I am now living in "Little Venice"

Castres, France

6:00pm
Super proud of myself!  Two nights ago I wrote another 2200 words in my novel “Soul Stasis”.  Ahhh, feels great!  Making progress!

To be honest, today, for the first time, and I never thought it would happen: homesickness and culture shock have set in.  Today was my first day of work and Eva left today.  And for the first time I realize I’m alone.  In a place where I now have no friends, and where I speak a language that is not my native tongue, and where the culture and way of life and thinking is bien different from my way of life at home.  I miss Eva.  Even though she is French and we only spoke in French together… she understood me.  We are friends.  We have laughed together so much these last six days, and spent so much time together.  And now, she’s gone.  I can’t speak to mom because she’s in the hospital and she can’t skype.  I can’t call any of my friends back at home because none are on skype.  And I’m now alone.  And I truly feel it.  And it’s becoming weird to only be speaking French; to not hear the American accent when on the rare occasion I am speaking English with people. 

Don’t get me wrong: I’m really happy to be here.  I had my first day at the school, and everyone was so thrilled to meet me.  In fact, they were expecting me, and wherever I went, and wherever I was introduced “Oh, Monroe!  The American teacher!”  I felt like a rock star in many ways haha.  I’m really looking forward to tomorrow when I actually get to start teaching and working with the students.  And… speaking some English. J

Veronique, my French ‘mother’, just helped me get connected to the internet.  I think that will help: to be able to send and receive some emails.  And to check Facebook. 

Honestly, what is China going to be like?  If I feel this way in a place where I know the language; in a place where I have already lived; in a culture I already know… what’s it going to be like when I land in Shanghai and realize I DON’T know the language; in a place I’ve NEVER lived; in a culture I am completely UNfamiliar with?  It’s an unnerving thought.

But I already feel better.  Writing in this journal/blog.  Putting my thoughts down.  And realizing that I will be able to send a hello to my friends. 

So Eva and I left Vienne yesterday about 10:30am.  It is so incredibly hard to believe that only yesterday I woke up in Vienne.  It seems like I’ve been here in Castres for months already.  So weird.  She picked me up at my Ibis hotel and we began our long drive south.  About 4 ½ hours.  I was very surprised to end up winding through a huge mountain pass of twisting and winding and steep roads, akin to Switzerland.  Only later did we discover that they are the Black Mountains (Les montagnes noirs).  You can see the entire range from Fabienne’s house here in Castres—quite impressive.  (Fabienne is the woman who coordinates the foreign students and foreign teachers.)

We arrived last night and got lost in Castres.  At first, it seemed like a tiny, sleepy town, and it was questionable: the neighborhood that it appeared my host family lived in.  But everything worked out splendidly: my host family has such a nice house; my room is spacious and comfortable; the town itself is actually known as ‘little Venice’ because of its location on the Agout River, and the way many of the houses are built.  It actually is an adorable and charming town, with so many interesting streets to walk down and through, and two big squares, and tres bon.  There are free buses that run everywhere, so getting around won’t be too much trouble either.

Anyway, I dropped my stuff off at Veronique’s house, and then Eva and I went to her hotel.  She changed, and then we went to dinner, and on a walk through the town.  This morning, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel, and then she drove me to the school.  We said our goodbyes.  She was certain we’d not see eachother again for a very long time.  I told her, “Ya never know the future.”  She scoffed.  She left.  And three hours later… we saw one another again!  Her car broke down.  She ended up having lunch with me at Fabienne’s house while her car got fixed.  Haha.  So it’s true: on ne sait jamais.  Vraiment.

But the time is indeed already going by.  Hard to believe I’m actually here.  In Castres.  And my teaching has started.  Hard to believe that very soon I will be in China. 

And indeed, I will be back home again before I know it.  Before I know it, I will be back in New York.  The thought of that makes me smile.  It’s only been a week, but I miss home already tremendously so.  It’s so weird: I honestly feel like I’ve been away from home for months.  It’s only been six days.  What’s weird too is that I’m not a stranger to foreign travel and living.  Switzerland for two years.  Iraq for a year.  But what IS weird is that I am experiencing culture shock and homesickness again.  I didn’t think it would happen again.  I never thought I would feel that sadness like I once did in Switzerland when I was 20 years old.  And yet… it’s back.  And it is not pleasant one bit. 

