Friday, May 20, 2011

Wisdom Teeth: Take two

Minor surgery on Friday afternoon means a movie marathon weekend for me!
So far, I've done The Tourist (Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie) which was an excellent movie, even though I found the first bit slow, and Pearl Harbour. 
In eighth grade, my homeroom teacher showed us an extract of that movie, and I've had it in the back of my mind since. Today, I padded down and watched the three hours straight, crying like a baby for the last 30 minute stretch. I have a bad habit of relating characters to people I know, so anything with a Titanic-esque ending turns into a tear fest for me. 
It really is down to the end now, I have 4 weekends left to spend here, I can't believe it! It feels like this must be my 10th post, but alas, we're into the sixties now. By the time monday rolls around, I will only have one month left on the Mediterranean.
I have pledged to take 10 photos a day, plus enough video to do a montage. 
If anyone has any ideas for things I have to do before I fly home, just drop a comment!
It is very likely in depth movie reviews are to follow, since I have an abundance of time (and ibuprofen) on my hands, so without further ado, à bientot!
xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo
*O*

Monday, May 16, 2011

Can't Sleep

I was at the beach the other day, and an old man came by with his metal detector, and started asking me questions like where I was from. He had a big smile, and turned his head as he asked "as tu peur de me parler?" Are you afraid to speak to me?
I said no.
He laughed, ran his metal detector over my toes, and sent off the alarm, saying I was made of gold. He yanked a grubby handful of coins from his pocket, shuffled them with a callused finger and passed me one: a Franc from 1973. I thanked him, he waved it off, and off he went.
I sat for a few minutes, thought about trying to turn it into a necklace, tried to think of a event from 73, contemplated curling up into a ball and rolling into the water and letting the tides take me away, and ended up on my feet chasing him along the shore.
Sir laughed, maybe he knew I had a question, and asked what I was doing here. The same old answer: studying. Same old reply: where? 
I never break the Girl Guide code, never tell a stranger where you go to school. So I always say music. 
He asks if I'm married. I laugh, and tell him that I'm not yet 17, and he says that he would have given me at least 18, and so I'm left wondering what the world looks like through eyes that make me old, are old themselves, and who are narrowing on the world while he rattles off what he's made off of selling his treasures.
Cutting to the point, I ask him what life is. 
He works every weekday, and every other day he combs the beach to help pay his 5 children's bills. He tells me to get married, keep my music and have a family, that's all that matters. Give your children a good life.
It's been on my mind since last week. I'm scrambling to remember his face, how can you lose someone who has marked you in a matter of days? In my mind, I find him again, and ask him what to do if I have to choose between the two, because I don't know if I can sing and give my family a good life too...
Food for thought: live for love, or for passion; a personalized mundane or a game of all-or-nothing by someone elses rules?
Do I have to run the pebbled beach calling "Sir, come back, I have another question"?
xoxxooxoxoxoxoxoxo
*O*

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Mardi Quelconque

It's tuesday! What does that mean? Two very light bags;
- towel, one piece suit, the usual pool stuff + googles and wet cap
In France, swimming is a mandatory part of their gym class. I can do the crawl, but the "brass", which I had fondly nicknamed the froggy stroke, is pathetic! I'm sure that from an aerial perspective I look like a drowning inchworm!
- very, very uncharacteristically light school bag. We have two hours of straight physics afterwards. The class has finally settled down, and our teacher seems to breathe easier. I was actually surprised when the bell rang today, because it went by so quickly! I'm definitely more chemistry than physics, but hey, turns out studying electric currents isn't half bad either! I had a dip today, and realized I missed Bio class, which ended up making me smile... It means so much when you have teachers who really care about you, and love what they do.
In other news, my flight home is booked!
I leave in a little over a month for Athens with dad. Between now and then, I have my first lyrical performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and The Prayer in duo with my Dalila, and a saxophone concert/evaluation type thing! It's going to be a busy one, because second trimester is wrapping up in the next three weeks. I'm not stressed for the Conseil de Classe this time though, which is really, really pleasant.
Keeping Ayako and her home country close to heart, let's keep hoping for the best for Japan. Today was a rough one, they were hit at 6 O'clock their time by a scale 7 on the Richter. Nuclear disasters are rated on scales of 1 through 7, Tchernobyl being a 7; today, Fukushima has been rated a 6.
For anyone who was struggling to find current updates, I found this link.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/japan-tsunami
It is so hard to read these things, but people need to know, we need to learn our lesson.
I'll leave you to read.
xoxox
*O*

