Dovunque...: Update: May :)

I took a look at my “France” blog yesterday and remarked two things about my last entry: first, that it was over a month ago, and second that it was about some philosophical/emotional parallel about tears and rain. Uh, I remember very well what I felt like when I wrote it, but I decided that maybe it was time to update for both of the above aspects mentioned. My disposition has changed a lot, even in the last week.

For Easter vacation at mid-end of April Jake and Lydia Larson were here in Paris for a few days (we had a BLAST) and Abby joined up with us and then she and I took off to Italy and Greece for a 10 day cruise. Being over here in Europe has truly afforded me some really cool opportunities to see the continent, and I feel that I’ve been able to take decent advantage of that. I love that part so much. I made sure to post pictures of all of said adventures, though there are many of them--I ended up taking about 800 pictures in two weeks! I’m LOVING my new camera and figuring it out. :) Here are just a few:

Also, the cruise was apparently just what I needed as far as rest. I slept so much. I have never been one to nap, and I napped every day, slept in every day....apparently I was more exhausted that I thought. As a result, in coming back to Paris, I have felt so much better physically, and even mentally! I say mentally, because another thing I’ve noticed coming back to Paris this time, is that my French has very much improved. It has been coming to my mind and tongue so much easier and I’m feeling, really, really rewarded by that. (After all, that was what this whole experience was supposed to be about in the first place!) I had a French friend compliment me the other day, saying I had almost “no more accent”. This was an overstatement, but still made my week, even if she exaggerated. :) Anyway, I was trying to imagine why all of the sudden something had clicked, and I think that, once again, it was just a matter of rest. Wow, I’ll never understate the power of “repos” again!

I’m back to school and I’m back to nannying, but one thing that has changed at home is that the woman in whose home I reside has left for the summer. She left on Saturday. I’ve mentioned her before and have probably characterized her as a little eccentric and quite particular. Overall, something that I’ve learned about French culture is that it is not particularly encouraging and verbally affirmative--but I didn’t realize how much of a presence she was for me until she left. Until now, home has been more stressful than I was aware because I was rather living on tiptoes and in fear of getting scolded by her. Now I can use the oven and microwave to my heart’s content and do as much laundry as I desire and even leave my computer plugged into the wall when I’m gone. This dynamic too, surprisingly, has added to my state of feeling a lit bit more relaxed and rested. Amazing. It’s just me and Nicolas now, and we get along great. :)

Also, I think I’ve mentioned it before but, if I didn’t already know that I’m a relationally oriented individual, this experience has confirmed it. The hardest part of this experience is being so far away at such a time difference from everyone I love. What’s really cool about these last couple of months here, is that I’m now beginning to enjoy some relationships that it’s taken a bit to build and it just makes me smile to look at my calendar and see it fill up with my old friends that are coming and my new friend’s incredibly kind and increasingly ubiquitous invitations. I’m loving this stage. And this home stretch is going to be busy. In a good way.

On Sunday I spent a really wonderful day with a friend from school and her family. She and her husband had just gotten back from New York City over Easter break and surprised me by bringing out these treats, which I hadn’t seen in a long time! :D