Hello again! I’m sorry it’s been so long since I last wrote, but time seems to be speeding up as the end draws near.
I had a wonderful week of vacation. When I arrived in Grenoble (at 11p.m. – thank you strikes!), Pauline’s family was there to greet me. She has a brother, Hugo, and a sister, Clara, and her parents, Michel and Isabelle. They were so welcoming. It took us about 30 minutes to get to Le Touvet, a small mountain village where they live. They had champagne and Isabelle had made an apple cake in honor of my arrival. We stayed up until about 1a.m. talking!
When I woke up the next day, I was amazed. The morning view from the window was breathtaking; Le Touvet is situated in the middle of the Alps, so I was surrounded by mountains. We went to their market (which was much smaller than the one in Angers) and hiking. I learned that the area they live in is a well known site for paragliding, and international competitions take place annually in their town.
The rest of the week was packed with fun activities. Sunday, we went skiing in the Alps. Monday, we went to see the small town of Annecy (another picturesque town at the foot of mountains) and had lunch with their grandparents. Tuesday, we walked around Le Touvet and saw the castle there. Wednesday, we went to Lyon, the 2nd largest town in France after Paris. Thursday, we walked around and visited the town of Grenoble. I left Friday morning and was very sad to go. I felt like I had known them for years and that I was a part of their family.
Luckily, I didn’t have any trouble with the strikes on my way back to Angers. It was a typical weekend for me here; I went to the market on Saturday and tutored in English. I went to Mass and had dinner with Elena. Sunday, Corinne (Catherine’s daughter) came to town, and I got to spend some time with her. I did another week of teaching, finishing some of my classes.
However, it wasn’t just a typical week; I continued to travel around some. A priest that is in the group that I often eat lunch with took Elena and me on a day trip to visit the southern part of the region. His name is Pere Drochon, and with him, we visited about 6 different churches in the Southern part of the Maine and Loire region. It was so interesting; he knew so much about the different architectural movements in the church and the local history. I really enjoyed the trip.
Saturday was also another travel day. I went to the town of Saumur, a town to the east of Angers that is reputed for their wine, with a group of students. Sofie, the Belgian lectrice, invited Elena and me for one last outing before the end of our time here together. We went to some areas around Saumur as well, touring a troglodyte museum, exploring a former monastery, visiting a chateau, and seeing a local variation of boules, a popular game in France where players compete roll their balls get as close to the target ball as possible. It was an excellent way for us to spend our Saturday!
Sunday I went to a local fair with Elena and another Spanish teacher, Marie-Helene, where artisans were selling their goods. They also had an interesting exposition about Indian culture. Marie-Helene treated us to lunch, introducing us to the “spécialités Dauphinés,” a kind of ravioli that is typical of a region in southern France. It was divine; I have never had such delicious ravioli in my life.
After a fun weekend, the week started full force. Elena left on Monday afternoon, so we had one last lunch party before she caught her train to go. This is my last week of classes, so I’m turning in final grades and attendance to the appropriate people. I’m also trying to organize things for the next American lectrice so that she might have a better idea of what to do and have some materials when she arrives in the fall.
I leave to go back to the U.S. next week (May 6th, to be exact), and this last week is also filled with lots of social dates. I have been invited to numerous dinners, as well as some “soirées” with my friends here. This is going to be a busy but fun week. I am also going to start packing my bags soon in preparation for my return.
This is the last post I will write in France. I’ll make sure to write another when I return to the U.S. so that you will all know that I’ve returned safely. Please keep me in your prayers as I conclude my time here; I’m really going to need them!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Happy Easter!
Hello everyone! As I am writing this, I am sitting in the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. I am on vacation this upcoming week, and I reserved tickets to travel to Grenoble where I will stay with Pauline, a French girl who stayed with my family for three weeks this past summer. However, due to a strike, my train was cancelled, and I am now waiting to take a train for which I have no ticket and may very well have to stand for my three hour trip. Ah….Paris.
I realized it had been a while since I’ve updated my blog, so I thought I would take advantage of my long layover. Since I last wrote, I’ve had another round of visitors! My friend Siri and her boyfriend John came to visit me from Sweden last week (for those of you who don’t know Siri, Peter and I spent Christmas with her family this past year).
In Sweden, the universities had their week off last week, and so Siri and John decided to travel to Angers. We all met at the CIDEF (the Centre International des Etudes Francaises) where we studied French together. This trip for them was a pilgrimage of their relationship – coming back to see where they started – and they got a chance to see me! They stayed with Catherine during the week and everyone really enjoyed it. Siri and John appreciated Catherine’s cooking skills, and Catherine enjoyed having some company during the week.
Although I had to work during the week that they were here, I was able to do a little bit of traveling with them. We went to Tours, a town about an hour away from Angers. It’s most known for being a central location for tourist trips to the neighboring castles in the region. Some of you might also be familiar with St. Martin de Tours, a soldier who cut half of his cloak to give it to a poor man. He was from the town of Tours, and eventually became a bishop there. His remains are in his basilica at Tours.
In addition to the little trip we did together, we shared several meals together. They introduced me to a local sandwich restaurant in Angers that was positively AMAZING. I had a sandwich with rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, cheese, mushrooms, and a delicious sauce. I definitely have to make another trip there before I leave. I also invited them to dinner with me so they could meet my neighbors. Of course, we also ate several times together at Catherine’s house. It was so nice to see them again.
