Chilling at Café Jehanne d'Arc.
Saturday, November 13, 2004
La Nostalgie de la Hilltop.
Le 13 novembre 2004.
As many people know, my final semester at Cornell was a difficult one for me. Returning from my amazing semester in Toulouse, I came to understand how much I had, almost unwittingly, changed. My intentions for my time abroad had been to improve my language skills and immerse myself in a new culture. My almost disgust for one of my fellow traveler’s intent to find herself was a difficult pill to swallow as I began to realize that I was following a similar course. When I returned to Cornell, with new thoughts and ideas and beliefs, I found that while I had changed it seemed to me that the Hilltop had not. The pain I associated with that inequilibrium of being in a familiar yet unfamiliar place made my time back at Cornell tortureous.
But tonight, as we sat at the gay bar, recommended by Bobby, I realized that it seemed I had spent the majority of the last four years in an extremely open and welcoming environment. Through conversations with other of the group, I felt as if I had truly experienced a unique setting at the Hilltop. In addition, I’ve noticed myself lamenting not reading more of the classics, either self- or class-motivated, yet I’ve rationalized that if I had read the classics, I mightn’t have had the opportunity to read and discuss some of the less mainstream literature to which I found myself exposed. Instead, I read literature less well known and often quite edgy. The rest of my life gives me time to read the classics bit by bit. Tonight I realized that I was quite lucky to have had the experiences I did at the Hilltop. Without having had them, I would not be the person I am today.
So as I fall asleep tonight, adieu.
As many people know, my final semester at Cornell was a difficult one for me. Returning from my amazing semester in Toulouse, I came to understand how much I had, almost unwittingly, changed. My intentions for my time abroad had been to improve my language skills and immerse myself in a new culture. My almost disgust for one of my fellow traveler’s intent to find herself was a difficult pill to swallow as I began to realize that I was following a similar course. When I returned to Cornell, with new thoughts and ideas and beliefs, I found that while I had changed it seemed to me that the Hilltop had not. The pain I associated with that inequilibrium of being in a familiar yet unfamiliar place made my time back at Cornell tortureous.
But tonight, as we sat at the gay bar, recommended by Bobby, I realized that it seemed I had spent the majority of the last four years in an extremely open and welcoming environment. Through conversations with other of the group, I felt as if I had truly experienced a unique setting at the Hilltop. In addition, I’ve noticed myself lamenting not reading more of the classics, either self- or class-motivated, yet I’ve rationalized that if I had read the classics, I mightn’t have had the opportunity to read and discuss some of the less mainstream literature to which I found myself exposed. Instead, I read literature less well known and often quite edgy. The rest of my life gives me time to read the classics bit by bit. Tonight I realized that I was quite lucky to have had the experiences I did at the Hilltop. Without having had them, I would not be the person I am today.
So as I fall asleep tonight, adieu.
Perspective on my Birthday.
Le 12 novembre 2004.
Well, today is my birthday. And for those of you who remember my bizarre birthday of last year, this year was by far better. Actually, today as a birthday definitely topped my last four birthdays, so I’m pretty happy with it overall. I didn’t have work today, so I got to sleep in, the maintenance guy came back and fixed my lights and my sink (I am no longer living in my little, wet, dark cave.. J), lunch with Dyna at Paul, and a couple of hours in the computer lab. I finally caught up on my email, downloaded music, chatted with Kayla, figured out the problems I had had with an application for next year, figured out which printer I got to use in the lab, and got a great start on the Thanksgiving worksheets I’m typing up for my classes, oh and got an invitation to another Thanksgiving dinner! I love Thanksgiving abroad even if it makes me miss my family. Speaking of family, I received the best birthday present ever from my parents; it had a beautiful card, some Halloween candy, and a buckeye from Monty for good luck, and best of all, a pack of Little Debbie cakes (my favorite ones! Zebra cakes.) with a note singing me happy birthday, and a candle taped to it. I really can’t imagine a more meaningful birthday present. My mum’s the greatest, as she made sure it would arrive on my birthday!
