Some France

I am having a wonderful time here, and I think that Geronimo is too, although he doesn't' like the snow. I didn't like it too much either until today. I went snow shoe-ing for the first time today, part of a sort of compromise with my friend who loves to ski. Last night was LOTS of fun, which usually makes for a rough morning. (Another story all together!) We went up the mountain from where I live, which is literally 10 or 15 minutes driving. We parked and rented racettes (snow shoes) and took off. It was so amazingly beautiful. It was so silent! When I looked up to see the trees, it reminded me of Yosemite or Muir Woods. I guess it's just me missing home. We got to the top, Le Turet, and realized that we were quite literally on the top of a mountain, and looking out at the Alps and Mont Blanc. The view from up there was so different than the view from home. Being up there made me realize, even if just a little bit, how immense and high up it is. The atmosphere fogs the view from the towns at the bottom, and on the top it was so much more clear. It was so amazing! I think I'll go back tomorrow, and take a lunch and eat up there. In the summer I am definitely going to hike up there, and if possible, camp up there.

The kids are doing well and responding more and more to me. They're usually very good, but sometimes, I understand why it's called the "terrible two's". The boys are learning English extremely easily since they're just learning to speak at all, and it's very good. Emily is doing well too, but she gets the sentence structure mixed up. Her dad has let her down by not speaking English to her or correcting her English. Almost every question she asks me I repeat correctly and ask her to repeat before I answer her. I think she gets frustrated that she doesn't say it right, but she's learning. Hopefully next weekend my friends and I will go to Chamonix in the Alps! One of my good friends from CA will be passing through on his way from Italy to Ireland so I am looking forward to seeing my friend and going to the Alps.

As much as I love being here, learning French, I miss home. And as much as I enjoy spending time with my new friends here, I miss my friends from home. I've never been homesick before, but I think that after 3 months of living in France, I'm just beginning to get a little homesick. I couldn't find baking soda at the grocery store, so I went to ask, and of course, didn't know the name for it in French. I went home, asked the kid's mom, she looked for it in the store too, didn't find it. I went to a different grocery store and finally found it hidden behind a post. (At that same grocery store I was walking around with a stupid grin on my face because they were playing YMCA by Men at Work, and THEN the chicken dance song... in FRENCH! I didn't know such a thing existed.) So 3 weeks later, I got the baking soda that I needed for the cookies. It's hard for me to find anything here. And I miss being able to communicate with people and know where to go to find something that's hard to find, and I miss knowing where things are. Mostly, I miss my mom's breakfast taco's. The kid's dad was frying potatoes today and he cracked a couple of eggs over the and I looked at him and said "Oh! That's how my mom makes her tacos." And just walked away. I was so sad! As much as I miss home, I don't get too down about it. It's not like it will do me any good to be depressed. So I eat lots of awesome baguettes, pain chocolat, good cheese, and awesome French wine! Ha! And no I'm not fat now, I just like to think about the things that are good, that I can't get in the US. So this update is getting too long. Hopefully you are all doing well and enjoying life on the other side of the pond.

I'm moving to France!

I am writing to update you on the status of my life! I am here in DC after a long, very fun road trip from San Francisco. We stopped in the Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, NM, Carlsbad Caverns, San Antonio, Memphis, Nashville, and then made it to DC by election day. Luis was lucky enough to find a wonderful apartment very quickly and just half a block from the metro. DC is wonderful and I'm so happy I was able to spend some time here before I leave. Geronimo and I are flying out Saturday afternoon to Geneva! We will be in a town called Gex (pronounciation anybody?) in France. I'll be taking care of a 6 year old girl and 2 year old twin boys. I'm looking forward to spending time in France and learning French! I'll be taking French classes twice a week while the kids are in school. The parents are very nice and also very open and up-front about things, which is nice and very important if you are going to live where you work. They live on a hill in the Alps and go skiing a lot, so hopefully I won't hurt myself considering I've only been skiing once. I'm really happy about going, although it will be sad to leave. I still miss San Francisco, but I know I can go back whenever I want, and the same is true for anywhere.