected by the weather are resuming your lives without much difficulty.
Hope you all have a great week, et a la prochaine!
They're from the north of France, from a city in Normandy. Alberte is from Angers - she grew up here - and they were coming back to visit friends. The little boy, named Noah, was the CUTEST kid. I believe he is 3 years old, and his mom is expecting another little boy in February. There is nothing that brings a smile to my face quicker than hearing a little kid talk, especially in a foreign language! I love their high-pitched voices and their expressions as they're talking. We were playing with some origami birds that Hitomi had made for him, and when I would hide them, he would constantly say "Ou ca?" (where is it?) It was incredibly adorable.
Wednesday was a holiday here in France as well. While it's called Veterans' Day in the U.S., it's called Armistice Day here. No one had work or classes. I was invited to have lunch at Jacqueline's house, and I was there from 1pm until 6pm. Catherine, Trevor, and Nellie were also invited.
It was a typical French meal. I drank a lot of different wine and liqueurs that she has collected from her travels. The most interesting one was called Suze, and it's made from a plant in Spain. To me, it tasted like green beans. She served us a salad, beef tongue as the entree, cheese, and then apple pie for dessert. It was fun to just sit, talk, and laugh with them. I thank God for this group of people every day. They have really made my stay in France so comfortable; they are "ma famille angevine" (my Angevine family).
Thursday was a relaxed day for me as I only had one class, and Friday was a free day! Catherine invited me over for dinner, and afterward, I went out to a fair with Trevor. The fair in Angers comes during the month of November, and it's located on the other side of the Maine, the river that separates the town. They have rides and games that you can pay for, much like a carnival or fair in the U.S. For those of you in Va Beach, it is a lot like the Chesapeake Jubilee.
I went with Trevor because he had to take pictures of streets for a class project, and I really wanted to go to the fair! We rode on a "horror" ride and a super scary ride called "No Limit." With the "No Limit" ride, we were strapped in, and it flung us around - up, down, around, sideways, upside-down. It went on for a solid 5 minutes I bet, which is way to long for my body to be subjected to such conditions. I got off the ride feeling very sick to my stomach with a headache. While it was a thrill to the adolescent boys who were being macho during the whole thing, I enjoyed it the first three minutes, but the last ones were torture. That was the first time in my life that I have felt ill after a ride, and it made me feel like an old lady. I'd like to go back to the fair, but I probably won't try that ride again. "No Limit" definitely showed me my limit!
Saturday morning, feeling much better after that last evening, I woke up and went to the market. Turns out that the weather in Angers is much like home; when I left my residence building, it was sunny and warm. When I got to the market twenty minutes later, it was a torrential downpour. I was soaked, and worse, I couldn't find Catherine. I searched in the rain and finally went to her apartment, hoping to find her, and she wasn't there. I waited there, and eventually she got there, all wet just like me. I helped her unload her baskets, and then we had lunch. Thank goodness for a roof in weather like that!
That evening, I met up with the Spanish lectrice, Elena. We watched the movie "The Holiday," and then went to Mass. We tried a new church this time, one that was closer to my residence hall called St. Madeleine. I really liked the parish - it's much smaller than St. Joseph's. They also offer Reconciliation before Mass, which is great! I'd like to go sometime before Christmas; it'll be interesting to have a confession in French. After Mass, we made dinner at my residence hall.
Sunday was a pretty calm day too. I did my laundry in the morning then headed to Catherine's in the afternoon. I helped her to start organizing things for our Thanksgiving celebration in two weeks. We picked out a table cloth that was big enough, and I started translating cooking directions from English to French. Peter (my boyfriend) sent us some things to make stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce for the feast, and it was my job to translate the directions, measurements, and temperatures. I left Catherine's after dinner.
Today has been an ordinary Monday. It's actually making me a bit homesick as we are talking about American holidays and I'm going into detail about how we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know it's going to be difficult to be away from my family and friends during that time. Thank you all for your prayers because I really need them!