The following weekend was Easter! I went to a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening with Elena, the lectrice from Paraguay, at St. Madeleine’s church close to my residence. It was a beautiful service. We started outside the church on the main steps with a bonfire in a grill. All the parishioners huddled around to listen to the priest. While it was an impressive sight, the bonfire made me nervous; the wind was really strong, and the embers from the flames were flying everywhere. I was so worried that someone would get burned or have his/her hair catch on fire (I actually had to knock an ember out of a lady’s hair standing next to me!).
When the priest had finished with the reading and his prayers and blessings, he lit the main altar candle from the fire. This gesture was to symbolize Christ’s light and love in the world. Afterward, we all proceeded into the church singing, and after a blessing, the priest lit the parishioners’ candles around him. Within minutes, the dark church was glowing with the light from our candles. I love this Mass because the symbolism is so simple yet profound; Christ’s love is like the lighted candles: glowing and filling dark places in the world.
When the Mass was finished (two hours later!), they had hot chocolate and brioche (a kind of sweet bread) for the parishioners. Several parishioners welcomed Elena and me to the parish, and we got to talk to the priest. They were so sincere and welcoming; I was definitely feeling the Easter spirit!
On Easter Sunday, I was invited to Benoite’s family’s home to have an Easter lunch with them. They also had an uncle, an aunt, and some cousins over for the feast. I remember walking in and hearing the minor chaos around me; I miss the noise that comes with being in a family. It was so refreshing to be able to a part of their Easter.
They had just finished the Easter egg hunt when I arrived, and so we had some little munchies before starting the main meal. We had a traditional French Easter meal with lamb and veggies. For dessert, we had a chocolate cake and lemon meringue pie – both fresh from the oven. However, the real sweets didn’t come until coffee, where they opened up all the chocolate! I have never seen so much chocolate in my life. I was amazed by Benoite’s brother, Louis, who ate at least 10 pieces of Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
While we were drinking coffee, we decided to play a game of Cranium. I was really nervous about playing since it’s such a culturally and vocabulary centered game, but I did really well! My team was even in the lead for a little while! It certainly helped to boost my confidence in French, although, quite honestly, the Renault family helped me out quite a bit.
The next day, Easter Monday, I had another lunch invitation. Anne Marie, a friend of Catherine, invited Catherine and me to have an Easter lunch with her. She made rabbit (ironically enough!), and it was divine. I also had the best champagne I’ve ever tasted; I made sure to take a picture of the bottle for future reference.
I know rabbit sounds a little strange to be eating at Easter, but in the French tradition, there is no “Easter Bunny.” Their tradition is that the bells from their churches go to Rome to get chocolates. Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the church bells do not ring in France because the Catholic churches do not have Mass during the period between Jesus’ death and His resurrection. The children believe that the bells have flown to Rome to get chocolates. As the bells return, they drop the chocolates in the families’ yards, which the children have to find later.
Anyway, back to my Monday agenda! After lunch, Anne Marie took Catherine and me to the Bouchemaine, where the Loire and Maine rivers (the rivers after which the region was named) meet. It was a sunny day, and walking along the riverside was so relaxing. I certainly had a wonderful Easter weekend; I am very blessed here in Angers to know so many warm, welcoming people who are willing to share special moments with me.
My classes resumed on Tuesday, and it was another typical week of teaching. I only have two more weeks of teaching before I return to the U.S. – I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by! After this week in Grenoble, I will have less than three weeks left in Angers. Wow.
I will be sure to write again before I leave and tell you all about my trip to Grenoble. Hopefully, the rest of it will be a little less complicated than the beginning. I hope you all had a happy Easter and are doing well! A la prochaine, et bonne semaine!
I realized it had been a while since I’ve updated my blog, so I thought I would take advantage of my long layover. Since I last wrote, I’ve had another round of visitors! My friend Siri and her boyfriend John came to visit me from Sweden last week (for those of you who don’t know Siri, Peter and I spent Christmas with her family this past year).
In Sweden, the universities had their week off last week, and so Siri and John decided to travel to Angers. We all met at the CIDEF (the Centre International des Etudes Francaises) where we studied French together. This trip for them was a pilgrimage of their relationship – coming back to see where they started – and they got a chance to see me! They stayed with Catherine during the week and everyone really enjoyed it. Siri and John appreciated Catherine’s cooking skills, and Catherine enjoyed having some company during the week.
Although I had to work during the week that they were here, I was able to do a little bit of traveling with them. We went to Tours, a town about an hour away from Angers. It’s most known for being a central location for tourist trips to the neighboring castles in the region. Some of you might also be familiar with St. Martin de Tours, a soldier who cut half of his cloak to give it to a poor man. He was from the town of Tours, and eventually became a bishop there. His remains are in his basilica at Tours.
In addition to the little trip we did together, we shared several meals together. They introduced me to a local sandwich restaurant in Angers that was positively AMAZING. I had a sandwich with rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, cheese, mushrooms, and a delicious sauce. I definitely have to make another trip there before I leave. I also invited them to dinner with me so they could meet my neighbors. Of course, we also ate several times together at Catherine’s house. It was so nice to see them again.
