The Day before Class Begins

I am learning more about detachment and attitude choice than I ever could have anticipated. I am close to tears as I begin to write this entry. Some joyous tears…some sad…some just release from holding myself so tight trying to keep it all together. I am being challenged to be stronger and more attuned to the goodness of strangers, myself…and life in general. Imagine that.

The second leg of my flight to Paris was on Air India. What a beautiful experience. The flight attendants were so colorfully adorned in saris, sandals, bare bellies showing, and red dots. The food was great, and each seat was equipped with little screens showing Indian programming. I didn’t sleep a wink. The first day of 3, actually, that I would go without sleep. Go ahead…try and predict how well I coped with the events to follow……

I arrived at Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris…alone….easily slipped through customs (amazing, with how shifty I look) and was excited to get my bags and take on Paris. Yep…..get my bags. Hey….where are my bags? They should be RIGHT HERE. Nope….not here….or here….or there. It was a great opportunity to recognize the grace and helpfulness of the French when an American speaks little French, beyond basic greeting. I’ve become a proficient mime. They know exactly what I mean when I do that little Trapped in a Box gig.

I could have cried…but I didn’t….I could have gotten mad, or afraid…but I didn’t. Okay…only a little afraid. I decided it was the Universe’s way of helping me get all of those heavy bags holding all of my clothes and art supplies to my hotel.

Two days later, the morning I was to leave Paris for our village…my bags were found and returned to me. It was a beautiful reunion.

Paris is unlike any other place I’ve experienced. I love it. I’m gonna marry it. Oh….and I LOVE speaking French….or English with a French accent most of the time actually……they don’t really know what I’m saying…but I feel very cool.

We ran around Paris like fools with no sleep…because we were. We tried on wedding dresses in a Couture Wedding shop (Rita did the trying on) and saw some of the most beautiful and unique dresses ever. Took a tour of the city at night, bought Eau de Toilette at a very fancy shop, ate gelato cones that they scooped to look like flowers, drank great coffee, and shopped at Senelier….a famous Paris art store, where I got my artist’s pallet. Did I mention I broke out in a rash from my really expensive Eau de Toilette? Somebody back home is going to get a very nice gift—a barely used bottle of Mure et Musc. The nights never seem to end in Paris. People are still dining, drinking, smoking and laughing into the wee hours of the morning. We also went into Notre Dame, which is indescribable.

Romance is everywhere…lovers embracing and kissing, sharing their hearts and passion on the sidewalk, in the streets, on benches and bridges. Love, beauty and laughter, at a pace that allows for smelling the roses. What a lovely way to be. I am learning much from the French.

We took the train from Paris to Angers day before yesterday…then a cab to Argenton-Chateau—the village that is our home for the next month. It is lovely, and small…about 1,000 population. Access to Internet is very limited, so my Blog entries and emails will be sporadic at best.

Our house about a 5 minute walk from class. It’s a new house, so it does not have the ambience I had conjured up in my head, (you know, the sash open, lace curtains blowing in the breeze, overlooking a valley of green and cobblestone…oh, and a cow) but in exchange….it is clean and beautiful, sparse and simple. It’s perfect. The vistas here are breathtaking, and after I am done writing today…I plan on roaming the town and taking pictures.

The old bartender at the town café is already making fun of me when I slaughter the words for the different kinds of coffee. I must make this goofy face and do something funny with my shoulders…because he mocks me, and gets quite a kick out of himself at my expense. So, last night I got out my Rick Steves’ French Dictionary before bed. We’ll see who’s laughing today!

I’m off now to the little grocery store, “Shopi” to get a few staples. I’ll write again soon.

Au revoir!

written by  Lifeisjuicy on July 21, 2007 from Argenton-Chateau, France
from the travel blog: My Excellent French Adventure!
tagged Paris and Argenton
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