Saturday, March 12, 2011

This week I am grateful for...

my cousin Faithe who had her fourth birthday this week. She'll be going to school soon, but I'm still stuck at smiling she was able to come into this world.
my parents who have made my brothers and I so much more aware of the world, and as such, grateful for Ayako, the Japanese pharmacist who stayed with us for part of the summer. I will be very grateful when she replies and tells me that she in unharmed by the disasters from yesterday.
all the other exchange students we've had with us; Harry, who I hope to see this summer; Juliana, who I hope to see very, very soon; Mathieu, who I spent Toussaint with and who's family is lovely;
especially grateful for Paulina who is as sweet as she is beautiful and taking excellent care of my girl, who's family has made me know I'll be so much more than okay this trip; and for Park who makes me laugh with his Facebook wars, and who I can't wait to meet.
I am hugely grateful for a clean biopsy result for my auntie Michelle, and for her birthday (29 once again, says my uncle).
my wonderful friends here and the love I share with they and their families.
the verses "I have been to the queen Charlotte Islands" and "Come see, come see what I have to show you. The world is not dark, only your intent, take the darken clouds and release them from your sight."
the little moments that make me love being here and remember being home.
the faith my teachers have in me, and the dates for my first big stage solos.
the remarkable ability to overcome and to start again at the most unexpected times, I am grateful for forgiveness.
all the acceptance letters my friends are getting, and knowing that they'll find their way.
my host brother.
my best friend being loved, and loving, and knowing that every once in a while, the stereotypes of the world are wrong.
my time left here, which will be too short.
my summer at home; with family BBQs; thousands of prom pictures; my 17th birthday and Greta's 16th; the clouds on my ceiling; my grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins that I'll see again soon; Tantallon which I know my heart; U2; Redstar and it's members; the atlantic ocean; my run route; my sheet music collection and piano; most of all, my brothers. I miss them, but I guess that's just proof that I love them.
my music, which I had best go get at!
xoxoxoxooxoxox
*O*

Monday, March 7, 2011

Back to School Once Again

The problem with having so many vacations is that there are way too many first mondays back.
In all fairness, today was not a bad day; we started theatre in french, learned about the 1st movement of a symphony and then struggled through an hour of math before heading off to sing Crucifixus (last rehearsal before our show on Wednesday!). Fast forward to the afternoon at the conservatory, and I'm in a lovely mood, since I just met an Indian poet with relatives in my hometown!
March 30th will be my "audition" with Dalila. We'll be singing The Promise (Andrea Boccelli and Celine Dion, need I say that it had to be adapted?) and another Italian duet on top of a solo each before a panel of Judges and however many people we can scramble up to fill the massive auditorium. I'll be singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
This week, Carnavale wraps up. I'll try to put up a few pictures as soon as possible!
Meanwhile, I've found out that I should hear back from Pearsons definitively by May. Ooh lah! That's gonna be a bit of a wait, now isn't it? Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Patience is...
Well, whatever is it, I am falling asleep. Midnight again already?
Sweet dreams!
xoxoxooxoxooxoxox
*O*

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Italia:Top 10 (in no particular order)