Enough writing.  I’m gonna go hang out with Veronique a bit.  She’s cooking dinner and it smells sooooo good.  In an hour, we’re going to the train station to pick up this Italian girl who is staying the night with us here, before she moves in with her host family tomorrow.  Maybe I’ll speak some Italian tonight. J

11:56pm
I heard from Eva, Art, my little bro Mike, and Debbie too.  It was nice to be back online and in contact with the world.  It's super weird to not have a cell phone.   It's nearly a week now and I have no intention of getting one here.  At least for now.  We'll see.  We'll see how long and if I can manage without one.  I was able to call mom, though--free int'l calls here at Veronique's house!--and it was great to hear her voice and know that she's okay.  She promised she will come visit me at some point in China.  That makes me smile.

It’s a bit sad that this Italian girl is only going to be here for tonight.  Her name is Alicie and she's really cool.  She loves studying languages like me.  And she loves singing.  She speaks Italian, English, Spanish, and French right now.  Her hope is to become a flight attendant for a while here in Europe, and then work in import/exports.  The languages will certainly help. 

Funny: she called her mom back in Milan, and I ended up talking with her mom Agata for about 20 minutes in Italian.  I had such a great time, and she was so impressed that this American guy who was there in France with her daughter could speak Italian so well.  Somehow that all resulted in a dinner invitation when I come through Milan in March.  How can I turn that down? :)

It's too bad Alicie is moving in with another host family 15 minutes away, but I have her email now, so maybe we can keep in touch.  I'm starting at the school tomorrow, so I'm sure to start making some friends--both the teachers and the students.  I'm surely not going to have this feeling of a man on a foreign desert island for much longer.  I hope!

As for the food and weather?  Verdict: I'm going to be fat by the time I arrive in China.  The lunch I had today at Fabienne's house was just dish after dish of food.  And then dinner here chez moi: the same.  Oh my gosh.  As for the weather: it's cold.  In the mid 40s I think.  Not freezing, but cold enough.  The rain has finally stopped, and that's something for sure. 

I'm all unpacked and settled here in my room now.  No longer living out of a suitcase which is great.  I really have NO idea what is coming in those two boxes that I sent, but I guess we shall see.  My big worries right now are: a) how to send this extra stuff to China; b) how to send my big red suitcase to Rome (or China) so I don't have to carry it all around with me during my Eurail trip; and c) I gues these is no 'c'.  Ahh, well, I'm exhausted anyway.  Time for bed.  Gnight all!

Vienne and Vienne are different cities.

Vienne, France
8:06pm

[Regarding the title of this post: Vienna, Austria is spelled Vienne in French.  So anytime I was searching for things about Vienne, since I am searching from French google, all these stories keep coming up about Vienna, Austria.  I admit I was considering a bunch of hotels in Vienna, Austria and almost booked a room in Austria before realizing my error.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone!]

-------------
Vienne, France.  Raining.  Has been all day.  I’m in a new hotel: Ibis Budget.  Really love it.  The desk is very uniquely situated facing a window that overlooks the street that passes directly under my room.  Yes.  It’s pretty cool.  So I keep seeing a stream of cars driving right at me, and then disappearing beneath my feet. 

Eva picked me up this morning about 10am.  We drove together here to Vienne, the city where she lives and works.  It’s about a 30 minute drive south from Lyon, and on the way towards Castres.  She and I will leave tomorrow for Castres.

Things I like more about Vienne than Lyon: much smaller.  So quaint, and more charm for sure.  Unlike Lyon, I was able to do a foot tour of the city in just two hours.  It was really nice.  Eva had to go to work, but she took me to the office of tourism and set me up with a walking tour map, and against my better judgment, I took her umbrella with me upon her insistence.  I had another lunch at Subway, then embarked on another historically rich tour.  Vienne too has an ancient Roman theater.  This one holds about 13,000 and dates to about 20AD.  The one in Lyon was a little bigger, and dated to 15 years before Christ.  FIFTEEN YEARS BEFORE CHRIST.  My gosh, how old Europe is.  And apparently, the one in Lyon was the very first Roman Gaul theater ever built.  And in Lyon, I rode down the mountain on the oldest funicular in all of Europe. 

