A Travel Outfit

Spring Travel by e.cordes featuring leather shoes

Before I come home, I'm going on a few more big trips with people I love this. I've been blessed to make so many memories with old and new friends during my time here, and I can't wait to make some more.

Because I'm planning these trips,  I've been thinking about my ideal spring and summer traveling outfit.  Actually dreaming about my ideal outfit, as I'm saving all my money to pay for these trips.  But if I had some disposable income right now, this is what I would buy for drinking tea in Bath or traipsing around Rome:

1. A stylish leather backpack, like this one from LeMode accessories, to carry all my necessaries, but keep me from looking too much like a tourist.
2. A light summer scarf in a fun color. If you want to look more European, the easiest thing to do is throw on a scarf. (Warning: in France, you will fit in better with a more muted color. But I've worn black all winter, and I'm ready for some color.)
3. A comfortable, cute dress that can be dressed up or down, in a suitcase-friendly material, like this one from Five Bamboo.  
4. Some basic jewelry that I could wear with other outfits, too. I've been learning to pack lightly this year.
5. A light spring jacket with a hood. Travel doesn't stop for a chilly evening or a sudden rainstorm.
6. Sunglasses.  I find it's easier to people-watch when they can't tell where your eyes are looking.
7.  Comfortable, cute sandals. I love how basic these ones are.
8.  Okay, I know a DSLR camera is not fashion.  But it's the one accessory that I've wanted to add to almost every outfit I've worn this year.
9. I like to carry a small fan to keep cool when I travel in the summer; my current one was purchased for one euro in Italy six years ago. It's starting to break, so I might be looking for a new one when I'm there this summer!

Anything else you think is necessary for fabulous spring and summer traveling?  I just realized I forgot to include my Nalgene water bottle, another summer travel must.

I'mmm Baaaack!

Oh my poor baby blog.

I've abandoned you out in the cold, without even sticking you in a basket and leaving you on some kind person's front stoop.

I'm sorry, blog. And I'm sorry to the 3 people who actually read this blog. I'm sure you've been barely able to live without updates on my pink toilet paper and pastry addiction.

If it makes you feel better, I've been having a fabulous time…no? That doesn't make it better? What if I tell you all about it? In list form?  With numbers?

Things I've done in the past two months, instead of updating my blog:

• 1 week on the Côte D'Azur, near Nice
• 1 day snowshoeing in the French Alps
• 1 day trip into Italy, including pizza and gelato
• 3 weekends in Paris, plus other assorted days
• 1 night out in Paris, that lasted the whole night
• 1 restaurant fire in Paris...but just a little one
• 2 visits to Versailles
• 1 weekend in Belgium, supplemented by fries and mayonnaise, beer, chocolate, speculoos, and waffles.
• 1 discovery of Audrey Hepburn's birthplace in Brussels!
• 100s of pictures of the Eiffel Tower
• 1 fabulous bike tour of Paris
• 1 French car rental and drive to Mont-Saint-Michel
• 1 sunny Monday in Giverny, exploring Monet's gardens
• 2 good-byes to friends heading back to the States
• 1 last day at school

If any of that sounds interesting and you want to hear more details, shout it out in the comments! I'm trying to get back to a more regular blogging routine, where I both have adventures and make time to write about them.

Back in France

Sorry for the radio silence. I've been enjoying two wonderful weeks home with my family and friends. And since those are most of the people who read this blog, I didn't feel too bad about just savoring my time at home.

It was wonderful: Christmas cookies, tree decorating, snuggling on the couch, Just Dance 2 marathons, Lego Rock band, carols, dishes, all the clothes I've been missing, shopping and so many other great moments.

But yesterday I had to make the long trek back to France. A friend of mine in college used to do happies and crappies on her blog, and all day I kept thinking of my own. Traveling is always a little stressful, but there are always good things too:

Happy: Spending two weeks with my family and friends.
Crappy: Spending only two weeks with my family and friends.

Happy: Being in the first group of people sent to a new security line in the Chicago airport. Hello, no wait!!

Crappy: Lugging my broken suitcase through the Chicago airport and the Paris metro. I wanted wheels.

Happy: The mom next to me in the Chicago airport reading "Anne of Green Gables" to her kids.

Crappy: The French man who sat in my seat on the airplane, then acted like it was all my fault.  Also, United's Economy Plus seating. I'm pretty sure they just squished the other seats together to give more leg room to the people willing to pay $97 extra. My legs did not appreciate it.

Happy: Two New Years! I celebrated Paris' midnight in Chicago with my family and another one over the Atlantic ocean!

Happy: Free transportation in the Ile-de-France for New Year's Day! No 10 plus euros to get from the airport to the train station in Paris.

Crappy: I was careful not to fly in on a Sunday, because the busses don't run on Sundays in my small town...however, they also don't run on holidays...like New Years Day. Stranded at the train station in the spitting rain? Not so much fun.

Happy: The women who gave me a ride home. Nice to know there are still nice strangers in the world.

Crappy: Returning to my really cold apartment.

Happy: Sliding my feet into my brand new Muk-Luk slippers to keep them warm.

I miss you all already!

Back to School

My vacation is over. It was relaxing, but now I'm ready to get back to school. My days need a little purpose, a little work. (Although, if anyone is interested in funding a year or two of my life in a foreign country just writing, sightseeing, photographing, eating and crafting...I wouldn't say no.)

The most exciting part of my vacation was a day in Paris. It was marvelously, deliciously sunny...the kind that made me want to sing about sunbeams turning to lemon drops.

We found ourselves on the Champs-Élysées.

We oogled a few windows. In French, this is called “faire du lèche-vitrines,” or “Window Licking.” This is something I'm much more likely to actually do at a patisserie. I dare you to look at this and not salivate a little.

{flaky, sugary, custardy deliciousness} 

We also made our way to the Eiffel Tower and up to Montmarte to see Sacré Coeur.

Other vacation highlights included two visits to a French version of Goodwill, spending time with friends, receiving my first paycheck and my debit card, and going on photo explorations of Elbeuf. Watch for those photos soon.

But now it's back to school. That is actually why I came to France.

That and the bread...oh the bread...

Where was I?

Ah yes. School.

I'm assisting in three French schools--Monod and Camus (which are actually one building but different schools) and Jules Verne.

I'm incredibly excited. And unsure.

I'm finally figuring out what my actual role will be in my classes. In some, it seems like I will just be a talking head, serving as a live example of good pronunciation for whatever lesson is being taught. But in others I'm going to get to plan lessons.

In most cases, I seem to be somewhat superfluous. Most of the teachers know English well enough to teach it, and I sometimes feel like I'm just getting in their way; I hope this feeling will subside as my schedule gets organized.

Either way, I'm exited about working with the primary students. They're about the same as 1st through 5th graders in the United States, and they seem great. I'm somewhat of a novelty right now, so they all want to play soccer and marbles with me (that's right, French kids play marbles) and try to speak English.

However, most of them just know, "What is your name?" "Vat iz yur nam?" Very cute.

There were some other great moments when I introduced myself to the classes:

Everyone seemed to know about Las Vegas, even the first graders.

A second grader asked if I knew Marilyn Monroe.

Other good questions:

"Is everyone in the United States rich? Everyone has big houses and big cars, yes?"

"Do lots of people live in the United States?"