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.

Thankful for New Adventures

It's still quite warm here during the daytime, so part of me doesn't really feel like it's the Thanksgiving season.  That and the fact that nobody in France has any clue about what Thanksgiving actually is.  Believe me, it's made teaching about the holiday to tiny French children quite difficult. Of course, I made things difficult for myself. I didn't just want to teach them what we do NOW for Thanksgiving but actually WHY we celebrate it. After giving each class a very brief outline of the story of Thanksgiving, I've been explaining what it means to be thankful. It turns out that French does not have a direct translation for the word 'thankful' in the sense that we use it, but I think I got the idea across.  After all this explaining, I had each of the children share what they were thankful for and then write it down in our 'hand turkeys' (picture of my cute students above) that we made (if you don't know what those are, go ask an elementary school teacher). I got all sorts of answers, from family, and friends to playstation and all the children in the world. It was nice to hear some creative answers.

It got me thinking, what am I thankful for this year? There are of course the obvious ones - my wonderful family, friends, boyfriend, living in France etc. To be more specific, though, I'm thankful for new adventures. It's always easy to focus on the hard things that are happening while forgetting to open your eyes to see and appreciate amazing new experiences. 

Case in point, last Friday I woke up dreadfully early to travel with some friends to the Luberon valley to a local mill that makes olive oil. Early in the morning, locals bring their fresh-picked olives that they've grown or picked on their land to be weighed by Mathieu, the owner of the mill. He then gives them receipts of how many olives they brought and they get a proportionate amount of olive oil in return when it's pressed. The process was incredible and yet simple seeing as he produces it in the same way that it's been done for centuries. The olives are washed and then pulverized by two rotating stones the size and shape of large wheels. The puree is spread onto large rounds which are subsequently stacked together and then pressed under an enormous amount of weight. The pressed oil goes through a centrifuge which separates the oil and water and voila...olive oil!

While it all was so simple, everything was also so new for us...the overwhelming smell of olives that engulfed the mill, the old farmers driving up in faded Peugeot trucks with buckets of olives, the debate over who's olive land was better. Every day, even the mundane ones, have been a new adventure simply because everything is out of my 'ordinary' routine. And while I'm missing my family and friends this Thanksgiving I'm thankful for these new adventures and even more so when my eyes and heart are open to see and appreciate them.

City of Books

I got my Aix en Provence library card today. It was one of those administrative things I've been wanting to do but putting off. What was I thinking? 

Aix doesn't just have any ordinary library. Their main library is called the City of Books, and after my first visit today, I can see that I will happily be spending a lot of time there. In one half, reading rooms are filled with old editions of classic French literature and encyclopedias that the city's countless students use for research. I took my time browsing the wealth of books and came out with some children's books in English as well as a book of local Provencale folk tales in French for me. 

To make things better, the entrance of the library is hidden behind three larger-than-life books, two of which (Le Petit Prince and L'etranger) happen to be my favorite books in French, and of course, Moliere's Le Malade Imaginaire which brings back crazy memories from studying abroad. 

In other news, I'm actually starting to get a handle on this teaching thing. However, I had a good laugh when one student wanted to write out 'thank you' on his paper, so he proceeded to write 'sequiou'! To my credit, I've been told to show them no written words, and phonetically to a French speaker this is what 'thank you' sounds like. However, considering this is my third week of work, I hope things can only go uphill from here. 

Between the Arches

After two weeks of slaving away on the job, I've been enjoying my holiday off work for Toussaint (All Saints Day). Basically, instead of celebrating Halloween, French children get two weeks off of school, which I support completely.  After hopping down to Marseille to get my final stamp in my passport (making my residence here official!) I made my way up to Paris to visit Zach. 

It was a well-needed respite away from administrative hassle and lesson plans, and our time was filled with adventures in his neck of the woods called Rueil-Malmaison, new sites to see in Paris, lazy afternoon crosswords, and of course, good homemade food.

After eating so much of this good home

made food - including a rum raisin apple pie that I made for Zach's belated birthday - we decided we needed a good walk, so we set out for La Defense. This modern financial district of Paris was an hour walk away and is nothing like the chic and charming Paris that I know. 

Skyscrapers and bizarre modern architecture sprawled in every direction as we stood in the shadow of La Grande Arche de La Defense (picture above). Turning our backs to the Arch in search of a picnic spot, we glimpsed a view of another arch off in the distance - l'Arc de Triomphe (you can barely see it in the picture above). Zach, "Hmm, we should walk there." Me, "Definitely." So we did. An hour later we arrived on foot at the foot of l'Arc de Triomphe having covered the span between the arches and having made all sorts of discoveries in the nearly six miles of western Paris that we covered.

