Peruvian wedding music

It was an interesting weekend to say the least.
I should first start off by saying that Marie Francoise left Wednesday night for Paris and she told us that she should be returning on Sunday or Monday. She left a lot of pre prepared food and her well wishes, merci for that.

So of course our first reaction was to run to the refrigerator and drink out of the milk carton. Our second was to throw a huge house party.
Sike on both parts. We’re responsible adults. While I doubt our germs would do anything to the unpasteurized, most of the time un-refrigerated milk, we ultimately decided that house parties are too messy, but apparently we weren’t the only ones with this idea.

One of Marie Francoise’s friends planned a wedding reception at the house Saturday night. We were told by MF that we could attend, eat good food, dance, catch garter belts etc. but this was not the case. Friday night when Anjuli and I came home from a cookie baking party at Chez Brigette we found the house full of people. It was excruciatingly obvious that there would be no peace in the house for the remainder of the next two days. And sadly, this was the truth. Friday night we couldn’t even make dinner in the kitchen because it was overrun by a Peruvian wedding party. They kept us up pretty late that night and woke us up early the next morning. Anjuli and I left without breakfast and came home for a nap only to be disturbed 20 minutes later by salsa music blasting from the kitchen stereo. We escaped for a few hours, but upon our return to the house a little after 1 a.m. we realized that the party was far from over. Needless to say there was really bad foreign music penetrating the paper thin walls until 3 a.m. when we were finally given a chance to rest.

This morning we woke up to a messy kitchen with tables scattered around the living room and dining room. I ate some left over, stale baguettes and returned to my room for hours of LOST season 2 (which I finished, someone please send season 3) Not long after the party returned for the clean up extravaganza, complete with screaming child. In order to sidestep an awkward, stuttered French(ish) conversation I made couscous in my bathroom sink.
It’s been a trying weekend. The next 8 or so will be traveling. I’m pretty excited.

living under a big french rock

yins are slacking. Someone please tell me what is going on at home.

Otherwise... je parlerai seulement en français et personne saura quoi je dis, je suis d'ac avec ça, et vous? qu'est-ce que vous pensez à propos ça? je peux dire n'importe quoi et vous essayeriez de le mettre dans un traducteur comme bablefish mais ils sont stupides et ne comprendraient rien quoi que je dirai parce que ce n'est pas bonne français, où à moin que ce n'est pas correct pour la plupart. je peux utiliser les mots préjoratif si je veux et vous ne sauriez pas. je me sens en peu librée à cause de ça. je dois faire un autre chose plus productif avec mon temps, comme écrire un roman, peintre un tableau, sauver le monde par consommer moins de l'electricité et arreter famine mondial.... je regarderai LOST.

OOOOH lala

Tonight was Bible study night with Carrie from ICCP. Like many gatherings start, the evening commenced with some light talking. This is where I heard the most magnifique histoire (story) of my life.

The other day Carrie was walking down the rue du 4 septembre (you may recognize this road name, it's where my mail goes, road of the CEA office.) She was on the phone, walking, and trying to write something down all at the same time when a guy walked past her. She just happened to look up as he was passing when she realized who it was.
who was it you ask?
none other than JOHNNY DEPP, the pirate himself. This is no joke mes amis, this is true life, Aix-en-Provence. Apparently he lives right outside the city and comes in town quite often for whatever reason.
Living in France for the sake of learning is officially over, that's right friends, operation johnny watch has now commenced and we won't stop until we find his lovely face.
Rules of the rue say to walk with a purpose keeping your eyes in front of you so as not to cross them with the eyes of others...those days are long gone, I will be searching every face for this thick rimmed glasses and heavenly facial hair.
Pictures to come.

The Lord works in mysterious ways

To preface I will start by saying, while I am in France I have been going (as often as I can) to a church called ICCP (international christian community of provence www.iccpaix.org) and I love it.
The first Bible study I went to I met a girl who did summer staff at Crooked Creek and we talked about Young Life for a long time and she quickly became one of my favorite people here.

Tonight at church we had a guest speaker from NC who it turns out gave his life to Christ at none other than Windy Gap.

No matter where I am, I am surrounded by home.

le diner

I'm like 99% sure I just ate a raw egg.

c'est tout.

just because I can

Today I received a package that included my new camera and some candy. Now here I sit in my room staring at the daunting canon powershot box like it's a bomb ready to explode. Afraid that it will self destruct before my eyes, I have yet to even turn it on.

Today my friends and I claimed as cafe as our own. It's near the old Book in Bar, down the street from Cezanne and Zola's collège (middle school.) We walked in and the air was thick with silence, as a french cafe should be. The tables were filled with cute old ladies playing chess and eating flaming crepes.

I just got the new Rivers Cuomo album, or should I say old(?) It's pretty awesome I think. I got it from BitTorrent because it was near 30euros at FNAC.

Tomorrow we're taking a day trip to Marseilles because we can.

I've started looking at classes for next semester. I already have an 8 a.m. class for ISC in line (EW) but it's necessary. I'm also taking STATS200 and I hate stats. It's going to be a dumb semester.

please enjoy these photos...

Sad news friends,
I lost my digital camera in the courtyard at school. It was tragic. The secretary was terribly mean about it when I asked if someone returned it. C'est la vie.

This past weekend CEA took a trip to Nice, Monaco, and Eze. I'm not going to lie (I'm not sure that phrase is communicated the same through computer screen as it is orally), but I wasn't really looking forward to it. I thought, great another trip somewhere, it will be nice. I was surprisingly surprised.

Saturday we started our adventure in Nice. Right now is the carnival de Nice (wikipedia that) and the theme is year of the rat. The city is so very cute and alive. The water is crystal clear turquoise beauty. We watched a parade for the carnival, explored a cemetery, and ate la glace (biensur)

the parade
la ville
la glace
"the wedding" picture
the frolicking

That night we left for Monaco which was amazing and I am determined to own a summer home there. Yes, I will be filthy rich, and no, my fortune won't come from my job with a non-profit organization of choice. I haven't figured that part out yet, but it will happen. We had dinner at a restaurant called Stars-N-Bar where anyone who is anyone has eaten this includes: Victoria Beckham, Mel C, Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Rene, and moi. We had a texmex buffet. I have come to discover that texmex in Europe is not texmex. Carrots do not belong in Texmex, nor do peas. There is no steamed white rice in texmex. Someone should school them on this subject, I'm tired of being let down but their cultural incompetence. After dinner we went dancing.

Monte Carlo Casino, where 007 was.

The next morning we walked around Monaco. We saw Princess Grace Kelly's tomb, the changing of the guard at the castle, the ocean, the yachts, and then we boarded the bus for Eze. Eze is a smnall city near the Worlds Perfume capital. They do perfume too, which is why we toured a perfume factory upon arrival. My nose was ready to kill me. I finally settled on a trial size bottle of something that apparently resembles "J'adore" by Dior, it was only 8,50. The city was nice, but we were all tired so it was nothing too amazing, although I'm sure it is if you're well rested.

Near the tomb of Grace

Lyndsey let me borrow her camera and I took this gem, it's near the palace.

the Princess's tomb

big money$$$

Until next time.