Le Voyage

Carrots

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 23:58:22 -0500

The Apartment doesn’t have central heat, so you can only imagine the initial reaction a city girl could have. Only a portable heater the size of a medium or even small Home Depot storage box.

A few emails later, “Mom-Dad, I need winter socks.”

Sort of dreading the shock of the winter chill when stepping out of the glass door of my apartment but then forgetting when you see the Belledones. Taking a right down towards the front main house, digging in your heels first so that you don’t slip. Also, sort of dreading watching 4 kids but then forgetting when you see their faces light up when opening the double glass doors with the wind chimes above to ring your arrival. A gust of heat to warm your bones and Anne-Sophie with a list of duties for me to make for dinner.

Carrots. I need carrots.

All the carrots in the cave are gone so I need to fetch them from the garden. This, this was the best.

Again, dress the boys in their coats and boots. And I, in my oversized borrowed mens ski coat. I grab the basket and we’re off to the garden. The air is thick and the ground soaked. Ducking under the makeshift electric fence we arrive at the two rows of unharvested carrots with their green leaves screaming to be pulled.

Remembering

Mon, 07 May 2012 01:42:00 -0400

As I’m preparing a meal for the evening, Anne-Sophie walks through the glass door of their home announcing she is going to fetch some vegetables from the garden. Usually I cook the meal while the kids are playing outside without worry something is going to happen while my eyes are focused on food. Cosme follows his mom out the door as he scrambles his little fingers to zip his zipper to his yellow rain coat he knows he has to wear if it’s cold or wet. Also, the yellow rain coat which aides in telling the boys apart. Cosme is always yellow or blue, light colors, and Robin is always red, no exception, or dark colors. Robin, unaware of the activity happening downstairs is playing alone upstairs on his carpet etched with little routes for his cars to drive down. The door has closed leaving me in the kitchen while the white noise of French radio plays in the background and a few car noises coming from upstairs. Robin notices the quiet and slowly takes the stairs down to see why there isn’t activity happening below him. He then realizes his other half has left without warning and begins to cry, also realizing Cosme is with mom, which is unfair in their book.

Me, taking my attention off cleaning and dicing veggies for soup, kneels down to Robin in a somewhat annoyed tone tells him to quit crying, “Tu peux chercher maman et Cosme, c’est pas un problem ma pouce, arrete de pleurer. Toute suite.” I zip him up in his red raincoat and he’s off. I watch him from the glass door as he rounds the house the wrong way in search of his mom and his brother, still crying. I put on my boots and coat to go find Robin to lead him the right direction. With a hard heart I walk up to him with frustration telling him again to stop crying, it’s okay. I point my finger at him and tell him to stop crying and that I will help him find his mom. And then I was brought to my knees by a request for a hug. Dirty tears are falling down his face as he runs to my side and pulls me down. Melting this hard heart.

Galop! Galop!

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:16:43 -0500

Yesterday, I was in a bit of a crabby mood. The last thing I wanted to do was take four kids to an organic food show (think the state fair, art’s and crafts, or car shows; lots of people) and wake up at 7am and return home after midnight. But I did just that. And of course, the time went by fast and for the most part it was bearable.

Fast-forward to 9pm when all of the food stands are closing and the owners are covering their goods with linens so a late night passerby won’t snag any of their organic goodies. I have Cosme on my shoulders and we’re galloping through the aisles because their fatigue has begun to make them delirious, they needed some entertainment. I was delirious as well. But as I’m galloping through these aisles I think to myself how wonderful it is I get to experience that moment however silly it may sound. I’m in a gigantic industrial building with four kids, one on my shoulders, galloping without a care who is watching.

Not too long ago I was asked, “So I’m assuming you like kids since you’ve been nannying all these years?” Well, yes, of course but in all honestly, over the years of nannying I’m not looking forward to having my own for awhile after I’m married. But I can’t help but daydream of what it would be like to have kids of my own one day and not care how silly I look when trying to entertain their imaginations. I can only imagine what Cosme was thinking atop my shoulders in those aisles.

