The Most Fabulous of Weekends: Weekend 9

Friday: I woke up really early this morning (like around 6:30a), to get ready, have breakfast, and take the bus all the way to the train station to meet Aleca. I packed last night (thankfully) but wasn't too sure about the bus schedule and how long it would take me to get to the station; so I tried to give myself plenty of time. We still had to buy our tickets once we were there (our target meet-up time was 7:40a at the station) and catch our 8a train. I moved through breakfast alright and had time to write a quick note to the family, but then it was time to haul my still-sore body and backpack to the rond point. I took the T3 line to get myself to the heart of downtown at Pole Bosquet; but after that it was a little bit of a guessing game. I knew that another "T" line went to the station, but I hadn't realized that the every-10-minutes schedule for the three "T" lines wouldn't start until the afternoon. I was expecting to arrive at Bosquet and be able to catch the other "T" within about 5 minutes. I was wrong. The next soonest bus to come wouldn't be there for over 10 minutes and it was a line I had never taken. I texted Aleca to let her know that I was close (too far to walk in my condition) but that I wouldn't be there for a little while yet. She was running a little late too so we just agreed that the first to get there could buy both tickets so we would at least have them. By the time my bus finally made it down to the station, the bus driver proceeded to completely bypass my stop. Fortunately there were a couple of older gentlemen sitting near the front who noticed I had rang for the gare (train station), and they shouted at the driver to stop. He let me off without so much as an apology and I hustled as quickly as I could on my ankle to find Aleca. She was at the counter when I came in so I was still able to pay for my own ticket. We "composted" our tickets at the little compost machines and then went out to find our platform. I wore my new purple dress again (trying to deny that I was any less graceful thanks to my fat, ugly ankle) but the wind on the platform was making fun of me. So when the train rushed into the station, I had to hold my skirt down or embarrass myself and everyone else on the platform, and likely send Aleca into cackling laughter. Aleca's the friend who will laugh at you as she helps you up after you fall on the ground, but she's only doing it because she sees the pointlessness of getting upset about it.
Around 10:20a we pulled into Toulouse to switch trains, though our next train wasn't leaving until 11:45a. Having eaten so early, we both decided to buy some food for the rest of the train ride (we would also be pulling into Avignon around 3p- rather late for lunch). We picked the popular bakery Paul for our lunch food needs today. I actually can't remember what my main food item was- it was either quiche or a baguette sandwich- but I do remember my dessert: a thick slice of chocolate pie. It was too chocolatey to be forgotten. :)

Eating my pie while we wait for the train

I wasn't able to finish the pie before the train pulled up because there was quite a crowd waiting to board and that meant that seats would be limited. Aleca and I tried to push our way into the line, but it was no use: we got on, paced up and down the aisles from one car to the next, and finally realized that our only option was the two flip down seats by the restroom... the seats for people who haven't actually paid for space on the train. We weren't too happy about this, considering we had each paid a good amount of money for our tickets, and we were even less comfortable when the train got moving and about 6 more people settled into this small waiting space with us. Most of them claimed space on the floor, so we were at least thankful to have chairs. But the longer we travelled, the hotter and hotter it grew in that cramped space! The sun was beating down through the window on my right side and I was eventually sweating and feeling sick from my pie, throbbing ankle, and lack of cool air. At each stop, some people got off the train but it wasn't enough to counteract the amount boarding. It took over an hour for someone to leave the nearest compartment (which we had been strategically watching in case two seats became available), and when she did, I spared no time to push my way inside and dump our things to claim the seats. Phew! For the last 2 hours of the trip we had comfortable seats. I wasn't feeling a whole lot cooler, but I was more comfortable- I even think I nodded off for a little bit.

As the train made its way across the bottom of the country into Provence, we noticed a distinct shift in the scenery: the grass was grassier, the hills were hillier, and the colors were more color-y. We were making our way into the land of Provençal herbs, olive groves, and lavender..... YES!

Eventually (and finally) we pulled into the station at Avignon. It had been quite a journey getting here but we were so rejuvenated by the shining sun, the view on the way in, and what we knew was waiting for us in this charming city: ancient walls, beautiful smells, the massive Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), and a lunchtime cruise on the Rhône River. My ankle was still in bad shape but I was ready and rearing to give this whole experience a whirl. So off we went to find a city map and our hotel.

Welcome to Avignon!

The hotel Aleca had booked for us was conveniently located about 5 minutes (walking) up the main street from the station. It had a cute little courtyard that lead the way to the main lobby and they served a breakfast that could be eaten at the little tables we saw out there. The only bad part was that our room was on the fourth floor.... and there was no elevator. I braced myself and tried to get up as quick as I could. The ankle was handling upward climbing pretty well, but I was not excited for the first time going down all those stairs. We had also booked the cheapest option of having a communal bathroom. This meant going down one to two flights of stairs to use one of the toilets and then to go to another floor to find the sink and shower. It was probably the least ideal situation for my sprained ankle, but the room was already booked when that whole situation went down. I just had to grin and bare it.

