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Published: February 18th 2008
Avignon
Experiencing the 13 desserts of Provence. A local Christmas tradition. Home Again…Home Again
February 17, 2008
We fully intended to write a final blog summarizing our experience and re-entry home. As a family we discussed our experience in the living room of our house in Rognonas and I took notes. What we hadn’t counted on is returning to the rat race of life in the Bay Area and how over-whelming it can be. I also don’t think any of us expected the post trip blues…while only natural after such an adventure. Almost 8 weeks later, while mostly life has returned “to normal” (what-ever that means….it may never be normal again) our pace is still so different than prior to our time in Europe. We definitely move at a slower pace. I find we are not as scheduled out as before, we spend more time together, appreciate our time with friends, and have learned from our French friends the artful shrug that says…”oh well…who cares.”
I think before I was able to sit down and write, I had to really miss France. I do really miss France. I have looked longingly at the photos, felt a pit in my stomach while looking at a map of Provence in preparation for
Avignon
Buying chestnuts at the Christmas market. a co-workers vacation, read
In the Merde for Love and spoke French to the waiter at our local French restaurant. I finally felt, today, ready to complete the adventure and write the final chapter…returning to the Bay Area.
We left Provence the day before Christmas Eve. We spent our final full day in Rognonas cleaning our house, packing, and trying to fit all our junk in bags to make the long journey to San Francisco. I had my last power walk in the orchard and lettuce fields. I walked with Pierre. It was such a mix of feelings…in one sense total sadness about leaving the life I had come to appreciate with the excitement of coming home to family and friends. Scott and I had one last glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with Pierre and Ian before retiring to our last night in the Mas.
We left early the next day for the long ride to Paris. It was a good ride….until we hit the outskirts of the city of lights and a wall of holiday traffic. It took over 2 hours to drive from southern Paris to De Gaulle airport where we were spending the night. We had planned to
Avignon
Our last French class return our car, have a leisurely dinner and a night relaxing in our hotel. Wrong…..we got there late, rushed to return the car and barely got to bed in time to wake up at 4:45 am the next morning. Once we deposited our bags with the British Airways check-in desk it was smooth sailing until we reached SFO. I sat with a lovely young American girl living in Brittany. She was a delight to travel with and made the long trip home easy along with several American movies I had missed in the last seven months.
Once home…the rat race began. My sister picked us up with a car too small to fit us and all our stuff. We squished in, with total disregard for seat belt laws and headed to Christmas Eve dinner with the family. Within an hour, I found myself in an American grocery store at 3:30 pm on Christmas Eve. This was an experience that almost sent me to the mental hospital….I was not ready. I had to leave within minutes!! The French do not do Christmas like we do with buying everything under the sun….I was so not ready!!! I was however ready to
Avignon
Saying good bye to Dawn. We miss her so much. see my family and while exhausted was happy to share in Christmas with my grandparents…the whole Lunny family was together for the first time in a few years. It was definitely one for the scrapbook.
The following days were spent with bad jet lag….sound asleep by 7:30 pm and up at 4:30 am…not the hours I generally keep…moving into our new house, catching up with friends and interviewing for a job. It was jam packed with activity as well as all the fun family dysfunction I had missed for so long. There are some stories I will just not commit to writing! Just know things never change and family does not always put their best face forward! It was clear we were home.
We did not begin to really feel settled I would say until perhaps this past week. The month of January was spent getting unpacked, helping the boys settle in school and job hunting. Scott is still searching for the perfect job, while I have returned to Planned Parenthood. I am working closer to home, loving my new staff and once again working with patients. The routine of daily life is slowly settling over us…hence
near St. Remy
the town of my favorite Hollywood star we are really missing France!!
So what did we get out of all those months away? I think each of us has grown in so many ways. We all appreciate the slower more relaxed lifestyle of Europe. We can very easily shrug off what is not important. It is easier to say no to stuff that before we never would have considered. We are much more energy conscious. We turn off lights, stop the dryer as soon as the clothes are done and fold them right away, walk more often, and keep the heat lower. We think differently about spending money. We just do not buy things anymore with out thinking if we need them or not. We are able to live comfortably in a much smaller house with 1/3 less stuff. We do not miss any of the stuff we still have stored away nor can we tell you even what it is. We spend more time at home with each other than running around from activity to activity. We appreciate our time with family and friends so much more.
While we were away, Will started eating. He ate all over Europe, including mushrooms, cheese, salads, meats,
near St. Remy
Don't see this every day fruits and all sorts of other things. The minute he landed in California, he stopped eating. He no longer eats cheese, butter, meat or veggies of any kind. He is back to the picky child who eats very little of nothing and lives off air. It is unexplainable…except for the fact that food is fresher and generally tastes better without all the additives, hormones, anti-biotics and genetically modified ingredients. So perhaps he is on to something. Justin also while in Europe was independent, kept track of all our stuff, knew his way on every line of the Paris metro and had a new found worry about germs and cleanliness. Once home, he suddenly is back to relying on me for everything, whines when I go out without him, doesn’t seem to turn in all his school work, has no idea where any of his things are and has yet to wash his hands. Both boys fell right back into their old ways….how can that be!!!!! What was it all for!!!!!!
