Saturday, February 19, 2011

Bowling, Birthday Presents, and Pickled Onions

One week, one week, ONLY ONE MORE WEEK until vacation!  It is a little discouraging that I am so exhausted for how relatively little I work but nonetheless, I cannot wait to get out of school for two weeks and travel to new places that I have been wanting to see.  I will still have 6 more weeks with these kids when I get back but trust me when I say, this break will be good for all of us.

But when I am outside of school I am having plenty of fun, so here is how I have been spending my time.  Thursday night, all of the residents along with Sister Sonia and Father Pierre-Antoine went bowling.  We have community dinner/meetings once a month at the Aumonerie so we decided to change it up a bit.  We had a quick dinner of pizza and salad and then drove over to the bowling alley.  Girls played on one lane and the boys played on the other.  It was fun to get out of the house and do something different for a community night!

Community bowling

And then it turned into GLOW BOWLING

Marthe, Sister, and Nadege having fun

The guys 

Marthe and Me

The girls

The winners: Elizabeth and Pierre

Nadege and Marthe: bowling superstars

Friday was a beautiful day, so I tried to spend a lot of time in centre-ville and outside.  I got a haircut in the morning and then had lunch with Ashley and Whitney.  When I got home, there was a surprised from my parents:  my brithday present!  It's always so exciting to get birthday presents in the mail!  I was thinking about waiting to open it until I skyped with Mom and Dad but alas, I could not wait.  I was so surprised when I opened the first present which was a video recorder!  What a perfect gift right before I go on my vacation and do all of my traveling!  The next one was a set of eye-shadow colors that is totally awesome. And of course, you can't go wrong with an iTunes gift card.  Always needed.  

Thanks Mom and Dad, you guys are the best! :)

So since it was such a gorgeous day, I immediately got out the video camera and started taking videos.  Here is the first one.  Look at the amazing quality!  It's so awesome, did I mention how much I love it?!



After playing with my video camera and opening my windows as far as they could go to get all of the sun in, I went over to Margaux's that night for a typical French night of wine, cheese...and pickled onions.  Now, I first tried pickled onions when I was in Belgium and fell completely in love with the taste.  They are like onions, only better because they have so much flavor.  They are normally found in the jars with small pickles called cornichons.  But you can also buy a jar of just the onions which is exactly what I did!  I also bought some Gouda cheese and sliced it into tiny squares.  This is probably my most favorite snack food in France.  The two together are absolutely amazing.  Combine this palate with some wine and you have a feast!  And of course, the good company of Margaux and Isabell made it even better!

Pickled Onions, Gouda, and Wine

Pretty Ladies

Isabell and Me

Artsy Margaux and her fancy new camera

The moon has been beautiful the last few nights

And now it's Saturday.  Unfortunately the nice weather decided to go away for the weekend and we have been stuck with classic Normandy mist/rain that gets everywhere and there's no escaping.  I had coffee with a fellow teacher and her family today which is always nice.  I have no plans for the rest of the day other than to rest up, and play with my new recorder!  I leave for my epic vacation a week from today and I couldn't be more excited!  I am going to Paris for a few nights to hang out with Leah and Lindsay.  From there I will go to Munich where I will spend my birthday, and hang out with friends old and new.  Then it's onto Prague with a few other assistant friends.  And last stop is in Berlin before heading back to France.  I have a lot to get ready and a busy week ahead, better get started now.  Or maybe after a cup of tea and a nap :)

Happy Saturday everyone!

C'est la belle vie! 

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