1) I will start with the smallest of things, since I think the highlight of the trip was realizing that places are only places, and it's the minute joys one draws from life that brings out the light in us. Where we are has very little to do with our happiness; I loved going for a walk in a park on the last night with Juliette and making a daisy crown.
2) Between being a theatre geek and loving history, the explanation of the stage of the Colosseum was brilliant, our tour guide Ziggy was hilarious too.
3) We had a lot of great restaurant experiences, but this one was a favourite: the entrées came so fast we didn't have time to finish our serving before they were dolloping the next gourmandise on our plates! Plus, the live entertainment asked me to dance :)
4) A day of mask hunting and getting lost through the streets of Venice was probably what I will keep most vivid memories of.
5) We did two very different photo shoots: one at night in torrential downpour in Florence (best part of the evening was running in a cobbled side street and landing flat on my caboose in a puddle!) and a very silly set in Juliette and Sophias hotel room back in Nice. Both of those are going to supply me with smiles for many years to come.
6) Pompei was mind blowing. I had never realized it was a full city! Yet another hilarious tour guide showed us the theatres (I was very impressed!), the take away restaurants, beautiful Egyptian influences and lead us on a lovely little stroll through the main brothel, the last bringing an afternoon of snickers. The most moving part for me, was standing in the main square where the temple to their god stood, and knowing that people would have watched Vesuvius erupt behind said temple, what fury, what terror... The museum with the famous plaster cast of people and animals was just off to the right.
7) Dinner and more live entertainment! Only this time, we were in the palace where Napoleons sister lived, in a Medici style palace in Venice. They don't look like much from the outside except massive, but inside is all marble, silks, gold plating and velvet: a real marvel. The entertainment was interactive and period, so we all had a lot of fun!
8) Flip side, a very grave hour was spent at the Commonwealth cemetery. One elderly couple chose this tour specifically to go find the gravestone of his 17 year old brother, and since he had a hard time walking, I walked him to it: he had studied his plot map so much that he walked almost straight for it. When I was taking the picture of them there, he told me that it was the first picture, because before he had only imagined it, and that this was his first visit ever. There's not really much I can say about that day, but it makes my heart writhe when I think about all the unrest there still is today.
9) Karaoke! Nothing like starting off with Celine Dion! There was almost no english repertoire, but the men ended up finishing off the night with I Did It My Way, which I thought was rather splendid :) It recalled earlier on the trip; leading an out of tune Don't Stop Believing to the bus, accompanied solely by my very bad air guitar.
10) To be honest one of the trip highlights was Marco. During the quarter day long bus rides between major destinations, I did on occasion have the desire to bonk him on the head with mis microphone to cease the trivia, I admit. But I am going to carry a great memory of his mafia rants, the way he spiked his lessons with the word 'love' if he thought people were dozing since it made us all laugh, and Irish accent.  However, I found it rather exceptional that after trying to find me prom dress shops along the way on shopping days, to no avail, that he not only remembered, but cared enough to add me on Facebook at the end of the trip: and to make sure I sent him a picture of the dress at prom.
We are keeping in touch with a few friends, and though I've discovered that I'm not really a bus tour person, this is definitely going in the golden memory box :)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A Quick Hello Before Another Month Flies By

