The happy traveler(s)

Leave your home, your family, your job, your school, and your friends, and become a happy traveler!

When I was leaving to France, people told me that this trip was an opportunity to be whoever I want to be. And I guess I interpreted that to mean I could be somebody else for a year, and nobody would know I was pretending. But now I understand what they meant. It’s not that you get the opportunity to be something different, but you get to me exactly who you are - With no exterior influences. I don’t have to be more “manly” to fit into my job or more “responsible” around people I respect. I can just be!!

Steph and I work amazingly well traveling together. Because neither of us ever know what we are looking for, and we always find something amazing!

I saw my Aunt and Uncle this past weekend in Spain. What an incredible opportunity! They are on a 5 month voyage around the world, and they just happened to be in Spain last weekend.
Steph and I found tickets through Ryanair for 50 euro return!

( I would defiantly use Ryanair again even if we were herded like cattle, and the plane was 3 hours delayed… it was only 50 freaking euros!)

I am so inspired by my Aunt and Uncle, not only are they traveling around the world, they are also bringing their 3 sons with them so they can experience it together. The boys are just as excited as their parents. And it was so great to see what the boys were interested in.

We spent all of Saturday in the town of Girona, which is a small city in the Catalonia area. There is a beautiful cathedral there, possibly my favorite one so far. The ceiling is incredibly tall and it is decorated in many forms of Spanish art. There was a garden surrounded by tombs beside the cathedral that had a very peaceful but eerie ambiance. After that we drank some wine, then some more, and then decided to watch some local jazz band perform in the town center- it was awesome! Grandpa would be pleased.

The next day was a beach day. So Steph and I took the bus to the beach and we met our family there. The country side was beautiful, with the Pyrenees in the distance and the colorful and lush shrubbery… It was better than I could imagine! We ate paella and drank chardonnay on the beach, while beautiful Spanish men walk by and served us our drinks. I couldn’t stop smiling! Ah I love it here! Haha

The plane ride home was really interesting. Because of the strike in France (the 3rd one since I came here) Our flight was delayed for 3 hours. But the Pyrenees were incredible to fly over. Stunning black mountains… I’ve never seen anything like it. But when we flew into France it was super cloudy and the fog made it really difficult to land. Finally we made it back home to France, and I was so happy to see my host family again!

My next adventure is my birthday party this weekend! I think there will be around 20 or 30 people attending. So I have some work to do with my French. But I’m getting there, and I’m enjoying the process!

My plan for the future is to continue to do what makes me happy, to discover new things that can improve my life, to learn languages and to listen to my intuition, because so far that works really well!

one month in

This month has changed everything.



I don't know what I will do in the future.



I don't feel pressured to come up with some wonderful plan for success either. Right now... in this very short period of my life... I just want to live. When i come back there will be bills to pay and career plans to make. And I'm not really in a hurry to do that.



Why is everyone so concerned about the future, Its not like any of us can control it. So why do we pretend we can?



I guess the problem with planning for the future is that you make expectations. But I've learned this month that as soon as I stop making expectations - something really awesome seems to happen. And when I expect something really awesome to happen, it might still happen... but its so much better to be surprised.



For example. I went to Paris on Saturday, to see the city hall and was completly taken back by how grand it was. Steph and I had no real plans... so we had some indian food... then decided to go on a quest for maccaroons. We ran into a poster that read "Chopin" and decided we should take a short break from our quest.



This concert ended up being perhaps the best piano concert I've ever been to. The music was so good. Magical actually; To listen to Chopin, Brahms and Debussy in this beautiful little church in le Quartier Latin- With an audience of 15 or 20 people. The young guy was truly creating music, and the music was very much alive. I don't think i've ever felt so inspired after leaving a church.



So after that, steph and I continued our maccaroon quest. but to no avail. but instead we found a festival down by the river, serving free tastings of wine and armagnac and live samba (i think) music. We then decided to buy some wine, armagnac, cheese and baguette- and have ourselves a little picnic by the river.



Then after talking about love and life by the river, two guy passed by and said "bon soir" steph and i said "bon soir" and then they ended up joining our "picnic". They were new to the city as well, but were from France. Three girls that they new ended up joining us and we enjoyed the rest of the night with a group of very interesting people from Germany, France and Canada. It was awesome.