So I am truly happy with the turn-out of my birthday this year. Even if I didn’t get to go to Copenhagen and Amsterdam or even to the Loire Valley and Brittany, it turned out marvelously. It’s been nice to just hang out with everyone this week again. Somehow I keep ending up thinking on the subject of how we are all here working and how bizarre this might be to others. Kim wrote one of her mass emails again, and I’ve realized that she seems to be going through the same emotions too. I forget her specific words on the matter, but her comments on the multinational sense you come to experience while living abroad. It is my age too, as it’s my birthday, I feel that makes me consider this so much. To live abroad, working in such a situation, learning the real world in another language, I feel that all of this is an opportunity that would slip away if it had not be grabbed at. It’s the essence of living on such a minimal income, to travel, and experience at the same time that I’m going through the great questioning in my life. I hadn’t realized when I was graduating from high school that I would go through the same experience in four years. But I suppose at eighteen I was too excited to more to the next stage, and I feel now as if I didn’t truly understand what I was heading into; yet this time, after university, I feel as if I’m more lost, but yet rather more prepared for this feeling of being lost. All together, being in France is probably better for me than grad school at the moment, and I feel rather content that I realized that before I considered applying for grad school, and it’s best for be because I really need to improve my writing before grad school! But also, because being here in this situation seems to give me a sense of perspective from which to view my life and its possible directions; the opportunity to step forward and backwards at the same moment.
On that note, in a hope to not become more confusing than I currently am, I’ll end my note by wishing all the important people who happen to share my birthday a glorious one (namely Uncle Paul and Louise Plaid) and don’t forget to make your pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Also, good luck to all those running in the glorious Living History Farms Off-Road Race, I’m there in spirit! K-O and Ciao!
Well, today is my birthday. And for those of you who remember my bizarre birthday of last year, this year was by far better. Actually, today as a birthday definitely topped my last four birthdays, so I’m pretty happy with it overall. I didn’t have work today, so I got to sleep in, the maintenance guy came back and fixed my lights and my sink (I am no longer living in my little, wet, dark cave.. J), lunch with Dyna at Paul, and a couple of hours in the computer lab. I finally caught up on my email, downloaded music, chatted with Kayla, figured out the problems I had had with an application for next year, figured out which printer I got to use in the lab, and got a great start on the Thanksgiving worksheets I’m typing up for my classes, oh and got an invitation to another Thanksgiving dinner! I love Thanksgiving abroad even if it makes me miss my family. Speaking of family, I received the best birthday present ever from my parents; it had a beautiful card, some Halloween candy, and a buckeye from Monty for good luck, and best of all, a pack of Little Debbie cakes (my favorite ones! Zebra cakes.) with a note singing me happy birthday, and a candle taped to it. I really can’t imagine a more meaningful birthday present. My mum’s the greatest, as she made sure it would arrive on my birthday!
So I am truly happy with the turn-out of my birthday this year. Even if I didn’t get to go to Copenhagen and Amsterdam or even to the Loire Valley and Brittany, it turned out marvelously. It’s been nice to just hang out with everyone this week again. Somehow I keep ending up thinking on the subject of how we are all here working and how bizarre this might be to others. Kim wrote one of her mass emails again, and I’ve realized that she seems to be going through the same emotions too. I forget her specific words on the matter, but her comments on the multinational sense you come to experience while living abroad. It is my age too, as it’s my birthday, I feel that makes me consider this so much. To live abroad, working in such a situation, learning the real world in another language, I feel that all of this is an opportunity that would slip away if it had not be grabbed at. It’s the essence of living on such a minimal income, to travel, and experience at the same time that I’m going through the great questioning in my life. I hadn’t realized when I was graduating from high school that I would go through the same experience in four years. But I suppose at eighteen I was too excited to more to the next stage, and I feel now as if I didn’t truly understand what I was heading into; yet this time, after university, I feel as if I’m more lost, but yet rather more prepared for this feeling of being lost. All together, being in France is probably better for me than grad school at the moment, and I feel rather content that I realized that before I considered applying for grad school, and it’s best for be because I really need to improve my writing before grad school! But also, because being here in this situation seems to give me a sense of perspective from which to view my life and its possible directions; the opportunity to step forward and backwards at the same moment.
On that note, in a hope to not become more confusing than I currently am, I’ll end my note by wishing all the important people who happen to share my birthday a glorious one (namely Uncle Paul and Louise Plaid) and don’t forget to make your pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Also, good luck to all those running in the glorious Living History Farms Off-Road Race, I’m there in spirit! K-O and Ciao!
Defying the Odds.
Le 10 novembre 2004.
