though we were able to stay busy last week, what with opening a new bank account, scheduling obligatory medical appointments, buying new phones, and visiting our new schools… we ran out of things to do by the end of the week. so we headed to paris. a cheap train ticket and an hour and a half later we were in one of my favorite cities! naturally, as paris goes in the fall, it was pouring. so we shopped and ate and finally decided to walk around despite the rain. we went for a long walk with our new Canadian friend through several different neighborhoods until we made our way to one of my favorite restaurants: le paradis du fruit. after our meal we went to the hotel de ville where the city had set up a HUGE screen on which they were broadcasting rugby, le coupe du monde! I didn’t even know usa had a rugby team, no less in the world cup! that night England v. Tonga was underway at the stadium in Paris, so we stayed to watch the game. until we got too cold and decided to make our way to a bar. I was excited to go out for the first time since I arrived, but had to keep my wallet in my pocket after my first $10 guinness. regardless, we walked to another bar after the game. on our way we were stopped by a bachelor party – in France the bride/groom-to-be is traditionally subjected to a night of public humiliation from their closest friends a few weeks before the wedding. the bachelor was wearing a large backpack and his every move was being videotaped by his friends. the idea was that he would wear a backpack of goodies on his back and each time he pulled out something new he had a new embarrassing task. quite a good game, I think. then saturday we walked and walked and walked. when the sun finally peeked out in the afternoon we sat in a park for an hour before we caught our train home.

it was nice to come back to nogent. although we haven’t met anyone here yet and we met at least eight people in one night in paris. it will take longer to run into 8 people in a small town, I suppose.

yesterday I had my first terrifying moment. I knocked down a shelf in the basement and broke three (out of a set of four) spice pots, a bottle of wine, and a porcelain serving tray. my heart was racing while I swept the floor, twice. when I regained my composure I went upstairs to tell them what had happened. as soon as I opened my mouth I was a goner. I started crying and I couldn’t pronounce the word for mop. she said I didn’t need to cry and that she would come down after she dressed her kids. a real mom. she wouldn’t even let me clean it myself. so I swept again. I am still embarrassed as I write about it.

I am glad that we have an orientation this week on tuesday and thursday because we will meet a lot of young people living in our region. but I am ready to start teaching already. I have a lot of ideas about what I might do in my classes, but it might all change when I meet my students. I just want to start so I know who I will be working with.

but perhaps I will be preparing my lesson plans for the first few days of class on an 8-hour train. I really want to go to Oktoberfest, but I just realized that October 7 is the last day!! oh, no! if everything works out, holly and I will take a night train on thursday and coming back sunday. that is, if we can find a place to lay our heads. mmmm, I will dream of beer tents until then.

hope life is good where you are!
molly

ps. more pictures to come...