Both boys are in transitional years of school. Justin has started middle school. He is experiencing the growing pains of changing class, being responsible for his work, peer pressure,
keeping track of his schedule and doing things for himself. He is growing up. Traveling Europe was a prelude of all his future days. Will has started first grade. He is startled by being in school all day and completely offended by homework. I think he feels that if he protests long enough he will somehow get out of homework…sorry dude! I am happy to report that he is right on target academically and all those long weeks of home schooling have paid off.
While we were in France we made various lists of our best and worst…we did the same once home.
What do you miss the most from the US? We all agreed family and friends so after that moved on to the next thing we missed.
Scott: watching American football Cindy: a clothes dryer
Justin: huge showers with perfect water temperature Will: Safeway
What foods do you miss from the United States? Scott and Cindy both missed Mexican food. There was NONE in Europe that we were able to find. Otherwise, we loved the food in Europe. Not to mention I am eating less than ever here and gained 5 lbs
near St. Remy
more Roman ruins since coming home that will not go away no matter what I do. This is not fair!
Justin: cheeseburgers and milk shakes Will: pop tarts
What was your favorite site you visited in Europe? Scott: Doge’s Palace in Venice Cindy: Come on…the Eiffel Tower of course!
Justin and Will both agree the water park in Krakow takes the prize!!
Favorite Place we visited. Cindy: Paris…and Krakow Scott: Venice…was so cool!!
Justin: All of Italy. Italy rocks! Will: Switzerland…he loved those mountains.
Least Favorite This was unanimous….Slovakia! Somehow I wonder if we missed something there!
Favorite Foods of Europe Will and Justin both said the pastas of Italy win the prize. Scott also says Italy had the best food. Cindy: the Coq au vin dinner in Avignon takes the cake! Second was Pierre’s celery root! I can’t live without it!
Least Favorite Food while in Europe Justin: the anchovy he ate in Amsterdam Will: mommy’s lamb and celery root dinner…he never got to try Pierre’s.
Scott: pork bellies in Dartmoor Cindy: The gross hot Caesar salad in Budapest
What did we like least about the trip. Rognonas
Pierre and Ian Will and Justin: all the CHURCHES!!!!! With the exception of Sienna when they got to see St. Catherine’s head on display.
Cindy: the prices in London and all the rain at the beginning of the trip.
Scott: the long car rides and the moaning that went with it.
Biggest Surprise about Europe Justin: Not that many skateboarders Will: How great Italy was.
Scott: that the US is no longer ahead of everyone else technologically…we are actually behind!
Cindy: The low key nature of Christmas. People enjoy the season without over shopping, over decorating and freaking out!
What do we miss the most about Europe Will: Coco and the farm Justin: Bruno and the Mas
Cindy: all the fabulous French bread Scott: seeing new and interesting places
Surprises upon return about the USA Will: How fat Clover got. Yeah…our poor little dog was 18 pounds heavier (90 pounds) upon our return. We are happy to report her diet worked better than mine…she is down 16…2 pounds to go!
Scott: The disgrace and cost of health care in America. While reading about it is nothing compared to experiencing how expensive
Rognonas
saying good-bye to our good friends. insurance is and how out of control costs are not to mention how many American have no care or health insurance.
Justin: How little changed while we were gone.
Cindy: The cost of groceries. After months of watching the dollar sink and pining away for “how cheap” thing are in the US…was I stunned at the increase in food costs. Most grocery products are up 30% in seven short months. Milk is up over $1 a gallon….more than gasoline….bread over $1 a loaf to name a few. Most American probably do not notice as prices have risen gradually but coming back and seeing it all at once was shocking!
Best Part of Being Back Will: Seeing Clover Justin: Everyone Speaking English
Scott and Cindy: seeing family and friends.
Hardest Part of Being Back Will: getting up early. He was never up before 9:00 in France Justin: school work and getting good grades.
Cindy: losing 5lbs. Scott: re-adjusting to routine and looking for a job
Best part of the Experience Cindy: Meeting and getting to know our French family
Scott: getting out of the normal routine, meeting great people
San Francisco
Christmas Eve Justin: seeing all the cool Roman ruins and getting to really appreciate the Empire before the end of chapter test next week
Will: meeting all the dogs in every country, especially Coco!
We all agree it was the best experience of our lives. We got to spend time together (sometimes a little too much) and see the world. None of us have any regrets!!! We are only sorry it ended so soon. To do it over again….all I would change is to stay twice as long! We continue to have travel lust and are already planning to visit Africa in the not too distant future. We are one job short of our goal…though we know that we will not be that way for long!
We thank all our family that made such a great feat possible. Two 40 somethings with 2 kids, 2 houses, 2 cars and all the responsibility that come with it were able to pack up like 20 year old back packers and for that we are eternally grateful. We could not have done it without my parents Dan and Elaine, their spouses Pat and Mary, my aunt and uncle Diane and Bill, my
San Francisco
The Lunny sibs sister Debbie and her husband Shawn and my friend Becky. We love you all!! We appreciate everyone who followed our travels. Let’s hope with the passing of 2008, with new and much improved leadership Americans will get back out there and remind the world that we really are cool and want to be part of our global community!!!! Please VOTE for change and PRAY for peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Judi
non-member comment
We are glad you are home!
Your friends welcome you back with open arms and plenty of running opportunities to keep in shape!! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!!