Le Fabuleux Destin d'Izzy

So, a lot has happened since the last time I posted. The weekend of the festival in the mountains was a whole lot of fun. I did not know what to expect, and from my boyfriend, it was a good thing to just go in with an open mind. They served beer and wine and liquor and we all drank and talked as we listened to the first band play. After putting down a few drinks, it was time for the dinner. We all went to one of the really long tables and began to pour ourselves wine and wait for the first course to arrive.

There was a second stage in the dining area that soon came to life with 2 Spanish singers, one who played the trumpet, and four show girls prancing about with feathered costumes and glittery make-up. During the whole meal that was our means of entertainment. We munched on our salad, our yummy steak and cheeses and our sweet desserts as the Spanish danced and sweat for our pleasure.

After a belly full of food, we stood and went back to the bar area to drink and dance. It was different, but I guess this is the type of festival you get in the country in the mountains. And the next morning, I felt the effects of the bad wine and the bad beer. We squinted into the sunlight when we left our house and went to have lunch with his grandmother, who cooked up a big and fattening meal. It was wonderful. After that we picked up and left for home.

Now, a misfortune happened the day before we left on our little journey to the mountains. That Friday, I went to the train station to catch my train to get to my French classes. I paid with some Euro coins I had in my change purse and sat and waited with everyone else for the train. I got on the old rickety means of transportation and took it to Albi where I studied. I got off and headed to a small store that sold snack for I knew I would be a bit hungry later on in the day and thought it would be wise to by a candy bar or drink. When it came time to buy my desired purchases...no wallet. I searched and search through all m bags...nothing. I said my apologies and thought maybe I just left my wallet on the kitchen table, though I still felt a little nervous.

After class, and after swim practice, I headed back home, hoping to find my little black wallet happily waiting for me in the apartment. Alas, no such thing happened. In a panic I searched high in low through the house but nothing turned up. Mathieu helped me search when he got back from rugby, as well he could find nothing. My heart sunk. For the first time in my life, my wallet got stolen.

For the next week I went through the whole process, making my claim at the police office and calling every train station on the route to Albi in hopes that someone turned it in. Nothing. I then went to the city hall to ask to make a claim that I have to make a new recipe for my Carte de Sejour. Thankfully the people there pretty much know me and helped me out without hesitation.

I lost all hope of ever seeing it again when a week later when I went to the train station to catch my afternoon train to Albi, the ticket seller who I have also become acquainted with, said "I have something for you!" In a bubbly happy voice. She disappeared and returned in her hand the wallet that I have been missing for a little over a week. I beamed and showered her with thank yous. I checked inside, everything was there except the 70 Euros I still had in my wallet from withdrawing money for my stipend for the 2 weeks. I expected the money not to be there. I smiled and thanked her again and skipped to the train. Luck smiled upon me that day. I hope I will not let a person with sticky fingers get away with it again.

Tuesday was a big day for me, and not just because I got the will to get out of bed before 10 am. Oh no! She rolled out of bed around 5:50am to prepare for her day to go to her first French class in Albi. I packed all that I needed and took my bike to the train station where I took an hour train ride to Albi. I just sat back and took a cat nap till the voice over the intercom mumbled that we were approaching the city.

After gathering up my bike, I headed off to school. When I went on my interview last Thursday, I got my bearings on where I needed to go, not to mention I got a good bit lost on the way. At any rate, I made it to the school and headed up to my class. Sitting on the stairs waiting for our professor to arrive, I met an American who was living in Albi for a year to study French. Later on, I met another American that was living here with her boyfriend in a town not too far from Saint Sulpice where I will be living.

Class was very pleasant, but a little slow going on the fact it was the first day and we had to go over documents and just simple introductions and the liking. Also we were interrupted by the fire alarm, so we went on our break a little early and chit chatted downstairs near the vending machines.

After class was over with, I knew I had a good bit of time to kill judging that it was only 12pm and my swim practice wasn’t until 6:15pm. I went to the train station and bought my ticket to Lavaur where my swim practice is held, and afterwards I road around the city to do some sight seeing. Though I already adventured around the city with Mathieu a month or so ago, I still found new things to see. I also ate at a nice restaurant in a courtyard near the cathedral. The food was delicious and the rosé wine was refreshing.

