Apartment: Pre-Amazingness...

Kitchen/Living Room (any "Friends" fans?) and part of my bedroom. My sister said, "Take pictures of EVERYTHING!" Hope you like it, Sarah.

I'm actually surprised this worked! This is a slightly turbulent clip from our Pier Party - yeah, I misspelled it before. So all these people gathered for a breezy late afternoon celebration of what some young teens had built and learned. A reporter came so did many friends and family members and these great musicians. One of them loves Bluegrass music.

This is a port in Saint Brieuc called Le Légué. I'm pretty sure that it's called a "goanag" and that's not just because it's written in plain sight. Actually this boat was built by some young guys who benefit from mentor relationships that they have with people like Hervé, the guy who I was living with before I was in my apt.

If you watch the little video you'll see the peer side party that we had. I felt honored to see the culmination of this several-month-long project when the fishing boat number was launched. Country/folk music was played; I felt at home.

What a lovely garage door you have...

Hello people who read my blog. Thankfully, I have the Internet in my apartment now! My roommate who just arrived tonight brought about this amazing new wave of technology. Actually, he figured out how to connect us to proprietor's wireless connection. What next, a radio or could it be... a TV? I don't dare consider it yet.

I have sometimes wanted to tell you fun or profound things, but haven't suceeded either because A) I haven't had the Internet or B) I have had issues with the computer I was using (though I am very grateful for use of my proprietor's computer).

I hope that you will enjoy this pics. I DO HAVE A JOB I want to remind you, but haven't yet had the occasion to take pics at school. I'm trying to look more like a teacher and less like a tourist in a "rale Franch skyool!!!" That's "real French school" in Kantuckie talk if you couldn't decipher. So, as for the pics of school in the words of somebody from a movie I'd be embarassed to admit I'm quoting, "All comes in time."

As your eyes descend from left to right you have: the neighbor's house, my proprietor's, and finally, my humble garage entry mostly covered by the bushes (because it's prettier that way). The two windows on the tile roof above the car are mine and I have a nice view of the back yard as well. A friend referred to my place as "a treehouse" - I didn't invite him back. ( ha ha )

Does this guy ever work?

I got/had to go to Rennes, the capital of Brittany last Thursday. It was a beautiful day and I ended up on the same train as another American English teacher from Saint Brieuc. Both of us were going to the immigrants/foreigners office.

I was able to spend a few hours with Etienne, friend from St. Brieuc, who studies in Rennes. Among other things we saw the Place Sainte Anne which you see a little corner of in this picture. There's an old church in the square along with lots of places to eat and be jolly.

Last Sunday afternoon I was so thankful to be invited to join the group you see in this picture for a little sightseeing in a town I pass everyday on my commute. I'd just moved into my apartment on Friday and was already noticing the lack of people to talk to - other than myself. On the left is Mathieu who visited last weekend for Vincent's baptism and enjoyed his time here so much decided to visit again this past weekend.

Sunday morning at church different people shared what the Bible meant to them. My friend Loti talked about how God's word is as sweet as honey (Ezekiel 3:3) "which I love and eat every day," she added. Karin and some visiting friends from German-speaking Switzerland sang a beautiful song about how God knows us each inside and out (Psalm 139). I didn't understand a single word but it really blessed me.

Some updates...

From left are Vincent, Etienne, and me. This is at their baptism service which took place at a chapel a good distance away from our store front church in St. Brieuc. Friends and family came from all over to support these guys as they shared why they had chosen to live their lives for Jesus. I was honored to be there having just met these guys a couple weeks ago.

Here's a picture of Me, Loti, and Hervé at their home. This couple is so generous and am so grateful to have them as friends. They warmly welcomed me to their town by giving me tours of the city in the car - since I'm directionally challenged - loaning me a bike, including me in family activites, not to mention giving me a place to stay and warm meals every night. YUM!

A bike, a bank, and the beach

Hervé, my current host, fixed the bike I was having trouble with. I had heard there was a nearby beach but hadn't been able to go find it yet. Today I did. I'm told that St. Brieuc is not one of the more beautiful locals in Brittany. Anyone coming from a landlocked state like KY will take any ocean availabe. And I found it quite breath-taking even so. I think this is called something like Beach of the Valleys. I imagine that at high tides the water surrounds all the little huts in the distance which are probably used as fishermen's posts. I've never been to New England but it must be something like this with the rocks and the cool breeze.

• In other news I have taught some classes now and find the students to be similar to students at home. These however are sporting coats and ties. I read their handbook and it said that students must where dark colors; I believe the exact word is "somber." For the most part students dress better than do teachers.
• So as not to leave any loose ends from my title, I officially have a bank account. A great new phenomenon in France is that the post office now functions as a regular bank. I'm told it has had partial bank functions before, but now it's whatever the rest of banks are. Brigitte, who was my intial church contact here, graciously made an appointment for me to get an account and took me there. This is just one of many "you really don't have to do that for me" instances.

Thanks for your emails. Have a great weekend.

Reflections on something unimportant and something interesting

Well it has actually been bothering me for a couple days that I wrote that Sacrè Coeur means Holy Heart b/c it is really better as Sacred Heart. Phew. I feel better.

In other news I have much to say about school but will say only that today I had my first class without another teacher and it was made up of students, male and female, who are all going to be pastry chefs. My high school is a lycèe professionnel of everything that has to do with hotellerie which I am probably mispelling and restauratation. This is quite specatacular. Yesterday I ate a three course lunch served and cooked by students in a restaurant that is attached to the school. Quite a change from any cafeteria.

Blessings to all!