Hello everyone. I hope ya’ll have had a great a great holiday season. I imagine everyone is going back to school or work, rather dragging back! Me too though, I went back to school for two days last week, took my tests, and now I’m on vacation until February 6th. So if you’ve ever heard that the French like vacation time-you’re dang straight. Me, I’m not used to it, and my current status is happily unmotivated. It’s vacation-right?! Oh gosh, I’m becoming too French! Sounds like a horror movie! : ) Just kidding ; )
No, but seriously, I don’t think one’s citizenship is so easily left behind, not subconsciously at least. I’ve been gone for half of a year now and the other morning without any cyber or any other entertainment aid, I found myself singing simultaneously, belting out: “Does He Love You” by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis, “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Dylan, and “Jack and Diane” by Bruce, three artists American unique in their style, in their American style.
No, but seriously, I don’t think one’s citizenship is so easily left behind, not subconsciously at least. I’ve been gone for half of a year now and the other morning without any cyber or any other entertainment aid, I found myself singing simultaneously, belting out: “Does He Love You” by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis, “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Dylan, and “Jack and Diane” by Bruce, three artists American unique in their style, in their American style.
So, anyways, lemme tell you about my holiday season.
I spent Christmas at Marie-José’s house with her husband Jacques, her sons, and her mother’s family in Décines, France, a suburb of Lyon ‘bout 20 minutes out. What a time I had! First we had champagne with nuts and cracker sticks, in a sort of hoity-toity Super bowl party. Then we ate all the seafood that the sea could spit out in one day. Sooo much seafood! …tried raw oysters for the first time, ate whole shrimp, salmon, a julienned celery dish, volaille (which is some sort of fowl), and a “bûche de Noël”, an over-sized delicious Swiss cake roll if you will. Mmmm. Yummy ! We exchanged Christmas gifts, and Marie-José and I had each other choked up ; )
I went to England / Scotland from Dec 28th – Jan 6th. Give thanks for Christmas money, grandparents, and that secret stash : ) Thank you!!
I stayed in a town called South Shields, right on the North Sea and not too far away from Hadrian’s Wall/Scotland. I had metro access, and frequently I used it to go to the greater known city of Newcastle where I visited the Plantagenet himself, Henry II’s Castle Keep. All over Newcastle, I’d walk around for hours, talking to friendly Northern Englanders. People were seriously sooo friggin' friendly there, immediately and warmly with nice surgically or mechanically unaltered smiles. Haha, that’s a little joke out there for all you crazy people who always make fun of their teeth ; )
I stayed in a bed and breakfast and every morning the owner would cook me a traditional English breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, and mushrooms.
I stayed in a bed and breakfast and every morning the owner would cook me a traditional English breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, and mushrooms.
There is so much to tell about my vacation time really (which is still going on-remember!?).
One day from Newcastle I took a bus to Gateshead, England to an open-air sculpture/masterpiece called the “Angel of the North”. He rests atop a hill looking out over Northeastern England. It is said that 90,000 people see it daily (it is right near a major highway). His wingspan is about that of a jumbo jet and his whole frame itself is constructed of weatherproof steel. Withstanding nature’s elements, he is very much a sight to see, and me, I really enjoyed all of his different angles…reminded me of a “The Decemberists” song called “Of Angels and Angles”. In truth, it was one of my most favorite moments ever-spiritually and intellectually ; )
One day from Newcastle I took a bus to Gateshead, England to an open-air sculpture/masterpiece called the “Angel of the North”. He rests atop a hill looking out over Northeastern England. It is said that 90,000 people see it daily (it is right near a major highway). His wingspan is about that of a jumbo jet and his whole frame itself is constructed of weatherproof steel. Withstanding nature’s elements, he is very much a sight to see, and me, I really enjoyed all of his different angles…reminded me of a “The Decemberists” song called “Of Angels and Angles”. In truth, it was one of my most favorite moments ever-spiritually and intellectually ; )
From there, a few days later I naïvely took an hour and a half bus ride to go to Durham, England. I could’ve taken a train from Newcastle to Durham that would’ve taken 10 minutes and would’ve cost the same (which I did on the way home!). Let’s just say that it’s a good thing that I like a good countryside and that I like to eavesdrop on some friendly Northern Englanders. I took the bus on the first trip.
