But the beginning of something wonderful, nonetheless.
My dear friend Winston, known to some of you as Elder McCarthy, inspired the theme of much of what I will write in this next blog. See, he posts a link to his blog on his facebook and probably got more than he was betting for when I decided to check it out. His original intention in writing a blog was to write “just a journal, nothing more”. So yes, I essentially stumbled onto his journal. (I will add as a side note that this also kind of made me realize the need for discretion in my postings. Not that big W wrote anything indiscreet or anything; he limits himself to toe stubbing incidents and one, two paragraphs max. Rather the reality that anyone can access my blog was what I gleaned from my readings.) He remarked that a general authority, I don’t know who, had recommended that in your daily journal writings you include something you are grateful for from that day. Impressed, yes I was.
So I don’t mean to disappoint here or anything, but I’m not going to outline every hour of the past two weeks here. I’m going to have some photos, some descriptions, preceded by a lot of gratitude. My English teachers of yesteryear would be so proud of me and my introductory paragraph complete with topic sentence. I blame them for my inability to relay information like a normal human being. I have taken my revenge however by starting sentences with 'so', 'and', and 'but' as a rule of thumb and writing incomplete sentences altogether. So wrong. And yet so right.
Yeah, I know. Only a huge nerd considers violation of the mechanics of writing as a sort of rebellion.
With discretion will come a lack in context in some cases. You will pardon me this, of course. (I thank you for your magnanimity). In order to avoid jealousy between my subject matter, I leave you by way of an update of these last two weeks, in no particular order, what I have recently found myself grateful for:
1) American customer service. Not only the fact that in the good old US of A the consumer is recognized as the means of keeping businesses running but also the general patience towards customers. And, because I am impatient I have to add that I’m grateful for respect of the customer’s time. Example: I spent 30 minutes in line at the local grocery one morning to buy 2 croissants and a pack of laughing cow cheese. And I had a tram, then a metro to catch. Starvation seemed a better alternative than being in the claustrophobia inducing lines but as my hypoglycemia makes my starvation a miserable experience for those around me generally, I remained standing there. And I didn’t move for another 6 minutes. My stomach tightened at every six minute interval I was able to take a step. I never thought I would more appreciate the fast lane, or, even better, the self check lane in grocery stores.
2) By the same token, I’m grateful-even though I don’t like it-to learn a very important life lesson that my head phrases something like this: get over yourself, you are not as patient as you think you are and even at that you knew you had a ways to go.
3) Good luck. Call it what you like, a little prayer never hurt anyone. Like that time I lost my newly purchased tram ticket (12.60 with 10 euros, that’s $14, remaining). This was actually the same morning as the waiting in line incident and as I was in a hurry I figured I had put the pass some ridiculous place in my room thinking I would remember and decided to just worry about finding it later and buy a one day pass. I was walking to the tram and worrying about it. I said a little prayer in my head, crossed the street and decided to listen to my music to de-stress. I turn my bag around to the front. I start to dig around for my itouch. Inevitably, my eyes grace the pavement. And there I see a tram pass. I pick it up and give it a good look. It has 12.60 punched on it and that’s when it hits me: the night before when walking home my hands full of bags of books and clothes I had decided to listen to my ipod at that exact same spot. I had swung my bag around front and doing so had dislodged the tram ticket from my back pocket. If you had asked me earlier if I had lost it on the way home I would have said it was a possibility and that it probably fell out on the tram, while I was sitting down. Only hindsight made me realize how I had lost the thing in the first place. Who says independent women don’t manage without a little help from lady luck and the man upstairs?
