Techno Parade in Paris

Last weekend was the Techno Parade in Paris. Which consisted of large trucks with people dancing on top and different dj's playing techno music so loud you couldn't hear much else. The streets were crowded with people drinking and dancing, as they followed along behind their favorite dj/truck. It was unlike anything I've ever seen and I have to admit I really loved it. There were old women in their apartments who cheered and danced in their window as the parade passed by. Parents with children attached to hello kitty balloons dancing on the sidelines. It was nothing too crazy, just a lot of people out having a good time. 

A quick getaway..

Today the weather was beautiful so I took a break from life and caught the train to Saint Germain en-laye for an afternoon getaway. I walked to the chateau and laid in the garden behind the castle and enjoyed some alone time.

I wrote the following in my journal:

Journal Entry: 17 septembre 2010
As I lay on the grass, I feel the sunshine warm my body and the breeze blows gently through the leaves. It's singing along with the church bell as it announces 12 o'clock. The soft murmur of people passing by is heard but not understood. I came here to escape, with the excuse of studying French. Yet, as I glance through my workbook I want nothing more but to use it as a pillow and enjoy the moment. The quiet, calm moment. There are no children screaming, no fights to break-up, just a serene feeling laying under the clouds above. It's been a rough week. My patience has been tested time and time again. I've been living for the weekend, knowing somehow I'd survive. Just eight more hours until my night is finally mine.

The Side-Effects of a Good Book

I truly love when you become so engaged in a book that suddenly you realize it's 1:00 a.m. and you have to remind yourself that the book will still be there when you wake up. That was me last night. In fact, I only had a chapter left but decided I didn't want to go and spoil it by reading it all. So I saved the last of it as a treat for when I woke up.

The book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

It was given to me by my darling Jason, last winter when he was leaving Paris. Like most things, I never got around to reading it until now.
It's not an action or even a romance novel. Just a story about real life based on the author's childhood experience of growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early 1900's, given the fictional character of Francie Nolan. It's heart wrenching and heart warming all at the same time. Every time I put it down, I was left contemplating my own life and comparing myself to little Miss Francie Nolan. I appreciate her compassion, determination, selflessness and innocence. As any good book (or movie), you're left thinking about it for days after you've finished it and that's what is so lovely. You take a piece of it with you.
It's amazing to become so wrapped up in another's words that you forget about your own reality and become absorbed into theirs. It truly takes a talented writer to pull off such a trick and I'm always grateful when I discover such. I find myself being motivated by it and thinking, "I want to write such a book!" Then all the ideas swirl around my head and never seem to make it to paper. I guess that's the problem with being a dreamer, but hopefully someday I'll have my own stories and adventures to share in book form. Someday... Until then, this blog will have to do.

The differences of life

Since living in France, I've been grateful to take part in such a different lifestyle. I find myself constantly comparing things to America and enjoy knowing that there isn't just one way to do things. 

Recently the thing I've thought about most is the difference in the school systems. I'm not necessarily talking about the education system, even though I feel that theirs is better than ours. But moreso the transportation of getting to school. Since growing up and having a mother who's a school bus driver, I've never thought anything about it. It's quite common in America for kids to walk to their bus stops alone and get on the bus to go to school. So I was quite shocked on the first day of school when I walked Anna to school and saw ALL the parents walking their children to school. At first, I admit that I thought that everyone lives close enough to school that the kids could walk alone. But I'm learning that the French are very protective of their children and its rare to see a child without an adult nearby. Now I appreciate seeing all the parents walking their kids because I feel that they understand and value the importance of families. Their schedule seems to revolve around the children and not the other way around. They walk the kids to school and are back waiting at the end of the day to pick them up. I realize that not every family is this way, but in general it seems they are much more active in their childrens lives and I love it. It's definitely something that I hope to adopt and practice when I have a family of my own. Although, after taking care of these children I have my moments of wondering whether or not I really want to have children! :-)

Finally getting used to things..

It took nearly a week to get over the jetlag and the first few days were a bit rough but all is well now. My family is fantastic and I don't think I could've asked to be with a better family. The kids are a lot of fun and full of energy, which I wish they could share with me! My mornings start with walking one of the girls to school at 8:10 (all the kids go to different schools) then I'm free until 16h when I go pick her up from school. (Except for Wednesdays, when the French schools are closed and I have the girls all day.) In the evenings I help with English homework, baths and playing games. They all speak English very well, except for little Valerian who's about to turn 2. The only English he speaks is "car" and "train" but he's a cutie. Then the weekends are free, except for the occasional babysitting. So far things are going really well and I'm looking forward to starting classes next month so I can be improving on my French. I've forgotten so much and need to try watching tv or listening to the radio because my listening skills are awful.