Life manages to defy all the odds at various times. Nothing much has really happened, but the other day I realized how different it is that I work in France from what most people seem to do after college. But I feel that if there are seventeen hundred assistants from the US alone, not including all the other Anglophones from the UK and Australia and New Zealand, plus all the Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and other assistants from around the world, that this program can’t be all that exceptional. In addition to all the other programs that exist for newly graduated college students to work abroad, it really can’t be that amazing that I’m here in France for the year working. But becoming the inadvertent interpreters for two backpackers from Seattle and seeing their surprise that there were some of us living and working in Metz just made me re-evaluate the fact of my being here. (This paragraph’s craziness can be explained all by the fact that Greg just “gave” me a half-empty bottle of rosé wine… C’est la France!) À plus!
Le 11 novembre 2004.
I’ve found fellow Alias-nites here in Metz. Louise is an avid watcher, though they are just showing the third season in Europe this year. Victoria has only become a watcher due to circumstance; she needed something to watch one night and borrowed my DVDs for season three. It’s simply because I only own season three that she couldn’t start the show at the beginning. Maybe someone will get one and two for Christmas, or maybe I’ll get software to watch zone 2 DVDs on my computer, and then Louise owns both of the first two seasons. But I predict an Alias marathon sometime after the Noel holidays. It makes me extremely happy to have fellow Alias fans to feel frustrated with to have to wait for season four. But mostly that I have managed to “convince” another of the wonder that is Alias. Victoria and I have managed already to have several in depth conversations on the ins and outs of various episodes. As fascinating as all this is to us, it might seem rather ridiculous to others, but I suppose when you have only twelve hours of work a week (sometimes less due to holidays) you have time to discuss otherwise trivial conversations. As reassurance though, the majority of our conversations generally involve moderately intelligent conversation.
Life manages to defy all the odds at various times. Nothing much has really happened, but the other day I realized how different it is that I work in France from what most people seem to do after college. But I feel that if there are seventeen hundred assistants from the US alone, not including all the other Anglophones from the UK and Australia and New Zealand, plus all the Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and other assistants from around the world, that this program can’t be all that exceptional. In addition to all the other programs that exist for newly graduated college students to work abroad, it really can’t be that amazing that I’m here in France for the year working. But becoming the inadvertent interpreters for two backpackers from Seattle and seeing their surprise that there were some of us living and working in Metz just made me re-evaluate the fact of my being here. (This paragraph’s craziness can be explained all by the fact that Greg just “gave” me a half-empty bottle of rosé wine… C’est la France!) À plus!
Le 11 novembre 2004.
I’ve found fellow Alias-nites here in Metz. Louise is an avid watcher, though they are just showing the third season in Europe this year. Victoria has only become a watcher due to circumstance; she needed something to watch one night and borrowed my DVDs for season three. It’s simply because I only own season three that she couldn’t start the show at the beginning. Maybe someone will get one and two for Christmas, or maybe I’ll get software to watch zone 2 DVDs on my computer, and then Louise owns both of the first two seasons. But I predict an Alias marathon sometime after the Noel holidays. It makes me extremely happy to have fellow Alias fans to feel frustrated with to have to wait for season four. But mostly that I have managed to “convince” another of the wonder that is Alias. Victoria and I have managed already to have several in depth conversations on the ins and outs of various episodes. As fascinating as all this is to us, it might seem rather ridiculous to others, but I suppose when you have only twelve hours of work a week (sometimes less due to holidays) you have time to discuss otherwise trivial conversations. As reassurance though, the majority of our conversations generally involve moderately intelligent conversation.
Scrambled Egg Baguettes.
Le 7 novembre 2004.
This weekend was quite the experience. Minus the numerous small details, it really started with the marvelous scrambled egg baguettes we made in my room on Friday evening. These particular variety of baguettes might be better left to a more equipped kitchen (read: a true kitchen, not my dorm room replica). The sandwichs were quite tasty and extremely filling, especially my calcium booster that came in the form of a bit of smashed shell! Crunchy! It was in the course of the clean-up that we realized my drain was unfortunately clogged. As it was Friday night, I am speculating that it will be Tuesday before it’s fixed; chiefly, as even if someone looks at it Monday, it will be Tuesday before they do any work on it. Especially as it now seems to leaking. C’est la vie en la France! (I actually have French people giving me that as an explanation to situation over which no one appears to have any control.) But otherwise life is wonderful!
