A visit to the doctor

What other American student gets to say they've been to the French hospital? I consider it a privilege. Last Wednesday, all the American students went to Marseille to get an x-ray of their lungs. They were testing us for tuberculosis. We need the test for our year long visa. Anyway, the doctors noticed a pea-sized dot in my lung. They refered me to a lung specialist in Aix. And here's the outcome from today's visit:

1. It's not a big deal.
2. I have calcification in my lung.
3. Lung calcification is fairly common in people from wonderful places like New Orleans.
4. New Orleans, proud to call it home.

That's the most recent news. Otherwise, I've been going to class and learning how to transpose long texts from direct discourse to indirect discourse.

Oh and I forgot to add number 5 (which is in a category all its own):
When I get back to the States, I can hang my x-ray on my wall, assuming that doesn't freak out the roomie.

More Japanese! Just because. 

A wedding in Saintes-Marie-de-la-mer. Can I have horses in my wedding? 

La glace. 

At the Atelier de Cezanne with the Japanese students. 

SAKE! That night Aoi and Maki cooked a popular Japanese dinner. 

Chocolate Sundae

Professeur: "Next exercise."
Etudiant: "Il ne le lui a demandé pas."
Professeur: "No, no, no. Un journal has an indefinite article."
Etudiant: "Il ne lui en a demandé pas un."
Professeur: "No, no, no. Where do you place the pas?"
Etudiant: "Il ne lui en a pas demandé un."
Professeur: "There is no un at the end. The sentence is negative."
Toni, a former dance major, leans over to Eleanor and whispers, "Gosh, this is harder than ballet."


Yesterday. Amazing. John, my friend from Singapore, asked me if I wanted to meet up with him at a certain church he heard of. So, I get out my little map and find myself Sunday morning at a tiny church in a neighborhood fairly far from the center of town. The church, at least from the outside, looks like it belongs in Africa. Stucco walls, one room. I get there before John. Immediately, the worship leader asks if I play an instrument or sing. A woman approaches me and starts talking to me about a woman, Noëlla, who goes to the church and is actively involved with the students in Aix. Noëlla is the woman who Jessica heard of in Virginia. She oversees the group Agape France which is very similar to Campus Crusade. This in itself blows me away, but it's just the beginning.

After the service John, Wey, and I go to lunch. Wey hails from China. On the way to the service that morning John and Wey missed the bus and decided to walk. They were stopped by two Jehovah's Witnesses and Wey picked up some pamphlets. So, over lunch, John, Wey, and I start to discuss the difference between what it means to believe in Christ and what it means to be a Jehovah's Witness. Through this John and I are able to explain in very basic terms just what it means to believe in Christ. That it's not just a religion to us. That God gives us "un cadeau," a gift. That it's not about doing so many good deeds or being a good, moral person.

Wey only speaks Chinese and French. I only speak French and English. John speaks English, French, and Chinese.

So, what seems, at first, like a series of "random" events actually leads to one of the most unforgettable days of my life.

Aiysh, why you so suah ku?

My classmate from Singapore did a presentation on his island/country/city today. It turns out that they speak English officially. (With a British accent, too!) There are other dialects and languages thrown into their common language, as well. It's a little difficult to explain but definitely one of the most fascinating languages I've heard yet. Imagine a rap with English, Chinese, Maou, and all their derivations and you've got "Singaporian." I told him he's got to teach me some other phrases. What's that now? My fourth language after taking up Japanese?

His presentation was in class after our 20 min break. During the break a friend and I discussed politics with Florian, the German student. Germany is in the middle of an election. Florian said he woke up from a dream this morning about who would be the next chancellor in Germany. Thus, I quote my friend: "Man, if only American students dreamed about elections!"

(Note: Florian said the name "Arnold Schwarzeneggar" in class yesterday. I just about jumped out of my seat because he pronounced it how it's supposed to be pronounced.)

It's amazing how my attitude towards politics has changed within the last month. I see that there are other ways to run a country. There are other ways to hold an election. And, for the first time in my life, I want to take in all the information I can. I went from only reading the comics to hiding the front page article under my homework in class, just to get a glimpse between exercises.