4) Growing up with a limited television privileges and lots of chores (even though in hindsight lots may be an exaggeration here). The former because I learned early that I was capable of entertaining myself and the latter because I learned early that I was capable of contributing, responsibility, and hard work. To a degree, we'll say. Respect for time and property came with that too, I think. A weird and unrelated and possibly cultural and therefore egocentrical anecdote: Bastille Day, July 14th, is the French equivalent to the 4th of July. I spent the day at the ward, barbequing followed by fireworks at the beach until 12:30. Am. While the fireworks weren’t all that great and we arrived late, it was an experience, the whole beach bit. On the 25 minute drive home we passed 2 burning cars and 1 burning motorcycle. Fireworks, you might ask? No. Just people-not necessarily teenagers either- who were bored and derive joy vandalizing other peoples things. Vandalism is quite a problem here. As is littering. I’m not trying to get to the root of the problem here or anything, because obviously taking away the television and heaping on the chores does not ensure responsible citizens. But let’s just say I am grateful to be an American raised in an educated, hard working home. And by that I imply more that I can possibly explain right now. And I also don't mean to sound self congratulating, or snobbish. I really am just grateful. Thanks Mom and Dad.
5) Homeopathic doctors and remedies. Because despite a gluten allergy I am able to counter the effects of all the pastries and french baked goodness with a couple of pills. I think it's catching up with me, and I still feel like my muscles are weaker than they should be but it sure beats having a constant stomach ache.
6) French chocolate. That pretty much says it all.
7) Bookstores. Especially French ones. Facebook may have informed some of you that I just dispensed of over 100 euro (yes, that is $140) at the local and then used "librarie" (bookstore). Thanks to the hours I had to explore I found a couple of good (read, interesting/cheap) finds. One of them I started last week, it's called "Demain la Lune" (Tomorrow the Moon). I bought it because it sounded like a coming of age story. A big fan of adolescent literature I seized the chance to expose myself to the French adolescent experience. True, it takes place in the 70's but it is a story of a boy who is from a town 20 minutes outside of Rennes (where I studied abroad) who has to spend his summer vacation with his newly divorced father in Provence (where I am now). I seem to have unbelievable luck here; everything coincides perfectly. Where this kind of luck is in Utah, the real world, I would really like to know. I should add here that this is my 5th book I'm working my way through now. I just finished a Marie Antoinette biography and now I'm itching to spend more time in Paris. I'd be very grateful for that, but I may be getting ahead of myself since finances are tight. Here's a picture for you of my purchases :)
8) SISTERS. And Dave. Seeing the workings of a household with an only child has made me shudder at what life would have been like-and would be like-without them. Seriously, I see this shadow, a phantom, of the child I might have been. She's kind of monsterous in thick, pink rimmed glasses. I'll spare you the sociopathic vision.
9) My friendies. Amis. Amigos. Because for some reason this 2 month excursion of mine has me missing hanging out with you more than a mission or study abroad (various theories to explain this phenomenon will likely follow) and because you've been so awesome at indulging me and keeping in touch. And again, talk about luck, I'm glad to be one of 4 Americans here in the ward. Not only does it make for more of a party but I can hide the fact-by degrees-that I'm a shameless tag along.
K, 10 would be a nice round number to end on but I have to stop this sappiness before I CTRL A and delete this on a whim. And now ladies and gentlemen, for some pictures. Possibly some videos if I can tap into the tech-savy mastermind within.
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I came bearing gifts. This is the night of my arrival in Marseille with Chrystèle and William.
Plume the cat likes to sleep in my drawer. Hmm, reminds me of a little black monster I know back home.
This is the cereal I hold fully responsible for my weight gain in Rennes, five years back. 2 bowls a morning of this stuff and fatty french milk will do that to you. I've found a new and improved version. At 2.50 a box and gluten free, I pretty much have to eat the stuff. I have no other choice but to eat spoonful after spoonful of oat granola swimming with shavings of dark chocolate. It's a matter of health. No choice whatsoever.
Florence countryside by car. Yes, those are grape vines.
My freezing my tail after getting out of the water at plage d'estagnol. We went two Wednesdays ago.
Joel taking a picture of me taking a picture of plage d'estagnol. This place could compete with Hawaii in my book. Awesome.
Plage d'estagnol cont....
...inued.
Aix-en-Provence. Cezanne and I, we're tight. Drew and Mathias (les Americains) and Slyvia, a girl from their program, bussed it out here last Saturday to be given a guided tour by Marie and Elodie, natives to France but not the region.
