Lasting Impressions: France

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If you want to read in English skip down to the bottom of the blog. It’s not a translation, but I did break out of the French eventually.
Et oui, je suis rentrée encore une fois aux States. La première semaine il faut dire que j’étais très dépaysée, mais pas comme avant. Chaque fois que je pars de la France est un peu plus facile, probablement parce que je suis de plus en plus rassurée que je vais revenir. En plus, cette fois-ci je pense à mon voyage au Maroc en septembre et comment je vais vivre tout pres de la France (en comparison avec les States). J’ai promis a plusieurs personnes que dès que je peux prendre du congé de mon travail au Maroc que je vais rentrer prendre mes vacances en France.
Je veux remercier touts mes amis qui m’ont accueilli en France et qui ont fait des efforts de me trouver pendant mon tour super vite de Paris-Fréjus-Luberon-Cornas-St. Barthélémy. Je sais que ce n’est pas evident pendant l’été quand tout le monde travaille. Je veut remercier aussi ceux qui ont pris le temps de rester en contact avec moi malgré mes changements d’adresse et les mois (ou parfois les années) que je ne repondais pas aux emails et aux letters.
Bref, j’étais hyper-contente de pouvoir visiter la Frace un peu et voir les gens que je connaissais depuis 1999. Ca m’a fait du bien. J’avais besoin de rentrer pour me fortifier un peu avant de commencer une vie au Maroc. Je sais que le travail bénévole que je vais faire là-bas ne sera pas facile.
Je suis desolée que le reste du blog était en anglais, mais la plupart de mes lectures sont anglophones. Et surtout il y a mes parents. Ils ont adoré la France et veulent absolument apprendre plus de francais pour pouvoir discuter avec les gens sans ma traduction la prochaine fois. Ils se sont inscruits pour des cours de conversation en francais dans l’université de Boise. Mais, en attendant, je vais continuer en anglais.
I think I’ve written in already in one of my other blogs, but this really was a whirlwind tour of France. Sure, we only did Paris and part of the south east corner of the Hexagon, but it was just too quick for me. I had to leave before I even got to see all my friends I had planned to see.
I’m already planning my next retour. This happens every time I leave. On the plane when I should be sleeping I’m plotting how soon I can go back. One of the plots I’ve come up with so far is to take some vacation time from my Peace Corps job in Morocco and meet friends in the Pyrénées for Christmas. They go every year because that’s where Michèle and Jean-Pierre are from: most of the family is still there.
For now I’m back in Boise madly trying to pack up what I’ll need in Morocco and getting rid of all my junk that’s accumulated at my parents’ house. I’m house sitting and dog sitting and trying to sell my car. Very exciting stuff. Actually, after the Cambodia/Vietnam trip and this French whirlwind, a little down time feels good. I know that once I leave Boise September 9 it will be a non-stop tornado of new experiences and adventures. Besides teaching and hopefully having my own classroom, I’m really looking forward to learning Arabic and Berber. I’ve been trying to teach myself the Arabic alphabet, but knowing that I’ll have two years to work on it it’s hard to make myself sit down and study. Besides, it’s so nice out here and the Idaho rivers and mountains are calling me to get my fill before I go live in the dry Atlas mountains.
But this is supposed to be a Lasting Impressions entry.
Seeing my parents discover France was definitely a highlight. They marveled over the ancient buildings, miniature cars, exquisitely dressed women, hidden courtyards, war monuments, endless vineyards and decadent food just like I did when I first arrived.
The way were treated like family at the wedding and everybody was so happy to have Mom sing Amazing Grace in the cathedral warmed me like the sun never could. They said it was the most beautiful singing and Matthieu even said it made him cry.
Through the stress of traveling Dad was bubbling with excitement and wonder at the people he met, the places he discovered and the things he found. It was wonderful to see him like that.
The certain slope of the Ardèche hills.
The solid, historic stone buildings.
The little coffee cups with a chocolate on the saucer.
The welcoming, friendly people.
Actually, there are so many little things I could go on forever. Suffice to say, it was a wonderful trip and I had a great time.

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Photos

Luberon Vineyards
Is there anything more French?

Protestants in Provence
During this trip Dad talked a bit about our French Protestant ancestors and how interesting it was for him to see where they may have come from. This was on a Protestant church in Cabrieres d'Aigues.

Dad in the Isère River
Though France was a very foreign country for my parents, they looked quite at home up in the Alps and along the rivers.

Les polonais
Une petite blague: polonais est une variété d'abricots, mais ce panneau me parraissait vendre autre chose.

Comments

[Sandrine]

les polonais
Nous aussi, on a été très content de te revoir. Et moi aussi, la première fois que j'ai vu le panneau Polonais, j'ai cru la même chose que toi. "Tiens, ils vendent des Polonais !!"