Recovering...

So Stephanie and Grady, I now have an even greater appreciation for how you handled your billion guests in France. I always knew it was difficult but I've been sleeping like 10 hours a night since my mom and Heidi left. So, for the rest of you out there I just had my mother and Heidi (her good friend and practically my second mom) as guests for 5 days in my tiny little apartment. It worked out pretty well and it was so nice to have them here but it was exhausting, in a good way. It turns out that they chose the perfect week to visit as it was right around La Toussaint or All Saints Day, which happens to be made into a week long holiday for all school children here. (Although, 92% of the total population are practicing Catholics they still get off for every Assumption and holiday of that sort. That is why my birthday was a national fete.) Of course, the university was not completely off but there was not a whole lot going on so we were able to do some wine tasting (they are truly wine wimps but were beginning to improve by the end of the trip), eat lots of good food, see movies and explore some of the museums of Dijon. Not to mention, I was able to accompany them to Paris as their Sherpa because they brought so much with them. We had a little talk about the merits of packing super lightly and I think they took it to heart.



So yah, our visit was really quite lovely and I spent quite a bit of time preparing for it because I was so excited (and needed things like more towels, blankets, etc.) I actually cleaned everything for them as well. My dad commented on how crappy our apartments looked at Pitt and while I can't really imagine what standard he was holding this too as he is not exactly the most clean and tidy of people, I decided to show him how wrong he was. And I think I succeeded. So for anyone who wants to visit I can be a good host but it means that you might have to sleep on an air-mattress (there are only a few people, such as my mom that I'll give my bed up for). I love you mom!!



So they left on Thursday morning and even though I had started to become a little bit overloaded by the visit I was really sad to see them go. However, I returned to Dijon and now that I'm starting to make friends I managed not to get too sad and to continue with my life. I returned to Dijon on Thursday (the actual holiday) and went on a long leisurely bike ride (Sunday's and holidays are best for that as there are less cars out and less chance of me dying). Then I went on a 10K run with some people from the department as everyone is in "training" for a 10K race in Beaune (a wine town) in 2 weeks. Running with them is great because they are very typically French, so even though they run, only one is hardcore and the rest are relaxed and they always plan some cool place to go running and make an afternoon out of it (consequently, they don't run 3,4 or 5 times a week like us Americans who try to just run where we live). They always drive to some cool outdoorsy area outside of Dijon. On Friday we registered for the 10K which costs a lot of money but should be worth it because it is during the wine judging weekend so you get to taste wine and take a bottle home. There 10K's don't sponsor some sort of chartiy to my knowledge but wine. How very French!! You also have to have a special medical certificate from a French doctor saying that you are capable of running. You can't just sign a form and say you are responsible for yourself, I guess because the state is responsible for your health. I managed to get one of these from this cool Doctor who I have conservation lessons with because he wants to improve his English for his Doctor without Boarder's trip. Friday night I went to a "fete foraine" with some people from the department, which turns out to be just like an American carnival except with the added touch of statues of topless women in the center of each ride instead of the more conservatively dressed statues we see in the US. Yesterday, I went on a run and hung out with my American friend, Anna and a German girl, Bettina and then we saw a really great movie. It was a British comedy called "Death at a Funeral" or in French "Joyeuses Funerales" (joyous funerals?).

So yah, that is my life up until now. Sorry if it is a little boring. Next weekend I'm going into the field, return of the bulls, or at the very least the crazy cows. Anna has agreed to go with me so that will be nice and while I'm still missing a hand pump it could be quite an interesting experience. I will keep everyone updated.

Ciao!!!