The following weekend was Easter! I went to a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening with Elena, the lectrice from Paraguay, at St. Madeleine’s church close to my residence. It was a beautiful service. We started outside the church on the main steps with a bonfire in a grill. All the parishioners huddled around to listen to the priest. While it was an impressive sight, the bonfire made me nervous; the wind was really strong, and the embers from the flames were flying everywhere. I was so worried that someone would get burned or have his/her hair catch on fire (I actually had to knock an ember out of a lady’s hair standing next to me!).
When the priest had finished with the reading and his prayers and blessings, he lit the main altar candle from the fire. This gesture was to symbolize Christ’s light and love in the world. Afterward, we all proceeded into the church singing, and after a blessing, the priest lit the parishioners’ candles around him. Within minutes, the dark church was glowing with the light from our candles. I love this Mass because the symbolism is so simple yet profound; Christ’s love is like the lighted candles: glowing and filling dark places in the world.
When the Mass was finished (two hours later!), they had hot chocolate and brioche (a kind of sweet bread) for the parishioners. Several parishioners welcomed Elena and me to the parish, and we got to talk to the priest. They were so sincere and welcoming; I was definitely feeling the Easter spirit!
On Easter Sunday, I was invited to Benoite’s family’s home to have an Easter lunch with them. They also had an uncle, an aunt, and some cousins over for the feast. I remember walking in and hearing the minor chaos around me; I miss the noise that comes with being in a family. It was so refreshing to be able to a part of their Easter.
They had just finished the Easter egg hunt when I arrived, and so we had some little munchies before starting the main meal. We had a traditional French Easter meal with lamb and veggies. For dessert, we had a chocolate cake and lemon meringue pie – both fresh from the oven. However, the real sweets didn’t come until coffee, where they opened up all the chocolate! I have never seen so much chocolate in my life. I was amazed by Benoite’s brother, Louis, who ate at least 10 pieces of Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
While we were drinking coffee, we decided to play a game of Cranium. I was really nervous about playing since it’s such a culturally and vocabulary centered game, but I did really well! My team was even in the lead for a little while! It certainly helped to boost my confidence in French, although, quite honestly, the Renault family helped me out quite a bit.
The next day, Easter Monday, I had another lunch invitation. Anne Marie, a friend of Catherine, invited Catherine and me to have an Easter lunch with her. She made rabbit (ironically enough!), and it was divine. I also had the best champagne I’ve ever tasted; I made sure to take a picture of the bottle for future reference.
I know rabbit sounds a little strange to be eating at Easter, but in the French tradition, there is no “Easter Bunny.” Their tradition is that the bells from their churches go to Rome to get chocolates. Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the church bells do not ring in France because the Catholic churches do not have Mass during the period between Jesus’ death and His resurrection. The children believe that the bells have flown to Rome to get chocolates. As the bells return, they drop the chocolates in the families’ yards, which the children have to find later.
Anyway, back to my Monday agenda! After lunch, Anne Marie took Catherine and me to the Bouchemaine, where the Loire and Maine rivers (the rivers after which the region was named) meet. It was a sunny day, and walking along the riverside was so relaxing. I certainly had a wonderful Easter weekend; I am very blessed here in Angers to know so many warm, welcoming people who are willing to share special moments with me.
My classes resumed on Tuesday, and it was another typical week of teaching. I only have two more weeks of teaching before I return to the U.S. – I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by! After this week in Grenoble, I will have less than three weeks left in Angers. Wow.
I will be sure to write again before I leave and tell you all about my trip to Grenoble. Hopefully, the rest of it will be a little less complicated than the beginning. I hope you all had a happy Easter and are doing well! A la prochaine, et bonne semaine!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Visiting France with two Americans
Hello again everyone!
It’s taken me a little while to write this post; resuming my normal schedule proved to be a little more difficult than I expected when Peter and Paul left.
We had a great time all together! The gentlemen arrived on Saturday, March 6th, and I started them off on a busy day. We had lunch at a little pizzeria not far from our hostel, and then went back to the hostel so they could freshen up after their long flight. That night, we went to see the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe. We went all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower as the sun was setting, and the view was incredible. Despite the really, really cold wind, it was very romantic. We went back to the room for sandwiches and a beer and called it a night.
The next day, we got up early to go to the Louvre. As it was the first Sunday of the month, the entrance was free of charge! We spent most of the morning there and then headed to the Notre Dame Cathedral for Mass. It was definitely a neat experience. We caught the train at 4pm to head to Angers.
Peter and Paul stayed with Catherine during the week, and I think she was very happy to have them. She said that they were a pleasure to feed, and she enjoyed making “typically” French dishes for them. We had escargot (snails), boudin noir and blanc (sausages that are special to France), bouchee a la reine (a pastry with meat and a cream sauce inside), and plenty of French pastries (pains au chocolat, croissants, chaussons au pomme). I think Paul especially appreciated it; he’s studying to be a cook, and he was able to taste a lot of things he had studied in his classes.
I still had to teach the week that the boys were here, so they visited Angers while I was teaching on Monday. They came with me and were interviewed by the students on Tuesday, which I think the students really enjoyed! Since I finished with my class at 9am, we rented a car and Peter drove us to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo. Another American girl named Kendra came with us too as she had never seen either of those places. We all had a really good time.
On Wednesday, we went to Le Mans, home of the famous race track and the race “Les 24 Heures du Mans.” While it’s not a trip that I would typically take myself, I really enjoyed seeing the cars. They had a museum of the race track and races, complete with cars and their evolution. It was neat to see the first cars from the 1900s to the super sleek, super fast cars they have now. The guys were practically drooling the whole trip! We also got to go out on the race track where we were able to walk around and sit in the stadium seats. There were some motor bikes practicing, so we even got the thrill of the revving engines!
