Everybody Dance!

Last weekend we had a little party, as nuns do, and we danced! A few pictures to capture the evening:

This was really funny to me - Myself and the Belgian were showing everyone how to salsa! Note that there were Venezuelans and Mexicans in the group watching.  Weird to say the least.  

My North American contribution to the evening was teaching the dance for "Cotton-Eyed Joe".  Does anybody remember that song?! I perfected the dance at the many bar/bat mitzvahs I have the privilege of attending in junior high.  I am showing my friend Bea Therese, from Madagascar, the moves.  

A picture of everybody who stayed to the end of our party! From the Left: Dora from Bangladesh, Prudence from Central African Republic (CAR), Rebekah from India, Emmanuela from Italy, Josephine from Nigeria, Ernesto from Colombia, Bea Therese from Madagascar, Rita from Brazil, Sandrine from Madagascar, Sobas from India, Me and Rosine from CAR.

Class-y

Here are some pics of my daily life these past few weeks.  I have a LOT of time in the classroom! While that isn't necessarily my favorite place to be, I have lots of encouraging study buddies and professors who are patient and willing to answer my many questions (and make lots of corrections).

We start our day with different groups depending on our french level.  Essentially the mornings are filled with lots of speaking practice and group work.  After lunch we start the afternoon sessions in a listening lab.  We have to repeat and respond to the questions we hear and our professors correct our grammar, articulation and accents.  Some students refer to this as the "torture lab" but I actually like it! Probably because my accent isn't entirely atrocious, only a little bit:)

After Listening Lab we have individual study time.  Usually I am working on an expose - we have to write, memorize and present two expositions per week.  My subjects have covered growing Moringa (the plant I'm really excited about to fight malnutrition in Congo) and the varied meanings of the term "missionary".  It's amazing how difficult it is to explain a complicated topic with minimal vocabulary in a new language.  Huph-la.  My French professors say that a lot.  I'm not sure exactly what it means, but it seems to fit in this context.

Our professors are available for questions and corrections as we work individually in the afternoons.  On the left in the brown/gray sweater is Sebastian, one of my professors.  He is a native of Angers.

And my other professor, Nathalie, working here with my classmate Teresa from Vietnam.  I love Nathalie's class.  She speaks clearly so we can understand, and is patient with our many and varied grammatical errors.

This is everyone in my morning class! I am really lucky to be in a class with only three students.  Most of the classes have at least 5 or 6 students.  Mission-Langues makes a point to have no more than 8 students in one class for optimal speaking practice.

the hills are alive

It's nearly the end of week two in France and it's amazing to reflect on the life changes I have undergone in such a short period of time.  One thing that I have really enjoyed is the rhythm of life here.  We have prayers in the mornings and evenings, before breakfast and dinner respectively, and while at first I thought it too formal and cold, I have come to really enjoy the times of silence, taize prayers, and lectionary readings.  I am inspired by the diligence and hearts of service of my Catholic brothers and sisters here.  Some of them dress very traditionally, which I was initially put off by, but I have come to understand that they are trying to honor their beliefs in every single part of their lives, including the way the dress.  Last week-end some of my new friends and I explored Angers together.

This is Valeria, Ana, Me and Angelica.  Valeria and Angelica are from Venezuela and Ana is from Spain.  They are learning French as preparation to serve in a school in Benin.  Angelica is one of the funniest people at the school and Ana has the best french! I've learned a lot from her.

The girls told me that they have had a harder time in France wearing their habits around - kids in Paris shouted at them in the streets.  I imagine it is difficult for them to look like they are from a different time.  They run in their habits, swim, bike and more! Angelica likes to play basketball particularly.  She said it's actually freeing because there is little movement restriction.  Not sure if I will try it anytime soon, but your never know...

Ville d'Angers

Saturday! Today was the first time I had the opportunity to really explore my new city, Angers.   This town feels a lot like home in some ways.  People on the street avoid eye contact, there is a sense of individualism and hurriedness, even on a Saturday in the town centre.  It's actually comforting! It's like I'm not so far from home.  However, the cityscape is NOT like home.  This is a garden near the chateau in the center of town.