I wasn’t aware either that while we were galloping they were setting up a stage for a Celtic band to play. A & AS fetch us to find a place to sit and eat before the music begins and we eat bread, cheese, Hemp beer, wine, pizza, and more cheese. We all sort of regain our consciousness from the long day and have energy to partake in the dancing. Didn’t see that coming. First I need you to imagine an organic food show. What kind of people do you think would come to such a food show? Well bohemians of course! Bohemians, hippies, gypsies you name it! Baggy clothes, dread locks, and lots of patchouli. So as the music starts, the kids are always the ones to start the dancing, Alice et Romane pull me into their circle of Lord of the Dance and we’re off. And then come the adults who do the same. So we’re in this huge industrial building surrounded by Celtic music. As we’re dancing I’m thinking about how I wish movies like Lord of the Rings were real. Dancing with all those people I didn’t know made me imagine what it was like when Celtic music originated and people took part in the dancing ritual in celebration of something. Not they had to celebrate anything, I’m sure half the time they didn’t celebrate something. But they partook in something together. I felt a part of a group of people I didn’t even know. May sound cheesy but it was a memorable moment for me.

Anne-Sophie

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:53:08 -0500

Thinking has almost become an anomaly on the farm. I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time by myself.

Anne-Sophie recently noticed my change in spirit and quickly took me in even more under her wing. I’m still in awe of this woman. I most certainly have a crush and hope to be half as strong as she is when I arrive at her age, but hopefully not arriving with four children. I guess you could consider this post a dedication to Anne-Sophie.

I’ve not only learned an incredible amount of vocabulary words in the categories of farm life, food, child slang, and medicine but I’ve learned how to:

-Walk in the pitch black of night without a flashlight (didn’t really learn this from AS) BUT when friends come over they ask how the hell do I walk from my apartment to the bathroom without light. Some nights it’s irrelevant to carry a flashlight because the moon is so bright and others I just trust my feet.

-How to obtain a European debit card, health insurance, securité social, more health insurance and paperwork jargon that get’s ridiculously pointless…paperwork, paperwork. If anything I’ve learned that with any sort of health involving, school, activity, etc there will be paperwork and a lot of it.

The following directly pertain to AS:

- How to interact/communicate with four non-English speaking children while cooking and cleaning AND making sure everyone is happy.

-How to drive a GIGANTIC van down a teeny-tiny one way road in all types of weather with oncoming traffic.

-How to cook a number of things in a number of ways: soups, crepes, apple sauce, yoart, cheese, bread, tartes, etc. I could keep going. Basically she taught me how to cook without a recipe book. Woman loves to cook.

Anne-Sophie has definitely been a light in my life here, even though she may not know it. She will know it before my time is up here. She has kept me pretty sane and will not let me be alone for more than I have to be. Which, at this point, has literally kept me sane. She told me yesterday I need to take the car out more, basically to get out of the house.

I’m really unsure how she has managed the past 11 years without a nanny of some sort with four children. She has ambition, passion, and confidence. Even with four kids and her passions she manages to give her time to the kids and do what she loves. Granted, no one is perfect, and she forgets A LOT but doesn’t look back on mistakes just learns from them. I’ll stop there.

But if I could just import all of my friends and family here the French life would be the life. I’ll just have to bring it back with me.

I'll tell me what I already know.

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:44:18 -0500

Warning: vent post.

Il arrive. That one little thing that was going to break my spirit. Paperwork. A specific type of paperwork that I’ve had to deal with the past five months of being in France. Health Insurance.

Now, if you know me well, you would know that I absolutely despise paperwork. Yeah, I know I need to get over it considering that the rest of my life will consist of some type of paperwork. But at least it won’t consist of French paperwork (at least, I hope not.) So, Health Insurance here is a bit different, among other things. But I’m not talking about other things. I had just got back from the doctor (for the 5th time) for having some serious stomach problems lately. Let me remind you, I’m in France so I have to explain, describe, communicate all my needs in French. Alors, doc says he just thinks my stomach produces too much acid and prescribed me some acid reflux meds and some antibiotics just incase it’s a bacteria. I’m still not convinced it’s that since I wake up around 3-4am almost every night with immense pain in my abdomen. So, I’m back from the doc, talking to AS and Arnaud about how to get reimbursed for my doc appt and meds when Arnaud asks me if I have a certain “Mutuelle” which is an addition to the Health Insurance I already have. I’ve already known about this so called “Mutuelle” but when speaking with the health insurance people they insist that I don’t need it. So I let it drop, gladly.