So I get to Durham to step off of a bus and into a dream. The accessible, historic, and energetic city itself is worth the trip! While there I asked where the entrance to both the cathedral and castle were and the petit bistro owner sat me down with a yummy lemon pastry and cup of tea. In no time, she was telling me everything I could do within a span of a long afternoon. I was very excited to go to Durham after the B & B owner in South Shields consulted me over breakfast one morning, and so when I got there, I went to the cathedral first. At Europe’s greatest example of a Norman cathedral, I wasn’t able to take pictures because of its amazing preservation. The thing started construction in 1093!! But, I can sure describe it for you! St. Cuthbert is buried there, the vaulted ceilings are immaculately untouched, the columns stand tall with v-shaped engravings, and the stained glasses are diverse, spanning a time period of hundreds of years. Only a few Norman medieval windows withstand, located in the Galilee Chapel, dating from around 1170. From the cathedral I went to a small museum dedicated to St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, a museum that held St. Cuthbert’s original tomb. OH I was so neat! Its engravings had medieval drawings of different events in the lives of Jesus and his disciples, and the curators did an excellent job of piecing it back together, the tomb and the engravings. It was indeed most excellent!
I went to see the castle soon after. I didn’t get to go on the inside because it is enormous and I didn’t have enough time. It was HUGE!! …formed in an almost circle on top of Durham’s hill, it along with the Cathedral are UNESCO world heritage sites. Durham sits on the river Wear and its name justly means “hill on an island”. And furthermore one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, says, and I quote: “I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for best cathedral on planet Earth.”
I SAW IT!!! : ) Oh yah.
I got back into South Shields to prepare for my next journey to the Scottish Highlands, which I believe to be a Heaven on this earth, even with its inclement weather! We slid down crags and glens; we couldn’t see through blizzards; we drench-soaked our boots; we got back on the bus with little snowballs clinging to our gloves. Amazing! I couldn’t have asked for better weather or for better adventure, or a better tour guide! Throughout central Scotland, he told us stories about every glen, every Loch, every significant ruler/historical figure, and so much more in between. I saw the castle where much of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was filmed. Remember the famous coconut bra scene? Haha, the tour guide told us that in the castle at the ticket office they sell coconut bras! I saw all 23 MILES of Loch Ness. Looking out over Loch Ness, I saw Aleister Crowley’s house, the Boleskine House, the haunted house where Jimmy Page lived when he wrote the first draft to “Stairway to Heaven”. I saw Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. I met Hamish, the celebrity cow, or “coo” as the Scottish say. I ate haggis. Ask me what it is, I’ll be happy to tell you; ) True story-I told my brother about this…He tells me: "Eww Jess, you’re gonna get gout!"
I stayed the night in a hostel in Inverness where I made friends with a girl named Cedar from Vancouver. Inverness is by latitude and longitude the highest place I’ve ever been, I wasn’t really all that impressed by the city itself (probably because it was after dark), but its location is great for touring the Highlands.
I got back into Edinburgh and trained out of Scotland towards Newcastle, sadly without having seen Edinburgh on foot. I’d like to go back. I left too early in my opinion. If you are gonna go to Scotland, just do it for a long period of time and never take it for granted.
Then never go back home ; )
From Newcastle/South Shields on the 5th of January I left for London to spend 1.5 days there, walking around, seeing “Chicago” on stage, riding the London Eye. Didn’t have much time in London either, as with Edinburgh…I’ll have to go back (and I’d rather go back to Edinburgh to tell you the truth! London is so stinkin' expensive!). It sucks that I didn’t get to visit those cities for very long, but honestly, it doesn’t matter because I really enjoyed the North Sea, the Highlands/Lowlands, and all the countryside in between. It does a girl good ; ) I'm a countryside tourist anyhow.