We were back in time Wednesday night to have dinner with Armelle – Catherine’s hairdresser and the mother of the boy I tutor in English. She invited them over, and made an exquisite dinner that included foie gras, a dish with calf, lots of different French cheeses, and little lava cakes for dessert. We ate very well that night; it was very generous of her to have us!
Thursday was an easy day. Peter and Paul came with me to classes and were interviewed again. That night we had dinner with my friends and went out so they could see the local night life. The bar scene in France is so different from the U.S.; people really go out to socialize here, not to get drunk like so many people in the U.S. do. We danced and had a great time.
Friday, I taught a class in the morning while the boys slept in. We went to Saumur that afternoon, a city nearby that has a beautiful chateau and is known for its vineyards. While we only saw the chateau from a distance, we went to three different wine tastings. Peter left with two bottles – one of a sweet white wine and a red champagne. We’re saving them for our honeymoon.
Saturday, we went to the local market so Peter and Paul could get a taste of what a European market is like. We also found Peter’s wedding band in Angers! Catherine showed us a little jewelry store that was really – excuse the pun – a “diamond in the rough.” They had a sale on their wedding bands, and we took advantage of it! Now he has a beautiful band from a very special town; it really is our little treasure.
That afternoon, we went to the Cointreau factory for a tour and afterward went to Mass. We had a quiet dinner with Catherine and then went out for drinks with my friends. The week passed much, much too quickly.
They left early Sunday morning, and it was back to the real world for me. The beginning was a little difficult because I really missed having Peter around, but luckily, God blessed us with warmer, sunnier weather which lifted my spirits considerably. Other than that, it was a routine teaching week.
I am looking forward to the end of this week because my Swedish friend, Siri (the girl with whom I spent Christmas) is coming to visit me in Angers with her American boyfriend, John. I am really looking forward to seeing them both again.
I hope you all are doing well, and please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers! A la prochaine, mes amis!
It’s taken me a little while to write this post; resuming my normal schedule proved to be a little more difficult than I expected when Peter and Paul left.
We had a great time all together! The gentlemen arrived on Saturday, March 6th, and I started them off on a busy day. We had lunch at a little pizzeria not far from our hostel, and then went back to the hostel so they could freshen up after their long flight. That night, we went to see the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe. We went all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower as the sun was setting, and the view was incredible. Despite the really, really cold wind, it was very romantic. We went back to the room for sandwiches and a beer and called it a night.
The next day, we got up early to go to the Louvre. As it was the first Sunday of the month, the entrance was free of charge! We spent most of the morning there and then headed to the Notre Dame Cathedral for Mass. It was definitely a neat experience. We caught the train at 4pm to head to Angers.
Peter and Paul stayed with Catherine during the week, and I think she was very happy to have them. She said that they were a pleasure to feed, and she enjoyed making “typically” French dishes for them. We had escargot (snails), boudin noir and blanc (sausages that are special to France), bouchee a la reine (a pastry with meat and a cream sauce inside), and plenty of French pastries (pains au chocolat, croissants, chaussons au pomme). I think Paul especially appreciated it; he’s studying to be a cook, and he was able to taste a lot of things he had studied in his classes.
I still had to teach the week that the boys were here, so they visited Angers while I was teaching on Monday. They came with me and were interviewed by the students on Tuesday, which I think the students really enjoyed! Since I finished with my class at 9am, we rented a car and Peter drove us to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo. Another American girl named Kendra came with us too as she had never seen either of those places. We all had a really good time.
On Wednesday, we went to Le Mans, home of the famous race track and the race “Les 24 Heures du Mans.” While it’s not a trip that I would typically take myself, I really enjoyed seeing the cars. They had a museum of the race track and races, complete with cars and their evolution. It was neat to see the first cars from the 1900s to the super sleek, super fast cars they have now. The guys were practically drooling the whole trip! We also got to go out on the race track where we were able to walk around and sit in the stadium seats. There were some motor bikes practicing, so we even got the thrill of the revving engines!
We were back in time Wednesday night to have dinner with Armelle – Catherine’s hairdresser and the mother of the boy I tutor in English. She invited them over, and made an exquisite dinner that included foie gras, a dish with calf, lots of different French cheeses, and little lava cakes for dessert. We ate very well that night; it was very generous of her to have us!
Thursday was an easy day. Peter and Paul came with me to classes and were interviewed again. That night we had dinner with my friends and went out so they could see the local night life. The bar scene in France is so different from the U.S.; people really go out to socialize here, not to get drunk like so many people in the U.S. do. We danced and had a great time.
Friday, I taught a class in the morning while the boys slept in. We went to Saumur that afternoon, a city nearby that has a beautiful chateau and is known for its vineyards. While we only saw the chateau from a distance, we went to three different wine tastings. Peter left with two bottles – one of a sweet white wine and a red champagne. We’re saving them for our honeymoon.
Saturday, we went to the local market so Peter and Paul could get a taste of what a European market is like. We also found Peter’s wedding band in Angers! Catherine showed us a little jewelry store that was really – excuse the pun – a “diamond in the rough.” They had a sale on their wedding bands, and we took advantage of it! Now he has a beautiful band from a very special town; it really is our little treasure.
