Time running out

4 and a half weeks left in France. I don't really know how to describe what I'm feeling about leaving and returning home-- it's sort of like a limbo; for some reason it seems weird to still be here... it's a little like I'm just kind of twiddling my thumbs, waiting on May 27 to roll around and to get on the plane to fly home. I know it's ridiculous; Julie, you have 4 weeks left to enjoy France; why are you just sitting here?!?

So let's catch up a little on what's been happening. It hasn't even been 2 months since I last posted anything, and yet once again, too many experiences have befallen us to share on here. We finished up our Rotary duties; I wound up giving something like 13 speeches which exceeds by far the minimum. But for one of them we were invited to stay the night in St. Benoit sur Mer with an amazing French couple in an amazing French cottage. Luce et Louis; they are incredible people. Luce is a poet and artist, so naturally we had great intellectual literary discussions over spectacular French wine every evening. Right up my alley. We were also invited to hang out with the Lucon aviator club one afternoon, and one of the pilots in Rotary took us on an awesome plane ride. We stolled along the seashore barefoot and just soaked the weekend up; we wound up spending two nights instead of one because we hit it off so well with the couple. Great fun. Aside from Rotary duties, I guess the other big news is that my classes actually started up again. And I have to admit, I was a little disappointed (!)-- I know, right? This is supposed to be a SCHOLARSHIP after all; money to study on, but still-- perfect weather, being able to just leave to any city on a whim, or just go sit in the gorgeous park and soak up the French sun-- hard to give all that up, and one week before spring break too! So I went to class again (and Mark was relieved; he could finally get some work done without me hanging over his shoulder) and then we left for Italy on April 4. Spring Break is two weeks here (they really have a terrible life here in France), so we spent 16 days in Italy. My first thought when we arrived was "oh man, did I ever learn the wrong language!" The country is bellisimo; the people are so vibrant and open; the art is magnificent and the language just fills your ears with this beautiful rhythm and tone. The atmosphere and overall feel of the Italian culture is just so different from France; I was really torn between which country I love more for awhile there. We spent 5 days in Rome (where we experienced the earthquake on our first night, but were fine), 5 in Florence, and 7 in Venice. We saw too many sites to list; but I was most impressed by the churches and the Vatican-- the Sistine Chapel is breathtaking. You can go in any cathedral and see the most astounding art-- it led to a lot of overwhelming feelings and many necessary pauses to just soak it all up. And the Caravaggios in the San Luigi des Francese church were definitely favorites-- thanks again for writing out my prized "carte de tresor," Dr. McClintock!! We would have never known about the church without your list. We loved the vibe in Florence, and the eerie uniqueness of Venice. We also visited Pisa and Padua as day trips. The Giotto chapel at Padua was another favorite; the art is in such amazing shape. It saddens me that so many of the churches in France have lost their art. So Italy, yeah, kind of hard to describe in a blog-- I think I need to write a poem or something; maybe that would have more success at explaining it. So I'll stop with that for now, except I must briefly mention our night train ride home. It was a 16 hour train ride from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. the next day, with two snoring, smacking, making a salad at 6 a.m in the train couchette because they had great sleep incredibly rude cabin mates. We, along with the composed French lady and classy Italian lady also in our cabin, were abhorred, and exhausted the next day to say the least. Then we had to take another train to Nantes... yeah, Monday was a rough day that week. And that will have to do for Italy!! Pictures to soon follow...

This week I again had class, and we are wrapping things up here in Nantes. I am afraid to try and pack my luggage; I know there is no way everything I have acquired PLUS what I originally brought with me is going to fit in there... I will probably end up mailing a box of stuff home just to get it all back there. Sigh, I'm sad to leave this incredible country (which, after much thought and debate, I do still believe is my favorite country, even preferred over Italy), but at the same time, it will be so refreshing to see my family again... regardless of the Texas heat!