Old and New (cont)

So Sundays. As you all know from previous entries, I sometimes go to Paris meetings (actually only two so far) and to the French congragation. Going to the Paris meetings means catching the train and the metro and usually takes over an hour. But I don't mind, I love riding the train. I study, read, listen to music, look at Varsailles and Paris neighborhoods as I pass them by. Everyone once and a while, I feel a bit homesick or am sad about something, then I look at the scenery on the train ride and am cheered up. Going to the French meeting is about a twenty minute drive. I haven't mentioned this yet, but when I ride with the family I am in the back of the mini-van. Mini-vans are a bit different over here. There is a removable third row that you access through climbing into the boot. So it is kindof comical as I haul myself into the boot of the van in high heels and a skirt. I am constantly humbled! After meetings I either go to Paris or, if I know I am going on Monday I study, clean, and relax.
Sevice has been a bit of an issue for me. Which I hate becuase I love the ministry. I am in the process of remedying it. I've been out with Helen in French service, which I have written about. And while in England I had a lovely time in service and was so happy to get to talk to people. In French service, once again, I feel a bit like a child. I basically ring the bells :) My friend, Carly in the Paris English hall has given me the number of a pioneer sister, so I am calling her to make arrangements to do some work in the foreign language field. I am also making arrangements with a couple of young sisters in my French congregation. Helen says my French will improve light years if I go out in service with bros and sis who do not speak English at all. Honestly, I feel completely exhausted by the prospect. But I must, so I am. I definitely feel a bit in limbo land and am looking forward to finding "my place" in Jehovah's organization over here.
So thats all for now. Sorry if my last couple entries have been a bit dry. I am just living life-so sometimes things aren't really that interesting. This is just what I am dealing with now. And I want all of my dear friends to know that Jehovan and the ministry are still the most important things to me. I once had a good friend tell me that you don't just make the truth your own once, you do it over and over again as your life changes. So that is what I am doing now. I turned my life upside down, but I am making sure Jehovah stays on top!

Old and New

So things are starting to settle down a bit. I now have a vague idea of life over here and a schedule. Having a schedule is a novelty for me as for the last ten years my life has been absolute chaos; and I am really soaking it up. I usually sleep until 8am and I LOVE IT!!! I have a normal sleeping pattern and I swear I cannot go back!
On Mondays I go to French class from 9am till 1030am, then study till noon or one. Occasionally I go to Paris after, but typically I stay home and study for meetings and do my family worship. Tuesdays I come over to the Dubarry's and make breakfast for Charlie and I, Alistar and Cesca are off to school. Sometimes Marc and Helen are home, but typically they head off to work/school around 1030. At 1130 I pick up Cesca and Alistar from school, and make dejuener while they play. Then Cesca goes back to school and the play and drive have sufficiently tired Alistar and Charlie out enough for a nap. To be really honest, Tuesdays are my favorite day becuase there are less people around and I usually do laundry, read and reply to emails and study for school. Wednesdays are my worst day (although compared to my previous life they are a thousand times better then my best day at work). There is no school on Wednesdays so the kids are home all day and Marc works from home on Wednesdays. This makes a deadly combination, as the kids have to be kept busy and sometimes very quiet becuase Marc has a conference call or something. Then just when I am about to reach my limit, Helen comes home and we all rush to get ready for meeting. Needless to say, it is difficult to concentrate at meetings that night. Thursdays I go to school in the morning then watch the kids in the afternoon. Friday morning I watch Charlie for two hours then have lunch and go to school. Now we get to the best days. Saturday I sleep in or read or watch a movie in bed and drink tea (yes, tea/coffee in the afternoons now). Lazily get up and head to Paris; where I wander. I finally bought a guide book to give a bit more structure to my wandering. I am also planning on buying a book on Parisian architecture and art history to make my wandering more meaningful. Probably a book on the history of Paris too.
This is where the old comes in. I really, truly love French food and am excited about discovering new and interesting and favorite cafes, restaruants and brasseries. BUT my guitly pleasure is finding a Starbucks, there are plenty, buying a double tall soy latte, curling up in a cozy chair and reading. Yesterday I found my favorite Starbucks. Its just off the rue de Rivoli across from the Palais Royale and the entrance to the Louvre. It has planty of cozy chairs and an upstairs seating area, where I can look outside the windows and stair at Napolean's former home to remind myself where I am when I start to feel too comfortable. They play the same music, from Beth Orton to Louis Armstrong, the drinks, decorations and clientele are all the same as home. Well, they all speak French. I know its an awful indulgence, I should be in a true Parisian cafe, reading a French book. I am just not comfortable in a cafe yet. First of all, there are no milk alternatives, thats just ludicrous to the French. And they kind of hover over you if you take a table, so its not the laissez-faire situations Starbucks provides. I have been introduced to the Centre Pompidue which is a contemporary art Museum that has a cafe overlooking the main entrance. I do plan on spending some time there. Its great for people watching and has a bibleotheque full of books on art. But Starbucks is so incredibly familiar to me and it is a wonder for staving off any homesickness that might pop up.
Ok, this has gone on long enough. I will have to talk about Sundays and service on the next entry. Until next time!

London Calling

The British Museum, Victoria and Albert, and ect did not let down. My time in London was brilliant. In fact in kindled a deep love for museums; I would love to spend at least a week in each as I feel I barely scratched the surface. One thing that really struck me in London was the brilliance behind the subway system design. The stations seem to be designed as ugly as possible and then thouroughly trashed. Then you walk out of the bowels of the city and turn your head and see something like Big Ben or the London Eye and it takes your breath away.

I am definitely planning on returning and hope to see much more. I basically only saw one floor of the British Museum. And what a floor! I saw Cleopatra, the Nabonidus Chronicle and a bust of Titus. Along with descriptions and artifacts from Ur, Assyria, Philistine, Isreal and on and on. And I have an awful confession to make. I had about three hours to spend in the Victoria and Albert Museum and when I walked in and surveyed the map; trying to decide where to start; I saw there was a fashion exhibit. I didn't mean to spend the whole time there; time literally just slipped away! But I saw garments from the seventeenth century until present and a whole section on the future of fashion and it was so incredible. But I definitely have to go back to see the rest!

The architecture of the buildings like Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliment are beyond anything I could imagine! So much detail!

I stayed with a really nice family and my friend Jess hosted a party on Friday where I met so many nice brothers and sisters. Then on Saturday, we went to a ball at a castle! A real honest to goodness castle. Everyone dressed formorally (thanks to Jess's sister, Hannah I had a beautiful ensemble) and dined and danced. The castle was Leeds Castle with a moat, turrets and everything a castle should have. The whole week was amazing and refreshing and an awesome amount of fun!