So I get to Durham to step off of a bus and into a dream. The accessible, historic, and energetic city itself is worth the trip! While there I asked where the entrance to both the cathedral and castle were and the petit bistro owner sat me down with a yummy lemon pastry and cup of tea. In no time, she was telling me everything I could do within a span of a long afternoon. I was very excited to go to Durham after the B & B owner in South Shields consulted me over breakfast one morning, and so when I got there, I went to the cathedral first. At Europe’s greatest example of a Norman cathedral, I wasn’t able to take pictures because of its amazing preservation. The thing started construction in 1093!! But, I can sure describe it for you! St. Cuthbert is buried there, the vaulted ceilings are immaculately untouched, the columns stand tall with v-shaped engravings, and the stained glasses are diverse, spanning a time period of hundreds of years. Only a few Norman medieval windows withstand, located in the Galilee Chapel, dating from around 1170. From the cathedral I went to a small museum dedicated to St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, a museum that held St. Cuthbert’s original tomb. OH I was so neat! Its engravings had medieval drawings of different events in the lives of Jesus and his disciples, and the curators did an excellent job of piecing it back together, the tomb and the engravings. It was indeed most excellent!
I went to see the castle soon after. I didn’t get to go on the inside because it is enormous and I didn’t have enough time. It was HUGE!! …formed in an almost circle on top of Durham’s hill, it along with the Cathedral are UNESCO world heritage sites. Durham sits on the river Wear and its name justly means “hill on an island”. And furthermore one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, says, and I quote: “I unhesitatingly gave Durham my vote for best cathedral on planet Earth.”
I SAW IT!!! : ) Oh yah.
I got back into South Shields to prepare for my next journey to the Scottish Highlands, which I believe to be a Heaven on this earth, even with its inclement weather! We slid down crags and glens; we couldn’t see through blizzards; we drench-soaked our boots; we got back on the bus with little snowballs clinging to our gloves. Amazing! I couldn’t have asked for better weather or for better adventure, or a better tour guide! Throughout central Scotland, he told us stories about every glen, every Loch, every significant ruler/historical figure, and so much more in between. I saw the castle where much of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was filmed. Remember the famous coconut bra scene? Haha, the tour guide told us that in the castle at the ticket office they sell coconut bras! I saw all 23 MILES of Loch Ness. Looking out over Loch Ness, I saw Aleister Crowley’s house, the Boleskine House, the haunted house where Jimmy Page lived when he wrote the first draft to “Stairway to Heaven”. I saw Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. I met Hamish, the celebrity cow, or “coo” as the Scottish say. I ate haggis. Ask me what it is, I’ll be happy to tell you; ) True story-I told my brother about this…He tells me: "Eww Jess, you’re gonna get gout!"
I stayed the night in a hostel in Inverness where I made friends with a girl named Cedar from Vancouver. Inverness is by latitude and longitude the highest place I’ve ever been, I wasn’t really all that impressed by the city itself (probably because it was after dark), but its location is great for touring the Highlands.
I got back into Edinburgh and trained out of Scotland towards Newcastle, sadly without having seen Edinburgh on foot. I’d like to go back. I left too early in my opinion. If you are gonna go to Scotland, just do it for a long period of time and never take it for granted.
Then never go back home ; )
From Newcastle/South Shields on the 5th of January I left for London to spend 1.5 days there, walking around, seeing “Chicago” on stage, riding the London Eye. Didn’t have much time in London either, as with Edinburgh…I’ll have to go back (and I’d rather go back to Edinburgh to tell you the truth! London is so stinkin' expensive!). It sucks that I didn’t get to visit those cities for very long, but honestly, it doesn’t matter because I really enjoyed the North Sea, the Highlands/Lowlands, and all the countryside in between. It does a girl good ; ) I'm a countryside tourist anyhow.
