Perfect Parisian Weather (A Day or Two at a Time)…

The month of May proved to be slightly cooler than I had first hoped.  There were not two days in a row that offered sunshine and warm temps together for the majority of the month.  And sometimes we’d be treated to overcast skies and drizzle and wind for days on end.  Needless to say, when the sun did appear, my friend Heather and I tried to take full advantage of it.  Heather had long wanted to capture some iconic shots around the city and it’s really difficult to do that alone.  So armed with my camera, the two of us frolicked here and there around Paris, posing and experimenting with angles and light, and genuinely had a blast during some of our last days in our favorite city…

(The following pictures were tweaked and formatted by the fabulous Heather, so I give her all the credit.  I love all the ones she used in her “Parisian Antics” album, and they are just too good to not include here…)

Pot de Départ…

With the end of my contract came the inevitable goodbyes to my students and French colleagues.  Each class was very sweet in the way they chose to say goodbye.  Some sang lyrics to the songs I had taught them, some made cards and drawings, and some joined together to throw a festive luncheon!  I was so touched by their thoughtfulness.  The teachers and directors were wonderful, too!  At one school, the director presented me with a bouquet of flowers and the teachers had little gifts for me.  And at the other school, champagne was uncorked and a toast was given in my honor in addition to an offering of lovely gifts.  I was quite spoiled during the months I spent at both schools!  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first began and some things ended up unfolding differently than I had first been led to believe.  But, in the end, everything worked out quite well.  I do miss all those kiddos, and the teachers and directors.  But I have lovely souvenirs to remind me of my time with them, and I look forward to keeping in touch with notes and postcards, and maybe even a package with some children’s books for future English assistants to use in their lessons…

The American Church in Paris…

One of my favorite buildings in Paris quickly became The American Church in Paris.  Not only was it the location where I worshipped each Sunday, but also the place where I was involved with a number of activities during my months in the city.  I am not known for any sort of culinary expertise, but I found myself in the church’s kitchen on a regular basis…I was involved with everything from helping with the holiday bake sale to preparing homemade pizza for the Young Adult meetings every other Tuesday to helping with the set up and break down of dinner each week for Thurber Thursdays.  I so enjoyed meeting new folks with each new activity and it was comforting to start seeing familiar faces after a short while.

The church in the spiritual sense is certainly composed of the members of the ‘body,’ rather than the actual building itself.  However, in the case of The American Church in Paris, I was always awestruck by the beauty that surrounded me each time I entered the sanctuary.  I stayed after one service to hear volunteers share the history behind the building and congregation and was thrilled to learn more details about the church’s background...How the congregation began meeting in a different location in the early 1800s, and the actual building where the church now stands was not built until the early 1900s.  How Nazi officers were pursuing one of the church elders, but he escaped detection by concealing himself in the old organ.  How the chandeliers are lowered for cleaning by turning a crank located in a small crawl space between the ceiling of the sanctuary and the roof.  How the two Tiffany stained glass windows are part of the fewer than 20 that are installed outside of the United States and were a special commission by a former parishioner to be given to ACP in honor of his wife.  So many intricate details and stories…I fell even more in love with the space after listening to the knowledgeable guides.  I wasn’t able to capture as many photos of the windows as I would have liked, but what I did capture will remind me of the beautiful friends and community that I made and enjoyed there during my short stay in Paris.

Springtime view from quai d'Orsay...

Versailles 3.0

I so enjoyed my visits to the gardens of Versailles during my stay in Paris.  I was able to go for the third time in the middle of April and was fortunate to be in the company of my friend Julie.  Julie hails from California and was on the last leg of her "European Vacation," an almost 3-week trip throughout the continent!  The morning that we arranged to meet was one of the first spring days with water coursing through the fountains and classical music filling the air.  It was magical!  After wandering all around for a bit, we were collected at the entrance to the palace grounds by the mom of the family with whom Julie was staying.  The entire family invited me to join them and Julie for the afternoon.  We boarded the commuter train and headed back to the city...me, Julie, the mom, the dad, 3 of the 5 children and grandpa!  We ate a delicious restaurant (Le Komptoir) in the Beaubourg area before entering the Centre Pompidou to see the Matisse exhibit.  It was such a lovely afternoon, and I was so spoiled to spend so much time with such wonderful company.  Thank you again, Julie and the famille Latil!!

