Toussaint continued...

Thursday, Oct 28th,

I opened the windows in the morning and looked out on...rain. Well, that threw a wrench in my planto bike to the chateau that day. Instead, we took a bus, a cheap one at that to Amboise. Not only is Amboise home to a royal castle with some pretty gory history, it is also Leonardo Da Vinci's final resting place and his home there is now a museum dedicated to his life and his many inventions. The castle itself wasn't all that spectacular. It's chapel houses Da Vinci's tomb, and it does have a nice view of the Loire River, but the most exciting part of the visit was probably getting scolded forcefully and unnecessarily by some museum personnel for eating at a wooden picnic table in the entrance courtyard. Now if we had been spreading out our picnic lunch on the centuries old dining table of Henri III, I could understand. Maybe it was our youth, or our ostentatious amount of packed lunch, but that lady was pissed off, telling us that it was not a restaurant, and just look at all the grease marks we were getting everywhere (though we weren't eating anything remotely greasy). We had fun grumbling about her for days after. Da Vinci's residence and museum, however, were much more exciting and engaging. We had to jostle with mobs of children to try out the full sized replicas of his inventions, earning some admonishing looks from parents along the way, but it's not every day you get to spin around in Da Vinci's "tank" which greatly resembles a wooden Gravitron carnival ride. That night, we wandered around the old part of Tours with the rest of the city's bustling student population until the rain and closing time forced us back to the hotel.

Friday, Oct 29th
The next day, thanks to greves and our own late rising, we missed the train that would have taken us to Chambord, the most extravagant castle in the Loire Valley. We were flexible planners however, and settled for taking the train to the smaller yet more intricate and whimsical castle of Chenonceau. Known as the "ladies' castle" in French, it has been blessed with female ownership and design for centuries. When Henri II purchased the castle, he gifted it to his favorite mistress, Diane de Poitiers....the original cougar. When they met, Henri was only a teenager, but Diane, twenty years his senior was already heading into her late thirties. Needless to say, Henri's wife, the devoutly Catholic Catherine de Medici was displeased not only with his extramarital affairs, but more importantly, since such affairs were commonplace, his uncommon devotion to his mistress. After his death, the Queen decided that she fancied Chenonceau for herself, and displaced Diane to a smaller and less regal castle. Later, the next female owner, and wife of Henri III spent the last twelve years of her life in mourning at the castle. She had her bedchamber painted black, and all of the decorations somber, sparse, and heavy. She passed her days wearing white, queenly mourning attire, and immersed in prayer and quiet contemplation. That for twelve long years?....no thank you.
I managed to take quite a few photos, but the weather was dull and grey, so they aren't as lovely as those taken in bright sunlight. Overall though, it was a nice visit, and well worth the train and ticket price.
The next day, Saturday the 30th, I bid adieu to my traveling companions and headed over to the apartment of my second couch surfing host. Myriam had set the bar high, but Kevin was just as good, providing me with enough company and alone time as I preferred. He's an excellent cook and hanging out with him and his friends was a lot of fun. I experienced Tours nightlife with a group of real Tours natives and it was a really great time.

Toussaint

I do apologize for the lateness of this post. I could make up some excuse about being overwhelmingly busy or something, but that is a boldfaced lie, so I must chaulk it up to laziness instead. I bet you're all dying to hear about my vacation. What? You didn't know that I had one already? Well I did. This is, after all, France.
The first vacation "scolaire" of the school term happens right around Halloween. So, I had a holiday from Oct 23rd - Nov 2nd. Even though the good majority of les francais are non-religious/atheist, they still have enough saints for every day of the year, sometimes even having to double up. And because of all these saints, they need one big communal feast day, and what better day to have All Saint's than right after that devilish of all days, that pagan Halloween - much like Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday. Party! then REPENT. What Catholics do best.
Since we were encouraged by the program to stay in France proper during this first holiday, I decided to visit a part of France I had yet to see, the Loire Valley. Home to beautiful scenery, lush countryside, wide, still rivers, and of course, les chateaux. I thought combining two of my favorite things, history and pretty stuff, would make for a great vacation.
And it was, with many adventures...and misadventures along the way.
I left Monday the 25th, boarding a train from Beziers to Montpellier, where I would catch another train to Tours, via Lyon. Too bad the greves (french strikes) had another idea. My train had been cancelled, so I waited patiently in the line for the ticket office that stretched out the glass doors and meters deep into the waiting area. Fortunately, things turned out in my favor. Without any extra cost, I was reassigned a faster train to Tours via Paris. Arriving at Gare du Lyon, however, I realized that I had about 45 minutes to get to a different train station to catch the train to Tours. 45 minutes sounds like enough time, but Paris is large and even if you're like me and are familiar with the Paris metro, you will find yourself scrambling. I ended up running through Gare Montparnasse, barely making it in time. whew.
It was smooth sailing after that. I was picked up at the station in Tours by my couch surfing host, Myriam. She very graciously put me up for two nights in her adorable apartment, feeding me and showing me around the city. She even called a hotel for me, setting up a triple room for my two friends (arriving wed) and I at a fraction of the price of a single room elsewhere. Thanks Myriam!
Wednesday Oct 27th:
Elaine arrived in the late morning and together we got impulse buy hair cuts. Yay! Mine is shorter that it's been in a long time, but I really like it. Then, joined by Colleen, we settled into our cute and cozy hotel room at Hotel Foch, in the heart of the 'old city', and home to the friendliest old man concierege ever.

Clothes Shopping in France...not fun here either.