After I got back from GB, my friend Nathan came down from Strasbourg and on a whim, without a second thought, we decided to just take off for two nights/three days to Genève, Switzerland. It was the same distance from some of the French cities where we considered going and just as cheap (cuz we are cheap!). The weather there in mid-January was jacket and scarf weather! It was nuts! There we were nestled between the Swiss Alps, next to Lake Geneva and weren’t freezing! We took advantage and had a great time sightseeing throughout Genève and her suburbs and Lac Léman AKA Lake Geneva. Back dropped against the Swiss Alps, the lake’s perfect position and beautiful parks entertained our many strolls and picnics. We came back to Lyon and nearly choked on its air after having spent three days in a fairy-tale land with very little air pollution! I actually got sick a day after we got back! Nathan says it was from the city’s pollution. I concur. That my dears is a somber thought.
I also showed Nathan around some of the higher and cleaner (haha!) parts of Lyon, places even I had never seen. Good times. Good times.
Since I’ve been back I’ve been trying to figure out what the crap I’m gonna be doing when I get back stateside. Who knows? Anyone got any ideas/life plans for Jessica? I haven’t taken my GRE, so I imagine for a year I will be working and getting my stuff together, preparing for my next big move.
I also showed Nathan around some of the higher and cleaner (haha!) parts of Lyon, places even I had never seen. Good times. Good times.
Since I’ve been back I’ve been trying to figure out what the crap I’m gonna be doing when I get back stateside. Who knows? Anyone got any ideas/life plans for Jessica? I haven’t taken my GRE, so I imagine for a year I will be working and getting my stuff together, preparing for my next big move.
Since I’ve been back, I’ve been doing more Rotary stuff. Also, soon I will be comforting/taking care of Chantal, a Rotarienne who took me in as a God-daughter. She has had knee problems for decades, and the doctors say that the only thing left to do is to do surgery on her leg. She will have that done in the next few days, and I am bound and determined to do anything I can for her. It’s just so sad to see her like this because she has so much energy and so many miles left to go. I hope the knee won't arthritis. Us loved ones just have to keep her mentally healthy so that she can get on and walk on it, keeping up that amazing energy of hers.
As for what’s up next, tomorrow I am going to Strasbourg for a few days, and then when I get back I’ll have until the 6th to prepare for my new classes. I hope to sit in on a beginner’s German or Italian class. We’ll see what is offered. I need more challenge in my life ; ) This living in a different country is getting a little routine, and I’m depressing myself watching it go by. I am determined to keep busy and keep on keepin’ on. I hope that before I leave this place, I get to the point where I don’t want to leave, instead of wanting to leave it all behind. I’d rather leave a place already missing it, than wanting to kiss it goodbye ; ) Also, I gotta start studying for the DELF, a test I can take in France before I leave that will give me a piece of paper saying that my French comprehension is legit.
Also, this March my host Rotary district will have its district conference in St. Étienne, a good-sized city just south-west of Lyon. Another event is planned for March in Épernay in the Champagne region. The AABFR, the French Association that organizes events for all of the Rotary scholarship recipients who come to France, has organized for us a free weekend in the champagne vineyards. I am VERY excited about this because I will be able to reunite with my friends I met in Paris when the AABFR put together that weekend in September. It should be a lot of fun : )
Also, this March my host Rotary district will have its district conference in St. Étienne, a good-sized city just south-west of Lyon. Another event is planned for March in Épernay in the Champagne region. The AABFR, the French Association that organizes events for all of the Rotary scholarship recipients who come to France, has organized for us a free weekend in the champagne vineyards. I am VERY excited about this because I will be able to reunite with my friends I met in Paris when the AABFR put together that weekend in September. It should be a lot of fun : )
Well, as always, let me know how things are going, let me know how you’re doing...for I do love knowing and still being a part of your lives.
Do keep in touch, and take care ; )
Do keep in touch, and take care ; )
With planes, trains, metros, buses, and tramways from a girl who is travel-maxed-out,
Jess
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