In and Around Paris...

The days have been passing more and more quickly.  I can hardly believe that my time here is drawing to a close :(

Over the past few weeks, I've been wandering here and there, taking all sorts of pictures...in no particular order...

Gone Dubai-bye…

Question:  Which vacation spot is the obvious choice for a fair-skinned, be-freckled, overly dehydrated traveler?

Why, the desert, of course.

Obviously.

I couldn’t wait for my desert adventure to begin.  We have family friends (Tara and Michael) who are living in Dubai, UAE for the next few years.  When they visited Paris during the Christmas holidays, I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas Eve with them.  I was curious to know more about their experiences and asked for their thoughts about having visitors (read: I pretty much invited myself over…shameless, I know…a more gracious family you have never met!)  I made my travel arrangements in January and looked forward to April with great anticipation.  The day of my departure finally arrived!  The week that followed flew by, but I feel like I saw both the expected touristic sights, as well as aspects of everyday life in Dubai…

Easter Bells…

I had the opportunity (and honor) to ‘ring dem bells’ (as my Gramps says) at two of the Easter services at The American Church in Paris.  I had heard that approximately 1,000 people (combined) would be expected to attend the 9am and 11am services.  I meant to look out into the sanctuary to see all of those faces when our group went forward to perform, but the adrenaline took over and the only thing I could focus on was my music and furiously counting!  The musicians were asked to arrive at 715am in order to adjust robes and rehearse a few more times before the first service began.  Happily, I was early enough to attend a few minutes of the Sunrise Service out on the quai.  I have never been to an Easter Sunrise Service before, nor have I seen the sun rise in Paris before, so that was a very special experience!  It was forecasted to rain that day, but what a blessing that it stayed clear all day – Praise the Lord!  After church, Heather and I spent the rest of the afternoon together.  We grabbed a very nice brunch at a restaurant near her place and eventually wound our way to the apartment of her friend where we visited with other new acquaintances for a few hours.  It was so nice to meet them all, and particularly nice to meet Heather’s friend, Tamara…

Originally from Australia, but grew up in Dubai…

Was going to be heading back home for the upcoming 2-week vacation…

The same exact time frame when I was going to be spending one week in Dubai (!!)

What?!

Such an amazing coincidence!  We made plans to be in touch during my visit…more to follow on that wonderful trip!

Just a lazy Saturday in Paris…

A few Saturdays ago (Easter weekend), I was out and about in the city with no specific plans. 

I’ve learned that often, that’s when I find myself doing some pretty interesting activities…

I had to be at the church that morning for a bell rehearsal.  I ended up staying in the sanctuary for a little bit after my group finished.  I was up in the balcony; grading papers and listening to the other bell choirs rehearse.  The acoustics in that church will never cease to amaze me!  I left when they finished and the lights were turned off (!) and headed to the supermarket and bakery around the corner to pick up some picnic supplies (baguette, cheese, water…you know, the basics).  I decided that I would visit one of the parks that I’ve been thinking about visiting for months – Parc Monceau.  I took the metro to the right neighborhood and wandered into one of Paris’s beautiful, verdant city ‘escapes.’  I found a bench and ate my picnic lunch and then started to wander around the park’s footpath.  I realized that some of the enormous homes that “border” the park had backyards…with grass!  I couldn’t believe it!  I reached a certain gate and saw a sign advertising a museum I had never heard of before, Le Musée Nissim de Camondo.  I immediately decided to investigate.  The museum collection (bequeathed to France many years ago) is housed within the family’s former home.  Collections maintained in this way are some of my favorite spots to visit (I really don’t care for massive museums!)  The patriarch of the family had been a serious collector of 18^th century decorative arts (tapestries, furniture, paintings, etc.)  Each room was filled to the brim, but seemed cohesive and not (too) overwhelming.  My favorite part was visiting the huge kitchen and seeing all the shiny copper pots and pans!  I couldn’t stop myself from taking photo after photo…obviously!

Good Weekend…

“Cultural” opportunities abound in this amazing city.