That afternoon, we went to the Cointreau factory for a tour and afterward went to Mass. We had a quiet dinner with Catherine and then went out for drinks with my friends. The week passed much, much too quickly.
They left early Sunday morning, and it was back to the real world for me. The beginning was a little difficult because I really missed having Peter around, but luckily, God blessed us with warmer, sunnier weather which lifted my spirits considerably. Other than that, it was a routine teaching week.
I am looking forward to the end of this week because my Swedish friend, Siri (the girl with whom I spent Christmas) is coming to visit me in Angers with her American boyfriend, John. I am really looking forward to seeing them both again.
I hope you all are doing well, and please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers! A la prochaine, mes amis!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
La Bella Italia!
After an enchanting vacation in Italy, I am back in Angers! I had a wonderful time seeing la bella Italia! I left Angers in the afternoon on Thursday, February 18th. I took a train from Angers to Paris, and then a night train from Paris to Florence. I was a little nervous about traveling on my own, but God really provided me comfort! When I was on the train to Paris from Angers, I met two American girls who were traveling to Paris as well to catch a night train to Florence! What’s more is that they were supposed to be traveling with their friend Kassie who couldn’t make it because of a kidney infection. So, they also had extra space in their sleeping car so I wouldn’t have to sleep with strangers! It was all very serendipitous.
Our train to Florence was two hours late arriving, and then over the course of the night, we managed to add two more hours. So, I was a total of four hours late meeting my college roommate, Bekah, in Florence. On top of that, the train couldn’t go into our scheduled station because there was some kind of unforeseen complication. I had to take a train from the Campo Marte train station to the Santa Maria Novella station. This glitch showed me just how travel-savvy I actually am. I met other Americans on the train, and while they were having a lot of anxiety about the change of plans, I kept my cool and helped them get to where they needed to go. It really boosted my traveling confidence!
When I finally met up with Bekah, we walked around Florence. Despite the drizzly weather we were having, the town was absolutely beautiful. I saw the Duomo (the Italian word for cathedral) and the Ponte Vecchio – a bridge on which they have built buildings, most of which are home to breathtaking jewelry stores –, as well as many other beautiful sites in Florence. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures to post because my camera went missing in Italy. I’m not sure if it fell out of my bag or pocket, or whether it was stolen from me, but either way, I no longer have a camera.
I also got to have a glass of wine with Dr. Betty Webb and her husband, John Rose. Dr. Webb is the supervisor of the program, and she was also my boss when I worked in the Office of International Programs as a student worker. It was so nice to see her and get to talk with her. I also got to meet the Meredith students who are studying in the program this year. They were very kind and fun to be around! I enjoyed spending time with them. Being with the Meredith group was so refreshing for me; it was like traveling with family! Seeing familiar faces from home definitely helped with my homesickness. I am ready to conquer my last two months in Europe!
After Florence, Bekah and I took the train to Arezzo where we caught a bus to Sansepolcro, a small town in Tuscany where the Meredith Study Abroad Campus site is. I fell in love with it right away. Meredith has renovated an old palace there (“palazzo” in Italian), and they have the good life! The rooms are beautifully furnished, and they get a real homemade Italian lunch during the week. The town of Sansepolcro was even more charming; with the vividly colored houses and the clay tile rooftops, it was like a picture in a travel brochure. The people were very welcoming and friendly, and I felt right at home!
I was also lucky to get to meet Sarah and Patrizio, a couple that Bekah stayed with for a summer as a nanny. Sarah works as an instructor for the Meredith program in Sansepolcro. They have three children: Leonardo, Genevre, and Veronica. It turns out that they were celebrating Leonardo’s third birthday while I was there, and I got to meet the whole family! They were very open, welcoming, and patient with my limited Italian skills! They later invited me back that week for gnocchi – a kind of potato pasta, if you will. Patrizio is a chef, and he made some gnocchi from scratch. It was sooo delicious. It melted in my mouth as I was eating it. I will never look at American Italian food the same way again!
During my week in Sansepolcro, we took a daytrip to Siena, Italy. Bekah spent a semester studying in Siena our senior year at Meredith, so this was a special trip for her. I got to see the new building where her school is now and meet some of the people she got to know. The town of Siena was hauntingly enchanting. It’s an old medieval city, and being within the walls was like walking through an old history book. There were paintings of the Madonna with the infant Jesus all around the town as we were walking through. The streets were hilly and paved with cobblestones. The houses were all touching each other with laundry hanging from the windows. It was like being in a movie.
I got to see the main square in Siena where the town hall is, and I also saw the beautiful Duomo there. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen. Bekah was telling me that during the time it was built, it was supposed to be the largest cathedral in all of Christendom. However, when the plague hit, they ran out of money and could not finish the construction. The front, despite the fact that the rest of it is unfinished, is incredible. Another important thing that I saw in Siena was the head of St. Catherine of Siena. I stood in the church where she received her visions, and her head is displayed there. It was really neat to get to see my mother’s patron saint!
I spent my last day in Italy in Milan. I have a friend there named Amber who is doing some mission work for a two year period. It was great to get to see her and meet the people she hangs out with! They were very friendly and made me feel very welcome. We had dinner at a restaurant that served “all you can eat” appetizers with a drink order – and it only cost about 7 Euros! That restaurant was a great little taste of food in the city. Afterward, we went site-seeing. I saw a lot of the major things there are to see: the cathedral, the opera house, the first shopping mall, the decorated cemetery. The cathedral was absolutely my most favorite. The towers were intricately decorated, and the size was amazing. It is impossible to look at it and not be reminded of the majesty and power of God.