This city (Vienne) is built on a very steep hill (more like a small mountain) called Pipet that overlooks the twisting Rhone river, a river that ultimately dumps into the Mediterranean Sea at Marseille.  I hiked my way up Rue Pipet, which is an old narrow (and very steep) Roman street, all the way up to the Belvedere de Pipet.  When Eva told me it was a beautiful view, I had no idea that she was totally understating the situation.  Wow.  Gorgeous.  And then I turned around and behind me found a charming and majestic church dating from the 1700 or 1800s (maybe much earlier).  I figured it had to be closed.  How could it be open?  Who comes up here?  Suddenly a wind gust blew and I saw that the door moved slightly.  Could it be open?  I walked up and a great smile came across my face when I realized it was indeed open.  I pushed the door and walked inside.  Wow.  A gorgeous European catholic church, lit by candles, with Jesus Christ beckoning me to enter and make amends with God.  I did. (How could I argue with Jesus, right?)  I took twenty steps towards the alter, looking up, around, everywhere, marveling at the architecture, embracing the silent echoing serenity, and perplexed that I truly was the only soul in that church on the top of Mount Pipet.  We all have a religious experience at some point, and this perhaps was one for me: I felt like I was meant to be there.  I kneeled at the alter, said a prayer, and of course, asked for the answer to the eternal question, “What is my purpose and why am I here?”  I did not receive a direct answer, but I do believe I saw Jesus wink at me.  We totally bonded.

I lit a candle for mom, wishing her the very best, and walked out.  If that view down upon the Roman ruins (and the quaint little town below, the twisting Rhone in the distance, and the even smaller town of Saint Colombe (spelling) on the other side of the river) was beautiful the first time, it was even more so as I walked out of that church.  This church stands directly at the top of Mount Pipet, looking out upon that very ‘belvedere’ (which means, “beautiful view” in Italian: bel vedere, though perhaps it is Latin and not Italian...) 

And then… it began to rain.  Ha!  I’m SO glad Eva overcame my stubbornness with her stubbornness or I would have been soaked in short order, and my walking tour would have come to a quick conclusion.  It helps that she works in a hotel here.  No wonder she’s such a good tour guide and is able to tell me where to shop, where to eat, what to see.  HA: while walking, I passed a bunch of shops, and in a sea of shoe stores, clothing stores, electronics stores, and restaurants, I saw another, just as normal as the others, but with a different sign to say the least: “Parti Socialist”.  Good to know the neighborhood socialist party office is but a stone’s throw from all else. J It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine got her new boyfriend blacklisted for naming names. Ha! 

I then took a walk across the foot bridge that traverses the Rhone and made my way into the opposing village.  I spoke with one of the shopkeepers who told me that it was indeed a different village and not a part of Vienne. 

A few notes on the French people:
a) why every teenage guy insists on having an absolutely revolting peach fuzz mustache is beyond me.  They look so gross, and yet, I’m surrounded by them.  Everywhere.  No matter that they are 11 years old.  15 years old.  Or 19 years old.  Peachfuzz mustaches.
b) the girls apparently dig these peachfuzz mustaches, because accompanying many of these peachfuzz mustached men are other young women, who apparently dig these yucky hairy growths, or don’t know how to tell their boyfriends that “Mec, tu vraiment dois le raser ca.
--dude, you totally need to shave that thing. 
c) After careful comparisons, I realize that I prefer German chicks.  Maybe most of the hot French chicks moved from Lyon and Vienne, and only live in Paris, and while I cannot confirm this, it would make sense: if I were a girl, and all the guys in Lyon and Vienne sported peachfuzz (as they appear to do), I too would move to Paris!
d) There seem to be a lot of French men walking around who LOOK like homeless people from New York City, but are actually just normal French people, going about their daily lives.  Also, there are some haut fashion French guys who wear their hip Italian cut suits, but they seem to be the exception.  Rome this is not.  Again, this may simply be a function of these smaller cities and villages, but it bears note.
e)  Overall, French people are very nice, and virtually every person I have spoken to in the last few days (more than twenty) have been helpful, kind, and most importantly, talk to me in French.  It makes me feel so great that no one speaks to me in English anymore!  I've finally gotten past that awkwardness where it's easier for them to speak English than me to speak French.  Booyah!

Gosh, another of my really good friends back home just lost his dad today too.  That’s two good friend’s father’s deaths in three days.  Very sad.

After my tour of Vienne, I returned to my room, and collapsed on my bed (another gloriously firm bed), ready to take a nap, when suddenly my eyes opened wide: “WHERE IS MY PILLOW?!”  See, I bought this really small travel pillow at Fort Drum in 2004 about 3 days before I flew to Iraq for the war.  It traveled with me everywhere in Iraq.  To every camp.  To every cot.  To every sleeping bag.  And it was the most comfortable pillow ever.  Well, I have not been able to sleep with any other pillow since because they are all so fat and thick and overflowing with feathers.  This little pillow is just perfect, and supports my neck just perfectly.  You can see pictures of it on Facebook I think haha.  I have kept it since 2005, and took it with me here to France and soon to China because no other pillow can even begin to compete.  I sat up, in shock, here in my bed.  I don’t know how I knew that it wasn’t in either of my two suitcases, but I just knew.  I went to the lobby and I asked to borrow the phone.  I called the hotel in Lyon.  I was right.  It was there.  Ugh!  I said, “Attendez!  Je vais sauver mon oreiller!” (Wait!  I am coming to rescue my pillow!”)  I raced to the train station.  Bought a round trip ticket to Lyon.  Arrived in Lyon 20 minutes after the train departed the station.  Got lost walking around Lyon until I eventually surprised myself by looking up and… seeing my hotel.  I took the elevator up.  Walked to reception.  The women smiled as she brought before my eyes the most beautiful jewel I have ever seen: my little pillow. J