I joined some friends (Tania, Jane, Robbie, Maureen, Felicity (and husband!)) for a ballet performance at Palais de Congrès on a Friday evening a few weeks back.  The first part included shorter pieces ranging from classical to fairly modern ballet, and there was even a tango-inspired piece using “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge (one of my favorite movies!)  The second part of the evening was devoted entirely to Ravel’s Bolero.  I was thrilled to hear the music again and to see another impressive interpretation of the composition!  At one point, there were 30 dancers on the stage moving seamlessly as the music’s repetitive strains filled the auditorium.  Again, I was completely entranced by everything I saw.  What a great experience!

The next night involved dinner with some of the same friends (Jane, Tania, Joy, Laure, and Kathryn) and then a sleepover at the apartment of our gracious hostess – thank you, Jane!    We had a blast visiting before walking down boulevard St. Germain looking for our restaurant (which proved even more entertaining!)  After dinner we walked back to the apartment, looking forward to popcorn and a movie (Fried Green Tomatoes).  We stayed awake as long as we could, but everyone’s eyes started to close around 2am…

The next day was Palm Sunday and Joy invited me to go to church with her (St. Michael’s).  We walked from Jane’s…across the Seine, through Place de la Concorde, and down rue Faubourg-St. Honoré.  It was a lovely service, and quite nice to visit a different church.  After church, Joy and I made our way to Châtelet…more specifically, to Théâtre de la Ville because she had heard that Cate Blanchett was performing in a play titled Big and Small (playing the main character, Lotte), and thought it would be great to see if we could get tickets.  That afternoon's performance had sold out earlier in the week, but we stood on the sidewalk with a little sign: “Cherchons 2 places SVP”  (Looking for 2 seats, please), to see if we could attract a potential seller.  It worked!  A small group of friends had two friends who couldn’t make it, so we offered them cash for the tickets and made our way to our seats (pretty high up, but still with an amazing view)!  Cate Blanchett was amazing.  The role seemed very demanding and she made it all look somewhat effortless, but by the end it was obvious that she was exhausted.  I was so glad it all worked out to see it!  What a cool opportunity!!

SautHermès…

Didn’t you know?

Apparently, when Hermès says, “Jump!”…you say, “How high?”

Literally.

My friend Heather and I attended the second day of a 3-day stadium jumping competition being held at the Grand Palais on March 17^th (St. Patrick’s Day).  It was amazing!  Doors opened at 10am with about a dozen horn players officially welcoming us to the daylong event!  Once inside the building (originally constructed in 1900), we wandered around in awe of the architecture and sheer magnitude of the experience we were about to have.  The Hermès “touch” was everywhere evident.  The dominant color scheme involved orange and brown, naturally!  Zones had been created throughout the length of the ‘grand’ building, dedicated to numerous activities:  a few eateries, an exercise paddock, a bookshop, a retail space for Hermès products, workbenches for Hermès craftsmen engaged in creating some of the pieces used in saddle construction before our very eyes, a sitting area devoted to watching Muybridge’s photographic images of horses in motion (!!), a ‘play area’ with rocking horses of all sizes, and even a small paddock with ponies for children to ride.  The main event(s) were taking place in the center arena, right under the glass/steel dome.  We watched 3 different classes of riders, beginning with a group of riders under age 25.  Appropriately, a young Irishman took 1^st place!  There was an intermission and Heather and I took advantage of the break to grab a bite to eat and wander through the venue.  When we took our seats we saw that the jumps had been rearranged and the next class of riders prepared to run through the course.  These riders included some of the top riders in the world.  It was thrilling to watch their skill and mastery!  The third class of the day involved pairs of riders (teams made up of one male rider and one female rider) from the previous group.  The team’s score would be a combination of both riders’ times and faults.  Every spectator held their breath as each rider went over 1.6 meter jumps.  Many rails had fallen by the end, but the winning team was presented with a large sum (225,000 Euros, to split I imagine?!) and embroidered orange blankets for their horses.  The event didn’t end there, however.  We were all in for a treat because the equestrian performance group, Bartabas, was going to unveil a routine that had debuted only one night before.  Set to Ravel’s Bolero, black and white horses (with riders in disguise…either white outfits with orange wigs or skeleton costumes) worked their way from one end of the arena to the other in stunning formations.  This is a relatively new equestrian school that is housed in the stables at the Château de Versailles – it’s only been in existence a few years, I think.  Ravel’s Bolero is probably my favorite piece of music.  The choreography of the performance was so captivating and I thought it perfectly captured the haunting, frenetic feeling of the composition.  There was an interesting twist at the end, too.  The entire score was played at a very high speed and the horses were made to race from one end of the performance space to the other with flexible (plastic?) skeletons bouncing on their backs.  It was surreal and totally amazing to watch!  What a truly memorable day!