I am once again, back in Nice!
Mom, Juliette and her mom Sophia and I spend 10 days on a whirl wind tour of Italy; two days in Rome, two days in Venice with a stop over in Verona, followed by two days in Florence and finishing up with two days in Sorento before heading back to Roma to fly home.
Rome was stunning, I was rather entertained that they had stopped trying to build a metro because they kept stumbling on ancient ruins, and that the place where Cesear was stabbed has been transformed into a cat haven. The colosseum was, well, colossal, and it was only when the "stage" was explained to us that it clicked for me that this is where the Gladiators were. For whatever reason, I hadn't put them together in my mind!
Our stop over in Verona was quite literally to get off the bus, stroke Juliettes breast- hang on, I'll explain that before that gets more uncomfortable. See, a local got so sick of tourists coming and searching for Juliette's Balcony (Shakespear of course) that he decided to build one. A statue was erected of her, and for whatever reason, they say it's good luck to stroke her breast. My Juliette's humor ended in a theoretical impersonation of said builder-of-balcony man; "hey guys! Look what we can make the tourists do! *gwafgwafgwaf*"
(Very) Slowly but surely, we made our way up the length of Italy and before settling in to our modern hotel, took a serenaded gondola ride! What a contrast between the ancient canal city, a foreshadowing of a current day Atlantis should the Moses plan fail, and the area of my hotel! After a tour of the Murano factory, we spent the day on a quest for the prefect masks, which I hope to use this week at the end of the Carnavale in Nice :)
Florence was not at all the same as the last time I went, we saw David and aside from that, took a disastrous day trip to Pisa, and attended a very pricy sales pitch at a 'vera pelle' shop.
Sorento started with another tourism distaster of the beautiful Amalfi Coast... In a full fledged storm. The next day was brilliant though, the day was twiddled away, wandering the streets and munching on the best pizza of the trip.
Being prone to anything with more than two wheel sickness, another never ending bus ride back to Rome certainly didn't cut my trip highlight list, but making a bright pink miniature daisy chain was up there... Okay, maybe it wasn't quite incredible enough for that ;)
Perhaps a top 10 and pictures are in order?
Sleep comes first though, so sweet dreams!
xoxoxoxoxooxox
*O*

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Another Beach Themed Post/ Italy!

Before I get down to the good stuff, I would like to take a moment to praise OPI: fabulous colours, adorable names, and the 4 second dry time means that I can do my nails and write my blog at the same time. 
To those who know me well, rest assured, I have not falling into the habits of manicures, I just needed a girl power boost before tackling my last week before ITALY! 
The week of the 5th is always fairly hard on me and my family. This year was my uncle Shanes 5th anniversary, and I was pretty out of it yesterday. A friend took me to a show where a few of our friends were dancing, so that distracted me, but I didn't really get much accomplished. 
Today wasn't particularly productive either in terms of scales practices, or children's lullabies transposed, and to be honest, I haven't touched my math or analysis homework yet... But I needed to take today for me.
I went to a comedy in the matinée, even though I had to get up before the rest of my household (possibly for the first time this year) to catch the bus in town. This week, I have to read Une vie by Maupassant, and was immensely proud of myself when I realized I could get off my bus and onto my tram, with my nose in the book without getting lost. For the first time, I arrived to my destination, on time, without asking for someone's help, and without getting lost. No mishaps. It was the start of a good day.
After I finished the movie, I followed my feet, and as usual, fell on my market place and the beach. My options were sitting on the Promenade in a resto, or splurging on massive amounts of fresh fruit and hitting the beach. It's impressive the difference in the beach since last week; there are tourists EVERYWHERE. 
And no, it doesn't feel off to address to them as tourists, in the third person. I do not feel like a tourist anymore, for the first time, I felt like I belonged where I spend two hours munching fresh clementines, carrots and a basket of raspberries and strawberries; the Baie des Anges felt right. 
I got off the tram, and almost walked into a couples guys. I was embarrased, because I was once again, with my nose in my book and wasn't paying attention, but if I was blushing then, I must have been tomato red when one straggled behind to stop me and tell me that I was "charmante". He proced to grin, bow, and run to catch his friends and the tram. I smiled for ages :) 
Made my way to the church perched on the port, and inspired by the tourists obsessive photo taking, saw the palms in the same magical light as the very first day I touched down. The scattered memories I have of places Mémère and Pépère took me to on our three days together are all coming together, like the puzzle pieces that build my town. 
It's little things that make you realize the time is passing... Not sure if anyone forgets my pixie cut, but my hair is starting to get wavy again, and hits my shoulders now. The two rings I wear everyday are starting to tarnish. 
Bus ride home ended up taking my breath away since I'm a sucker for cotton candy sunsets. 
I love knowing the moon is as beautiful wherever you are as it was for me  <3
xoxoxooxoxoxooxx
*O*