After a quick evening of touring and socializing, we returned to her apartment and crashed. I flew out from the Milan Malpensa airport to Charles de Gaulle Paris. Little did I know that earlier that morning, a huge storm had swept through the region. From my understanding, it was like a hurricane with high speed wind and lots of rain. Some cities by the coast were, and remain, flooded. There were over 50 people killed. A storm like this does not happen often here – only once every decade or so.
Needless to say, the weather affected my traveling. When I arrived in Paris, all the trains were running late because of branches blocking the train tracks. Some trains were canceled all together! Luckily, my train was only an hour late; however, we had to stop several times during the trip to wait for the tracks to be cleared. In all, we arrived about three hours late, doing what is usually at two hour trip in three hours.
When I got back to the residence, my neighbors had made me dinner! We’re quite an international group: Sofie is Belgian, Cristina is Italian, Guillaume is French, and Thedi is Bulgarian. I was so excited to see them, and it was so thoughtful of them to cook for me, especially since I was exhausted from a long day of traveling.
I started with my classes the next day, teaching 4 hours total. It hasn’t been a normal week though because I haven’t had any classes Tuesday through Thursday. These few days have been “Journees Professionelles” where the students don’t have classes and are supposed to attend conferences concerning the degrees they are pursuing, while the teachers catch up on work. Luckily, I am all caught up, so I had another few days free to recuperate from my vacation!
I am also really excited because on Saturday, my fiancé Peter is coming with his friend Paul. It’s Paul’s first time in Europe, and I am really excited to give him a taste of the European lifestyle. I’ll give you another update on all of that after their visit.
I hope you all are doing well! Please know that you are in my heart and prayers! A la prochaine.
Our train to Florence was two hours late arriving, and then over the course of the night, we managed to add two more hours. So, I was a total of four hours late meeting my college roommate, Bekah, in Florence. On top of that, the train couldn’t go into our scheduled station because there was some kind of unforeseen complication. I had to take a train from the Campo Marte train station to the Santa Maria Novella station. This glitch showed me just how travel-savvy I actually am. I met other Americans on the train, and while they were having a lot of anxiety about the change of plans, I kept my cool and helped them get to where they needed to go. It really boosted my traveling confidence!
When I finally met up with Bekah, we walked around Florence. Despite the drizzly weather we were having, the town was absolutely beautiful. I saw the Duomo (the Italian word for cathedral) and the Ponte Vecchio – a bridge on which they have built buildings, most of which are home to breathtaking jewelry stores –, as well as many other beautiful sites in Florence. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures to post because my camera went missing in Italy. I’m not sure if it fell out of my bag or pocket, or whether it was stolen from me, but either way, I no longer have a camera.
I also got to have a glass of wine with Dr. Betty Webb and her husband, John Rose. Dr. Webb is the supervisor of the program, and she was also my boss when I worked in the Office of International Programs as a student worker. It was so nice to see her and get to talk with her. I also got to meet the Meredith students who are studying in the program this year. They were very kind and fun to be around! I enjoyed spending time with them. Being with the Meredith group was so refreshing for me; it was like traveling with family! Seeing familiar faces from home definitely helped with my homesickness. I am ready to conquer my last two months in Europe!
After Florence, Bekah and I took the train to Arezzo where we caught a bus to Sansepolcro, a small town in Tuscany where the Meredith Study Abroad Campus site is. I fell in love with it right away. Meredith has renovated an old palace there (“palazzo” in Italian), and they have the good life! The rooms are beautifully furnished, and they get a real homemade Italian lunch during the week. The town of Sansepolcro was even more charming; with the vividly colored houses and the clay tile rooftops, it was like a picture in a travel brochure. The people were very welcoming and friendly, and I felt right at home!
I was also lucky to get to meet Sarah and Patrizio, a couple that Bekah stayed with for a summer as a nanny. Sarah works as an instructor for the Meredith program in Sansepolcro. They have three children: Leonardo, Genevre, and Veronica. It turns out that they were celebrating Leonardo’s third birthday while I was there, and I got to meet the whole family! They were very open, welcoming, and patient with my limited Italian skills! They later invited me back that week for gnocchi – a kind of potato pasta, if you will. Patrizio is a chef, and he made some gnocchi from scratch. It was sooo delicious. It melted in my mouth as I was eating it. I will never look at American Italian food the same way again!
During my week in Sansepolcro, we took a daytrip to Siena, Italy. Bekah spent a semester studying in Siena our senior year at Meredith, so this was a special trip for her. I got to see the new building where her school is now and meet some of the people she got to know. The town of Siena was hauntingly enchanting. It’s an old medieval city, and being within the walls was like walking through an old history book. There were paintings of the Madonna with the infant Jesus all around the town as we were walking through. The streets were hilly and paved with cobblestones. The houses were all touching each other with laundry hanging from the windows. It was like being in a movie.
I got to see the main square in Siena where the town hall is, and I also saw the beautiful Duomo there. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen. Bekah was telling me that during the time it was built, it was supposed to be the largest cathedral in all of Christendom. However, when the plague hit, they ran out of money and could not finish the construction. The front, despite the fact that the rest of it is unfinished, is incredible. Another important thing that I saw in Siena was the head of St. Catherine of Siena. I stood in the church where she received her visions, and her head is displayed there. It was really neat to get to see my mother’s patron saint!