And they called her "Painting, Wise, Flower"

So I have a Japanese name now. I think I'll get it tatooed on my shoulder. Last night, my fellow housemates and I spent a long time talking about the importance of names in Japan. I've really been impressing them, Jessica, with the phrases you taught me. It's come quite in handy. It's amazing how we communicate--usually in very broken French with a few English words and a couple of Japanese phrases thrown in here and there. But SOMEHOW it works.

Last night was the first night of my stay here where I haven't felt some twinge of loneliness. I think that's because I'm finally starting to connect with the people around me. Friendships are such a wonderful thing.

I've now made it through my first week of school in a foreign country. It starts at 8:30 every morning, Monday through Friday. Oh! Woe is me! Friday?! Since when do I have class on a Friday? And since when have I dared to take a class at 8:30? Ah, but I can tough it out for a year, don't you think? The classes have been quite an eye opener. I've got classmates in there from China, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Australia, Thailand, and the Caymon Islands. Sheesh. Who would have thought?

And, for those of you who don't know, my dad has a job now in Arlington, Texas! They still don't know when they can go back to New Orleans to pick up some of our belongings. Everything is still kind of up in the air. But, man, life sure does take a turn sometimes.

Les héroïnes de vin

Cassis, a fisherman's village on the coast of France. The festival of wine.

Two young women of the mischevious sort were spotted raising havoc on the edge of town. While many of the city's visiters were busy tasting refined wine and bread of the region, these young maidens wandered to the top of a cliff where there sits an ancient castle. The castle is private property. I repeat, proprieté privé, off limits to the public. Officials have reported, however, that the women found an unlocked gate, leading to a path that follows to the edge of the cliff. This narrow stretch of land is sandwiched between the walls of the castle and the city below. After attempting to open several locked castle doors, they descended the cliff in their skirts and flip flops, unaware of their approaching fate. The two arrived at the bottom and found themselves trapped between a donkey pen and yet another locked door. One citizen of Cassis, who had been sitting on his terrace with friends and family, explained to authorities that he heard laughter and sighs of exasperation over his wall. He looked over to see what was causing commotion.

Translation from the original French conversation that followed:

"What do you want?"
One woman (reported to have vibrant red hair and eyes wide with surprise): "Nothing. Nothing! We need a way to escape."
"You are alone?"
"Oh, no!" She pointed to her brown haired companion who had been wearily hanging behind her.
"You are imprisioned." At this point, the man's friends and family started with short outbursts of laughter. The son peeked his head over the wall.
The red-head smiled and started to lightly chuckle, apparently trying to keep an air of innocence about her. "Please, Monsieur, do you know a way we could escape?"

The man helped the two women climb over the wall in their skirts and flip flops. He, then, showed them a passage, returning them to the festival of wine.

Officials have not be able to catch the young women who locals have named "Les Héroïnes de Vin." If you do see these two ladies of a mischevious sort, please contact authorities immediately.


(This, Becky, is a you-and-me sort of adventure if there ever was one.)

Speechless

Um...how do I start this off?

I've gotten a few emails from my parents and somehow got the impression that everything was okay. But, now after a few more emails from friends and family I'm realizing it's not. My home is not what it once was...

My parents are okay. They evacuated to Texas where my aunt lives. Our house is supposedly in decent condition. That's the good news.

But other houses are still under water. Many of our friends have enrolled their kids in other cities. Many people are offering up their homes for my parents to stay in. My uncle is supervising a disaster relief kitchen in Texas for Louisiana evacuees. And, perhaps, what comes as the biggest shock to me is all of our friends have split--perhaps to return to New Orleans, perhaps not. And if they do, it'll be awhile and certainly not the same.

Please pray hard for:
my parents and where they are supposed to go
Dan/Lousie McConnell and family
Mike/Christina Hogg and family
my friend Becky and her family
my friend Brianne and her family
the Thompsons
the Scotts
the disaster relief project in Texas

...just to name a few.

I love you all very much!!!