But. It wasn’t just the Mutuelle, it was a bunch of other thoughts/stresses that have been going on. Yes, I’m being vague. Regardless, I was already stressing and that one little question about my “Mutuelle” just plucked a heart string I wasn’t prepared for yet. I looked at AS and just started blubbering all over the place. I was saying “sorry” in French and English. Apologizing for the abrupt outburst and not knowing how to explain my feelings, I took a deep breath after 10 minutes of ridiculousness and stopped.

All this to say, that little moment had been waiting for me for awhile. Felt good but also I was incredibly embarrassed.

Things here have been going well. Haven’t updated in awhile. Truly updated that is. Christmas/New Years was a trip. Literally. But had a wonderful time in Belgium and Paris traveling with a familiar face and seeing more familiar faces along the way. Visited the catacombs in Paris. Probably one of the most intriguing things I’ve seen/done in a long time. There is so much history in Europe.

Life on the farm couldn’t be better. I’ve slowly come to realize what I want to pursue next and in my future. I’ve had an incredible amount of time to myself while here. There aren’t any Woofer’s currently and won’t be for awhile. I’ve never “lived” alone. I guess I don’t truly live alone but the separation of my apartment from the family’s house, I think, is big enough for me to say I live alone. I’ve been day dreaming a lot of what it’s going to be like when I come back home. Job, living, friends, etc. It’s going to be different that’s for sure.

Time here goes by so fast, even though I have all the time in the world, it just flies by. 5 months, almost 6. I’m glad it’s gone by fast, but not in the sense that it makes my stay here less and less. Just that it isn’t dragging. All the things I’ve thought about and gone through here, I think I would rather the time go by fast than painfully slow. I feel like the past three years have gone by painfully slow and it’s picking up and it’s refreshing.

Going to London in a few weeks to visit some good friends and then Italy with Kirstine in April. Oh! And some good friends are coming to visit at the end of February. Possibly a road trip to Barcelona with that crew, we’ll see.

Au revoir pour maintenant. A tout suite.

Une histoire

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:09:45 -0500

Elle a dit que quand tu ferme une longue histoire qu’il faut un certain temps ouvrir une autre.

An Update of Sorts

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:06:00 -0500

Every time I type in, “tumblr.com” into my URL I have the full intention of writing on my blog, but there is so much eye candy/inspiration/crafts on the blogs I follow I get sidetracked or the post that I actually write gets deleted (for the second time). I have an awesome habit of starting something and not finishing too.

Here’s to Thanksgiving Day. As you probably already know, France doesn’t celebrate this American holiday of giving thanks to those you love and care about. But this year I am bringing it to France as best I can. I’m cooking a huge Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. Oddly, when asking for a Turkey to cook, I was given an odd look as to why I would eat a Turkey and also obtaining a Turkey is difficult. So we ordered one from a local farm who “grow’s” them…so I’ll have a freshly killed Turkey Friday morning…freshly plucked, I hope as well. Never cooked a Turkey either so I’m hoping for the best and I don’t ruin the first Thanksgiving meal the Cosson family has ever had.

What’s been going on here, you ask? Well, the past three weeks the parents of Arnaud AND Anne-Sophie have been here. First week was reserved for Arnaud’s parents and the last two were for Anne-Sophie’s. I wasn’t able to spend much time with Arnaud’s family because I returned from Paris right as they were leaving and Anne-Sohpie’s were arriving. The house that (I’m just going to reference Arnaud & Anne-Sophie as A & AS from now on) A & AS live in isn’t huge but just right for 6 people to live, but adding two more and me coming in and out can get real up close and personal. It was a lot of fun to get to know AS’s parents, Joseph and Anne-Marie. They were the most lively French grandparents I’ve ever met. They do A LOT of traveling together and in their 60’s go hiking a lot. Not to mention Anne-Marie showed me their beach trip pictures and she was sporting a bikini! Best looking grandma in a bikini award goes to Anne-Marie. Anyway, the grandmother showed me a ton of new things in the kitchen like how to make mashed potatoes correctly, her famous apple tart, squash soup, and compote…which is apple sauce. I perfected them all. I’m pretty proud. And I have a lot more to learn from AS.

So since I got sidetracked when I began this post, I’ll surely finish it now. So Sunday, Thanksgiving has past and I successfully cut off a Turkey head, brined and cooked it, made sweet potato casserole, steamed rosemary carrots and potatoes and dressed the table in Thanksgiving decorations. Needless to say I felt extremely accomplished. AND everything turned out delicious.