I spent my last day in Italy in Milan. I have a friend there named Amber who is doing some mission work for a two year period. It was great to get to see her and meet the people she hangs out with! They were very friendly and made me feel very welcome. We had dinner at a restaurant that served “all you can eat” appetizers with a drink order – and it only cost about 7 Euros! That restaurant was a great little taste of food in the city. Afterward, we went site-seeing. I saw a lot of the major things there are to see: the cathedral, the opera house, the first shopping mall, the decorated cemetery. The cathedral was absolutely my most favorite. The towers were intricately decorated, and the size was amazing. It is impossible to look at it and not be reminded of the majesty and power of God.
After a quick evening of touring and socializing, we returned to her apartment and crashed. I flew out from the Milan Malpensa airport to Charles de Gaulle Paris. Little did I know that earlier that morning, a huge storm had swept through the region. From my understanding, it was like a hurricane with high speed wind and lots of rain. Some cities by the coast were, and remain, flooded. There were over 50 people killed. A storm like this does not happen often here – only once every decade or so.
Needless to say, the weather affected my traveling. When I arrived in Paris, all the trains were running late because of branches blocking the train tracks. Some trains were canceled all together! Luckily, my train was only an hour late; however, we had to stop several times during the trip to wait for the tracks to be cleared. In all, we arrived about three hours late, doing what is usually at two hour trip in three hours.
When I got back to the residence, my neighbors had made me dinner! We’re quite an international group: Sofie is Belgian, Cristina is Italian, Guillaume is French, and Thedi is Bulgarian. I was so excited to see them, and it was so thoughtful of them to cook for me, especially since I was exhausted from a long day of traveling.
I started with my classes the next day, teaching 4 hours total. It hasn’t been a normal week though because I haven’t had any classes Tuesday through Thursday. These few days have been “Journees Professionelles” where the students don’t have classes and are supposed to attend conferences concerning the degrees they are pursuing, while the teachers catch up on work. Luckily, I am all caught up, so I had another few days free to recuperate from my vacation!
I am also really excited because on Saturday, my fiancé Peter is coming with his friend Paul. It’s Paul’s first time in Europe, and I am really excited to give him a taste of the European lifestyle. I’ll give you another update on all of that after their visit.
I hope you all are doing well! Please know that you are in my heart and prayers! A la prochaine.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New Reflections
Another enchanting week in France has gone by, but to be honest, the first half wasn’t so enchanting.
Monday night, before going to see my weekly movie with the English movie club at the university, I went out to dinner with two of my former students, Maxime and Lauriane. We went to T’Chips, a local kebab place (a kebab is like a gyro). I’ve eaten there before, and I was in the mood for a good kebab, so it seemed perfect. However, later that night, I became really sick with a fever and nausea. I got food poisoning from the kebab I ate! I had to cancel my classes for Tuesday (again), and I spent all day in bed. Needless to say, I won’t be eating another kebab anytime soon!
Fortunately, I was half way better on Wednesday, and all better to continue with my classes on Thursday. The week finished up nicely. We’ve had nice sunny weather lately, and I took advantage of it on Friday. After lunch, Elena and I went walking around downtown Angers, peering into shop windows and looking for good deals. I ran into a couple of my students, and we exchanged pleasantries in the street. It’s really nice to be recognized on a casual stroll downtown; I feel like I’m truly a part of the community. I think it’s going to be really hard for me to leave Angers for that very reason – I have a community here that I will be leaving behind. Alas, such is life. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to experience it and contribute to it, even if it was for such a short time.
My weekend was full of social events. I got up on Saturday, did my shopping at the market, and then did my English tutoring with Theophile. Afterward, I had a lovely lunch with Catherine; she made a delectable dish of fish and mashed potatoes. We talked for a while about the people she has hosted at her house and the memories she has of them – both good and bad. She was preparing herself for two new students to arrive on Sunday; they’re two Japanese girls who will be studying in Angers for three weeks. I haven’t met them yet, but Catherine invited me to dinner tomorrow, so I will get a chance to make their acquaintance.
After leaving Catherine’s, I had a hot chocolate date with an American student studying at the Catho. She wanted to pick my brain about teaching English and, essentially, what I intend to do with my French major. Her name is Kendra, and she’s studying at a university in Arkansas, although I’m not sure which one. She was really pleasant to talk to, and the rendezvous turned into an advice session. She definitely came to the right person; I wrote my Meredith honors program thesis on foreign language careers!
Later on, I went to Mass with Elena, and she came back to the residence with me and made empanadas! They were absolutely delicious. It was the first time I had had anything like it – a pastry crust filled with tomatoes, ham, cheese, olives, eggs, and anything you wanted! As usual, we made more food than we could eat, and so our neighbors benefited. It was so much fun to have everyone together that we decided to have another dinner the following night in honor of Valentine’s Day.
I am really glad that my neighbors were around for Valentine’s Day because being away from Peter was difficult – more difficult than I expected it to be. It really took me by surprise. Luckily, we all ate lunch together around the same time and decided to go on a walk to take advantage of the beautiful day. We walked for two hours through downtown, across the river to the other side of Angers and back. They are so much fun to be with, and I am so grateful for their friendship during this time. It is really important to be around others to avoid loneliness, and they are helping me so much to enjoy my time in France.