The view of the hotel's courtyard from our room

Our first order of business after getting to our room was to change and freshen up from the train ride. When we were ready to go and had on our good walking shoes, we went down to the front desk to ask for suggestions of basically where to start. We were given a map with the hotel highlighted and then we hit the sunny streets. Almost immediately after starting our walk we saw a huge ice cream, vending-machine thing on the other side of the street. It was too tempting. We cautiously crossed and began to peruse the flavors. I found my choice in the store's window while Aleca vended her own: Salted Caramel. :) It was the perfect treat on a warm day!

Except that it quickly began to run everywhere! XD

Once done enjoying this treat, and after figuring out clever ways to clean ourselves off (involving hand sanitizer, napkins, and a water bottle) we continued strolling and admiring.

Avignon is truly very charming and very beautiful. It has sparked a desire in me to see more of the Provence region of France!

Not five more minutes into the walk did the buildings suddenly fall back and reveal a view that smacked us both right in the face: the Palais des Papes! This château is one of the most massive châteaus imaginable and was once the seat of the Roman papacy. I found that interesting- I would have thought that the Roman Pope always sat in Rome? Not only did a Roman Pope rule and administer from little ol' Avignon, France but the Avignon Papacy included seven Popes; 5 of which lived in or over-saw the construction of the Palais. Cool huh?

A very sizable structure...

The courtyard in front of the palace is something we both fell in love with. Not only were there the usual tourist-trap type of restaurants (which were still adorably charming in their own right), but there were live musicians (cellists, accordionists, and bass players) and one of the most ridiculous statues either of us had seen yet: a life-sized iron elephant standing on his trunk! The point? We never figured it out!! haha

We spent a good 15 minutes in this courtyard just staring at and taking in our surroundings and the mighty structure in front of us.

Whoo hoo!

Not long after, we started wending our way through the little provençal roads- which don't seem fit for cars, so you are alway startled when one comes hurtling at you like you count for points- on our way outside of the city walls. We were heading for the river! On the way, we found a beautiful old cathedral and stopped in for a couple of pictures and a quiet moment:

It has quite and impressive organ too

Then we continued on our way to the outside of the old city-

At last! We reached the edge of the city: the medieval walls!

Upon stepping through a tight squeeze in the old walls, we found ourselves looking out at the great Rhône River and breath-stealing landscape that stretched out for miles; enormous parts of it also appeared to be completely untouched. Plus, there were river boats docked close by and we took a look at the one we would be lunching on the next day!

The Rhône. :)

Running at a flock of birds next to the river- at this point, I was too happy to care how my ankle was feeling. :)

Next we mounted the bridge that carries you from the "old" side to the newer side. Going across was a fantastic experience in itself- I have never felt the wind be so alive before!

Hair whipping across my neck and face, with the Pont d'Avignon (Avignon Bridge- famously known from the French song, "Sur le Pont d'Avignon") standing proudly behind me!

There it is! Not to also point out the fantastic mountain range in the background. =D

Once on the other bank, we found a completely beautiful walking/jogging/bike-riding path that we happily took from one bridge to the next. We stopped only once on a park bench so I could rest my now aching ankle, but it wasn't time lost: birds singing, river running, wind whipping, sun shining, enough said. 

The beauty of the land.

Sitting in the shade

We made it over by the famous Pont and found an electric-green field with a pretty Cross standing proudly at the head. I just felt like the light and shadow surrounding everything in this picture were too right. 

We eventually felt like we had absorbed enough of all of these sights to at least hop on the ferry to shuttle us back to the main island. Don't worry though; we were heading over there to climb up an old, rocky staircase that leads to a huge platform way up at the top of the Palais. The view up there? Well.... just try to picture it...

Climbing up the stairs and not able to keep our eyes in front of us

Looking out at gorgeous Avignon and the rest of the world

After reaching the top of the platform, we knew we had found our place. I don't believe that either Aleca nor myself will every forget the feeling we experienced as all of our senses came alive up there. Obviously the eyes are simply dazzled with such a view. But the wind was also at its strongest here, and those sudden gusts that almost knock a person off their feet were all the more exhilarating. We had the warmth of the sun on our skin, could smell nothing but nature, and while our ears were deafened by the howling wind we somehow managed to still hear birds singing. It was all too much, and we both just had to stop and let the place overwhelm us. 

I'll have to thank Aleca for this one again. :)

I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, feeling the Earth and the beauty of Nature, but we eventually peeled ourselves away to go enjoy something else. Also on the top of this platform sat massive mounds of rugged rocks. We weren't hugely impressed by these rocks until we read the plaque sitting in front of them: these things had been sitting here since before the Middle Ages! We also discovered a little playground and a staircase around to the left, and climbed down to find a lovely oasis of flowers, ponds, and fish at the bottom.