This week has been incredibly busy with the kids. AS has a food show in Grenoble this weekend so she has been prepping that and Arnaud is working as usual. This is the last week that I have with Jessica. She leaves next week to go back home to Canada. It will be my first time to be here ‘alone’ in the apartment. When first arriving here all I wanted to be was alone in the apartment but not I’m sort of dreading it. But I think it will be good to have some time to myself. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Jessica. I’m looking forward to meeting the next WWOOFer and hoping that they are just as good as the past 3 I’ve met.

I have three more French classes left until next semester. Still deciding on whether or not I should sign up for next semester. It’s kind of not worth it this time around, not to mention incredibly expensive. It’s too easy and I wish I had more classes during the week. I’ll be looking into other options soonly.

Bought my train tickets to Belgium this week to visit Kendra’s sister and brother-in-law, Jenna and Joseph for Christmas. Really looking forward to spending my Christmas with them. Not to mention, I’ll have a travel partner, Alexander to accompany me all throughout the holidays. Really looking forward to that! A little taste of home. Merry Christmas to meeee! We leave on the 23rd of December to head to Belgium and then to Paris for New Years to stay with Candice again.

Welp, until next time. Okeeeey, byeeez.

Belledonne

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:06:24 -0400

I’ve been reluctant to write lately but have thought quite a bit about actually writing about my time here. (And also when you start to write a lot and then it’s suddenly deleted doesn’t make me want to write any more than I have). Rant.

Anyway, last weekend we hiked up the Grand Colon which is in the Belledonne Mountains (where I live). So it was about a 10 minute drive to the starting point and a 3 hour hike to the top. It was an incredibly difficult hike the second half but well worth the work. Jessica (the new WWOOFer) and I plan to go back and stay the night. There is a cabin halfway up the hike that allows campers/hikers to stay the evening if they want. It looks really cozy and would be a good way to meet people and relax. Probably won’t make it to the top again in the coming months because of the snow and my lack of experience. Also, my knees hate the climb down.

So, Marc and Britt left on Monday and now it is just Jessica and I in the apartment. Which I’m really enjoying but also missing the evenings when we all made dinner and made jokes. But four people was just too much in this small space.

Things here are going really well. I’m getting to know Anne-Sophie better and the kids better. Arnaud is at work everyday and doesn’t come home until I’m already done working. But next week he is taking off and I’m sure I’ll come to know him better soon. Both the parents of Arnaud and Anne-Sophie are coming to visit in the coming weeks and I look forward to meeting them. This house is always busy with people coming in and out. I love that the Cosson’s love people so much. Always hosting and welcoming.

I’m leaving for Paris Sunday to visit my friend Candice for a few days. Really looking forward to being in the city and getting out on my own a bit. Haven’t had the opportunity to do that much yet. Really looking forward to sharing space with someone I know well too.

I will post another (hopefully more intriguing) post later.

the descent.

Comfort Me

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:35:00 -0400

It’s been 22 days now. And it’s just now feeling like things are falling into place. I finally feel like the loneliness is slipping away and letting me breath and enjoy my surroundings. I’ve had to somewhat put a boundary up of how much time I spend on my computer (sort of contradicting this boundary as I type, on my computer.) But my computer was the only thing keeping me connected to familiarity. The internet…oh, how it can suck all the time out of your day but also benefit you.

Anyway, my schedule with the kids is getting easier and more consistent. My Monday-Thursday’s consists of running with Kirstin at 10:30am everyday before we pick the kids up from school at 11:30am. For me, I only pick the boys up then, take them home for lunch, and then down for a nap at 1:30pm. Which leaves me almost 4 hours of time to myself or cleaning up the house. Depends on the day and how dirty the house is. The mom works on the farm in her labo (laboratory) making ice-cream so while she is at the house and the boys sleep, I go pick the girls up at 4:30pm. We come back, I wake the boys, we have a snack, girls do their homework, boys play, then everyone plays! And it’s usually always outside unless the weather says otherwise. Also depending on the day, I’ll sometimes make dinner for everyone. So while the kids play I’m in the kitchen, the girls will put on some jazz (jazz and classical music seem to be the top choice in this family.) It’s been Billy Holiday, Ray Charles, Mozart, and Philip Glass lately. Pretty impressed the girls even know that music. The family doesn’t have a t.v. so all the kids know are crafts, playing with legos, dollhouses, dress-up, or roaming around the farm catching rabbits and playing with the ducks. Or for the boys it’s riding their mini cars down the hill over and over and over again.

