Days 74 -76 mercredi, jeudi, et vendredi

13, 14, 15 avril 2011

            On Wednesday I still was not at my peak because of my cold, but this was the last day for feeling under the weather. On Thursday, Michele has the beginning of it all. On Friday she woke up with a fever and chills. Of course this makes me feel guilty, but I was trying very hard not to spread the germs. I did try! Hopefully Michele will feel much better in a few days.

            The days are cool, and the sun is playing “peek-a-boo” most of the hours. The rainy season will soon be upon the area. Marie, my teacher, says that it usually rains all during the Cannes Film Festival. I’m sorry to miss this event – I would definitely go if I were here! The hype has already begun for it.

            This week we learned another way to speak in the past tense, equal to saying “I would have done [something]”, to express regret.

            Wednesday afternoon and evening I spent time with Vesna. She is feeling much better. We had tea, went to Mass, and then she made carbonara pasta. I showed her how to use Skype and Google Maps. I made it home by 10:45 p.m.

            Thursday was a common day, nothing special. As I look across my room, I know that I will need to tend to the table this weekend. Packing won’t be difficult, but deciding what to give away and what throw away is the biggest challenge.

            Today, Friday, I will meet with Vesna for Mass at 6 p.m. again today. This afternoon I was able to call via Skype to my brother Matt’s family and my parents. I learned today from Hiromitsu Aso (Japanese) that McDonald’s has free Internet, so I might try that this Sunday afternoon.

            Tomorrow, Saturday, I am going to Monaco to see the Oceanographic Museum. This is a trip planned by the school, so it will give me a chance to meet a few new people and speak French all the day – exhausting. However, everyone says if I did not get to Monaco I would be missing something unique to the area. Voila, I am going.

            May you have a good weekend, Dear Reader. 

Days 72 - 73 lundi et mardi

11, 12 avril 2011

            This week our classes are alternating again. Monday began a little earlier because I start the week with morning class. Over the noon hour I spoke with my sister Maria who was preparing for the workday. After the Intensive Course, the hours coincided to speak with my parents and my brother Dean.

            At 4:30 I met with Vesna for tea. She wanted to go to Mass at 6 p.m., so I went with her. She lives just 5 minutes from the church – on a normal walking day. Now Vesna had foot surgery last week, so I knew it would take longer to get there. We left the house about 10 minutes before the hour. Along the way we also stopped at the pharmacy and the post office, which was just closing. I think because Vesna had crutches, they let her in, but it was unbelievable how many people were pleading to get in after the door was locked. I waited outside. By the time Vesna emerged it was 6:06. We continued to the church. The homily was in progress when we arrived. Vesna was happy to be there, and so was I.

            On this day, there was a screen set up behind the altar. Tomorrow evening a famous actor is going to speak. He was actually attending the Mass, too. Afterwards he was signing autographs. The movie for which he is famous is called “Of Men and Gods.” It is based on a true story of Franciscans friars who were martyred in Africa. I would like to see the movie. I noticed it was on sale at FNAC, but because it has a European format, it would not be viewable at home. I might try to find it once I’m home.

            After Mass, I headed home feeling quite tired. My cold continues to mount, but should start improving in another day or so. After supper, I hung out in my room until bedtime: glad to sleep.

            This morning it took a while to clear my head. The Zicam nasal spray is nearly gone: a sad realization. After doing laundry, and killing a big, brown spider, I headed to school to meet Ngozi and Nazia for lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant. It was delicious. For supper tonight, I only need a salad. As it was, on the way home the corner grocer had lovely avocados, so that seals the deal.

            In class today we learned another past tense – plus-que-parfait. Gratefully, it is not difficult to form; it’s just remembering to use it in the right place.

            That’s all for today, Dear Reader. I hope yours went well, too.

Day 50 - dimanche

20 mars 2011 - Beautiful day in Nice

Everyone here seems very aware that tomorrow is the first day of spring. Today was the most beautiful day I’ve seen here. There were lots of people out walking this afternoon.

Just to relate a few of the miles I made because it was so nice, I met Rose and we walked to church. Afterwards, I walked with her towards the Promenade (along the bay). When we reached the Place Massena, I was surprised to see that the Gallerie Lafayette was open today with a sale. Since I had to look for something at this store for Jim M., I went in. The store is much like a Younkers or Macys. Then I discovered that I did not have the details to purchase Jim’s item, so after waiting 20 minutes with my little items in the checkout line without moving anywhere, I decided to come back later with all the info that I needed.

I arrived home a little after 1:00 p.m., so I made a substantial lunch, and headed out again about 2:30. Back to Gallerie Lafayette, via the tram this time. I found what I had selected earlier and purchased all that Jim requested. I walked back towards home, and decided to call Vesna – the doctor from Croatia that I had met the first week that I attended Notre Dame church. She and a friend had just stepped out of the house for a walk along the promenade: would I join them? Of course!

Now I have met Veronique and Antoinette. Both are nurses who have worked with Vesna over the years. We walked down to the promenade, then west toward the old city, then to the port. By now my feet are tired. We stopped in a shop that makes chocolates and confitures (jams), and the dried fruits soaked in syrup. During the week, one can get a tour of the factory. But today, we could only visit the shop upstairs. There were samples to taste. They had jams that were flavored of rose, jasmine, and violets, alongside those with figs, citrus, and other more common fruits. From here, we headed to Grimaldi square.

Vesna wanted to go to Mass at 6 p.m. at a nearby church. I agreed to go with her while Veronique and Antoinette waited for us. Unfortunately, there was no Mass at 6 at that church. We walked back to join the other two. They had disappeared. We soon found out that they had gone to get gelato. Veronique let me taste her jasmine flavored ice cream. It was quite good. I wonder if this fad will make it to the States.

At Place Massena, Antoinette left us, and Vesna, Veronique and I walked back to Vesna’s apartment. We chatted in English and French. Vernonique had to catch the train an hour back home. I stayed another half hour longer with Vesna, then I too had to head home. It had been a delightful, but very long, afternoon. I got home about 8 p.m.

With a pot of tea and a piece of the Lemon Pie, I listened to the news of the world. Things are heating up in Libya. If you recall the map of the Mediterranean Sea, Libya is just across the “pond” from France, and I am living on the southern coast. France is assisting prominently with the attack on Libya. It is an uncomfortable situation. It does not seem that a proper amount of time has been given to negotiation. Please pray that there can be a peaceful solution soon.

The day is nearly over. Tomorrow begins week 7. Classes will be in the morning each day, and I have a new teacher for the Standard Course, so there will be much that is new. Have a great week, Dear Reader.