A magical little place.

We quickly realized that we were now on a whole new level of this huge bluff-top park/viewing area. The part we were now on included pathways, grass, flower-covered arbors, and so so much beauty. We found it to be totally breathtaking. 

Me under a beautiful arbor in the glowing sunset. :)

Walking around this area as we slowly started the descent back to the Palais, we saw some of the most incredible views of the surrounding landscape and river at sunset. Like this gorgeous view:

Grapes and the Rhône- can there be more beautiful places on Earth?

We were all the more awe-struck at this point and were certain that we could not have picked a better place or travel companion for this one of our last few weekends left in France.

On the way down, my ankle was really hurting and we were both getting pretty hungry and tired, but we were just so full of giddiness and joy that nothing seemed wrong in the world. Just as we were laughing and smiling and telling this sort of thing to each other ("is this real?!") we came across this tree:

We both noticed it and realized what it looked like at the same time. Aleca goes, "it's a heart!" And we burst into laughter! This final, perfect detail had me saying, "really God? Are You really just THAT awesome??" It was a great moment.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful things we saw on our way down:

These rose vines reminded each of us of Beauty & the Beast. :)

Olive branches in the glow of the setting sun

One lone olive tree

The sky was so blue that I wanted a picture to remind me of it. To capture this, I simply turned my camera straight up and pressed the button

Back down by the Palais, I felt like these quaint Southern-France-style restaurants were just too perfect and picturesque to pass by

We finally made it back to the courtyard in front of the Palais and started heading back to our hotel to get ready for dinner. I put my purple dress back on, some nice flats, and Aleca did my hair. We decided that we looked pretty cute so we made sure to get a picture of ourselves before we went to bed. ;)

For dinner, we walked by a few restaurants that we had passed earlier today. We looked at quite a few menus and then decided on a nice place that had tables set out with candles on its front porch. We sat down and were fortunate to have a waiter who wanted to practice his English (we had too many questions about the menu to want to try in French). We split a carafe of the house red wine and then had our first course. Mine was....... FRENCH ONION SOUP!! Finally! The Frenchiest food that we know and love in America! But folks, this was like no French Onion Soup I had tasted yet; and I was happy for that..... it was better. :)

My soup! And Aleca's tasty tomato and mozzarella "salad"

For the main course we each ordered the same thing. A regional specialty, we had a Provençal stew with beef, potatoes, and vegetables in a hearty broth. It was delicious and flavorful, but I couldn't eat it all the time. The meat was well-fatted and it was heavy for such a little dish.

Our yummy stew!

Lastly, dessert. There were two desserts that we were each stuck on, so we got both and split them. The first was similar to a fruit cake, but it was so glazed and syrupy in its sweet sauce that it didn't even have a cake texture. It was good, but we both preferred the second dessert: fromage blanc avec une sauce de framboise. Creamy white cheese topped with fresh raspberry sauce: a French classic. :)

The fruit cake

The cheese and raspberry sauce!

Needless to say, we had each had equally fantastic experiences today. We had seen so much without doing much more than walking and allowing ourselves to be entertained by the sights that were naturally in front of our faces to be appreciated. I have taken that one as a lesson and want to bring it home with me. :)

Us after dinner- cute right? XD

Tomorrow: our lunch cruise on the Rhône!!

Friends, Family, Patient readers:

Today is my last day in France; and while I have been so frustrated by not finishing my blog before returning to the States, there are other things to think about. I know that I will put up my last post of this journey within the first week of being home, and what does it change that it wasn't finished while I was here? I know what I have seen, the things I have experienced, the people I have met, and the foods I have eaten- I won't forget the details of every day on this 123-day journey for as long as I live! The last thing I want to say before I part for home is this: thank you! There have been moments on my trip where I have felt thoroughly alone and out of place in the world, and it has provided indescribable comfort for me to be able to think of the people in my life who care about me and are excited for my experience. I'm sure I've mentioned before that I think about my friends and family (you) often in the day-to-day here, but I imagine that some of you read those statements as me thinking only of my mom, dad, siblings, neighbors, and close friends. If you have played a part in my life at all, if you have talked to me about my trip, been excited for me, or are someone I have seen every now and then at home, it might surprise you how often YOU have crossed my mind over the past four months. I have done so much growing up in this time, and one of the most important realizations I have had is how to look at the words, acts, gifts, and gestures of kindness that have been given to me- even in passing- with adult eyes. I learned to read deeper meaning and value into simple phrases like, "I am so excited for you Samantha!" and therefore have learned to appreciation them and the people who say them that much more. Thank you.
Lastly, I would love to share with you the most important thing I have learned from my time here. Ready? It's companionship. I have learned the importance of companionship, the different forms of companionship, and what it means to be a companion. In coping with moments of solitude, confusion, frustration, fear, and discomfort by myself I have learned how to be my own companion. At the beginning of the trip I had to sit down with and face myself with no other distractions present, and it was not easy. But eventually, we grew more comfortable with each other and at some point we shook hands and said, "let's talk." This has been an incredibly important lesson: how to be my own companion. This means having comfort in one's own skin, and when other people just suddenly are not there for you, you don't really feel that alone. You have a companion in yourself- it is a wonderful gift.
I have also learned to treasure the people who act as companions beside myself. Those people who come along for the ride and as I have experienced new things, are honest enough to open their first impressions and thoughts up to me- simply to share a piece of themselves with me in moments of honesty. It is consistently a unique and fulfilling experience when I find a companion in someone and we share our true thoughts, feelings, and impressions with each other. Sometimes it is a simple moment that is passed by sharing stories; sometimes we're seeing the same impressively old and beautiful structure and don't mind shedding tears of awe in front of the other. I have found this to be precious and am truly excited to apply this to the rest of my life when I interact with others. I like this companionship thing- I have decided to bring this home with me.
I love all of you very much, and I thank you again for the kindness, compassion, and love you have given me- not necessarily over the last four months, but in general. I land in SFO tomorrow (Wednesday, the 4th) at 6:06p! I will be completely thrilled to see every single one of you over the next couple of weeks of readjustment!!
For now,