Oh and when we did finally find some maccaroons, they were dry and gross.



like eating chalk with some glue.

my day in Creteil

Before i begin this post, I want to remind you that I'm having a really great time here and France is beautiful and the people are wonderful.


The day began early this morning at 6:30 am when I heard the taxi horn honking outside my house. Apparently the taxi wanted to come half an hour earlier than it was booked... fine... sure I can get ready in 30 seconds.

Taxi ride was pretty good, the driver was pretty good looking... (strange I know - but its France). And the guy was asking me a bunch of questions which I just happened to understand, AND respond to! - A proud moment

Then everything went completely downhill. I got to the Immigration office and it wasn't open. I had to wait an hour, in the parking lot, without a jacket...

Then when I got inside the lady directed me in a very general direction and told me to wait. So I wait... 30 mins pass... nothing happens, finally a nurse calls Mademoiselle Gogal? and Some other girl gets up! ummmm non... C'est moi. I said.

Lucky me! Its time for my X-ray! And nobody speaks English! but they think they do. "You muzzt taake uff all of clothing and juste" .... "just what?" ... "yes. juste" mmmmm okay. So to be safe i decide just to take of my shirt and pants. when I came out she says "Non, not your pant - jet zee bra" ( o god this is fun )

After the nurse scanned me, she told me to go up stairs to the right, then she was used her left hand and pointed left and said "to the right". So i went left, and found a bunch of people in a waiting room. We watched a movie about immigrating to France. then I waited for 2 HOURS, and nothing happened. Finally I asked a lady in very broken French if I was in the right place, and she looked at my papers and started laughing.

She showed me were to go and I finished my medical exam- After a total of 3 1/2 hours.

O but that is not it! Then it was time for legal stuff. And of course i didnt have the necessary papers or a photo of myself. So the lady was nice and told me what bus to take in order to get to the shopping center to get my picture taken. Then i could come back at 2pm and complete the Visa process.

So i took the bus. and I couldn't figure out how to pay, because everything is digital So I just didn’t pay at all. It’s easy to be a rebel when you can’t understand anything. Got to the mall… and the photo booth is broken. So I finally find another one and it works

Then I got my Visa completed. And took the train home in time to pick up Anais from school


the end.

the friends i will invite to my birthday party!!

Because my birthday is just around the corner and I'm turning the big 2-0 ... my french family decided it would be a good idea to make a list of all the friends they should invite to my party:

-Steph

...

- that guy that gave me his number when he helped me get on the train to paris


-A bilingual dad i met at the park


- the lady who cut my hair today


- another guy who talked to me on the way home from paris


and thats about it...

should be a good time...

after a while we decided it would be a good idea for me to take the phone book and start calling random strangers... "ello! c'est moi; Adrianne, et c'est mon anniversaire!...etc"


.... "yes i know you have no idea who i am, and that neither of us can understand eachother... but you are invited to my party!!! PLEASE COME!!"


i guess you had to be there...


french people have a weird sense of humor.

First day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for Anais. It was really cute to see how excited she was to see her friends again. Her best friend is Lucie, and they are so sweet to each other. When they saw each other they went crazy – it was so cute!

And then after that I had the day to myself, So I went to Paris again, for the 3^rd time already. The train is really easy to take, and it doesn’t feel like an entire hour passes. I told Steph that I wanted to meet her under the Eiffel Tower, since it’s a pretty recognizable landmark.

We both wanted to go to our language schools and register… but it was not as easy as I thought. With the language barrier and the size of Paris it takes FOREVER to get anything done. But we both did it and I’m glad to get it over with.

I had to take a language test to see how well I knew French, but it was a written test… and I am a terrible at writing! I was just B.S. ing the entire thing, it was like high school all over again!! But I think I recovered a bit after my speaking test, I’m a bit better at that…

Steph and I went to a café, asked for un café and got completely ignored! It thought it was really upsetting, but I think Steph has already adjusted to the city so it didn’t seem to faze her as much.

After that I returned to Arpajon with great relief. It’s a really beautiful town and a nice change from Paris. I picked up Anais from school and we went to the park. The children were adorable and Anais was really nice to all of them. I taught her a few Canadian hand games like “give me a break – give me a break – break me off a piece of that kit kat bar” and she loves it! Its good because she usually doesn’t like to speak English, but she has no problem singing in English.

Then I made some supper and watched an old French film about spies, I was a pretty good day overall.