May 1st...

So this may be one of the reasons I love Paris so much...

Hello, sunshine!  Welcome May!!

(The French know exactly how to spend a day off...)

More to come on my adventures during the past 6 weeks (what?!)...Seriously.  Where is the time going?

Paris, je t'♥

Come Sail Away...

The various events that I have attended over the past few months at the church have provided me with the opportunity to meet a number of fascinating people.  It's always so much fun to get to know them and learn about what has brought them to Paris...whether they are students, short-term workers (like me!), living here full-time, or just passing through.  One such couple was John and Sharon M.  I discovered that they live on their sailboat and have spent the past 9 years traveling all over Europe, navigating both canals and open water as they moved from place to place to their hearts' content!  I was incredibly intrigued by their lifestyle (I've never met anyone that lived on a sailboat before!), and when I discovered that they would soon be setting sail again (heading for Turkey at the beginning of April), I asked if I could come visit them one afternoon to see their boat before their departure.  They were so gracious to say yes, and even extended an invitation to come visit and stay for dinner the very next week.  I had never been to the Canal St. Martin before (marina/arsenal near the Bastille).  As I walked along the elevated walkway (passerelle), I arrived to see their beautiful sailboat, "Seraphim," gently bobbing along on the surface of the water with John waving to me from the deck.  We spent hours talking and enjoyed a delicious meal of salad, vegetable risotto, and almond cake for dessert (and some wine, too, bien sûr!)  I heard about many of their adventures, both peaceful and harrowing, and about how much they enjoyed the Azores just off of Portugal (now I really want to go there!) and how they have seen about 40 different Greek isles - Wow!  What a life!!  I so enjoyed my time with them that evening, and only wish I had met them sooner in my visit.  But I won't soon forget their generosity, that's for sure!

Oh, Mr. Sun-Sun-Mr. Golden Sun...

Please shine down on me!

Sun-filled days were somewhat few and far between in early March.  So when they arrived, I tried to take advantage of them as much as possible.

On one such day I met up with my new friend Ana in the Opéra/Pyramides/Palais Royal area.  We had lunch at my favorite noodle bowl restaurant, Sapporo, and then walked to see another favorite - les colonnes de Buren - black and white columns of all heights scattered throughout the courtyard at Palais Royal!  We were also able to see the new Comédie Française building that has had this area under wraps for months (much to my chagrin!)  As we walked towards the fountain, there was a decidedly fresh aroma wafting in the air - Spring!!!  I'm usually so congested from the effects of seasonal allergies at home that I don't think I have ever smelled "Spring" in the air before - it was lovely!  We continued to walk to the Tuileries where we sat and talked and soaked in the sunshine.  We eventually wandered back towards the Opéra area and ended up at Gare St. Lazare where we parted ways...what a nice afternoon!

Scaffolding...

You know noisy is going to be the new "normal" when this appears outside your place...

Awesome.

Well...

All the more reason to get out of my place and explore this amazing city, right?

Right ♥

Spring Has Sprung...

Winter (finally) came to an end yesterday.

It's not as though I had been counting or anything...yeah, right!

I enjoyed seeing signs of Spring on my way home from school each day during the past few weeks.  Some daffodil and crocus shoots started to bloom in the park very early on...

Hooray for Spring...

I knew you'd get here eventually ♥

La Mode...

Fashion.

It's everywhere in Paris.  But it's no more apparent than during Fashion Week...

A while ago, on my way to meet up with a new friend at a café in the Odéon area, I turned a corner and unwittingly stumbled into the fray of snapping camera lenses and sky-high heels and I'm pretty sure I saw this guy trying to photograph anyone who had a certain fashionista-je ne sais quoi about them (read: not me!)...