I had several hours between classes today so I decided to go on an adventure to the outskirts of town. I'd been told that's where one goes to find the best deals on just about everything. So I set off on bus number 5 and braced myself against the gusty wind to find some bargains.

I've been in need for a new pair of skinny jeans, and am not sure what my pant size is here in France. In the U.S., I'm about an 6/8/10 short and that's always different in every store. I wandered into a Euro trash boutique outlet thingy where most of the items were mutilated with rips, bedazzled, or uglified with fake fur. I did find some jeans that looked alright and the price was definitely right (10-20 euros) so I snagged a 38, 40, and 42 and stepped into the cramped dressing room.

I couldn't get the 38 over my thighs. I couldn't button the 40. I couldn't get over how much my stomach bulged over the top of the 42. Maybe it was just that one style?
Nope. I tried on four more different styles and the only change I saw was that the 42s were about a foot too long. Apparently the pants in this store were made for tall skinny girls. and all the pants in the next store, and the next. I was starting to feel like I was shopping in abercrombie and fitch everywhere I went...where else am I the largest size in the store? I'm not a waif, and heck I'm not even skinny, but sheeesh, I'm average sized. When I tried on a dress labeled large and could barely fit it over my chest, I knew I was done for the day.

Better luck next time....after I lose about twenty pounds. yeah right.

What I've Been Up To

After lots of shifting and emailing etc, I finally have a schedule for my twelve hour a week teaching stint. I have met all of the English teachers I'll be working with (there are 7 of them, three at one school, four at the other) and I have sat in on and introduced myself to all of the classes. So far, French middle schoolers are much like American ones; rambunctious and curious. But at least I don't sense any really bad attitudes, and most seem pleased by my presence....though I sense it's partly because it disrupts their regularly scheduled programs. I work mostly with 13-15 yr olds, so the older end of the spectrum, but they are the ones that benefit the most at this point seeing as how they have exams before they head to high school. The teachers also have been kind enough to not use me as a baby sitter to the bad kids (as I've heard some other assistants have been used). I have no complaints. My schools are in easy walking distance, the teachers are genuinely friendly and helpful, and I think the students and I will get along just fine. So far I've stood in front of the classrooms and allowed them to fire questions at me - mostly the basics, but a few "what's your phone number". I have to chuckle. This coming week, I'll be taking a few groups aside at a time, getting them to talk, telling them more about me and the U.S. and increasing their comfort level with me. The goal is, if they are too intimidated to talk in class, hopefully they will open up and practice English with me. Otherwise, I've been hanging out with friends from the program, and working on meeting some more French people our own age.

Weekend In Bezi - the re-cap

Wasn't the greatest weekend ever....but there are plenty more weekends ahead of me.

I also learned a little bit more about the city from several of its citizens. Apparently a few years ago the middle class fled the city and lots of the money for the area was invested in Montpellier, leaving some of the other cities in the area with less. With increased immigration and racial tensions, and the economy,...a lot of people left the city for the outskirts/other cities. Now, Bezi is smaller, dirtier, and poorer than its larger sister Montpellier. But...it's also much cheaper...so if living here means more money for travels, then it's a fair-ish trade.

On thursday I went to a classicaal music concert in the centuries old Cathedrale in Bezi! It was a really cool setting, but I was the youngest person there by oh...30 years.

On friday night, we went to a german film hosted by Bezi's cinema club...it was, well, a spirit crusher. After we went out and discovered Bezi's non existent night life.

Sat. we went out to our favorite watering hole, only to discover that the bars in the city are taken over by 17-18 yr old high schoolers on saturday nights. ....

Dear Miss Screamy McScreamerson

Warning: this entry concerns the sexual escapades of the young woman living on the floor below me and my thoughts on her rather inconsiderate screaming. Stop here if you do not wish to read.


Here is the letter I'd like to write (in english) to this gal.

Dear Miss Screamy McScreamerson,

Hearing your cries of passion at 10/11pm at night while I was reading in bed were rather comical, but just last night, those screams woke me from my sleep at 4am and well; that just ain't cool. Therefore, I have a few words for you.

You live on the floor below me, and not even directly below me. There is no reason that I should be able to hear you. And if I can hear you, then everyone in the building can. I am clearly not the only person you are bothering.

Also, who the hell sounds like that? What's with the screaming kiddo? Is your partner really that good....or are you taking the faking thing a little too far. You start off with the regular old sex noises: the panting, the moaning, but then you just start screaming. Seriously, stuff a pillow over your face. People are trying to sleep.

And last, but not least. We get it. You are getting sexed multiple times a day. Good for you. Hope your tiny bed doesn't break. But for all the rest of us not having screaming orgasms on a regular basis, please stop rubbing it in.

Thank you and have a pleasant day

I have a phone, a bank account, an apt, and some friends...

Life is a bit better these days.

I have a phone and a bank account, my studio is growing on me a bit, tho I am still a bit peeved about not having internet in the apartment. It's ok though; I guess I needed to wean myself off of constant wi-fi access anyway. I've done a fair bit of exploring and as soon as I figure out, I'll post some photos. I promise.

The apartment building has been just that, an apartment building...not a ton of people milling about meeting each other. I've met two other people who live there and they seem nice, if a bit reserved. Oh! and I just had my first nun sighting! Score.

I'll be heading back to my apt soon, where a really good book is waiting for me, I just hope that the girl in the building who is ummm...very very loud with her boyfriend won't be there. I can hear her from inside my apartment, and I don't think she's next door to me. oh dear.