Worth the wait

Well it's Sunday, the day of rest. I've got my legs up on our coffee table (sorry mom), sweats on, a fresh baguette waiting to be made into a BLT and my Starbuck's mug lonely on the counter waiting for that freshly brewed Tesco's finest instant coffee! The day after a win is always the best. Not my favorite of houses but the outside looks nice. Here's just an outside shot for now.

The last month has flown by. The trees are starting to change color, the temperature has dropped dramatically from 25 C to 17 C and Grey's Anatomy is three episodes into the season! I've started French classes, which is more like private lessons. The teacher works with just us three foreigners answering our many many questions. It's great! The class is in a room they call "the church". However, the church is up the street and the classroom has fossils in glass cases that run along the walls. Not only this, but we sit at a small table in the back of the room because there is another French class going on in the front with 15 people. I've learned the vowels a, e, i, o, u. Well, that is, I've learned how to pronounce the vowels that all sound the same. So sometimes I spell my name out loud as Stacoy or Stacay. It really depends on who is actually listening to me. One of these days I'll get it right. In the mean time I'll just go on eating my Nettola and cripes with caffii.

So you know how when you are looking at photos with someone (it may have been me once or twice) and they describe everything about the photo to you? Why someone is smiling, the inspiration for the photo, where it was taken, why it was taken etc. Well instead of writing a 1,000 rambling words about the beautiful beaches here in France, I'll just post pictures. There's no need to explain everything to you (unless you want me to, we can skype whenever) I'd only be saying that bringing your picnic to a quiet beach is a peaceful thing to do on a Sunday evening or that when you fall asleep on the beach without knowing it to wake up to the loud thunders of constant waves crashing is calming. You've all experienced it in some form or another. It's like taking your packed lunch to work or falling asleep on the public transport and waking up to the recorded announcement "Next stop, Meadowhall. Where this tram terminates".

Beach South West of Quimper

Plage de Torch (the surf beach!)

Beach South of Quimper where we coached volleyball to kids whos teachers cancelled class to play volleyball all day.

South of Quimper near Benodet

On the way to the beach, we made some friends...

Au revoir!

where is the bus?

Gotta love Europe!

Bus schedule? Who needs a bus schedule or schedule for anything for that matter, when you live in the most relaxed province in France. Brittany is the west of France, where Quimper is situated on the coast. You need to be somewhere on time? Don't worry about it, you'll eventually get there. In the mean time, light up a fag, sit on the bench next to the river and wait patiently for the next bus to arrive.

Unfortunately (for the people here) I don't smoke and can't be late for training or Physio, so things are a little different for me. I don't mind the laid back approach, as long as it doesn't conflict with my structured volleyball schedule. I prefer the bus to show up at 17:08 and not 17:21 because the bus driver was admiring the grand Cathedral in town so had to stop for a quick look. Or maybe they thought they'd stop for a Crepes before their evening shift started and their server took their time bringing the bill. Who knows? but whatever it is, you'd think we lived on an island.

Training usually starts on time. If it doesn't, it's only a minute or two after. It's our weekly schedule that seems to change constantly. Not one day have we done what it says. If I don't ask before the next session, I would show up at the time stated on the newest updated schedule (I've received two since I've been here!) and be the only one at the gym or the last one to arrive. Yet another incentive to learn French.

Dinner is more like a midnight snack. Except, that it's not a snack. It's a full course meal. Dinner at 9pm? Sounds great. Well, would be if you ate at that time. Dinner is eaten maybe 10 but would say 11 is a more reasonable time to expect your food to be in front of you. If that's the case, after eating your fresh prawns, dessert and tea you're lucky to get home by 1am.

It's great to now know this and I'm fully prepared to expect this every time I go out to a restaurant for dinner or some ones house, or even a meeting. The meetings may only drag on for 2 hours but there will be baguettes and drinks afterwards.

So anyone who fancies (or would like) a lovely visit to Quimper, be prepared for a relaxed and easy holiday! See you soon!

Bon appetit!

bonjour mes amis!

The sound of seaguls outside my room is so much nicer than tram lines and buses. I've spent my first week in Quimper, France and have survived. Although time goes by much slower at the beginning of season, I've managed to somehow have the week only feel like 2 instead of the normal feeling of 3. Also in this week, my English has slowed down and I now speak robotic. So I'm thinking that while I practice the French language of love, I'll also practice my English (American and British).

Spent my first day off from volleyball wondering the cobble streets of beautiful Quimper. Didn't trip once and practiced my french along the way "Bonjour!" I'm getting really good! I've even picked up the french accent when speak. You'd never know I was American (well British/Irish).

Didn't realize that while admiring the old buildings and grand cathedral in town, that I should have been counting the Creperies. Ate in one of the 28 this afternoon (googled the number when I got home). It was ok if you like fresh Crepes with banana and chocolate!!!

Well that's it for the time being. I'm just figuring out how to blog so I'll have photos up soon. In the mean time, just wait anxiously at your computer for my next entry as I blog my adventure living in France over the next 8 months!

au revoir!