Spring Break Part 2 - The Route of the Italian Riviera

I was, as always and perhaps more than ever, reluctant to leave Paris, but it was one adventure to the next. I arrived in Aix late due to the same train strike that was so tactfully done while nearly every plane in Europe was grounded. My friend Kim and I left the following morning and drove through the French Cote d'Azur, passing Cannes, Nice, and Monaco, and then continued along the Italian coast toward Cinque Terre. To say it was a gorgeous drive would be an understatement. Around each bend and through every tunnel (there were several hundred!) there was an endless landscape of the turquoise sea and terraced hills covered with olive trees.

Cinque Terre is not one city but five tiny villages built into the cliffs that plunge toward the sea. They are part of an area of Italian coast that is preserved as a national park.

While vestiges of what life there must be like can s

till be seen, they are now crawling with tourists and yet still maintain to be quite enjoyable. While the towns were charming, I found that it was the places in between the villages on the paths nestled in the rugged hills to be the most breathtaking. With the sea to our left and olive and lemon groves to our right, I couldn't suppress the desire to stop walking altogether and just stay there, drinking in such natural beauty.

We spent three days basking in the sun and beauty all around us, taking boat rides from village to village and also hiking the paths that connect them all. And naturally we splurged on good Italian pasta covered in fresh pesto (which originates from that region) as well as fresh lemon gelato and cappuccinos.

On our way home, while passing through Genoa, we picked up a mutual friend for the trip back who happens to be from a small town outside of Genoa. She enthusiastically showed us all around this regal port city that varies so much from the southern Italian towns that I have seen.

Marble could be found everywhere, not only in white but in shades of green, black and red. We saw the old cathedral and city wall and dined on fresh cheese focaccia that is a specialty of the city. It reminded me once again, that the best way to see a new city is through the eyes of locals.

Spring Break Part 1 - April in Paris

There is something about spring that makes everything seem new and fresh, and spring break always is that to an exponential degree. I've had fabulous spring breaks in the past few years - road trips with siblings, welcoming dear friends to my home, etc. - and these past two weeks of traveling have been no less life-giving.

'We'll do it in the spring time' was our mantra during the winter. Bundled up by the fire to keep warm, everything seemed more appealing during the spring months, and the to-do list for my visit to Paris grew rapidly. Visiting Zach in Paris this spring was full of visiting favorite places and discovering new

ones. The more I see of the city, the more I realize how inexhaustible it really is.

We set out to profit from the sun that had finally come to the north and had picnics in the city's many parks and gardens, culminating in our visit to THE garden in Giverny - Monet's house and gardens where he lived and painted. Even in early spring the gardens were bursting with tulips, daffodils, and tourists. We sat for a long time on a bench in the water garden, basking in the sun and watching crazy tourists fight for time on the famous bridge. All the same, it was a dream come true to go and worth the trip to Giverny that should have been quick but was made way too long due to a railroad strike.

We spent my last day in Paris playing tour guide for my wonderful aunt and uncle who have come to France for a few weeks. What a joy to once again welcome family in a 'foreign' city and to share old stories and new adventures as they celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary and as we look forward to our wedding. The day went quickly but will always be a treasured time.

And just like that I had to leave again and was off once again to the South to meet a friend in Aix for a drive to Italy.

Navigating the Medical System

My greatest accomplishment this past week was in yet again navigating through French bureaucracy – this time in the medical system. Upon arriving back to Aix after winter break, I received a very exciting letter informing me that I had qualified for a medical program called the ALD (atteint de longue durée). Basically because I have a long-term illness that I didn’t ask for, the French government has agreed to pay all my expenses that pertain to this illness. It almost seemed too good to be true.