After my lunch and further exploration of the city, I went back to the train station and took my train to Lavaur. My train to Lavaur was early, so I also had a good bit of time to kill by wandering around the city. I found a great little park near a large cathedral where I sat back and read for a while.

When it was time for practice, I peddled to the pool. A few people were standing outside that were a good deal younger than me, which I expected for I was swimming with the younger ones till I got back on my feet. I caught sight of my coach and exchanged our hellos and I quickly went into the changing room and got dressed.

Once I was at the pool, the practice commenced. It was simple but I had t have it explained to me in detail because the directions were all in French so I was slightly blind on what to do...After the assistant coach explained to me what to do, everyone in the pool was already 200 meters ahead of me and counting. So I just jumped in the pool till they just told me to stop and go on with their next section of practice so we were all on the same page.

I enjoyed getting back into the water. I felt whole again. Though I was a bit rusty, I was so happy to swim again. I parted early unfortunately because I had to catch the last train back to Toulouse.

When I got to the train station, hoping that I could buy my ticket at the office, the curtains were drawn and a sign saying that it was closed put me into a slight state of panic and I started to plan out how to talk the conductor to not fine me. I came up to a woman and asked her if there was a machine to buy a ticket. She showed it to me but it was only for the special kind of cards that they have in France. I sighed and started to think of my options, but the woman chimed in and offered to buy me my ticket. I told her I couldn’t do it, for I only had a card. She said it wasn’t a problem and went over to the machine and bought me a ticket.

I gave her my utter most thanks and talked till the train came and sat next to each other chatting on about our lives. She was very kind and after we got off the train together I collected her number in hopes that one free day that I would pay her back for her kindness and to hopefully kindle the start of a friendship.

Today was a very good day indeed.

Talk about a lazy and great weekend. Every year, one of Mathieu's really good friends throws a party in a house that they own right outside of Avignon. This year apparently it was smaller than the others, but to me it was wonderful all the same.

Friday evening, after Mathieu and Tom (my roommate) got back from work, we got ready and another friend of theirs came and picked us up for so we would all carpool together and save on the expensive gas. After about a 3 hour drive and it being almost midnight, we made it to our final destination...

There were about 8 people when we got there and were greeted with the smells of the BBQ grilling different meats and a brie that they melted over the fire that we ate with fresh bread. Delicious! Not to mention we drank a great variety of choices and were up till the wee hours of the morning chatting, singing, dancing, and goofing off.

On Saturday, when we got the energy to roll out of bed, we ate a late breakfast of Nutella and french bread and hung about chit chatting and chilling outside in the perfect weather. The whole weekend there was not a cloud in the sky to be found and the temperature felt like a comfortable 80 degrees. There was a fresh breeze that rolled in once and a while that felt refreshing. There were two hammocks in the yard that I took full advantage off for enjoying this perfect weather.

After eating lunch and drinking a bit, the men gathered into the living room of the house and watched the several rugby games that were airing that day. I watched for a while, but dozed off for a little snooze. After being lazy for a while, we sat down for our afternoon aperitif and munched on nuts and olives while I watched and learned a French card game.

That afternoon we played a game of petanque and afterwards prepared dinner. In the evening we sat down to a steaming hot, delicious plate of ratatouille, a dish made with tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and a few other veggies stewed in a pot for a good while. It was to die for. After we had our fill, we indulged ourselves with the big bowl of pre-prepared mohito and yet again had a night of drinking and being silly.

Sunday was a bit warm, so after getting up and at 'em, I dressed into my swimsuit and took a dip in the pool. Others enjoyed the refreshing water as well and we played netless pool volleyball. After an hour or so being in the pool, I got out and joined Mathieu on one of the hammocks and chatted with other people. We enjoyed our lazing about then we all sat down to eat lunch. We enjoyed the rest of your afternoon sipping on drinks and talking.

We finally got in gear, straightened up a good bit and packed our things. After all was done, we said our goodbyes and promises to visit each other over the course of the year then we all parted ways. To me, that was a perfect little vacation. I can’t wait to do it again next year!