I’m back in Vienne now.  With my lost love again cradling my neck.  How many amazing nights I spent with my love.  She always knows exactly how to make me happy.  (wink).  Gonna go grab a bite to eat in a few minutes.  Then come back and watch tv.  I was going to go to the theater and watch a French film but I realized I should save my money, particularly since I spent more than the cost of a movie ticket on my train tickets to and from Lyon.  Of course, did anyone collect my tickets on the train?  No.  But I suppose I’m glad to be an honest person.  I… suppose.  Haha.  I’m going to watch French tv for a couple hours instead.

And force myself to write another 1000 words in my novel.  Heck, even another 100 words takes me closer to it being finished.  Gotta do it!  Gotta do it.

And tomorrow?  Off to Castres!  A 4.5 hour drive, to meet my French host family.  Eva and I are going to do a little sightseeing together, and then Monday morning, on her way back up to Vienne, she is going to drop me off at… school. J  I’m really excited about meeting the students, and my fellow teachers, and really becoming a part of the community, rather than just doing the ‘tourist’ thing.  I think it’s going to be a really fantastic experience.

I still can't believe in just over two months, I'm gonna be living in China.  CHINA?  Really?  Ha!

Top Ten Things I Learned as a Public Defender / Criminal Defense Attorney

Given what I just wrote in my last post, I was reminded of the last two years I spent at Legal Aid Society in Westchester County, NY.  I thought it might be fun to see if I could come up with the top ten things I learned while working there.  Here is the result of my musings, and I hope you enjoy them.

Top Ten Things I Learned as a Public Defender / Criminal Defense Attorney

10. If I decide to break the law, don’t take a selfie of me doing it.
9. As bad as my life may seem at times, at least I’m not in state prison for an indeterminate sentence of seven to fifteen years.
8. Criminal defense attorneys make more trips to the county jail than the clients they are charged to represent.
7. I am not defending a guilty client’s actions; I am affording him or her the Constitutional right to a fair proceeding and a fair trial, as we are ALL entitled to that.  So stop asking, "Oh my gosh, how could you represent HIM!?"
6. The new word ‘conversate’, which most of my clients wished to do with me, as in, "Hey Mr. Mann, I needs to conversate with you about my case!"
5. The new phrase ‘Shiht man, I needs me a paid lawyer, yo!’ to which I would always reply, "I actually am a paid lawyer, except you're not the one paying me."
4. Most repeat offenders recommit crimes because life on the inside is easier than life on the outside; when you have a rap sheet a mile long, it’s pretty hard to get a job, so what do you do? Go back to what you know: selling drugs, robbing people, and burglary.  Jail and prison alone, I have learned, is not the answer.
3. Happiness is a warm gun.  Bang Bang, Shoot Shoot.  (This has nothing to do with my job at legal aid, but I always wanted to make a reference to this Beatles song, and I figured this is my golden opportunity!)
2. Trials RARELY happen.  Most people plea long before a case even gets to trial: this benefits both the clients and the DA’s office: the clients who get a better deal by pleaing up front to a lesser included charge, and the DA’s office by avoiding the hassle, time, and expense of going through with a trial.
1. If I decide to break the law and DO decide to take a selfie of me doing it, my gosh, please don’t then post it on Facebook!

Oh, and as a bonus, do you know what the # 1 defense always is?  It's the SODDI defense.  SODDI?  It stands for "Some Other Dude Did It!"  :D

I'm just Lyon in the rain.

10am, Lyon, France

Yesterday afternoon and evening turned out very nice.  I found a Subway, and my entire dinner only cost 10 euro, and no tip required, so I saved about 5 euro already.  I’m gonna eat there again every night for dinner.  You know you’re not in America when the cashier at Subway says “Bon Appetit” before giving you your food! J

I ended up walking all the way across the river, and down into the central square.  The equivalent of five subway stops on the A line.  Once there, I took the subway back to where my hotel is.  And low and behold, found a supermarket open until 10pm (which is exceedingly rare in Europe).  I went in and bought a box of cookies for 1 euro, and an entire liter of fruit juice for .85 euro (Amazing prices.  To put this into perspective, at the hotel, a measly can of Coke costs 3 euros.)  So I’ve got enough snacks and drinks to last for the rest of my time here in Lyon, and at a great price.  And while walking around, I listened to Pimsleur Level 4 French lessons the whole time.  Two half hour lessons.  Fantastic!