Resting after our long walk

Part two of my Toussaint adventures was also spanned between two sets of arches, though they were much less architecturally innovative and more yellow - yep, McDonalds. Now before you throw your arms up in surprise let me explain that McDonalds in Europe can be counted on for

free, clean bathrooms and when on a road trip, those are always needed. My friend Kim and I drove down from Aix to Antibes on the Mediterranean Sea and then drove the coastal road from Antibes to Ste Maxime, hitting all sorts of beach towns and cities in between including Cannes and St Raphael. 

Once again, it was the places in between that were most beautiful. The big cities were intriguing, but they were dripping with luxury and tourism. I much preferred the little towns perched up on the Mediterranean cliffs and the red rock calanques that were reminiscent of Colorado's red rocks - only set off against the clear blue water of the Mediterranean. What are road trips for if not beautiful scenery and good conversation?

One Month and Counting

Today marks one month since I left the grand old United States for la belle France. What a month it's been! Hours of travel, apartment searching, paperwork galore, and scrambling for lesson plans. Now that I've survived the initial process of living in France, the lovely French government has decided to reward me (ok, and all the other teachers and students) with two weeks of vacation. I've got three hours of teaching to go and then it's off to Marseille and Paris! 

As I tugged my groceries home yesterday it hit me once again that I'm actually living here. Maybe it was because I had to buy toilet paper for the first time here. A very wise friend (you know who you are) once told me that you know you've moved to a place when you've bought toilet paper. It's not only the mundane things that remind me that I've moved here...I have my bus route to work, a church I attend, a choir I joined, friends that I run into in the street...all in this beautiful city. 

This month has also been marked by the distinct change of seasons from summer to fall here in the South of France. A week and a half ago it was 80 degrees and I worked up a sweat walking downtown. Then the mistral came. For those of you unaware of Provencale legend and tradition, the mistral is an epic wind that makes occasional visits only to the South of France and often reaches 90 kilometers and hour. The name comes from a Provencale word meaning 'master' as it really brings people to their knees...literally. I saw a little boy at a bus stop blown over by the wind. So here I sit on my day off sheltered inside as my shutters shudder in the wind sipping hot cocoa and planning just how to instill the days of the week into my students brains. They'll probably forget during vacation anyways...

Daily Bread

My beautiful loaf of French bread went bad Friday morning. I gave the moldy loaf a despondent toss into the garbage, sad to have to let it go to waste. I guess that I can't manage to polish off a whole baguette before it goes bad. I'll just have to explore the range of demi-baguettes and smaller loaves (not that I'm complaining). 

While I've seen a moldy loaf of bread before, my reaction was somehow different this time. People here literally buy their daily bread or pain quotidien, and I realized that I'm not quite used to doing the same...yet.  

When talking with a fellow American friend here about differences between the French and American cultures, she mentioned that to her the French seem to take each day as it comes - not in the negative sense of 'live for today for tomorrow we die' - but rather enjoying whatever is in the present and not constantly worrying about the future, whether through enjoying the freshest produce of the season, sharing an impromptu meal with friends, or making new friends on a sunny bench in the park.  I've seen it all these last few weeks. 

And as I now buy my bread more regularly, I've been challenged to take each day as it comes here. With moving and all the recent changes in my life, I have no way of knowing what each day will bring.  I also have an open enough schedule to prevent me from slipping into the comfort of routine. Each day has held surprises, but for one who likes to be in control, I've been challenged to let go, trusting that God will indeed provide my 'daily bread'. It's been a challenge to learn, and while there have definitely been lonely moments, there have been countless treasured moments too.

For instance, I was planning on meeting a friend to hit the Saturday markets to grab some fresh produce, and lo and behold her French friend who is a cook and teaches cooking classes decided to come along and give us a tour of the market! She showed us where she bought her ham, salad greens, spices, and different stalls for different cheeses. My friend Kim and I were 

avidly taking mental notes. You pay attention when a French cook is telling you where the best food is!! Then, we toted our goods back to her home where we ate tapas on her patio followed by a degustation de macarons (macaroon tasting). We had bought a selection of these jewels of cookies (see picture) and literally lined them up in a row from fruity to chocolate and tried tiny bits of each of them! The lemon meringue and salted caramel were the best. Take note, this is not a good idea on a daily basis, but it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Ah contentment.  I can't wait to go back to the market equipped with insider tips and my lovely new market back (picture above).