I called the doctor the following day and managed to get an appointment for the very next morning. There was no waiting in the waiting room, and the doctor sat me down and said, “Raconte-moi.” – basically ‘tell me everything.’ So there I was totally unprepared to spout out my long medical history in English much less in French, but he patiently listened and took notes, helping me along with the vocabulary I didn’t know. You don’t exactly learn how to say autoimmune and kidney stone in foreign language classes. In the end, he wrote me a prescription for my medication that I subsequently took to a pharmacy (there are SO many in France). The pharmacist didn’t even bat an eye as she handed me a months worth of medication that would have cost me 2 months worth of my salary.

While I felt like an immigrant more than ever while trying to wade through the paperwork and the process of everything, I couldn’t believe how easy it all was. I love how so often seemingly huge problems get solved in the most unimaginable ways.

My life has suddenly become busy – hence the lack of blogging for the last month. However, it has been all good things that have started to fill my time, so there are absolutely no complaints. Here is a month in pictures and quick memories.

-Snowy Provence: Before last year, it hadn’t snowed in southern Provence for nearly twenty years. With two years in a row of light snows, the locals are starting to get a bit weirded out. While I haven’t appreciated the cold morning walks to school, the dusting of white did make the hills of Provence where I live come alive in a new way. You can see the resident snowman at my house in the picture above.

-We Shall Overcome: Three of the teachers I work with who teach the youngest age level recently came to me with an English song that they wanted to teach their students. They knew it had something to do with Obama (with whom the French are in love) and racism, but of course the actual English lyrics were all Greek to them. Thus I found myself in the company of eager six year olds belting out words of hope and peace. I was in awe that I could then so easily share with them that the words were actually taken from a sermon of Martin Luther King Jr. This choice of song could not be timelier as the French debate on identity occasionally travels down the paths of racism.

- Extended Celebrations and a Windy Photo Shoot:

Zach came down for a long weekend towards the end of the month. Having spent the beginning of our engagement apart, it was, of course, so good and too short. However, it was so nice to be able to celebrate our engagement in Aix as two different sets of friends popped open some champagne in our honor. You’ve got to love how the French celebrate. Then, we capitalized on our time together by having a friend from Marseille come up and take some informal engagement shots for fun. With the Mistral fiercely blowing we had a fun (and windy) photo shoot.

- Vacation Again?: I just had Christmas break and am off again for winter break. One could definitely never complain about the French school calendar. I’ve spent the first part back home in Colorado blitz planning my wedding and will soon return to Paris for some calm before returning to work in a week.

Ringing in the New Year

So this year, Zach and I celebrated the New Year in Paris, and we had reason to follow the French tradition of breaking out the champagne and plastic champagne flutes...WE GOT ENGAGED!! I don't think the excitement of that phrase can ever be conveyed through typed words, but there you have it. We are excited!

Now for the story: A couple days before New Year's Eve Zach suggested that we go around on a photo scavenger hunt around Paris. This suggestion was quite out of the ordinary considering that he is not the biggest fan of smiling for pictures all the time (you know I love you, but it's true :). So we had a hilarious time running all over Paris trying to take pictures of ourselves

different monuments in the background. Whether the pictures are of any artistic quality is less certain :) (picture to the left).

The afternoon of New Years Eve we went to a park nearby Zach's apartment to walk around and toast to the New Year quietly by ourselves before we went downtown to celebrate en masse with tons of crazy Parisians (and surprisingly a lot of Italians). The park is called Jardin des Impressionistes (Impressionists Garden), and even in the dreary winter weather it was beautiful. It was perfectly adorned with arches, winding pathways, and a Monet-like bridge crossing a duck pond. We sat down on a bench on a little island in the pond to enjoy our New Year's champagne. First, though, Zach pulled out a box of choclates from a chocolaterie that is specifically special to us. Inside the box was a collage of the pictures we had taken previously, only they were cropped in such a way that different parts of the Parisian architecture behind us spelled out "Will you marry me?" He got down on his knee, pulled out a gorgeous Tanzanite and diamond ring and asked me to marry him! He was, as always, so thoughtful, and it was perfect. We are so blessed to have each other and so excited for the months and years that lie ahead!

A French Noel

Somehow Christmas feels like ages ago, but all the stories and experiences from this Advent and Christmas season still need to be told. This Christmas has been different than any other in both big and small ways.