Au revoir :)

Week 14

Monday: Today I slept in for a little while and enjoyed a long slow morning at home. Why? No class today!! At 3p, USAC was offering a tour of the inside of the château but that was it for my obligations today.... oh, life is hard. :)
For lunch today, we had the rest of yesterday's taboulet, ground steak patties with mustard, cheese/bread, fruit (I practiced my apple peeling skills again), and coffee and chocolates. Another great afternoon meal. Afterwards, I took my time getting ready and headed to the bus on my way downtown. It was a little gray out today, but was relatively nice and not too breezy so I was feeling light as a feather on the short walk down the Boulevard to the château. There, we all met up out front (a relatively small group), met our tour guide and headed inside. I have walked by this beautiful piece of unique Pau history many times but have never been inside. I was so excited to go see some MORE history- I love old, beautiful things and could spend so much time slowly admiring them.
The tour guide was bad: he talked too fast and used that casual, hardly says full words kind of french that we learners can't understand and just result to ignoring. At least Ryan was there and he offered up quite a few explanations for those of us who started the french classes at a beginner level and still need some help with fast french. Though today that was all of us. We went from room to room seeing the grandeur of the dining room, welcoming halls, meeting rooms, bedrooms, and just the splendor of a life of luxury. True royalty! Though it is old and the style is now something we can't imagine living with, I could understand the elegance of this place.

The dining hall- now THAT'S a table! I grabbed the edge of it and felt like I was going to break my hand

Something beautiful and masterfully carved

Bonjour Henry IV, and merci for letting us tour your home. :)

Now THAT'S a ceiling

Now THAT'S a fireplace- look at those carvings!

Now THAT'S a bed- and one I wouldn't necessarily want to sleep on!

The courtyard. We came in under those three archways 

This was the Queen's quarters, or something like that. It was for an elegant woman, either way, and it was here that i figured out which room I would like. ;)

(I'm sorry it's blurry) There were paintings all throughout the château depicting the life of Henri IV. This one in particular caught my eye; it's name was something like "Henri IV playing with his kids" and I thought it was adorable

Back outside: a couple of gargoyles hanging out to decorate the place

USACers enjoying the well. From the left going around the back: Courtney, Rodney, Andres, Carl, Tyler, Noah, and Joseph

It was just stunning

On the right side of the château there is a gorgeous, perfectly-manicured garden that could possibly be the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland (in my opinion). Now this was a sight!

Me on the side stairs of our château :)

After the tour, everyone was trying to find something to do that didn't involve simply going back home. Somehow or other, I ended up with the group of guys- eh, I've gotten good at handling being the only girl during guy time. Just roll your eyes and ignore them. XD It was me and I think five other guys and we all walked to Place Clemenceau so the guys could buy some food. They don't run on food schedules like the rest of this country. haha. I insisted that we take their food to the Parc Beaumont to eat (because it is beautiful) and so we did. A couple of guys left so it ended up being me, Tyler, Andres, and Jeremiah at the park. We found some little side trails that lead to mounds of rocks, climbed up on one pile, and perched ourselves there to listen to the birds and admire our city.

*Album cover* hahahaha

And amphitheater with a view to inspire any actor or musician

We hung out there for a little while and then decided to walk back to Place Clemenceau: the heart of downtown. There is a café in Clemenceau called Café de l'Europe and I have been wanting to sit at one of their outside tables with a coffee since we got to Pau. Well, today was the day! Me and the guys sat there with drinks and I couldn't have been happier about it. I had a café au lait and it was perfect.