That night, we had a dinner in honor of St. Valentine. Elena got really creative with the decorations, and the kitchen looked amazing! We cut out red hearts and made flowers out of red plastic bags, so the kitchen looked fit for Cupid. For dinner, we had galettes – a salty crepe – that had ham, cheese, mushrooms, and other ingredients that we wanted on them. For dessert, we made a chocolate fondue and had mandarin oranges, bananas, and pears for dipping purposes. It was scrumptious! We ate and talked and laughed for about 3 solid hours, and everyone helped clean up afterward. One thing that I have noticed about the people here is that there is a real sense of solidarity; no one leaves until everything is taken care of. This mentality is so refreshing and reassuring; it really helps create a community here.
Today is Monday and the start of a new week. My classes today went well, and I had a relaxing afternoon running errands. I’m trying to get things in order before I leave on Thursday for my week long vacation in Italy visiting Bekah. Tonight, I am going to see the film Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. I’m really hoping it doesn’t give me nightmares! I don’t handle scary movies well; however, it is a classic film, and I fell like I should see it even if it makes me a little uncomfortable.
I hope you all had an amazing week! I’ll write a new update when I return from Italy. A bientot, or rather, a presto!
Monday night, before going to see my weekly movie with the English movie club at the university, I went out to dinner with two of my former students, Maxime and Lauriane. We went to T’Chips, a local kebab place (a kebab is like a gyro). I’ve eaten there before, and I was in the mood for a good kebab, so it seemed perfect. However, later that night, I became really sick with a fever and nausea. I got food poisoning from the kebab I ate! I had to cancel my classes for Tuesday (again), and I spent all day in bed. Needless to say, I won’t be eating another kebab anytime soon!
Fortunately, I was half way better on Wednesday, and all better to continue with my classes on Thursday. The week finished up nicely. We’ve had nice sunny weather lately, and I took advantage of it on Friday. After lunch, Elena and I went walking around downtown Angers, peering into shop windows and looking for good deals. I ran into a couple of my students, and we exchanged pleasantries in the street. It’s really nice to be recognized on a casual stroll downtown; I feel like I’m truly a part of the community. I think it’s going to be really hard for me to leave Angers for that very reason – I have a community here that I will be leaving behind. Alas, such is life. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to experience it and contribute to it, even if it was for such a short time.
My weekend was full of social events. I got up on Saturday, did my shopping at the market, and then did my English tutoring with Theophile. Afterward, I had a lovely lunch with Catherine; she made a delectable dish of fish and mashed potatoes. We talked for a while about the people she has hosted at her house and the memories she has of them – both good and bad. She was preparing herself for two new students to arrive on Sunday; they’re two Japanese girls who will be studying in Angers for three weeks. I haven’t met them yet, but Catherine invited me to dinner tomorrow, so I will get a chance to make their acquaintance.
After leaving Catherine’s, I had a hot chocolate date with an American student studying at the Catho. She wanted to pick my brain about teaching English and, essentially, what I intend to do with my French major. Her name is Kendra, and she’s studying at a university in Arkansas, although I’m not sure which one. She was really pleasant to talk to, and the rendezvous turned into an advice session. She definitely came to the right person; I wrote my Meredith honors program thesis on foreign language careers!
Later on, I went to Mass with Elena, and she came back to the residence with me and made empanadas! They were absolutely delicious. It was the first time I had had anything like it – a pastry crust filled with tomatoes, ham, cheese, olives, eggs, and anything you wanted! As usual, we made more food than we could eat, and so our neighbors benefited. It was so much fun to have everyone together that we decided to have another dinner the following night in honor of Valentine’s Day.
I am really glad that my neighbors were around for Valentine’s Day because being away from Peter was difficult – more difficult than I expected it to be. It really took me by surprise. Luckily, we all ate lunch together around the same time and decided to go on a walk to take advantage of the beautiful day. We walked for two hours through downtown, across the river to the other side of Angers and back. They are so much fun to be with, and I am so grateful for their friendship during this time. It is really important to be around others to avoid loneliness, and they are helping me so much to enjoy my time in France.
That night, we had a dinner in honor of St. Valentine. Elena got really creative with the decorations, and the kitchen looked amazing! We cut out red hearts and made flowers out of red plastic bags, so the kitchen looked fit for Cupid. For dinner, we had galettes – a salty crepe – that had ham, cheese, mushrooms, and other ingredients that we wanted on them. For dessert, we made a chocolate fondue and had mandarin oranges, bananas, and pears for dipping purposes. It was scrumptious! We ate and talked and laughed for about 3 solid hours, and everyone helped clean up afterward. One thing that I have noticed about the people here is that there is a real sense of solidarity; no one leaves until everything is taken care of. This mentality is so refreshing and reassuring; it really helps create a community here.
Today is Monday and the start of a new week. My classes today went well, and I had a relaxing afternoon running errands. I’m trying to get things in order before I leave on Thursday for my week long vacation in Italy visiting Bekah. Tonight, I am going to see the film Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. I’m really hoping it doesn’t give me nightmares! I don’t handle scary movies well; however, it is a classic film, and I fell like I should see it even if it makes me a little uncomfortable.
I hope you all had an amazing week! I’ll write a new update when I return from Italy. A bientot, or rather, a presto!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
February in France
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!
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!
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!
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