Amelia and Liz came in on Friday night after the sink debacle. It was splendid to see them! We just hung out with everyone at the Jehanne d’Arc, learned how to make some type of special drink using mainly beer, and watching our patron dancing with Dyna. Saturday was quite the full day. The girls and I spent the day in Luxembourg, and I actually remembered my camera! It wasn’t as brilliantly autumn as the day Kristen and I visited, but it had its misty charm, and was still delightful! It was just glorious to get out and spend the day walking. In the evening on our return to Metz, we met everyone at Victoria’s for a dinner party that was overall quite delightful and entertaining. It included plenty of opportunity for me to play with my new camera. The quesadillas made by Jen, Melissa, and Victoria were absolutely delicious; as was the glaze for the dessert cake, just an amazing meal! It’s totally fabou to have a kitchen!
Sunday was just as great in a quiet way. Amelia, Liz, and I hung out for a bit more, walked around seeing the sights of Metz and eating lunch before they caught their train back to Paris. It was only too bad that the covered market was closed and that we couldn’t have had lunch at Pat’s soup bar. After their train left, I met up with Melissa and Victoria to drive to Gorze for a short hike to see the Chapelle St. Clement, that manly knight who ran off the Graouilly of Metz and thereby converting Metz to a Christian city. What a saint! We didn’t get to see the church or the monastery that’s suppose to be in the area, but we sure did drive through the Forest of the Graouilly. At least we didn’t hit him!
All together it’s been a delightful weekend, with knowing that everyone is moving up to Trinitaire, my friends visiting, and good hiking. If only I had remembered to phone my brother on his birthday, but at least I remembered to mail his card… though that will be late too. So Happy Birthday big brother! I’ll call soon, or in a week. Even if our trip to Copenhagen hasn’t worked out for various reasons, it seems as if our traveling this week should still be great! I’ll have to remember my camera.
So, good night!
This weekend was quite the experience. Minus the numerous small details, it really started with the marvelous scrambled egg baguettes we made in my room on Friday evening. These particular variety of baguettes might be better left to a more equipped kitchen (read: a true kitchen, not my dorm room replica). The sandwichs were quite tasty and extremely filling, especially my calcium booster that came in the form of a bit of smashed shell! Crunchy! It was in the course of the clean-up that we realized my drain was unfortunately clogged. As it was Friday night, I am speculating that it will be Tuesday before it’s fixed; chiefly, as even if someone looks at it Monday, it will be Tuesday before they do any work on it. Especially as it now seems to leaking. C’est la vie en la France! (I actually have French people giving me that as an explanation to situation over which no one appears to have any control.) But otherwise life is wonderful!
Amelia and Liz came in on Friday night after the sink debacle. It was splendid to see them! We just hung out with everyone at the Jehanne d’Arc, learned how to make some type of special drink using mainly beer, and watching our patron dancing with Dyna. Saturday was quite the full day. The girls and I spent the day in Luxembourg, and I actually remembered my camera! It wasn’t as brilliantly autumn as the day Kristen and I visited, but it had its misty charm, and was still delightful! It was just glorious to get out and spend the day walking. In the evening on our return to Metz, we met everyone at Victoria’s for a dinner party that was overall quite delightful and entertaining. It included plenty of opportunity for me to play with my new camera. The quesadillas made by Jen, Melissa, and Victoria were absolutely delicious; as was the glaze for the dessert cake, just an amazing meal! It’s totally fabou to have a kitchen!
Sunday was just as great in a quiet way. Amelia, Liz, and I hung out for a bit more, walked around seeing the sights of Metz and eating lunch before they caught their train back to Paris. It was only too bad that the covered market was closed and that we couldn’t have had lunch at Pat’s soup bar. After their train left, I met up with Melissa and Victoria to drive to Gorze for a short hike to see the Chapelle St. Clement, that manly knight who ran off the Graouilly of Metz and thereby converting Metz to a Christian city. What a saint! We didn’t get to see the church or the monastery that’s suppose to be in the area, but we sure did drive through the Forest of the Graouilly. At least we didn’t hit him!
All together it’s been a delightful weekend, with knowing that everyone is moving up to Trinitaire, my friends visiting, and good hiking. If only I had remembered to phone my brother on his birthday, but at least I remembered to mail his card… though that will be late too. So Happy Birthday big brother! I’ll call soon, or in a week. Even if our trip to Copenhagen hasn’t worked out for various reasons, it seems as if our traveling this week should still be great! I’ll have to remember my camera.
So, good night!
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Election Morning and Air-Raid Sirens.