Sunday, January 30, 2011

When It's Friday, and Theres No School in Paradise

I exaggerate: I had two hours of english.
I managed to drag my altiste friend through Old Nice despite her chronic fear of muggers (it's a sunny day, at 10am, I'm not the crazy one I assure you!) where we fell upon an adorable little market. We allowed ourselves the indulgence of a hugely over priced basket of strawberries, and other more reasonably ticketed fruit for a picnic on the beach.
On our way down to the pebbled shore, I, who am distantly but surely related to crows, was mesmerized by a jewellery display. I had been oogling for a minute or two before I realized that the guy running the bicycle stand was speaking to me in a misshapen french. Poor thing, I told him I spoke english, and he was so relived to find a fellow Anglo-Saxon that he started recounting the hardships of a vendor in a tourist town come january. He hadn't had a sale in 4 days, and was willing to give me a deal on his handcrafted wares (6 euros a peice, 2 for 10 euros) three for 10 euros.
Inspired by the sunshine, and perhaps egged on by the perplexed and horrified look on my friends face, I told him Id be back in a bit. The friend and I went for another "stroll of the marketplace", just an excuse to get her to pass by the bakery with me to grab him a mini pizza.
We came back to his stand, and picked out our eclectic and unique accessories, and were chatting in english, complimenting his work, when a flock of young tourists came by, and heard us gushing.
His smile was priceless as he was swarmed, and we discreetly slipped the grocery bag on his bike handle and were off, me beaming at the break in his bad luck streak and on a doing-little-things-for-strangers high, the friend shaking her head and deeming me very, very bizarre.
I've been treated of bizarre a few times since I've been here, and honestly if doing things like stopping to call the numbers on runaway dogs collars is bizarre, then I am absolutely, positutly, bizarre!
One way or another, one passageway after another, we wound our way to the beach, and sat, and basked in the 16 degrees and sun.
I realized, sitting with my hair down that I was surrounded by three kinds of people:
the brazen tourists, speaking loudly, shouting after children in their own languages, making themselves at home and bringing great joy to the souvenir merchants.
old folks, who have worked all their lives, raised their families and are now spending the rest of their well earned lives soaking up the sun and love of grandchildren
But look, they're both on vacation in reality, and make up the vast majority of the population of the beach! What do they have that the workers on lunch break don't?
In fact, the ones who have their priorities straight, the ones who have something right, are the
mothers, sitting on the rocks despite sore backs, and drained expressions, and playing with little ones, who drag strollers up and down bumpy shorelines to find a sandy spot for their munchkins to plop down in. They are the ones taking time out of their busy lives, to breathe, and to remind themselves that there is life beyond ones priorities... In fact, I think they're the ones who have realized that to live and be fully alive is a priority.
These are my daydreams, as the turquoise waves crash on the shores with an absent minded vigour, and a metronomic pulse...

Thursday, January 27, 2011

(the extents of) My Italian!

What does one do on a trip to Florence when the friend you're travelling with has a fever of 103? Learn her native language of course! In preparation for my tour of Italy with Nina, Suzanna and Juliette, in 16 days, I have decided to learn as much Italian as possible, so that there will be less touristy oopsie daisies. So far, we have covered the very basics: numbers and because it's Italy, and upon some research in my archives, it can be deducted that FOOD is also essential in Italy. How to structure basic sentences should follow at some point next week.