Turns out, there was a fashion show happening in a university building on that street.  The excitement was palpable and I found a spot to stand out of the way to just take it all in.  I totally wanted to take out my camera and snap away, but I was a little too sheepish at first, and so I only captured one image...

Maybe it was the hair that caught my attention?

Maybe it was the South Park leggings (tights?)...

All I know is, you can see it all in this city.

Paris is pretty great like that ♥

Luxembourg Gardens...

I've been enjoying using the bus system around Paris of late.  The metro system just seems too crowded and dingy, and besides, I really like seeing the city above ground!

I have to take two buses in order to get to the church, so on my return route two Sundays ago the second bus had a 20-minute wait.  Rather than just stand around, I decided to walk to the next stop in the meantime.  The next stop happens to be right across from...surprise!  The Luxembourg Gardens!  I scrapped the bus plan for a bit and wandered all the way around the gardens, dodging runners and watching people serenely engage in Tai-Chi exercises.  There is something for everyone in these gardens...pétanques (boules/bocce ball) for the older generations, playgrounds for the youngest ones and tennis courts, reclining chairs, and snacks for everyone in between.

Some views of that day's visit follow...

Bells Are Ringing...

Once upon a time, I played handbells when I was in high school (both at school and at church).  I took a number of years "off" and returned to my church's handbell choir last year, only to leave it again when I moved to Paris.  I didn't think I would pick up another bell for quite some time.

Enter The Celebration Ringers at the American Church in Paris...

I spoke with the music director one night in January about my interest in the church's bell choir (I came to find out there are actually three bell choirs!), and the very next evening I was filling in for someone who had injured her finger in the Intermediate group (!!)  After a few weeks of practice, we performed two pieces of music during Sunday's traditional service...a processional piece written by the music director himself and a "mash-up" (as one of the singing choir members called it) of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands."

What a thrill to partake in a musical offering in such an amazing space.  I've really grown to love not only the church building, but also the church family that has welcomed me in with open arms.

We play again for Easter...

I'll be there,

"With bells on" ♥

Mom in Paris...

I was terribly spoiled to have my mom come and visit for almost two weeks during my most recent holiday from school.  Her time went by so quickly :(  But while she was here we enjoyed day after day of fun activities and delicious treats from our favorite boulangerie, a movie here and there, meals at my place or out in the city and lots of great conversation :)  And we did everything at the most relaxing pace imaginable - very welcome in my book after flying hither and yon between my two schools for weeks on end.


We planned each day the night before and that allowed for a ton of flexibility and some spontaneity.  Here is what Mom's visit looked like:

Rouen...

The French rail system, SNCF, loves to encourage travelers to get out and see the country by way of its numerous chemins de fer (railways).  Tickets are often offered at a discount, so it seems silly not to take advantage of the great deals...

A few weekends ago, Susy and I did just that.

We packed weekend bags and caught an early Saturday morning train bound for Rouen, a short 1.5 hours away.  The city is known for being the site of Joan of Arc's demise, as well as home to the cathedral portal that Claude Monet painted over 30 times.  We signed up for a walking tour of the city (2 hours in the bitter cold!) and visited the Musée des Beaux-Arts on Saturday.  Sunday morning we awoke to a beautiful snow-covered city.  We learned that Paris had received a dusting overnight that quickly melted by mid-day...we woke up to at least 5 inches that stayed around the entire day!!  Dressing for the cold was one thing (multiple layers = 2 scarves, 2 sweaters, leggings under pants, 2 pairs of socks and gloves), but neither one of us were prepared for **snow**!  We had fun as we gingerly made our way through the "n'er to see a plow" streets.  The highlight of the day was entering the Musée le Secq des Tournelles, an iron-work museum with the most extensive collection of forged iron items in the world!  Susy was in iron-work heaven!!  The museum itself was housed in a decommissioned cathedral (small in size for a cathedral, but perfect as a repurposed museum).  The curator was a wealth of information and the collection was really breathtaking - everything from store signs, to keys, sugar pincers, kitchen utensils, jewelry, iron chests, balconies, railings, weights and measures...you name it, it was represented. The sheer amount of keys (and accompanying locks) were the most impressive!!  We were exhausted by the time we left, but happy to have explored another city outside of our beloved Paris...

