Last post from France...

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!