NUMBERS
1 Uno
2 Due
3 Tre
4 Quattro
5 Cinque
6 Sei
7 Sette
8 Otto
9 Nove
10 Dieci
11- Undici
12- Dodici
13- Tredici
14- Quattordici
15- Quindici
16- Sedici
17- Diciasette 
18- Diciotto
19- Dicianove
20- Venti....
30- Trenta
40- Quarenta
50- Cinquanta
60- Sesanta
70- Settanta
80- Ottanta
90- Novanta
100- Cento
1000- Mille 

FOOD
Pasta- pasta (never plural)
  • Tagliatelle (with egg, like spaghetti, but flat and large) 
  • Gnocchi (round, potato based, gooey)
  • Spaghetti (yum, long round thin)
  • Penne (cylinder, cut diagonally)
  • Tortellini (round, stuffed, served in broth) 
  • Ravioli (square, stuffed)
     with pasta...
  • Pesto (paes-toh); pesto
  • Matricciana (mah-trree-tcha-nah); 
  • Carbonara (karr-boh-nah-rah); 
  • Alle Vongole (ahlay-vohn-goh-leh); mussels
  • Ragu (rrah-goo); meat with tomato sauce
  • Al Salmone (ahl-sahl-moe-nae); with salmon
  • Aglio olio e peperoncini (aeh-lee-oh owh-lee-oh eh pé-pé-rrohn-chee-nee); oil, garlic and gentle hot pepper
Gelato (plural is Gelati)
  • Stracella (stra-cha-tella); chocolate bits, creme
  • Crema; eggs
  • Cioccolato (tcho-ko-la-toh); chocolate
  • Vaniglia (vah-neelya); vanilla
  • Fragola; strawberry
  • Pistacchio (pea-stack-eeyo); pistachio
  • Panna (pah-nah); whipped creme
  • Fior di latte (Fiehor-dee-latteh); creme au lait
  • Amarena (ah-mah-reh-nah); white with pink, bitter berry
  • Caffé (kaffeah); coffee
  • Menta (men-tah); mint
  • Frutti di bosco (frooty-dee-boh-sko); wildberries
  • Limono (lee-moh-neh); lemon
Carne- Meat
  • Mucca (moo-ka); cow
  • Maiale (mah-yah-leh); pork
  • Vitello (Vee-tehllo); calve
  • Coniglio (kon-eelioh); rabbit
  • Anatra (ah-nah-trah); duck
  • Pesce (peh-chae); fish
  • Osso buco (oh-soh-boo-ko); tender meat on the bone
Bibite (bee-bee-teh)- drinks
- Acqua (ah-kwah); water  
     Naturale (nah-too-rah-lay)     Frizzante (free-tsanteh) 
  • Succhi di frutta (soo-ki-dee-froo-tah); fruit juice 
  • Vino (vee-noh); wine
  • Birra (bee-rrah); beer
  • Latte (lah-tay); milk
Frutta (froo-tah); fruits
  • Mela (meh-lah); apple
  • Pera (perra); pear
  • Arancio (ah-rran-choe); orange
  • Mandarino (mahn-dah-ree-noh); mandarin
  • Ananas (ah-nah-nahs); pineapple
  • Fragola (frrah-goh-lah); strawberry
  • Lampone (lam-poh-nay); raspberry
  • Anguria (ahn-goo-rri-ah); watermelon
  • Pesca (pesz-kah); peach
  • Albicocca (ahl-bee-koah-kah); apricot
  • Pompelmo (pohm-pel-moh); grapefruit
  • Uva (oo-vah); grapes
  • Cigliege (chee-leeay-jeh); cherry
  • Melone (meh-loe-neh); melon
Verdura (verr-doo-rah); vegetables
  • Spinaci (spee-nah-chee); spinach 
  • Incalata (In-sah-lah-tah); salad
  • Pomodoro (poh-moh-doah-row); tomato
  • Patate (pah-tah-teh); potatoes
  • Mais (mice); corn
  • Fagiolini (fudge-eeo-lee-nee); string beans
  • Fagioli (fudge-oh-lee); beans
Wheats/ grain type things
  • Pane (pah-ne); bread
  • Pizza (Pitza); pizza
  • Riso (rree-zzo); rice
  • Lenticchie (len-tee-keeay); lentil
Formaggo (forr-madge-oh); cheese
  • Mozzarella (motz-ah-rreh-lah) 
  • Caprino (kap-rree-noh); goat cheese
  • Gorgonzola (gohr-goan-tzo-lah); moldy cheese
  • Formaggo grana (forr-madge-oh grrah-nah); parmesan on pasta
Dolce (dohl-chay); Desert
  • Torta (torr-tah); cake
  • Crostata (kroh-stah-tah); tarte de confiture
  • Creme caramel (crehmeh carramel); flan caramel
  • Panna cotta (pah-nah coh-ta); white desert thing
  • Profitterol (proh-fite-errole); crust with chocolate filling
  • Cioccolato (tcho-ko-lah-toh); chocolate
  • Cioccolato bianco (tcho-ko-lah-toh bee-ahn-ko); white chocolate
  • Meringata (meh-rreen-gah-tah); meringue pie?
  • Tiramisu (tee-rah-mee-soo); coffee flavor