Provencial streets. Yes, I am still obsessed with windows.
Aix marketplace. I took pictures of the flowers instead of buying anything. Had to save my mula for gelato, breton (think Rennes) crepes, and renown pasteries. OOh. La. La.
Marketplace continued.
Friends and family, please take note. This is how the French decorate the cars of newlyweds: ribbons and flowers. Classy inside and out. When my big day comes, I want (read: have to have) this. I have other pictures, should you need further inspiration.
Notre Dame de....Aix?
No window? No door? Don't worry, they'll grafiti one in for you.
Fountain I-have-all-ready-forgotten-your-name. Aix.
Sylvia, Polish, bears a frightning resemblence to Dr. Brennen in Bones. She thought it was hilarious to sneak up behind me when I was taking pictures. I have 3 other similar shots and in all 3 she refuses to take off her sunglasses. Which is a shame because you can't see the resemblence really here.
Drew, the Narrator. He takes videos and narrates them. Inspirational, really. I regret not having
more videos from my mission. So now I'm following Drew's trend, minus the narration.
Sylvia, Mathias, and I. Aix. Drew is the photographer and all the group photos we had other people take of us are on his camera and I'll get them later.
Chrystèle bought me this recipe book of regional delights.
Notre Dame de la Garde. Google images took this picture for me. We visited on Bastille day, July 14th. It's one of the most known icons of the city. You can see her lady from almost anywhere in Marseille and from out on the ocean too (I've been told).
On the inside of the cathedral of Notre Dame de la Garde. Because she is both a landmark and religious icon of a city built on a port, there are a lot of themes about water and boats in the decor. There were boats hanging from the ceiling all over. I now want to decorate a room in my house like that. This is one of the most colorful cathedrals I'd ever seen.
Notre Dame de la Garde.
Marseille minstral (wind) meets Sunny at Notre Dame de la Garde.
View from Notre Dame tower.
Here I am in front of the entrance to the catherdal wearing my hope and peace shirt on Bastille day. It's as patriotic as I get here.
Last Saturday Joel drove us out to the Calanques. That's a french term for cliffs meeting ocean in a particular fashion I can't quite describe. We weren't able to visit the Calanques we wanted to, nor do the hiking we planned on doing there due to the heat and winds which resulted in fire risks apparently. Mathias and I were dumbfounded at the alarm the heat and wind caused because seriously, all the coastline was closed off. We ended up in Cassis, about 20 minutes out of Marseille. It was absolutely pictoresque. Fellow travelers were Mathias (obviously), Louise, and Jonathan, from the ward.
Jonathan and I in deep conversation.
Mathias and Louise. Mathias had that towel wrapped around his head at one point to avoid sunburn. Classic. Louise got sunburned for like the 2nd time in her life. She's got a great tan line from her cast to prove it too.
Voila, the Calanques meet the port.
The brave and sunburned travellers.
The Cigales (Cicadas) are infamous here in Provence. Like crickets in the mountain, they set the tone for summer. Jonathan made friends with one here. Gross.
Sunday we picnicked and then headed downtown to visit the Palais Longchamps. This is the view of the palace from the back, you can see me there walking on the right.
Chrystèle and I at the Palais.
Palais arches.
Coming down around the side of the Palais.
"I was a statuette". (See previous photo)
View from the Palais.
Almost down to the street.
In contemplation.
So, I've discovered how to post a video. Now I just need to learn how to edit them. The new iphone can do that but apparently my computer can't; go figure. If you go about 25 seconds into the film you'll see me standing at the edge of the rocks, preparing to get in the ice and I mean freezing cold water. I was nearly ready for it but this wave came and I lost my balance and well, you'll see. Make sure you have the volume up so you can hear me screaming. I didn't last long in that water and it wore me out, I'll tell you. That's the most interesting thing about the video though, in case you want to keep watching.
And voila, the adventures end. I've been keeping myself more busy, as you see. I feel real lazy, a lot of the time and know I will have a hard time coming home to the pace of the real world but I'm not letting that interfere with my here and now. I'm in France and la vie est belle.
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