Advent in Provence

While thoughts of the South of France may invoke feelings of sun-

drenched bathers and olive groves, this winter has still been cold. The cold was all the more biting due to early morning walks to catch the bus to school. Thankfully Christmas decorations began to appear all over the city and provided some (humorous) diversion. Rather than following the French taste for all things elegant, Aix leaned towards the more kitschy side of the season: squares of faux grass hung on the sides of buildings, big purple and white feathers graced the tops of windows, and flashing blue lights were plastered everywhere. The center of town was also taken over by fair rides that one would find in a typical American shopping mall. Despite it all, though, the excitement of my students was contagious. Each class had its own Advent calendar, and the teachers got together to decorate the tree pictured above. I also had the chance to attend an English carol service with Zach at the cathedral in town and then a Christmas party in Marseille with friends. The weeks leading up to Christmas were maybe a bit different, but their novelty and complete lack of commercialization was wonderful!

All I Want for Christmas...

I definitely received the best Christmas present ever this year, and no, it wasn't wrapped under the tree. My whole immediate family came all the way from the States to join me for a French Noel. They arrived to snow in Paris and caught the train to Aix where we even had a surprise (and fleeting) dusting of snow. After a quick weekend, we traveled up to Paris to stay the week in a friend's apartment - one block away from the Louvre and Tuilieries Gardens. Quelle chance!

Our days were filled with wandering the wintry Parisian streets and all they had to offer - Christmas markets, museums, cafes, cathedrals - and our evenings were spent in our cozy apartment over good meals, games, and movies. We even had a little Christmas tree that Zach

and I picked out, subsequently braving the metro ride back with it in tow.

On Christmas Eve we went to an evening service at Notre Dame. The church bells and the organ, along with the Christmas lights all around were an unmistakeable reminder of the joy of the season. The next day we shared a typically Bostrom Christmas dinner with some French additions (a yule log, French wine, and croissants) with my friend Brittany from SPU and her friend Callie. It was great to have a crowd around the table.

There are definitely too many stories to be told and too many pictures to be shown, but suffice it to say that it was a Christmas to remember.

Chez Moi Take Two

I've been rather remiss lately in writing, though not from a lack of things to write about. Due to a number of odd situations where I lived, I began looking for a change in housing and have since then happily moved in with a British family in Aix. Long story short, a friend knew some people who had room to spare, and they have generously welcomed me into their home in exchange that I help their girls with French homework. After years of child care experience, I've learned that it can either be really awkward or great depending on the family dynamic. I had a good feeling about this family upon first meeting them, and thankfully I've been proven right.

We live in a beautiful French villa dating from the 1700s complete with spacious gardens and a swimming pool (which I am so looking forward to this spring). It's located just outside downtown Aix, so we have the calm of the countryside with the convenience of the city being a bus or bike ride away. I've got my own suite in a separate wing of the house with my own kitchen, bathroom, and guest rooms. I've really enjoyed having my own space but also feeling like I'm part of a family. The girls are a delight. Ottoline is 10, and Tallula is 9. They're bright and artistic, and we've had all sorts of fun cooking together. The parents, Caroline and Anthony are in the theater business (Anthony designs sets and Caroline used to direct a theater), and Anthony is currently designing a set for Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors which will show in Manchester. Needless to say, they are also artistic, and their creativity definitely extends to the kitchen where the good meals with fresh French ingredients never cease.

I've adjusted to my new rhythm of life here, and am grateful to have such a positive and fun place to live. It's given me a way to fill what was seemingly endless free time while I still have my long weekends to do my own exploring and visiting friends. Perhaps best of all is that it's free - and with college loans mercilessly beginning three days after Christmas that is a blessing.

Speaking of Christmas, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my family this Thursday as they come here to celebrate Christmas with me! I couldn't think of a better gift. I'll dedicate another whole post to my experiences with Christmas so far in Provence as it has been everything from beautiful to quirky.