Afterwards, I was back in the room.  Warm and toasty with the heat on.  I checked email, checked Facebook, used the restroom, and then created a to do list for the next few days.  Among other things: French study, German study, Norwegian study, Chinese Study, PhD check in, UofU check in (That's University of Utah--I'm taking a course there in Positive Psychology), Babbel, and work on some of my living language books.  Also my self-esteem course, which I am finding very helpful. 

I must say, there is something odd about the odor of European hotel bathrooms.  All of them.  In France.  Germany.  Switzerland.  Even Turkey.  And yes, that’s the common demoninator (Europe) not ME, i.e. I am positive that I do not carry this odd smell with me whenever I come to Europe.  I can’t describe it.  It’s not terrible, but it’s not fresh either.  Very odd…

Nonetheless, I’m truly happy to be here in France.  I feel at home here.  And wow, my French is SO much improved.  In two months, it’s going to be perfect, I am sure of it.  Just in time for me to move to China to begin tackling a new language!

I’m still working my way through this fascinating book, “The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris” about the American exodus to Paris in the 1830s.  I just read the chapter on the cholera outbreak around that time, and also of poor Samuel Morse’s loss of his wife of just 25 of a heart attack in the years prior.  And then of his father shortly thereafter, and then his mother 2 years later.  It all just reminded me that death, and disease, and disappointment: it’s a part of life.  I heard last night that the father of one of my childhood friends just died suddenly the other day too.  It’s everywhere: and none of us can escape it, no matter how hard we may try to pretend otherwise through whatever we do to numb our senses.  For some, it’s alcohol; for others, it’s drugs or simple denial; for me, immersing myself in my study of foreign languages.  I’m not necessarily trying to escape reality as much as I am truly entranced by foreign languages.  But it’s the same effect: a momentary amnesia from the bleak reality that life can be and often is. 

In some ways, I’m glad to be reminded of this.  I’m glad to be reminded that life is tough.  That life is not roses.  Or rather, like the tattoo that I am soon to get, that life IS like roses: beautiful, but damn, they hurt sometimes.  Ironically, it is often these hurts that provide the impetus for us to make the great changes in our lives and to make the great leaps.  It wasn’t until Morse lost his wife, dad, and mom that he finally summoned the courage to traverse the ocean and make way for France—a trip that ultimately inspired the rest of his life, and without which there would never been an American telegraph, which was, of course, invented by Morse, as was the subsequent Morse code.  And for me, it was the devastating loss of Louisa and the ultimate realization that I was not truly happy in my job back home that provided the basic impetus for my deciding to come to France as well. 

It’s weird: I feel like one of these Americans from 1830 coming here to change the world somehow.  Like James Fenimore Cooper with his novel writing.  Morse with his painting.  And Monroe Mann with... something.  Somehow, someway, I am continuing this great American tradition. 

Oh, if any of you live in or visit Chicago, please search out the painting by Samuel Morse entitled, “The Gallery of the Louvre”.  Painted in 1833, it is a true masterpiece and apparently in the custody of some gallery in Chicago and I want to know what it looks like up close!  So someone please go check it out for me and give me the scoop!

Everything is a little better with mom.  She’s at the Westchester Medical Center now, and I have a phone number now where I can reach her.  My phone is still working until Monday: I may try to give her a call.  Hmm: maybe I should try to set up a Skype pay-account so I can call directly.  Maybe that will be less expensive than calling via my cell phone at $2/minute…  I will have to look into that.

It’s raining out now.  Drizzling.  I’m still going to go out for a run.  Gotta stay in shape, and wanna continue to rehabilitate my left leg.  I woke up at 7am, without an alarm, and voila: jet lag is officially gone and I am now contentedly on France time.  I had a nice breakfast here, and I’m now going to change into sneakers and go run through a different part of the city than I walked through yesterday. 

Still can’t believe I am back in France.  It just warms my heart.  That sounds silly, but it’s true.  I feel happy here!  Home!  And loved!  Even though right now I am totally alone, and am hanging by myself all today and tomorrow, I’m fine with it!  Maybe it’s because I feel like France itself is my friend, and these streets my companion, and the language my love.  I’m smiling right now, and genuinely.  I am still in shock that I mustered the courage to do this.  I am still in shock that in a few days, I will be a teacher in a French high school.  I am even more in shock than in less than three months, I will be living... in China.  Oh. My. Gosh.