More so than usual, last night was an experience; working between three sets of cultural rules usually proves this observation true. As a smaller group than planned, we went to one of the four Irish pubs in town to watch the elections. It was a test in time differences, including between the various time zones within the States. We ended up being kicked out at about 2am, partly I’m sure because we only both the minimum number of drinks to stay in the bar. But it ended up being not too much of an inconvenience, as we had only one of the French stations to watch, and French commentary on the campaigns. It was nice to have their viewpoint, but we only got input from the States on occasion. I have to admit that time might have just been a factor of the time difference, as 2am was only 7pm in the Midwest; hence there was still loads of time left for people to be voting. So while disappointing, I still did my best to reach anything on my radio, unsuccessful as it was, and SMSing a friend in Paris and calling my brother in the South of the US. Both of them managed to keep me relatively informed, until I went to sleep at about 6am. And so that was my election “morning.” The weirdness of the day continued when at noon today, as the bells began to go through their usual extensive tolling, the air raid sirens went off as well. Not only was it extremely unexpected, it was incredibly eerie to hear the mélange of church bells and sirens in a bizarre symphony.
And so it continues, the unexpected insanity that makes my life so crazy… all the little things that make life so much fun.
And so it continues, the unexpected insanity that makes my life so crazy… all the little things that make life so much fun.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Elections, Hair Dryers, and Radios.
Salut! Well things have just been as typically uneventful as usual, but craziness still manages to abound. I finally visited the great store of Cora, France's version of wal-mart but way better somehow. France also created the supermarket concept... I forget which store exactly but they definitely had the grocery store and general store thing going before good ol' Sam Walton decided to create his mini-paradise. Tons of fun at Cora, as I now have a hair dryer and a radio (yay!). I can listen to the news now and not feel so completely out of the loop of current events. And speaking of, yay- Ben is in India and has a cool blog at http://vanmeterinc.blogspot.com/. Check it out! Otherwise, it's been great to listen to the France go on about the American elections and talking to various Americans, and also French people who live in the States.
As for my other current events, Kristen came to visit for a few days and we had fun exploring Metz, chatting, and exploring Luxembourg (that took one day!). Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and hence have no pictures for you to see of the beautiful fall foliage in the Vallée de la Pétresse. But as it's only a 45 minute train trip, I will totally be going back to visit! And not surprisely, I didn't have time to see everything, so I will still have things to explore when I go back! I was going to try and spend a day in Sarrebruck (Saarbrucken) this weekend, but I think I'm going to wait for some weekend or free Tuesday or Wednesday. Amelia and Liz are coming to visit this weekend, so that will be fun to have more people around!
And finally, election day plans! This whole 6 and 7 hour time difference thing has proven to be a bit of an obstacle, but we have made plans to hang out in one of the Irish pubs (there's like four or five in Metz)... Danny has graciously agreed to let us stay there even after he closes, until the end of the elections or at least until he decides he's too tired and kicks us out. Yay! We have some place to watch the elections! That's our major victory for the week... now if we could just get the CAF to come through soon! I have to pay my rent!
Well that's about it on the Metz scene. The rainlooks like it might be letting up... but we'll see! Apologies for nothing truly insightful yet on my blog, but my best to everyone! Ciao!
As for my other current events, Kristen came to visit for a few days and we had fun exploring Metz, chatting, and exploring Luxembourg (that took one day!). Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and hence have no pictures for you to see of the beautiful fall foliage in the Vallée de la Pétresse. But as it's only a 45 minute train trip, I will totally be going back to visit! And not surprisely, I didn't have time to see everything, so I will still have things to explore when I go back! I was going to try and spend a day in Sarrebruck (Saarbrucken) this weekend, but I think I'm going to wait for some weekend or free Tuesday or Wednesday. Amelia and Liz are coming to visit this weekend, so that will be fun to have more people around!
And finally, election day plans! This whole 6 and 7 hour time difference thing has proven to be a bit of an obstacle, but we have made plans to hang out in one of the Irish pubs (there's like four or five in Metz)... Danny has graciously agreed to let us stay there even after he closes, until the end of the elections or at least until he decides he's too tired and kicks us out. Yay! We have some place to watch the elections! That's our major victory for the week... now if we could just get the CAF to come through soon! I have to pay my rent!
Well that's about it on the Metz scene. The rainlooks like it might be letting up... but we'll see! Apologies for nothing truly insightful yet on my blog, but my best to everyone! Ciao!
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