Also, my prayers are with you all who had to endure the nor'easter that came through last week. I know my family was without power for some time, and I hope those of you who were effected by the weather are resuming your lives without much difficulty.
Hope you all have a great week, et a la prochaine!
Monday, November 9, 2009
My One Month Anniversary
Hello to everyone!
Sorry it took me so long to update my post. Coming back from a week of vacation was busier than I anticipated. November 5th marked my one month anniversary of arriving in France - and what a trip it's been so far! Here are my latest updates:
Celebrating Hitomi's 21st birthday proved to be very enjoyable. Catherine invited some people over that I hadn't seen since my first trip to Angers. Among those visitors were Bob and Josette, a married couple who I met my first time in Angers. Bob is from Marseille, a large port city on the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France, and it is always so entertaining to listen to him speak. He has a very different accent from the people here. The French have a saying about the southern accent - you can see the sun in their speech. I love it! I wonder if Americans would agree with that phrase in regards to the American southern accent...
The past week was much like any other week. I taught my English classes and continued taking my French Business class. One interesting thing that happened this past week was that my third year students (the equivalent to undergrad seniors in the American school systems) invited me out with them on Thursday night. In France, Thursday night is the big night to go out as most students leave to go home for the weekend; Thursday night is the last night of the week to hang out with their college friends. So, my students were planning on going out at 8:30, and they invited me to come.
I, being absentminded as I am, had already eaten dinner (some pizza) before we went out. I thought that 8:30 was too late to go get dinner and that we were merely going out for drinks. Turns out they intended to eat dinner at a pizzeria, called La Strada, that is pretty well known in Angers. So, I had pizza twice that night! It was really fun to get to know my students outside of the classroom; I'm hoping also that it will translate to an easier flow of conversation in class.
Afterward, I went with some of them to a local bar called Kalypso. It was such a different experience going to a bar here versus going to a bar in the U.S. In France, people really use a bar to socialize. I met some very nice people that just wanted to talk and meet other people their age. It's not the same in the U.S. in my opinion. I feel like people in the U.S. who are looking to talk to other people in bars do not always have the best of intentions. I tend to put my "guard" on, but I didn't have to do that on Thursday. It was really fun!
Going out that night did affect me the next day though. I woke up with a sore throat and went to a pharmacy on Blvd. Foche (a main street here in Angers). Luckily, I know the owner through Catherine, and she was able to help me get exactly what I needed. She gave me a cough suppressant that I think is a lot like Nyquil in the U.S. because it knocks me out at night. It also makes me have some REALLY strange dreams. However, it does serve its purpose since I'm not waking up coughing in the middle of the night.
Saturday I went to the market and bought some honey, some sausages (I can't remember the specific name right now - I'll get back to you on that), and some broccoli. I also tasted a delectable wine from the region. The name is also fleeting me, but I intend to go back next weekend and buy a couple of bottles; I'll try to remember to give you an update on that as well. I did some window shopping in the afternoon. I love being downtown when the glow from the store windows start to light the streets. It feels so much like the Christmas season - which is probably exactly what the stores want you to feel so you'll start buying stuff! They've already begun putting up Christmas decorations at certain stores. I ended the evening with going to Mass at St. Joseph's Church. One gentleman asked me to be a lector and read one of the readings. I kind of wish that I had stepped up to the challenge, but I responded quickly with "I'm a foreigner! I may not know some of the words." Oh well, maybe next time. :)
I didn't do anything special on Sunday. I went to Catherine's apartment again; she hosted another lunch party for people that were visiting her from out of town. I helped her set the table and prepare and serve some of the dishes. Helping her host parties makes me so eager to have a place of my own and be able to host parties like she does. They really pay so much attention to the presentation of the table and the food; it's really an art. I'll put some pictures up on my picture website soon.
Now the week has begun; my crazy Monday is almost over. I have one class left for the day. Wednesday is Armistice Day and a national holiday in France, so I have another short week! I won't be taking any of my French business courses this week, but I will have one class on Thursday. After that, I'm done with my work week! I really need to enjoy this time while I have it - I know the majority of my adult life will be spent working long days.