My French is progressively getting better. My immediate reactions aren’t that great of course but the kids actually understand what I’m saying so that’s a big plus. My main sayings are: ‘Don’t hit!’ ‘Get down!’ ‘Go to the bathroom, please.’ (the boys are potty training) That’s a whole other story. ‘What do you want/need’ ‘What’s going on?’ simple, need to know phrases is all I’m saying right now. I can carry a simple conversation with the girls but they talk so fast around me, usually all I say is ‘doucement, s’il te plait’ (please slow down).

I’m on the search for a church in Grenoble. A few friends have put me in contact with some people here who are involved in a few churches here. So I’m really looking forward to finding one soon.

I have a holiday in a few weeks at the end of October and I will be visiting my sweet friend Candice in Paris for a few days. Really reaaaaally looking forward to that.
Trying to recruit as many people as possible to come visit me while I’m here. So applications are open. My gerrrrd gerrrrrd friend, is coming to visit me in December and I can. not. wait for that. I just want to show/share everything to everyone. Going to Belgium for Christmas to spend it with my bestfriends sister, who is just as much my sister as my friend, and her husband and new sweet baby Olive. And then to Paris for New Years! I can’t wait to see Paris in the winter.

Over and out.

Photo

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:44:03 -0400

I Speak Because I Can

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:02:25 -0400

So I want to reiterate something or really make something more clear.

The last post seemed as though I was alone in the sense of having no one around. When really there are a lot of people around me all the time. I’m not alone in the sense of having no one physically around.

When I say I am alone, I mean that, no one I know is around. I mean truly know. Someone who knows me for me. Who understands me. That is what I mean when I’m alone. And again, technically, I am not alone in that sense either because of the Lord. BUT I think we can all say as humans we yearn for that being. That warm body who you connect with so well.

I had a few friends before I left truly concerned for my well being upon me leaving. Because of the fact that they do know me so well and some of the circumstances that have taken place in the past few months. But I think trust is important in a relationship not just with that person, but a trust for your life, that your friend can’t control your decisions or life path. They need a trust that you are taken care of by the One who knows all things. A trust that just because, they (my friends), are not here right now physically, that I will preserver through this time and trust that I am not alone.

Although I think the topic of community has to come up. Yeah, I don’t have a community yet. But I feel one growing. I have met many people so far and it’s becoming increasingly easier and less ‘lonely’.

The WWOOFer’s have been wonderful. They’re both around my age and we have a lot of fun making dinner for each other and chatting late into the night. Most of our meals consist of vegetables and couscous because it’s cheap. That and bread. We go out to pick the potatoes, raspberries, green beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, radishes, lettuce, etc. It’s really satisfying to know the food you’re eating is the food you’re helping take care of and grow. Continually having conversation allows us to get to know each other more and feel less lonely. I think they feel it too. But they won’t be here much longer because their stay will be up soon. And onto the next WWOOFer, I think the next is also from Canada. He may come in late November. Our farm isn’t the normal farm because usually farmers who use the WWOOFing system don’t need help in the winter months because production is low because it gets so cold here. But since Anne-Sophie makes ice-cream means that the cows still produce milk and she still makes ice-cream. She has her own laboratory here packed full of ice-cream making machines and ingredients. She has such a passion for what she does. When you speak with Anne-Sophie she has this sweet charm about her, she winks at you about every 5 seconds and it just gives you the warm fuzzies.

Not only have the WWOOFer’s been great but the family I live with have been so sweet and accommodating, making sure I have everything I need. I was able to get to IKEA to grab some things for my room to make it a bit more comforting and homey. New duvet, a little succulent, a new lamp, and a few organizational things.

Another person I’ve spending a lot of time with is, Kirstin. She lives in the same village as me and right down the road. She is able to drive her car more than I am so she will pick me up and we have made treks into the city together a few times. She is from Denmark and speaks Danish, English, and really good French. So we are able to practice French together. She likes to make fun of me when I sing in her car or don’t know all of the songs that come on the radio.