Paper hearts...

I've been in the habit of making valentines for my students for the past 5 years or so.  This tradition is not an easy one to let go, even though I have approximately 10 times as many students this year (190 kiddos, ages 7-12)!!!

So, what to do...in a foreign city and on a budget?

Folded copy paper and a red Sharpie to the rescue!

A batch of 20, for one of my 8 classes...

Fold, write, repeat...

Simple, but from the heart ♥

Happy Valentine's Day...

to one

and all sweethearts out there ♥

"Midnight in Paris"...

At midnight.

In Paris.

Yes, I know.

I'm that much of a nerd!  But I loved every minute of it (again!)

I thought Owen Wilson was perfect in this role!

The movie let out a little after midnight :)

Paris is certainly magical at midnight...

Or any time of day ♥

French Cooking...

Hey Good-Lookin'...

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the most adept when it comes to preparing food.
(Eating food?  Yes.  Preparing it?  Not so much.)

So, it's been interesting (to say the least) to witness how I've been maneuvering around my "kitchen" the past few weeks.  I'd like to think I've been doing okay, meal-wise.  Nothing gourmet to be sure.  But I've been trying my best.

Just so I don't forget...here are some of the meals that have graced my counter:

New Year's Eve...

Ah, New Year's Eve...in Par-ee...

Lights, Fireworks, Countdowns, Cheering...

Right?

We-ll...

I decided I would venture out late in the evening to experience an incredible display of pyrotechnic excellence that surely the City of Lights must offer her residents, guests and visitors each New Year's Eve...

Unfortunately, there were no (organized) pyrotechnical feats and the only reason I knew it was midnight was because the Eiffel Tower started sparkling.

But, you know what?

I think I'd take that version of a sparkler any day of the week...and twice on Sunday!

11pm sparkles...

December 31, 2011

Happy New Year 2012!

Party boats on the Seine

Not sure how my camera did this, but I like it!

12am sparkles...

January 1, 2012!!!!

Thanks for saving the day, "Eiffel-Tower-sparkles-on-the-hour!"

I like to sparkle, too ♥

Winter...

The winter season has descended on Paris of late (and much of Europe, too, for that matter).  It's sometimes difficult to find the motivation to leave my warm apartment (read: bed).  But when I do, I'm always certain to find interesting things...

Moving On Up...

...to the East side.

And by East side, I mean the southern part of Paris!

With everything I had going on in the month of December, I was fortunate enough to move into Paris over the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day weekend.  I thought it would be the perfect gift to myself to wake up in my new place on Christmas morning :)  Many thanks to Susy who provided an extra suitcase and helped me haul my things from the house where I was staying, down the main street to the commuter train (for the 22km ride into the city), up and down flights of stairs to switch trains, down the sidewalk in my new neighborhood and into my building where everything was safely delivered to my door.  The fun continued as I began to unpack and tried to find a location for everything!  I worked for a number of hours cleaning and organizing and finally took a break to visit with some family friends who are currently living in Dubai but decided to spend Christmas in Paris.  While making me wax nostalgic for my own family on Christmas Eve, it was lovely to be surrounded by both an American family, and the French family with whom they were staying, for a couple of hours.  It was also wonderful to return to my place at the end of evening :)

Rainbow Twilight?

I love to organize things.

Some might say color-coding falls within the parameters of my love for organizing.

But apparently I do this without even realizing it...

Case in point:

The sole purpose of this picture was to simply to prove to myself that yes...I did, indeed, go a little crazy when packing for this trip.  I brought far too many shoes.  That much is evident.

But what also struck me was how I haphazardly arranged them in the midst of packing up for my move from the suburbs to the city.

I had no idea I had, One...essentially managed to bring a shoe in every color of the rainbow to Paris, and Two...had unwittingly organized them accordingly.

Harmless?

Or certifiable?

Hmmm...

Deliberations continue ♥

Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas...