Evening was settling in now and we decided to part ways; I wanted to get home in time for dinner. I took the bus to my stop at the rond point (round about) and on my walk to the house, saw lots of beautiful plants and flowers. I took a picture of the street sign leading to my house and tried to capture the same angle as a few weeks ago. You might remember that the plant behind the sign was stark yellow before, and now it is almost entirely green!

Then it was dinner time. We had the rest of the zucchini soup tonight to start and then had an excellent main course: a terrine of dried prunes, chunks of bacon, and Gruyère cheese. The sweet and savory combination blew my mind! With that we ate a chicorée salad with apples, and had pears covered with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce for dessert. Mmm mmmm!

Our dinner table

The sweet/savory bread

Apple and endive salad

Sorry for the glare, but you get the idea. :)

After dinner, the four of us sat down to watch the first half of La Mélodie du Bonheur (The Sound of Music). Guilhem couldn't hang for too long because it was soon bedtime, but I loved watching this beloved childhood classic in French with my two host parents. The songs were so silly translated, but I followed the dialogue fairly well having seen it so many times. I think it was good practice.

Tuesday: Today was an interesting day. The first half of it was fantastic, and then it took a bad turn on my way to my second cuisine course. To start, breakfast was great (as usual) and I spent most of the morning studying for our second exam in Business. I went to class, took the test, and walked out feeling pretty good about it. Plus, I finished it relatively quickly and decided that about three hours of free time was enough to go shopping for shorts and dresses before the cooking class (I wanted to have stuff to wear to celebrate the great Spring weather, AND our coming weekend in Provence). The sun was out, it was a gorgeous day, and I actually really enjoyed shopping by myself.

The Palais de Justice (Courthouse), a truck full of homemade ice cream, and gorgeous vines covered in purple flowers

I went into a couple of different stores, tried on a lot of different things, and eventually settled on a blue and white striped bikini, some shorts, and a purple-flowered sun dress. The thing I was most excited about was a massive black and white striped sunhat that I could not wait to wear on our lunch cruise in Avignon this coming Saturday! I walked up and down a lot of streets (and even ran into Rosie and Chantalle who were doing the same thing I was) and eventually decided that I had done enough damage for one day and headed back to school. There, I had about 45 minutes to kill until my cooking class. I was so excited about my spoils (and the weather was still so nice) that I went into the school bathroom and changed into one of my new pairs of shorts. At about 5p, I started heading towards the building where our class is held. I had a half hour to go, so I just figured I'd take my time walking and would find a bench or some nice place to sit and read while I waited for 5:30p to roll around. I wasn't off the university campus yet, in fact, I hadn't been walking more than 2 minutes when it happened. I was looking at my iPod but had glanced ahead to see what was coming on the ground. There was a steep curb leading down onto the street- I noticed it, knew it was close, and looked back at my iPod. When the curb came, I stepped... but I didn't clear it. The back of my right heel hit the edge of the curb, pulling my toes down and leaving all of my weight (and momentum) to fall on the outside of my right foot. I came tumbling down to hands and knees, scraping my left knee and hitting my palms hard on the ground. The worst part though? I FELT A MASSIVE POP AND RUSH OF FIRE INTO MY RIGHT ANKLE! That was it... I had truly sprained my ankle. The pain came instantly and I was thanking my lucky stars that the only person who had seen all of this go down, decided to keep walking instead of help me when he saw me get up and brush myself off. I did not want to have to deal with people in that moment: I suddenly could not think straight and felt like the only thing that would come out of my mouth if I dared to open it would be curses. Thank God I was very near a  short stone wall where I hobbled with as much grace as I could muster, set my bags down, plopped myself down, and used up every ounce of courage to keep my composure together. I felt like crying, but even more so I felt like screaming and breaking down into posture that is not acceptable in public. So I sat there letting my ankle swell and clenching the rest of my body into a stone statue. After a couple of minutes of this, I tried to breathe slowly and clean off my knee and hands. My ankle continued to throb but at least I had a small first aid kit with me (thanks to USAC's list of tips!) and was able to clean my now bleeding left knee cap. It was then, when I pulled out the one bandaid I had with me that I realized this was meant to happen and I should have known it when I left my room this morning: this morning as I grabbed my bags, I saw that bandaid on my desk. I remember asking myself, "where in the heck did that come from?" and decided to take it just in case I should need it. As it turns out... I NEEDED IT.