I hope things are well in the U.S. and that everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving! Love and miss you all! Bisous!
Sorry it took me so long to update my post. Coming back from a week of vacation was busier than I anticipated. November 5th marked my one month anniversary of arriving in France - and what a trip it's been so far! Here are my latest updates:
Celebrating Hitomi's 21st birthday proved to be very enjoyable. Catherine invited some people over that I hadn't seen since my first trip to Angers. Among those visitors were Bob and Josette, a married couple who I met my first time in Angers. Bob is from Marseille, a large port city on the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France, and it is always so entertaining to listen to him speak. He has a very different accent from the people here. The French have a saying about the southern accent - you can see the sun in their speech. I love it! I wonder if Americans would agree with that phrase in regards to the American southern accent...
The past week was much like any other week. I taught my English classes and continued taking my French Business class. One interesting thing that happened this past week was that my third year students (the equivalent to undergrad seniors in the American school systems) invited me out with them on Thursday night. In France, Thursday night is the big night to go out as most students leave to go home for the weekend; Thursday night is the last night of the week to hang out with their college friends. So, my students were planning on going out at 8:30, and they invited me to come.
I, being absentminded as I am, had already eaten dinner (some pizza) before we went out. I thought that 8:30 was too late to go get dinner and that we were merely going out for drinks. Turns out they intended to eat dinner at a pizzeria, called La Strada, that is pretty well known in Angers. So, I had pizza twice that night! It was really fun to get to know my students outside of the classroom; I'm hoping also that it will translate to an easier flow of conversation in class.
Afterward, I went with some of them to a local bar called Kalypso. It was such a different experience going to a bar here versus going to a bar in the U.S. In France, people really use a bar to socialize. I met some very nice people that just wanted to talk and meet other people their age. It's not the same in the U.S. in my opinion. I feel like people in the U.S. who are looking to talk to other people in bars do not always have the best of intentions. I tend to put my "guard" on, but I didn't have to do that on Thursday. It was really fun!
Going out that night did affect me the next day though. I woke up with a sore throat and went to a pharmacy on Blvd. Foche (a main street here in Angers). Luckily, I know the owner through Catherine, and she was able to help me get exactly what I needed. She gave me a cough suppressant that I think is a lot like Nyquil in the U.S. because it knocks me out at night. It also makes me have some REALLY strange dreams. However, it does serve its purpose since I'm not waking up coughing in the middle of the night.
Saturday I went to the market and bought some honey, some sausages (I can't remember the specific name right now - I'll get back to you on that), and some broccoli. I also tasted a delectable wine from the region. The name is also fleeting me, but I intend to go back next weekend and buy a couple of bottles; I'll try to remember to give you an update on that as well. I did some window shopping in the afternoon. I love being downtown when the glow from the store windows start to light the streets. It feels so much like the Christmas season - which is probably exactly what the stores want you to feel so you'll start buying stuff! They've already begun putting up Christmas decorations at certain stores. I ended the evening with going to Mass at St. Joseph's Church. One gentleman asked me to be a lector and read one of the readings. I kind of wish that I had stepped up to the challenge, but I responded quickly with "I'm a foreigner! I may not know some of the words." Oh well, maybe next time. :)
I didn't do anything special on Sunday. I went to Catherine's apartment again; she hosted another lunch party for people that were visiting her from out of town. I helped her set the table and prepare and serve some of the dishes. Helping her host parties makes me so eager to have a place of my own and be able to host parties like she does. They really pay so much attention to the presentation of the table and the food; it's really an art. I'll put some pictures up on my picture website soon.
Now the week has begun; my crazy Monday is almost over. I have one class left for the day. Wednesday is Armistice Day and a national holiday in France, so I have another short week! I won't be taking any of my French business courses this week, but I will have one class on Thursday. After that, I'm done with my work week! I really need to enjoy this time while I have it - I know the majority of my adult life will be spent working long days.
I hope things are well in the U.S. and that everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving! Love and miss you all! Bisous!
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