Oh, that reminds me, I gotta look into that Laughing Yoga thing again.  Really want to get into that.  It's this yoga class but instead of regular yoga, you laugh!  For 30 minutes!  Hearty belly laughs.  Turns out that not only does genuine joy bring genuine laughter, but forced laughter results in genuine joy.  Sounds like something worth investigating, right?  And I’m also happy to receive two really nice emails.  One from a former film student of mine, and another from a musician/actor who I spoke with two days ago at JFK before I got on the plane.  The film student received my email newsletter and wanted to let me know that he just booked his first commercial, and thanked me for continuing to motivate and inspire him; the musician/actor letting me know that he is coming on board as a new client: I’m stoked for them both.  I’m stoked too to know that I’ve still ‘got it’ as a motivational career and life coach.  I’m not only thrilled to know that I’ve got another source of income to help augment my savings during these next two months (which is a huge relief), but even more so, I’m so happy to simply again be a career coach.  I am so happy to again be helping people pursue and tackle their dreams. Nothing makes me feel more useful than knowing that I am helping someone get off their butt and pursue their passion, doing what they know they should be doing with their lives.  Hooah! 

This is what was so tough about my job as a criminal defense attorney, and in particular, a public defender handling only felonies, i.e. murder, rape, robbery, grand theft auto, burglary, drug dealing, etc: I was acting in many ways as a career coach, but to those who really didn't want to change their lives; most of them just wanted me to help them get out of jail.  Many of them showed no true remorse for what they did; they merely showed regret for having been caught, and had no plans to really change their lives.  And it was disheartening for me to try to inspire these people to seek a better life and a better source of income when deep down, I knew that very few of them would ever even TRY to heed my counsel.  Some did, and it brought great joy to me when I would get a phone call from a client sharing great news about a new job they scored, or that they got of jail or prison and were able to see their kids again, etc.  But by and large, it was a very thankless job that brought much sadness to my life.  Sadness to see such potential wasted and squandered, day in and day out.  Few of my clients there wanted me to help them prosper and succeed; I was merely a vessel through which they could find a way out of self-inflicted trouble.  Which is precisely why I enjoy private career coaching better: my clients now come to ME out of a sincere desire to apply themselves and kick some ass.  It's a world of difference, and each client meeting now leaves me glowing and happy, rather than drained and exhausted.  Don't get me wrong: I'm grateful and pleased with and for the time I spent as a public defender.  I learned lessons and helped people I never otherwise would have.  And for that, how can I be anything but forever grateful?

The weather is quite nice here in Lyon, France

7pm, Lyon

So Lyon is spelled without an 's'.  Took me two days to realize this, but all is now well. :)

Sadly, there was a family emergency at home, but my sisters and I are talking again as a result as we try to remedy the situation.  For whatever that is worth.  Every cloud has a silver lining, I suppose.  I'm really upset about what happened though.  It makes me very sad.  Particularly because I am just 2 days into my 15-month adventure, and already things seem to be falling apart to some degree back home.  I'm grateful that my sisters are there, to help out.  If they were not there, I wonder if I would have to go home to take care of this.  One of my sisters told me that my mom called and left me a voicemail saying that the reason we couldn't Skype was because she had the flu; but that was a lie.  I never got the voicemail because my phone is off.  Apparently she felt bad about what really happened, and didn't want to worry me, given that I had just arrived.  That was sweet of her. 

My friend Dan just asked me about the weather here.  Funny: I didn't really mention it before.  It's warm.  At least by New York City standards.  In NYC now it's something like 30 degrees.  Here, it's like 50.  I'm walking around with just a sweatshirt.  No hat. No gloves.  Simply not necessary.

The city has about 3 million people.  Paris and its environs have about 12 million from what I understand.  The five boroughs of NYC about 8.  So Lyon is fairly big.  Two rivers flow through it: the famous Rhone, and also the Saone.  I am in a small inexpensive 3-star hotel about a 20-minute walk from the rivers/central area.  The train station (and that Starbucks) is but a 10-minute walk from here.  It's a really nice hotel, actually.  I like it a lot.  Small, and petite, but clean, a SUPER comfortable bed (nice and hard mattress--I love firm mattresses), 50 channels of all French tv (awesome!), free wifi, and very nice overall.  I'll be here until Sunday morning: then Eva and I are driving about 5 hours to Castres, where I will meet my French family, and start teaching at the high school.

