Toussaint

It has come to my attention that the French seem to really appreciate the art of (and numerous health benefits that result from) multiple vacation periods.  In fact, as I'm writing this, after having been at "work" for a mere three weeks, I'm currently preparing for Toussaint (too-sahnt:  All-Saints' Holiday), a ten day vacation to celebrate the fact that, at one time or another, France used to actually be Catholic.  The holiday lasts from the 24th of October to the 4th of November, which happens to be exactly six weeks before the next vacation, which comes exactly six weeks before the vacation after that, which comes four weeks before the vacation after that... you get the idea.


Unfortunately for me, my first well-earned French ten day recuperation period is going to be more an exercise in patience than pleasure.  Sadly, it's been a pathetic three weeks since I've traveled beyond the town limits of La Côte Saint André, and - for reasons far beyond my realm of comprehension -  my French bank account still hasn't been opened properly, meaning je n'ai pas d'argent (jah n-aye pah dh-arh'jahnt: I have no money).  So, unfortunately for this vacation, I believe I'll be spending much of my time staring out the window feeling sorry for myself and day dreaming about the day that I can have my échappe belle (eh-sha-ppe bell: narrow escape) to Grenoble, Vienne, or Lyon for some much-needed city exposure.  Give me another couple of days of this stir-crazy period and I may just end up crawling to the nearest nightclub I can find.


In the meantime, I'm without Internet.  Encore (on-core: again).  So if I'm still sane the next time you hear from me, you'll have witnessed un miracle (uhn meer-ack-luh: a miracle).

L'Internet

Today was my first day as une assistante d'anglais (euhn ah-seez-tahnt dh ahn-glay: an English assistant).  I'm tired, hungry, thristy, and I'm pretty sure I've crapped my pants out of nervousness somewhere along the way.  However, I'm still vivante (veehv-ahnte: living), though barely because my apartment doesn't have l'Internet (the Internet).  It's rare that I'm even allowed to log into Facebook or Blogger, let alone acutally post pictures or blogs or do anything remotely interesting.

While I'm hoping to change this situation soon, I did want to say that I've survived my first day on the job and have a week full of work ahead of me.  Also, I've decided to stay in my big apartment in this small town, to give life in a French village a shot.  After all, even life in a French village is still la belle vie française, non (lah bell vee frahn-sayz, no: the beautiful French life)?

Keep tuned, and let me know of any exciting news in your part of the world!  I haven't been able to check into Yahoo! headlines for about a week now, which (I'm sad to say) has been my connection to the rest of the world since I arrived in France two weeks ago.