Needless to say, my ankle ballooned and filled up with liquid fire. I quickly chugged down about 4 Ibuprofen (this was serious pain we're talking about) and waited for that to kick in. About that time, two very sweet USAC girls- Rebecca and Michelle- saw me sitting there bandaging my knee and came over to see if I was okay/what I was doing. I recounted what had just happened- trying to convince myself that it had even happened at all. Seriously, the whole thing happened so quickly and this conversation happened about 5 minutes after my fall- I wasn't even sure if it was real! They hung with me for a few minutes and soon left; probably because I didn't let on how bad I was quickly realizing the ankle injury was. I just really didn't want to deal with the attention and concern right then. So I was alone again. I thought I sat on that little wall for 10 minutes, but I looked down at my watch to see that class would be starting in 5. I knew I was in bad shape but I also didn't want to miss this class. I wasn't sure what to do so I decided to walk extremely slowly and just see what happened; I also needed to get a sense of how bad it was. Well, it was bad. I was able to cross the street and walk half way down the path that leads off of the university, but I just couldn't go any farther. What is worse, I happened upon about 15 USACers playing frisbee who started calling to me to join them. Oh how I laughed at and cursed them in my head! They didn't understand why I wouldn't come out so they came over to me. I still covered up the intensity of my pain and the injury but they got the picture that I was at least hurt and wasn't going to play. All of the guys then went over to their shade tree for water. The two people who stayed behind? Aleca and Jenna. They would see behind my charade. I was talking to them explaining what happened and how bad it hurt when a wave of sickness and approaching black-out came over me. The two of them helped me over to a bench and I decided to quit my silly attempt to make it to class on time. I texted Noah in my class to let him know that I was hurt but I was going to come at some point, and he offered to meet me outside to help me up the stairs when I got there. So there I sat, sucking down water to ward off the sickness and waiting for that merciful medicine to kick in. I could hardly move my ankle, and friends, you can not imagine how upset I felt about this whole stupid thing.

The Ibuprofen eventually kicked in. The fieriness of the pain receded but my ankle was still incredibly swollen and very tender. I was so close to the class now, and the sick feeling was gone, so I decided to hobble as slowly as I needed to to get to the class. It was painful but wasn't as bad as before. I think I got to the building in about 10 minutes; something that should have taken 3. Noah met me outside like he promised but I managed to get up the few steps by myself. As long as I kept my foot flat and didn't turn it in the slightest, it didn't feel too bad. Françoise and Jamie (who wasn't there last week) asked if I was okay and then gently explained what they had already cooked. I was happy to be there and with people who obviously cared that I was hurt, but I wasn't too concerned with what I had missed at that point. I was going to do what I could and would be as happy as ever to eat.

The three of them (Mari wasn't present) had made little zucchini and bacon cupcakes that were already in the oven and had prepared tonight's meat: duck. Yummmmm. What I got to do was help prepare the entrée: tunafish Deviled Eggs, topped with shredded egg yolks. Who would have thought?

Noah shredding the egg yolks

And pretty soon after the eggs, it was dinner time. This was my third duck-eating experience in my life. The first happened in China and that didn't wow me. The second was with USAC when we went to Biarritz, and that was pretty good. But those could never have prepared me for the unimaginable tenderness, and gorgeous flavor of tonight's duck! It was some of the best meat I have ever eaten.

Confit de Canard and Gâteau de Courgette et de Lardon

This was an ultra-satisfying, oober mouth-watering meal! The duck, like I said, was indescribably good; and the zucchini cupcakes were Heavenly in their softness and in the gentle flavor of zucchini mixed with savory bacon. Mmmm! I could eat this again every day and will certainly make it when I get home!

We finished off this incredible meal with dark chocolate cupcakes. The cakes where made with pieces of real chocolate bar stuffed in the batter so there would be a melty surprise inside after they were baked. After that, Françoise poured Crème Anglaise around each cake and we were left to enjoy.

After class, it was time to be brave and get myself home. I had seriously considered calling Christine for a ride, but I did not want to do that and the improvement in (the now numbness of) my ankle tempted me into taking the bus. I didn't want to inconvenience her and I also didn't want to get her too freaked out. I knew the sprain was bad and was taking it seriously, but I also knew that it was probably just going to need ice, rest, and elevation. To give me a little encouragement, God bloomed a stunning tree of cottony-pink flowers right next to my point of departure on this long trek. I took a picture and a breath and began.

Thankfully I didn't have to wait terribly long for the bus, but sitting there for a few minutes in the coming chill of the evening just made my muscles ache. Finally the C13 pulled up and on I went. Stepping up into one of the raised seats like usual was somewhat difficult, and stepping back down again wasn't that fun either. But I was getting close. From my stop at the rond point it is about a 10 minute stroll, 5 minute power-walk to the house. I think I did it in 20 this evening. I also found out on the walk where the pain was originating from: the outside of my ankle just under the ankle bone. I noticed this because of the unevenness of the sidewalks (it's a wonder it took me 3 months to fall!). When I'd step on a bump that turned the outside of my right foot up towards my leg, it pushed the top of my shoe up under my ankle and that was nearly enough to drop me like an anvil in the middle of the street. I decided to walk IN the street where it was flatter and somehow or other, made it to the house. When I got there, the family plus Vittorio were in the middle of dinner. I explained what we cooked, set their treats on the table and then made my confession. Christine immediately went to look for some ice and I put my things away, grabbed my computer and slippers, and came back down to plop on the couch with foot elevated and covered in the ice pack. And that's where I stayed for a good couple of hours.