The trip was really special, despite staying at home more often than was intended, since home, has two rescued dogs, and olive orchard, and the most fascinating couple I've ever met: they just returned from 12 years in India working with the untouchables, he's a world class tai chi instructor (I had a lesson!!!) and she's headed for three years in China to perfect her ancient chinese in order to study traditional chinese medicine. Also note, they are both vegan. 
     In the end, the plan for the afternoon with the ladies will consist of lunch at a little restaurant hidden over the main bridge, then off to the Offices to scurry through the art. We'll stop by an artisans gelato shop on our way to the cathedral to see Dantes golden doors, and then to a different restaurant in a back alley for supper before running to see the Pizi palace.
     All this, will be done in one afternoon.
... I hope :)
I had a lovely trip, and hope that my favourite ballerina gets better soon <3
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
*O*



Friday, January 21, 2011

From now until Wednsday

I am off to Isola 2000, then to Florence! My season of endless travels begin!
"Skiing" (I don't ski, or any form of winter sport since my first experience was rather traumatic), then off to do tai Chi and formulate a plan on how to see Florence in one day. Ouf!
It is unlikely that you'll hear back from me before Thursday, however, I will write about my grand adventures.
WIth the luck my class has, it should be interesting:
The week before vacation, our flutist got in not one, but TWO tram addicidents, the opera singer (luckily only) got tapped by a car, our altiste had a messy break up with her boyfriend. Stop. Fast forward to this week, after the plague of bad luck had meandered and spent a few weeks with someone else; French teacher breaks two ribs, three out of 10 of us are sick, and Math teacher took a nasty spill down the stairs and will only be back to school on the 27th because she broke her ankle. So grave was last Friday I don't dare include it in the list, but our english teacher lost her mom to cancer... We wrote her a huge bristol board card, and I made her a heart box, but nothing changes when one day you're saying I love you, and the next you're having to say goodbye.
I can't complain, or insinuate my luck is bad, no need to taunt the Fates. I realize that I am hugely lucky, and look forward to sharing with you all the things I'm looking forward to! 
Sidenote- I'm on an Amélie Poulain kick... If anyone is in the mood for piano atmosphere, it's excellent!
Virtue: Appreciation. Otherwise, you can have it all and nothing at all, or at least not until it's gone.
much love! 
Bisous,
xoxoxooxox
*O*

My hike/Lycée/Christmas holiday

My village <3

This is my 'waiting-for-spanish-class' view.
Frohe Weihnachten from my German grandparents.


Wednesday, January 19, 2011

One thought per day keeps the time thief away!

Honey! I'm hooome!
Miss me? :)
Since my last post: Paris, Germany, weekend at Evas!
Pictures corresponding will be added tomorrow night, because I still have 2 acts to finish reading of Molières' "l'école des femmes" to read before dawn.
Also since my last post, application has been sent to Pearsons.
Virtue of the moment: Patience
Lots of write ups about my voyages to come, along with a synthesis of how the rest of my saturdays were spent, but for now, my pillow is calling :)
xoxoxoxoxoxo
*O*