Haha, funny: my friend Debbie said she tracked my flight!  Apparently if you know what flight someone is on, you can track it.  She told me it was like NORAD tracking Santa!  haha.  She watched as my flight took off from NYC, and saw when it landed in Paris.  Now THAT's a friend who cares, haha. 

Eva and I hung out last night, and today.  She got a tad upset because after breakfast at 9:30am, I sorta ended up sleeping until 4pm.   I was SO tired.  So jetlagged still.  Eventually I got up and we went for a walk around the city a bit.  Then she went to work. 

I'm solo now for the next few days.  Which is fine.  I feel at home in France, and speaking French, and I have many things with which to occupy myself: this blog, language study, watching French tv (I watched Coming to America in French yesterday!  It was even funnier in French, particularly the little bit at the end with the Jewish customer who talks about 'tasting the soup'.  Ahhhh-hAAHHH! :D), and of course the city itself.

Tomorrow I think I am going to figure out the subway system.  I'm going to take it to Place Bellecour, which is a part of the city that is virtually landlocked between the two rivers.  When looking at it, it reminds me of Manhattan, buttressed on either side by the East and Harlem Rivers.  I think this is why the area (Place Bellecour) is known for some of the city's best restaurants, museums, and theaters: I'm sure it's really pretty precisely because of its relative inaccessibility.  I will find out soon enough: I'm going to have lunch there tomorrow, and then jump on the tour bus (in French) and see what the city has to offer.  I might go see "The Wolf of Wall Street" too.  Also in French.  Aside from this blog, and this book "Americans in Paris", I am not speaking or involving myself much in English.  And I'm perfectly fine with that.

OH: yesterday, at the train station, Eva and I ended up speaking to this women who was 93 years old.  Which seemed impossible because she looked so much younger and had a spring in her step.  A French WWII veteran (like dad), except she was an Army Nurse.  She was also in Vietnam, she said.  Crazy.  She smiled at my wryly and said, "D'ou venez-vous?  Vous venez de quel pays?"  (Where are you from?  You come from which country?)  I replied with a wry smile because it meant that she didn't know my origin from my accent.  And that made me so happy.  When I told her American, she was shocked: she thought I was Swiss or German.  The same thing happened here at the hotel with the receptionist.  It means my accent is good enough that I sound European, and not American, and that's a good thing: they won't immediately start to speak English because they don't know if in fact I even speak English, which means I don't have to worry about others trying to improve their English with me; just me and my French.  Tres bien!

As for Saturday, I don't know.  One day at a time, I guess.  Oh, I need to send out my newsletter to my email list: "Your 2014 To-Do List -- Monroe Mann style"  I have done that every new years without fail for the last 6 or 7 years.  Can't stop now!  Particularly because it seems like a lot of people enjoy getting it.  Can't disappoint the fans!

Well, it's about 7:30 now and I'm famished.  Haven't eaten anything since breakfast.  Gonna do my best to find somewhere inexpensive to eat, but it just doesn't seem possible: The euro/dollar exchange rate is not so great, and things just seem more expensive here.  A small personal pizza last night cost 9 euro, or 12 dollars.  After tax, it was 12 euro, or 16 dollars total.  That's a lot for a little lunch.  I may have to adjust my spending plan based on how expensive everything seems to be here. 

But 'here', I am.  And I'm smiling because of that.  I spoke with Veronique (my French host) again today via email, and she is prepared for my arrival in Castres on Sunday.  Gosh, if it's 50 degrees now here in Lyon, how much warmer will it be five hours south?  Very interesting.  Oh: my Eurail pass arrived in Castres, c/o Veronique.  That's good to know.  I still need to figure out which city I will start from, and how I will get there.  I am thinking Oslo, Norway, but I don't quite know yet.  In time...

A toute a l'heure!

Happy New Year... from an airplane. Et de la France!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014
8AM

I made it!  Best flight ever.  Seat was SO comfie.  Go American Airlines!  WOW!  Aisle.  No one in seat next to me.  Became really good friends with this guy Evan Vincent, a 19 year old model from NY who is here in Paris and Milan for their fashion weeks.  Runway model, and is going to be in the March issue of Esquire.  We talked for hours.  A fantastic time.  And I’d say we’re pretty good friends now.  He’s going to see about getting me a ticket to one of the shows.  That would be cool.  The new year is off to a great start!