It is starting to get cold here in the mountains. We had the first snow on the tops of the mountains this week. No snow here, though. It probably won’t until December and if it does it won’t stay. It’s a gloomy day here, a perfect day for a Sunday. Just sitting here catching up on emails and writing away. I’m going to go read in bed and maybe take a nap.

Prayers

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:19:22 -0400

I would just love some prayers.

I sort of had these expectations that upon my arrival it would be somewhat easy to remember all the French I learned over the past 4 years, but when taking a year off you’d be surprised how much you lose. I know it’s a bit naive to think this way but I had high hopes. I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. It is a little frustrating and upsetting when you want to communicate with someone so badly about anything and everything but then realizing you can’t because of the language barrier.

I’ve felt extremely alone here because there is nothing familiar or comfortable about this place. It is a truly beautiful place and of course there are so many great things about France. I don’t want to leave but I would love a good hour conversation (or hug) from someone I know.

This season is so exciting though because to think of how my French will be in 3 months is exciting. I just have to persevere with the Lord by my side.

So with that said, from that, please pray for what you think necessary because I can’t seem to be specific with prayer requests.

Jeudi

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:25:23 -0400

I’m currently sitting in my apartment while the boys are sleeping. I haven’t really been able to comprehend what I’m feeling because I’m extremely overwhelmed. Today is a little better. I’m intimidated by all of the French speaking because I’m so so rusty. But I know it will pass with time and I’ll slowly become better.

I truly do love everything about this place. Everything is so rustic and farm like. I mean I do live on a farm soooo, yeah. But there are a lot of things that come with a farm that aren’t necessarily appealing too…like bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. And the smell of farm animals. Really those are the only two things that I could live without but I can live with.

One of the best things so far is that the kids can just roam around anywhere and I feel completely comfortable with that. Also the parents encourage their independence. They all really look out for one another. Cosme and Robin are the twin boys and they enjoy each other’s company a lot and so do the girls Alice and Roman. So far it’s been incredibly easy with them minus the speaking French part. But like I said, that will come with time. I can’t expect myself to be fluent immediately, although I sort of do. The children are very sweet and listen very well.

As I’ve nannied over the years the hardest part in the beginning is understanding what the parents want of the nanny. For instance, how to discipline, how to communicate correctly in crisis, rules, curfews, homework, etc. So not only am I trying to learn all of these things with this family I’m also having to communicate in another language. So I’ve been incredibly quiet since being here. Just listening and making sure I understand everything correctly. Needless to say I have a lot to learn other than French.

Tomorrow I have my first day of class. Not sure what to expect. But after class is over I’ll have the day to explore Grenoble. I do wish I had someone to share the day with but perhaps I’ll meet someone in my class to explore with. But exploring alone is always fun too.

Catch up: The first day I arrived in Lyon, Arnaud (the dad) picked me up from the airport. On our way from Lyon we picked up a WWOOFer named Marc (from Quebec) who also lives in my apartment along with a girl named Britt from Belgium. They sleep in the lofts and I have my own room. There is a loft above my bedroom and a loft across from me. The apartment is fairly large. Also Marc speaks perfect English so he has been helping a lot with translating if I don’t know a word or phrase.

I successfully drove the car to and from the school today. Good thing I know how to drive a standard. I’m driving a huge van through the mountains. It’s a little scary, I’m not going to lie.

After tomorrow I’ll know a little more of what my schedule will be like in the weeks to come. I do know that Sunday-Wednesday I will be alone with the children. I’m really nervous about that.

That’s all for now. À bientôt!

WWOOF

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:13:00 -0400

So today I talked with the Cosson family (my Au Pair family) for almost 2 hours in Franglish. We discussed lots of topics. My schedule with l’enfants/children, my classes, free time, health insurance and WWOOFers.

Here is what a WWOOFer is: http://www.wwoof.org/

I didn’t realize at first what a WWOOFer was but Anne-Sophie explained it today. It sounds pretty amazing. I can’t describe how excited I am to not only meet the Cosson’s but meet many wwoofers throughout the year who will be helping on the farm who are from all over the world. Even the States.

I’m going to learn so much it’s not even funny.

As Much As I Ever Could

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:54:43 -0400

Today was my last day to work in the states. The last day to work for the families I’ve shared life with the past 4 years. This calls for a melancholic mood.

I’ve just been so sappy lately!! So many emotions all balled into one little body. Melancholic. Nostalgic. Elation. Wonder (not sure that’s an emotion, but it should be).