Chateau D'Angers.  Read a little bit about it here.

I think this will become my little bakery.  Yum.

Le Musee des Beaux-Arts.  One of the many attractions I look forward to visiting.

Fun French Fact: Very few people walk their dogs with leashes in this town.  When I am running, dogs will be running freely alongside me and it's no big deal, no one complains.  The dog pictured here, however gave me a little scare when he came running after me barking like crazy.  The owner didn't apologize.  Life in France!

Courtyard of Le Musee des Beaux-Arts

France's version of a dollar store! Love it.

Flower vendor in the center of town

This reminded me of Buckingham Fountain a little bit...I'm not so far from home!

My Neighborhood

I don't know if you can see in this picture, but the bikes say "Ville d'Angers"  They are bikes for the entire community to use whenever they need! I still don't completely understand the system, I'll keep you posted.  Angers is a city of 150, 000 people.

A few images to give you an idea of the neighborhood I live in.   It has been overcast, and I mean FOGGY so getting good pics has been a bit of a trial.  We live at the end of Rue de l'Abbaye.

Entrance to the monastery and my home.

I hope to get some good pictures over the weekend, so stay tuned.  Love to you all!

Le Premiere Jour en France (1st day in France)

Oh my, transition!! With all the stress of travel and change, I know it will be a good three months because I am still feeling happy and hopeful!

Today we had orientation in Angers (2 hours southwest of Paris by TGV) with the new class - 28 students from 18 different countries.  The nationalities represented are Nigerian, Malagasy (from Madagascar), Colombian, Venezuelan, Mexican, Italian, Croatian, English, Canadian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Indian, Spanish, Bangladeshi, I think I covered them all..of course, many of these people are not returning to their home country after their study in France, a large number will be working in Africa.  It's nice to find kindred spirits, even when we can't communicate much verbally yet.

The school is supported by a Catholic Diocese in France, so most of my classmates are priests or nuns.  It's pretty wild:) A very different kind of community than I have ever participated in. We will have two optional masses a day in French that will complement our learning, which is in addition to 9 hours of class time a day.  Classes began today, so pray that I will have patience, courage and a good sense of humor.

Here are some pics of my new home, Le Maison de Bon Pasteur en Angers, France.

The view from my bedroom window.  There is an apple orchard on the monastery grounds.

Ma chambre - small, but all that I need.  We each have our own showers but share a toilet.

The chapel where we have mass every morning and evening, down the corridor from our dining area.

The other chapel! We don't usually use this one because it's too cold.

The reception area with 1,000 year old stone statues surrounding it.  Incroyable.

My new home for the time being! 

There is a park with a running trail just next to the monastery.  This tunnel I ran through reminds me that even though my french language acquisition can leave me feeling in the dark sometimes, I know there is light on the other side!

Bittersweet Good-bye

Post written Jan 6th 2012:

The time has come! I leave tonight for an overnight flight to Paris where I will be spending the next 3 months in language school before I head to Congo!  It is the right time, and I feel ready to make a leap of faith and begin this next chapter of my life.

It was wonderful to say good-bye to so many friends dear friends.  I am so thankful for a community here in Chicago that has loved me and supported me throughout this journey.  I look forward to coffee Skype dates and long emails in the future.  I carry these friends with me wherever I am because they have shaped me and sharpened me along the way.  I'm sorry I didn't have good-bye photos with all the people I love, but know that I love you and am thankful for you!

New Year

This is from one of my favorite websites, www.poetryfoundation.org:

To the New Year

BY W. S. MERWIN

With what stillness at last

you appear in the valley

your first sunlight reaching down

to touch the tips of a few

high leaves that do not stir

as though they had not noticed

and did not know you at all

then the voice of a dove calls

from far away in itself

to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you

here and now whether or not

anyone hears it this is

where we have come with our age

our knowledge such as it is

and our hopes such as they are

invisible before us

untouched and still possible

W. S. Merwin, “To the New Year” from Present Company (Port Townsend, Washington: Copper Canyon Press, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by W. S. Merwin. Reprinted with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, www.coppercanyonpress.org.