Figured I'd try a blog

Well, I’m starting this a few days after I have arrived here in France.

The plane ride went smoothly. The plane was brand new and we were the first crew to ride it. Don’t know if that was a good thing or not haha, being guinea pigs and all. I sat next to a very nice woman traveling with her daughter’s basketball team. The flight was 8 hours long and went by quickly, thanks to the many free movies I watched. However, the landing was kind of sketchy as the runway was wet and the plane swerved back and forth to give us a pretty good scare haha. Once leaving the plane it took me a while to find the shuttle for the train station. Charles de Gaule is very big and confusing. Though it looks like you are in a huge human aquarium at one point. I finally got to the train station and walked around lost for a good 15 minutes just trying to find somewhere to eat. Had a nice ham and cheese sandwich and was introduced to how small the French coffees are here. Like shots! They apparently don’t have heaters there either because I could see my breath the whole 5 hours I waited on my train. Finally it came and while waiting on the platform I met a nice Cambodian man. We both thought each other were French at first until we realized we spoke English. I ended up sitting next to him on the train and he bought me a coffee. He has worked all over the world and has family all over as well. He was going to Valence and hasn’t been in France for 20 years. The train broke down for 30 minutes on the tracks, maybe a strike who knows lol. So I was a little late, but I met Jilly and Marine at the station. Jilly is Marine’s boyfriend who I didn’t know existed. But he was real nice and speaks English quite well. I arrived at the house and was greeted by the mom and son and a nice easter tarte. I ate a lot of it to be polite and because it tasted so good! They let me get settled in and I went to bed a little later and slept for a good 15 hours. It felt amazing. The next day I got up and had some breakfast and coffee (they American sized it for me). I have bad memory so I’m just going to say I hung out the rest of the day at the house.
Yesterday (Tuesday) I got up early, and went with ‘Lance’ – a roommate here who owns a bike shop and is obsessed with Lance Armstrong - and Matt (the son) to Matt’s soccer match, well we dropped him off. Lance drove me to Avignon where I enjoyed the rest of the day. I started off by having some coffee with him at Marine’s bar, then went on my way. I made my way to The Palais de Papes and hiked up to the gardens and enjoyed the stunning view for quite a while. I then walked down every conceivable street in the town.. people watched and ate some French pizza-ish things. I would eventually walk around the city twice, including the gardens. I didn’t bring my camera but will next time. I went to the bus station and waited about an hour for the bus to come… during which I was offered drugs twice haha. So I moved. Bus driver was a little rude to me but I don’t care. I got off in downtown L’isle sur la sorgue because the bus does not run near my house. I didn’t know the address, go figure! So I spent a good hour or so walking around trying to find somewhere with a map… eventually after talking with a couple nice old ladies I found l’office de tourisme. The lady working highlighted how to get to the street I was lookingw for, because I at least remembered the name of that (Chemin de la musculade)! When I got home no one was here really, or at least I wasn’t sure if they were sleeping. The parents have odd hours that are never the same because they own bakeries. Sometimes the dad will go at 3am… 5am etc. So I went to take a nap and closed my door around 5pm. I didn’t wake up till.. 9pm but when I went to open the door I couldn’t. I didn’t think to go out the window, but if you know me this wouldn’t surprise you. So I went back to bed and didn’t get up til 8 this morning… so another 15hr sleep haha. But this time I went out through the window and came back in the kitchen. A neighbor was visiting and he tightened my door handle for me so my door works now! Valerie told me that Marine and Jilly had come over for dinner last night and they just thought I was tired and didn’t want to knock on the door haha. Oh well. But so far today I went to the store with Valerie to get a whiteboard so it will be easy to teach English.

Some thoughts: The French culture is very interesting. I don’t see a lot of smiling going on. I smile at everyone I walk by and no one smiles back except old people. I am told this is because they think it weird unless you have a reason to be smiling at them. Also don’t pat them on the back. And the cheek kisses are apparently touching cheeks and kissing air. It was nice to have my first real one of those. The French really don’t like working. I asked the dad if he enjoyed work and he said no. I thought that since he was really good at it he would.. but he said he just wants to be out on a boat.

Thursday, April 8th

Woke up this morning and stayed in bed til 11ish. Lazy morning. Didn’t hear anyone moving about in the house. Got up and went to go take a shower to see my towel missing.. so once again no shower haha. Keeping it French. So now that I knew I could leave the house and not lock the door or anything I decided to walk into town today. The walk is more like a trek. At least a mile into town but I need the exercise, which is one thing I’m starting to miss. Today is cloudy so it’s still pretty chilly here. I walked around the town, and around it again. Then one more time. I still haven’t figured out the timing for the French stores. Most stores open late in the morning, then close for an hour or two during lunch. So I really didn’t get to go to many places, not that there is a whole lot of shopping here to begin with… it’s mostly antique shops and shoe places. I poked my head inside a pizzeria and had a decent size four cheese pizza. The cheeses here are quite interesting. There is one in particular that if you could capture the smell of a frenchy’s armpit and harness it into a small ball, and transfer it into taste, that is what it consists of. So I started to eat around those little areas. I’m starting to notice that there aren’t a whole lot of young people in this town. If there are they just stay inside, which I can’t blame them unless they’re really into antiques. However, it would be nice to meet someone my age to hang out with. Seeing stuff is all well and good but I believe experiences are best shared, plus it will start to get lonely after a while after the novelty has worn off. Though tomorrow I’m going out for some drinks with Marine and her friends apparently. As for today… I’ll probably just chill here and watch some movies online, maybe have one of those cigars I brought. **Side note: it is now a running joke about how slow I eat, which surprises me because I thought I ate fast… ohh the French. They count the plates one by one until they get to me, and then laugh. I feel special. As in the kind they have schools for. ALSO. Good news because they told me that Matt’s French tutor is a very pretty 23 year old. Chaaa ching. We’ll see tomorrow**




Friday, April 9

Okay… well. I woke up this morning and went to take a shower. When I got out I heard a feminine voice and said to myself this was the tutor they were telling me about. I sincerely hope not haha. I don’t know if they were playing a trick on me but this tutor (and she is a tutor of some sort) is a woman well in her years… and weight. Ohh man. I’ll give it the rest of the day but I’m pretty sure I’ve been had. Touché Gledhill’s… Touché….

So it’s official. Mrs. Doubtfire was the supposed girl of my dreams haha. Oh well, well played Frenchies… well played! I have to figure out a way to get them back. Maybe tonight when we go to Avignon for drinks, WHICH by the way Lance Armstrong here told me cost 6 euros. I hope for thirsty good time’s sake that he is mistaken. That’d be like $10 a drink. Pas bon.