Before bed, Lionel came out and sat on the couch next to me to watch the news. While there, he offered up his hands to warm my ankle and get the circulation going. So, he had me plop my foot in his lap and he covered it gently with his hands. This unexpected father-daughter type of moment was almost too much! Before bed, I e-mailed my family to explain everything that had happened and that I would talk to them tomorrow to take the run-down of questions and advice.

Et bien, c'est comme ça.

Wednesday: I got up around 8:45a today because I had to get ready for a cheese tasting and factory tour we were having at 10a. Whoo hoo! The ankle wasn't doing so well: it was very swollen and tender but did not have any bruising. Hey, after that pop I was afraid I had broken it! I got up and showered (very carefully), got myself ready, had breakfast (Lionel's sweet bread with butter and the black currant and red currant jams mixed together), and then walked very carefully to the bus stop. I did my best to give myself about 15 minutes to get there- rushing was the absolute last thing I wanted to have to do today. I took the bus all the way downtown and hopped on the line that Ryan told us to take if we weren't going with the group. About two stops later, he and the rest of the group got on and we were on our way to the town outside of Pau called Lescar. There we walked just across the highway to a place that had a bakery, coffee stand, refrigerated tables full of cheese, and in the back was the packaging center. Yay!!!

Fromage!

We had to wear these to go inside haha

We were given about an hour-long tour and explanations of the different cheeses in the different holding rooms. The guy explained to us how and why cheese changes in color, texture, and flavor over time; why cheese is left to age; and why the length of time varies with each type of cheese. Here's a brief summary: most types of cheese start out light in color and hard in texture. They are left to age and if they are left in a packaging/holding center like this, they are treated during the aging process. Our guide said that once or twice a week, each cheese is scrubbed with a salt water solution that cleans it, gives it its flavor, and creates a crust. As they age they soften and become creamier inside. They are left in holding rooms (like the one pictured below) where they slowly let off a stream of ammonia. The older the cheese gets, the more its ammonia breaks down and is released. When this guy opened the holding room door, my nose hairs almost burned from such a strong smell of ammonia!

Two of the same cheese: the one on the left is older

Some cheeses are preserved and are given their flavor not from a salt scrub, but from being covered in.... ashes! And it is perfectly edible. Can you believe that?

After the tour and explanations we finally got to taste. We were given four different cheeses, four pieces of bread to eat after each one, and were then told the proper order in which to eat them. We started with the rounded one on the top left. That had a gentle, creamy flavor that was very pleasant. After that we had the goat cheese covered with ashes on the outside. Chèvre is quickly becoming one of my favorite cheeses, and the ashes don't have a taste so I loved this one. Thirdly, we had the large yellow cheese that actually had a sort of sweet tanginess to it and was stronger than the last two. Finally, the cheese with the crust we were told to cut off. My friend Carl ate it before being told this and ate the whole thing. Luckily for him the crust doesn't hurt- it just tastes terrible.

To finish, our guide brought out a big block of Roquefort. Yes! We were actually going to try the real stuff! And raw!

Sorry it's blurry but you get the point. This cheese had big old mold spots in it and they were unexpectedly strong and salty. The white part of the cheese was super creamy and gentle, but it just couldn't balance out the blue. I understand now why people love this cheese, but I couldn't decide if I did too or if I hated it.

When we were done with the tour and our tasting, we were let loose on the cafeteria in the entrance. Everyone who had Business in the EU was heading back to the school together after this for class so we had to find lunch here. I have gotten a little tired of the baguette sandwiches here, so I decided to go with two pieces of Quiche Lorraine from the bakery. They were good but the ham/bacon was too fatty and chewy for my tastes.

We finished lunch off with coffee from the coffee stand, and then it was time to walk back to the bus.

As our group was walking back, we saw the bus pull up about a block away. Well of course, everyone started running towards it to not miss it, but me? I was still hobbling! Running was absolutely out of the question and I just hoped and prayed that the amount of us needing to get on would hold up the bus just enough for me to make it. I was so lucky at this point to be walking with my friend Tyler. This guy realized that we were not going to make it walking at my injured pace, so he picked me up with my bag and all, and ran. Well we made it- incredibly! I made sure to give Tyler a hug and a "you're my hero" when we disembarked in downtown Pau.

Well we all made it to class alive and well. After our two hours of spring fever, we were finally let loose into the sunshine. Today was the day of my last English lesson with Lucille and Emile and I only had a little bit of time after class to relax outside before needing to head back downtown to meet them. I got to the Parc Beaumont and was struck by the beauty of the day: the mountains were as clear as ever, the sun was so present that I was sweating, I was wearing my new dress, kids were getting rides on the little train, and there was a truck parked nearby selling ice cream. Well, I had to go for it! And why not? I got a cone with one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of strawberry. It was perfection. 