I can’t stop listening to City and Colour, Local Natives, Yelle, & Miniature Tigers. All of these bands will remind me of my pre-trip to Europe. Last year all I listened to while in France (if I ever listened to music) was Sarah Jaffe.

I really do imagine myself in my little nook of a room, reading and writing. Hiding out during the long cold winter while the kids are in school and I have free time. I imagine the winter months washing me clean and giving me fresh air. I imagine my thoughts being in French and my prayers as well. I imagine exploring. I imagine and fear how to communicate initially with the 3, 7, and 8 year olds who don’t speak English. I imagine becoming part of their family as I have become a part of the families I’ve worked for here in the states.

If you’re smart then you know where this picture is from....

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:49:51 -0400

If you’re smart then you know where this picture is from. Also, if you’re anything like me, this is sort of what I imagine my Au Pair life to be like…minus 3 kids and the guitar. Okay, I know my life will be nothing like the Sound of Music, a girl can dream right? It will, however, be in the Swiss Alps.

chez-moi

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:34:08 -0400

chez-moi

Official

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:59:34 -0400

It’s official. I leave September 26th for Grenoble France. I’m going to be an Au Pair for a year. For those of you who (don’t read my blog) know what an Au Pair is, it’s a nanny.

The family lives on a farm, runs it like a winery but makes ice cream instead. The dad is an engineer and the mom makes the ice cream. They have 4 children; 3 yr old twin boys and 7 & 8 yr old girls. I’ll be taking 10 hours of French classes the first semester and 10 the next.

I went to Houston this past week to apply for my visa in hopes it gets here in 10 days, like they said. The earliest appointment I could get was on the 7th. So, here’s to hoping!

I’m in the process of purging/selling a lot of my things and it feels real good. Everything is falling into place for my trip.

Everything for my trip has been falling into place but everything at home seems to be falling apart. Seems a bit dramatic but my mom being in the hospital, my computer being stolen, and my cousin possibly having cancer, it seems things have been a bit crazy. In the midst of all these things, I’ve learned a lot the past month. It’s been quite the month. A very memorable one. My mom being in the hospital has forced me to reconcile some things that have needed to be reconciled for awhile and it felt good to let go of them. My computer being stolen, well, it was inconvenient. But all of the memories, papers, personal things I had on it deemed meaningless. It was a bit freeing to lose what I thought was so close to me. My past, that is. It wasn’t as close as I thought. And my cousin, well we’re still waiting on results but just makes me realize how not in control I am. I’m making these things sounds so simple to process but it takes time like everything else in life.

I’ve talked about transitions the past year and man did I have a transition. I’m not worried, scared, anxious about any of the decisions I’ve made in the past month and a half and I think that pretty much affirms them.

So for the remaining two weeks that I’m here I will be figuring out all of the things that I will be taking with me to France. Consolidating is a bit harder than I thought, but I like having to figure out what clothes I can live on for a year. It’s going to be terribly cold in the winter so I’m mostly packing warm things and just plan on buying cooler garments when the time comes. And the last week I’m here I’ll be driving to Phoenix with my best friend Kendra, to drop off/and give my car to my brother for his 16th Birthday! I’m extremely excited about this. I haven’t seen my dad since he moved to Phoenix in January. Not to mention spending 17 hours in a car with the best girl on earth! I fly back on the 24th and leave a day and a half later for France. Hoping to have a going away party in the midst of all of this busyness.

I don’t even know how to conclude this, but I do know that I’m tired.

I just thought, too.

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:13:25 -0400

I just thought of why I don’t post. Because I am second guessing.

I am human.

I have good attributes and I have bad.

There is no time for second guessing.

I have so much to share and give.

No obligations.

Freedom to do what I want, to see, to feel, to explore.

I leave for Europe on the 26th of September, for a month. For now, I am visiting friends and seeing any possible opportunities that may arise while I’m there. An Au Pair job has been a serious consideration. Living with a family for a year on a farm in Grenoble would be a dream. Becoming fluent in the language I love, the language of love they say.

I have a lot of opportunity arising. But am unsure of which to choose, but I do know that whatever I choose is the right. I don’t have to know the outcome. So many pursuits and passions to follow and accomplish.

Realized

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:04:03 -0400

I just realized I need to start documenting my life.