A few days after my birthday, I boarded a train with Susy and Heather for a trip that I had been looking forward to for weeks!  We decided to visit the famous marchés de Noël during the week of Christmas.  We left Paris very early in the morning and it was snowing when we arrived in Strasbourg!  It was absolutely beautiful :)  We found our hostel, dropped our bags off and immediately made a plan to visit a few of the dozen or so markets scattered throughout the city.  The snow eventually turned into rain making staying outdoors for great lengths of time virtually impossible.  (During our 3 days in the city, we visited a café at least 3 times a day...coffees, hot chocolates, teas [and even a mug of grog!] were imbibed in mass quantities!)  As we walked around the city, we discovered that each new market was more amazing than the last.  So many colors and lights, so many smells and wonderful things to see and purchase.  We signed up for a walking tour our first night (and thankfully, the rain subsided that evening) and learned more about the history of the city...even the fact that storks call Strasbourg home!  We ate our way through the city as we enjoyed beignets and hot orange juice for breakfast, bratwürst with noodles/ham/cabbage (so good that I had it twice), bredle (amazing cookies), and vin chaud (hot wine) as well as many other local specialties!  We walked through the cathedral and spent some time (warming up!) in the Musée Historique.  We purchased souvenirs and gifts throughout our visit - food and ornaments and more food(!)  It was the perfect city to visit in the days leading up to Christmas.  I definitely missed my family during the holidays, but this city brightened my spirits more than just a little bit :)

12/17...

My 30^th birthday celebration will be one of those events that I will remember forever!  The week leading up to it was pretty eventful as well…searching for and finding a new living situation, as well as finishing up classes before the Christmas vacation at both of my schools!  Wow!  I was able to sleep-in the morning of my birthday (which is a gift in and of itself!)  My host family prepared a small luncheon, sang “Happy Birthday” in French, and my host mother made a cake (sweetened squash with walnuts – think banana bread, minus the banana, yet still delicious!) with candles and offered me a sweet little gift on behalf of the family!  It was so thoughtful!  I headed into the city to meet up with two girlfriends at the Roue de Paris (The Ferris Wheel of Paris)…Susy and Heather joined me as we saw the city spreading out below us from really high up!  We wandered through Hermès for a bit (searching for perfume samples! :), and then up to the Pont de l’Alma to join 3 other girlfriends amidst a group of carolers from my church.  We sang a number of popular American carols by the replica of The Statue of Liberty’s torch, on the metro, and as we walked along the Champs Elysées.  At various points, we drew a small crowd and even some applause.  It was really fun and also really cold.  We needed to warm up quickly, so we took the metro to a restaurant that I had in mind for dinner…Au Pied de Cochon.  Pretty much every item on the menu contained a bit of pork in some way or another.  My meal consisted of their famous (and delicious!) onion soup and a salad (with bits of ham).  I was also very excited to order profiteroles for dessert (cream puffs with chocolate sauce), but our server, who had been acting like a ham all night, totally distracted me and subsequently proceeded to drown my pastries in chocolate :(  (They were still delicious, though!)  After dinner, Susy and Joy joined me for a kir royal at a local bar, Carpe Diem (excellent choice, Joy!)  A kir royal is a glass of champagne with crème de cassis (blackcurrant syrup)...my favorite cocktail!  It was a really fun evening with a combination of new and old friends.  I'm quite fortunate to have kicked off my 30s in such style with such lovely ladies!!!

Bright Lights, Big City...

I enjoyed living the “country” life for my first 3 months in France (September-December); however, I decided that in order to fully take advantage of this wonderful experience, I needed to be living in the city.  I began searching for a living accommodation in early December, and after numerous calls, emails and a few visits, I found a studio that seemed perfect!  It’s in a safe location, footsteps from my good friend Susy, very close to the metro, tram and commuter train lines, and offers a 25-minute commute (door-to-door) to my schools!  I’m so happy to have found such a great space!  It all happened very quickly…I saw the announcement on a website I checked regularly for housing offers on a Monday night and emailed the same night, saw the location on Tuesday and signed the lease on Wednesday!  The landlord and his family are extremely nice.  I know I’ll be in good hands for the rest of my stay; however, all of this was a huge answer to prayer, so…

I give all the praise to my (real land)Lord!

I’m always in good hands with Him ♥