Settling Into the Country Life

It was another crazy day. I mean that in the good way. Turns out that we’re living practically in the countryside. I got up at 7:15 am (a lot more tired than I went to sleep) and got ready to go. It takes us about an hour and a half to get to the institute building, where we have school. The family has muesli, a great cereal I lived on for almost a year of my mission, and if all goes well, I’ll make that another 3 months of my life. It’s one of those things I really loved about Europe. That and the pastries. Mom, don’t read this next line, but I could and think I may live off of the pastries here. I had a raspberry tart yesterday, and today I ate a great baguette with parmesan cheese on top, baked in the oven. It think it may have been the most tasty loaf of bread I’ve ever eaten.

When I got off the bus coming home today, I walked around a bit. There are a number of large fields surrounding the area where we live (that’s right, we walk several hundred yards to get to a bus to take us to the train that takes us to the metro that takes us to the church. That’s four modes of transportation for those of you who are counting). The fields are big and green, and go as far as I can see into trees and the distant forest. It’s amazing to think of the history behind it all. It was this land that gave Louis XIV his strength to fight the nations, to wage his wars, and become arguably the most powerful man in Europe at the time. It was the French who fought his wars, and this is the land of Napoleon. How amazing is that?

As a side note, I find it interesting how the French look at their revolution as such a freeing moment, when in reality it unsettled their country enough for a dictator to take control and give himself unrivaled power (even if he did call himself the heir to the Revolution), without even mentioning the despotism of the Reign of Terror or the thousands of relatively innocent (and some not-so-innocent) people who were brutally beheaded. They’ve never really regained that stability in the 220 years since the revolution. For instance, I had the marvelous pleasure of witnessing a massive riot control today. There were easily 200 + police in full riot gear with shields and nightsticks and automatic weapons… (picture above) Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be France without a riot. They are nice people, though.

So, I’ve had no internet for the past few days. I’ve been using my roommate/teacher’s computer (he is the TA who teaches the French 102 class I am in). Otherwise I would have written sooner. My roommate is going to Lyon to visit a friend of his for the weekend, so I’m probably going to be internet-less for another few days. Hopefully we can get this sorted out. I don’t really even have time on the computer to write emails. I’ve been working on French like a madman, and I think I’m doing pretty well. I’m attending the 201 class as well, and I think I’m catching on. I almost had a conversation in French today. I can say a few things, and I’m improving.

In the meantime, I’ve been reading the Story of Art and Charlie Wilson’s War. They are both fascinating reads, and my only regret is that I’m going to be done with both of them very shortly, and then I don’t know what I will do. I guess I could do my homework. One class I am taking is called “Paris Walks” and for three, that’s right, three credits I walk around Paris, take pictures and make notes about my hour to two hour walks each week. I know it sounds ridiculous, and it kinda is, but I like it. Oh, I just remembered that I’ve got the Aeneid, so I’ll be set.

This Monday we’re going to Brussels for a few days. That should be fun—we’ll see what kind of trouble we can make up there.