The itty, bitty fridge in my teeny tiny kitchen is an iceburg. So last night, Natalie and I took everything out, unplugged it and left it open. This morning there is still an iceburg in the fridge, all the milk has spoiled and there's a puddle on the floor. But it's all okay. Because I discovered last night that about a week ago, I bought grapes and forgot about them in the fridge.
I was worried they would be moldy, because they were very ripe when I bought them. But no! This morning I have discovered my new favorite experience: French grapes. Very over-ripe. With a taste so amazing, so extraordinary, no wonder this country makes them into wine. It's amazing. So sweet and syrup-y, bursting with juice. They don't taste like American grapes. I feel I am being insanely indulgent, eating grapes. Crazy.
Hope everyone is doing well
-from the soon-to-be grape connoisseur
PS. Odd how I find grapes to be more important than reporting on my life here...but they're so great!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Don't Worry, Be Happy!
Hello world and welcome to my blog. Today is the second day in October, and I've been in Nancy, France for two weeks and two days. My only explanation for not writing in this blog from the very beginning is that the world was against me and it wasn't time for me to start sharing my experience. Okay, maybe a touch melodramatic, but seriously, I did try once, but something happened right as I finished my first entry and I lost it all. And after that I had no internet connection. Now, thankfully I have the internet and the ability to talk to people back home with the amazing invention called Skype. I can also blog.
So. Since coming to France I've been up and down and everywhere inbetween. The flight was great (thanks to special gifts given to make it go smoothly *thanks*), got to Nancy just fine and slept the first day from 3pm until the next morning. It was shockingly cold in France and I felt like I'd gone from summer directly to winter. I stayed with my friend Fatma for the first week or so, and then moved into a room that the school is providing me (for FREE!!!). The room is pretty much like a dorm room and then there's a little kitchenette between my room and the room of the German assistant Natalie-who, by the way, is super nice and speak flawless English. Hopefully, I'll be able to make the room a bit more inviting as time goes on and possessions acrue.
I met one of the English professors from the school at the train station...her name is Catherine and she is in charge of taking care of me and getting me the things I need. She is very nice, I was warmly welcomed to the school, and she even had me to her house on Sunday. We took a walk in the woods and drove around to see the countryside. It was just what I needed actually.
And as to the catastophe with the internet, I've learned a valuable lesson. When you want something done, go find the person in charge yourself. And then keep going back to them until things are right. Luckily I was able to learn enough to help Natalie with the complexity that is getting hooked up to the internet at Lycee Loritz.
And that's about it. It's been a little lonely here. And living in a school is really, really creepy. At night I mean. But now that the other assistants have come I'm sure we'll get to know other people really fast. I've also gotten in contact with a Baha'i woman who works at the American Library here in Nancy, so I'm meeting her tomorrow. But I still miss friends and family so much...I feel like I'm much more attached to home this time around. Must remember that the world is my home.
So. Since coming to France I've been up and down and everywhere inbetween. The flight was great (thanks to special gifts given to make it go smoothly *thanks*), got to Nancy just fine and slept the first day from 3pm until the next morning. It was shockingly cold in France and I felt like I'd gone from summer directly to winter. I stayed with my friend Fatma for the first week or so, and then moved into a room that the school is providing me (for FREE!!!). The room is pretty much like a dorm room and then there's a little kitchenette between my room and the room of the German assistant Natalie-who, by the way, is super nice and speak flawless English. Hopefully, I'll be able to make the room a bit more inviting as time goes on and possessions acrue.
I met one of the English professors from the school at the train station...her name is Catherine and she is in charge of taking care of me and getting me the things I need. She is very nice, I was warmly welcomed to the school, and she even had me to her house on Sunday. We took a walk in the woods and drove around to see the countryside. It was just what I needed actually.
And as to the catastophe with the internet, I've learned a valuable lesson. When you want something done, go find the person in charge yourself. And then keep going back to them until things are right. Luckily I was able to learn enough to help Natalie with the complexity that is getting hooked up to the internet at Lycee Loritz.
And that's about it. It's been a little lonely here. And living in a school is really, really creepy. At night I mean. But now that the other assistants have come I'm sure we'll get to know other people really fast. I've also gotten in contact with a Baha'i woman who works at the American Library here in Nancy, so I'm meeting her tomorrow. But I still miss friends and family so much...I feel like I'm much more attached to home this time around. Must remember that the world is my home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)