Respirer (Breathe)

So I've finally managed to get some photos together for you. I have a video of the apartment but ever since I uploaded snow leopard I can't seem to upload my videos from my camera though iphoto...suggestions, anyone?

This weekend has been fairly relaxing, I've really enjoyed finally being done with my "housekeeping" and having some time to just plod along about the city. Today I went out for a quick bite with some friends and then down to the Palais du Sport, which is like the general recreation building. They of course have an ice rink, so I'm super excited, hopefully getting my skates shipped to me soon (right Mommy?). They had every class you could imagine there, even pole dancing, which I'm seriously considering stopping in on. I'm glad to have found some activities where I'll meet some people outside of our group. The rest of the day today I've kindof spent in seclusion working on stuff for class and getting my first week's lesson plans together since I'm flying to Italy tomorrow and will probably be pretty out of touch, since I'll be on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean. Last night I went out to my first french bar/dance club, let me say, the music here is everything it was cracked up to be, back in the 90's in the US. Apparently musical trends take about ten years to cross the pond, and in process gain a disco background beat...none the less it was still really fun, and all the clubs here and bars for that matter are smoke free...this makes me very happy, I don't go home smelling like ass.

I have to tell you, I have never seen a people that love photo ID pictures as much as the French do. It seems to be a necessity on everything that you have around here, I'm working on getting my 12-25 card (a discount card that allows me 25-60% off rail travel just because I'm still young, love it.) and a cinema card, joining the ice skating club here and applying for social security; every single one of these applications requires a photo ID, they actually have photo ID machines in the grocery stores here, it's nuts. Speaking of grocery stores, they really seem to be ahead of the curve here on the littler and trash tip. No grocery stores provide you with bags to carry your goodies home, you have to bring your own or buy reusable ones there...guess that hiking back pack is really going to come in handy. The only downside to this apartment's location is that it's not exactly centralized for grocery shopping, it's a long haul back to the apartment with heavy bags...and then up four flights of stairs.

I booked my plane ticket for Portugal today, which is very exciting. Due to the way my teaching schedule runs, I have 13 days off in October, rough life. All of the lecteurs are flying to Porto for a long weekend over the october holiday. I can't believe how CHEAP flights are here, everything is so unbelievable. I'm so glad I spent a very LONG year saving, it's made all the difference. I found this great site that's a bike-the-loire-valley company, and you can literally sign up for a five day bike ride across the entire loire valley (where I live) that stops at all the cities and all the chateaus. I'm really REALLY interested in this...although I may just get a map and be brave and rent a bike here and try for it myself....we'll see. You can rent bikes here for 5 euros a semester if you're a student, it's pretty awesome. Although the bikes you rent are SUPER akward and bright BRIGHT yellow, they're from a company called vélociti (bike city) and they're painted yellow with black checks so they look like bike taxi cabs...I had too much wine and rode my friend's around the other night (see photo below).

So far my stomach has had a very averse reaction to all sorts of food here, I haven't yet decided if it's the alcohol (since europe has different distillation standards), the food or just my nerves a bit in general. I have to keep reminding myself to unwind. I haven't been too homesick yet, a bit graham-sick of course:) but really the only things I've found that I miss are a proper cup of coffee and a real beer. The coffee here is the equivalent of what an espresso shot is in the US, so when you order a coffee you get a teeny-weeny cup, sometimes even a shot glass of coffee, with sugar, no cream. I miss the days of head sized bowls of coffee, I'm looking forward to a trip to London in November and a freaking decent cup/bowl/IV bag of coffee. I'm going to have to ask the waiters here to just start bringing it to me with a needle so I can directly inject it, because these little cups aren't doing me any good...not to mention I have to walk all the way to town to get it...no coffee machine in the apt here, maybe i'll break down and buy one.

Ok here come the photos....

Me outside the Tours Train station at night...about a 12 min walk from the apt

Vélociti bike riding after far tooooo much wine

The Cathédrale in Tours Centre...haven't been in yet, I'm really tempted to go to a mass though

this was the candy shop at the airport on the way, it was just too happy and needed to be photographed:)

Ok that's all for now, I'll have an Italy update for you when I get back, I don't know if I'll have phone access/IE Computer access there so I'll keep you posted.

One final thing, should you be feeling motivated to send me something I finally have a proper mailbox here and I would love to have any physical contact with my loved ones in the US as possible. If you want to mail me anything by snail mail I am

Sarah Reed

103 rue georges SAND

37000 Tours

France

I would love to hear from any of you:)

I love you, I miss you

Sarah

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