Market spices

First Day Teaching

Today was my first real day on the job - meaning I actually had to teach today. When I had to get up early this morning it hit me that vacation is definitely over (until Fall Break that is). However, when I stepped outside to catch the bus, I was greeted with an incredible sunrise that engulfed the sky with every shade of orange, yellow, and pink. Its serenity put my mind at ease as I made my way to Ecole Mareschale where I'll be doing most of my teaching.

At this school I'm doing half-hour mini classes with groups of 6-7 students from each class. While it's not quite fun to teach the same lesson over and over, I'm glad to only have to capture their attention for a half hour. I started slowly with introductions and numbers in English. The kids are really young, and I definitely misjudged their level of English - none. I also learned that if you want to teach kids about numbers and counting, do NOT have them sing '5 Little Monkeys' or else they themselves will become uncontrollable monkeys...

In all, though, the morning went smoothly considering I have no teacher training. I have just as much to learn as they do. 

And now after one half day of work this week, it's the weekend for me. Life is rough. I'll be exploring more of Aix tomorrow with some friends and promise to get some pictures of this beautiful city up here soon!

Lost in Paperwork

France - country of copies, paperwork and bureaucracy.  Thankfully my French is at the point where I'm not constantly lost in translation, but I've definitely lost myself in stacks of paperwork involved in the French immigration process. Thank goodness for new laws, though, that have tried to expedite the process for teaching assistants in France - which means that I just went through the whole process in two days and now practically everyone in France has copies of my passport, visa, and birth certificate. 

I've been back and forth from Marseille and Aix these past two days filling out social security in Marseille, opening a bank account in Aix and then going through the immigration medical visit in Marseille. Hello socialized medicine. Considering that they channeled forty of us through the process together, it didn't take too long. There was just a lot of waiting and hoping that someone out there, anyone would remember that you were waiting for them. And then, just when you think you're all done...there's more. I finished the whole process and triumphantly placed my dossier on the desk at the Inspection Academique only to find out they need more paperwork to be signed in Aix. Lesson learned  - in France don't ever think that you're done with the bureaucratic process. And while I'm still wading through papers, the process has not been all that bad. I've just learned to be persistent and ask as many clarifying questions as I need. 

Amidst all the paperwork, there have been quite a few perks and exciting discoveries during these first few days in Provence. Here are some highlights from my first week here:

- Dinner at the consul of the United States house in Marseille with amazing views of the sunset on the Mediterranean (picture below).

- Lunch with my host mom from two summers ago.

- Discovering beautiful parks near my house and school in Aix.

- A church here in Aix that has welcomed me with open arms.

- Meeting the director of my school and lots of cute, excited children.

-Knowing that this is where I am supposed to be.

New Seasons

I love autumn. But Paris at the beginning of autumn was exquisite. Crisp mornings and sunny afternoons filled with picnics and strolling. I began this year of adventure by meeting up with SIX other former SPU-ers who are living in France...who would've thought?

One of the best parts about being in Paris for the third time is that I felt no obligation whatsoever to be constantly seeing things. I'll take a park instead of a museum any day, especially when it's the Luxembourg Gardens. Secondly was the joy of  exploring the unexplored.  Zach and I braved the crowds of Place de Tertre behind Sacre Coeur and descended the back side of the hill to f

ind a quiet picturesque neighborhood where four room flats cost over a million euros (we ate sandwiches on a bench in front of realty agency). 

Perhaps best of all was being amidst friends before setting out on our own adventures during this new season in all of our lives. 

Since then I've hauled my luggage one last time down to Aix-en-Provence, found a place to live in twenty four hours (praise God), and went to

 Marseille and back. But more on all that later...

I'm moving to France!!

Two years ago when my host mom in Marseille gave me a worn copy of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence, I had no clue that I'd be living out my own year in Provence.  One crazy French application and LOTS of waiting later, I am leaving in three days to start living out my (school) year in Provence...Aix en Provence to be exact. The map below will help you visualize exactly where my lovely city can be found...just north of Marseille, which means just north of the Mediterranean Sea. 

I have a French government contract for the next nine months to teach English in two different elementary schools in downtown Aix, and this blog will document my adventures and everyday discoveries while I'm there.