The view from Parc Beaumont

My and my ice cream! (and my new dress)

When I got to the "-ile" threesome, I explained to Cécile that I was injured- just so she knew in advance and could ensure that I would not become a human jungle gym for Emile. We commenced to the lesson right away and Cécile captured the moment. She took so many pictures that her memory card filled up, and even video recorded each kid reading "Green Eggs and Ham" in its entirety. It was a lot of fun. :)

Sitting on the grass, teaching English, and hearing the local orchestra practice in the concert hall

Practicing pronunciation 

Lucille and Emile [and my injuries]

It was a great lesson and I was sad to say goodbye. But on the car ride to my house, Cécile gave me a wonderful idea: she wanted to know if there were any girls Lucille's age where I live who might be interested in corresponding with her. YES! I love this idea! I'm sure I can find a few girls who would love to do this. These kids will be able to stay in my life a little bit now. :)

Cécile drove me all the way to the park that runs just on the side of my house, given the state I was in and all. It was very nice... and well appreciated. It was still early enough in the evening that one could burn under the sun, and I decided to lay out in a long chair with a book under the overhang on the front porch for a little bit. I ended up laying there until I got really drowsy, and Lionel's arrival from work snapped me to attention. He was happy to see me relaxing but definitely poked a little fun my way with jokes about my pathetic state. He suggested that I take my book and chair to the backyard where it was more private and I could soak up a little sun. I think I laid there for about half an hour, not reading, and nearly falling asleep. It was perfect. I stretched and came inside about 15 minutes before dinner to slap a little ice on my ankle. We sat down to dinner not too long after that, and we got to eat outside this evening. There wasn't a soup tonight, but our main course made up for that: spinach, tomato, and cheese lasagna with a spinach salad. Mmm mmm!

During dinner, Lionel went into the house to get his bird call so he could communicate with the happy orchestra accompanying our dinner. Yes, I am totally serious.

We finished with the usual dessert and I made sure to go with raspberry preserves again; the time is coming where I won't be having this every night and I want to stock up on the flavors!

After dinner I skyped with my mom, Spencer, and Sabrina (dad was at work) and gave them the update on my ankle status. It is always wonderful to hear their four voices. :)

Thursday: I woke up before 10a today, went down and had my breakfast (coffee with  Nutella-covered wheat bread, Nutella-covered white bread, and butter/raspberry-covered sweet bread), and then attempted to read for Business in the EU. As usual, that didn't get very far. I ended up getting myself the rest of the way ready and then went through the house opening up all of the windows to let in the fresh, warm air. I pulled a chair into the backyard, turned the classic radio station up loud enough to hear it outside, and then hoped that I would be able to focus on my darn textbook that way. I read a little bit, but mostly I was just enjoying the sun on my skin and that drowsy feeling you get when Nature seems to be hugging you. I came in about 45 minutes later to put some ice on my ankle. It was still very swollen and hurt, but I was trying my best to take it easy and just go one day at a time. Soon after, Christine and Lionel got home for lunch. Today we started with a wonderful cold salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and black olives. Then we ate two Strasbourg sausages (the hot dog tasting things we had with sauerkraut the other day) each and had these with sautéed zucchini and mushrooms. And mustard, of course. We finished off with fruit (I had a banana) and then it was time to head to class.
I walked [slowly] to my bus stop, saw the bus take his usual turn before coming to my stop, and ended up waiting there for about 15 minutes because the bus never came! Grr. I knew that I was in no shape to walk to the university so I just waited for the next bus and got to class late. Ryan understood and I was able to jump right into class from that point. It was kind of a fun class: today we went over French cultural and business characteristics and it was all very interesting to learn about. After class, I had my last French lesson with Cécile and she kindly dropped me off downtown on her way to pick up the kids. From there I met Aleca in a cheap clothing store called Eurodif to look for some last minute things for the coming weekend in Avignon. Together we walked through a few great stores looking for sundresses and finally found the one: Promod. In there, I found an adorable red sundress that would go perfectly with my new black and white striped hat and also may have found my dream black dress. It is classicly cut, flares a little at the bottom and comes with a red belt. SO okay with these purchases!
When the stores started to close, we decided to head to the train station to buy our tickets. Unfortunately, there was a huge line when we got there and we just figured we'd be okay to do it in the morning before our departure. From there we said good evening and I took the bus home for dinner.

Dinner tonight was a fantastic pasta salad that you see below, and a platter of cold meats with little onions. It was light, flavorful, and perfect after a warm, long day like this. 

I am soooo lucky =)

We finished with the usual. I hope you aren't getting bored of this... because I definitely am not. =)

Tomorrow: AVIGNON!!