I was supposed to be on an Iberian airlines flight but as it turned out, it was operated by AA.  I was disappointed at first, but I sure was surprised with everything about the service and the flight: the baggage guy (Dr. J) was so awesome and noticed my bag was heavy and offered to tape it up so it wouldn’t open during the flight.  NEVER has any baggage person offered to do something like that.  Then, it turned out it was overweight—by a LOT—but the woman (Virginia) and her boss (Patrick) helped me out and instead of charging me $150, gave me a discount for $100.  See: sometimes haggling with a smile turns things in your favor. J  Then, on the flight, the flight attendants were awesome.  These two charming gay guys Doug and David, and this fascinating Egyptian turned American named Ali.  And the food was really good too.  A great dinner.  And the seats: did I mention how perfectly comfortable the seats were?  WOW.

Oh, FYI, I am writing this from a train.  I’m sitting on the TGV (Train Grande Vitesse, or Very Fast Train) waiting in the station for the train to leave.  I’m heading two hours south to Lyons, where my friend Eva is going to meet me. 

Anyway, back to the flight: such a great flight.  Evan and I BOTH agreed that it was the most pleasant transatlantic flight either of us have even been on.  And for two reasons: a) the seats were amazing, and b) the company was amazing.  Seriously, we talked for hours!  About everything: modeling, filmmaking, girls, traveling, our futures—he’s got as a wild a story as I do.  For starters, he was born in Finland, and has lived in some of the oddest places growing up: Kuwait and Bulgaria to name two.  And why?  His mom is… an English teacher!  Haha, like what I’m doing.  And his dad is a school principal.  So since they traveled around from school to school, he of course tagged along with them.  Anyway, we just talked and talked like we’ve known eachother for years.  If I were gay, I would totally want to date him, haha!  And when we got off the plane, we had a coffee together in a French café here in the airport.  I’m honored to know this guy.  In a sea of boring and uninteresting and unsociable people, this guy is a breath of fresh air. 

Before we took off in NY, I got a call from Art Brown too.  Super great guy.  Love him to death.  He received the copy of my book “Time Zen” that I sent him from Amazon.  I promised him a copy for years and he reminded me that I never fulfilled that promise.  I figured I should probably send it to him before I leave for trip, and so I did, and he called to let me know he got it and started reading it already.  He also sent me a copy of his script, “Brownie and Fran” about Brooklyn in 1944 – 48.  I read it on the plane, nonstop, and wow, gotta say, IT IS GOOD!  I told him I would write about it on the blog and I would be honest, and honestly: IT IS GOOD!  I am hoping to help produce it now, and there’s a part I’d like to play too, so maybe we can help each other on this one.  And a possible new coaching/consulting client called and we spoke for 20 minutes about his music and voiceover career. 

I spoke to my friend Debbie too.  She’s been my number one super fan since Iraq.  Couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.  By phone, since she lives in Chicagoland.  She is a DJ at the college where she works, Valpairaso University, and my song, "The Sun Is Always Shining Somewhere" is STILL on rotation, and she says it has nothing to do with her, but because the song gets requested often enough that 'by popular demand' it stays on the rotation.  That makes me feel so great.  She always sends me an email whenever it plays, "Hey Monroe!  Your song is playing right now on the radio!"  Needless to say, that always boosts my mood and makes me smile.

Oh, train’s moving!  And voila, we’re out of the station—8:45am and it’s so overcast and cloudy out.  Oh well: c’est la vie. J

And finally, Francis called.  This aide from physical therapy in Greenwich.  I only became friends with him in the last few days really, but we had lunch a few days ago and he’s really cool.  Nice to hear from him.

I also met another cool cat on the plain: this Parisian Farouk, of Algerian descent.  Had a really nice conversation with him.  He overheard me talking to the flight attendants (my two new gay friends—they are FAHHHBULOUSLY FAHHHBULOUS) and got up and said, “Sorry for overhearing, but I heard what you were saying and what you’re doing, and you have such an amazing story.”  Next thing I know, we’re talking, and he’s a professional musician turned train conductor in Paris.  I’m gonna help him with some legal advice regarding his stay in Orlando and some trouble he had with the hotel, and in return, he offered to let me ride in the conductor’s cabin of a French train.  Awesome!  So sometime this month, I’m gonna try to return to Paris to take him up on his offer.

Ugh, I am getting sick typing on this computer while the train is running.  Need to stop really soon and continue writing later.

Anyway, I said what I need to say.  I’m gonna enjoy the sights now, and look out the window. 

Seriously, how awesome: Paris.  France.  I made it.  On a train traveling through the French countryside. My adventure has officially begun.  Truly, I’m so happy.  It hit me while talking to Evan on the plane: I made the right decision.  THIS is the life I am meant to be living.  Not as a lawyer in NY.  Maybe I will return to that life one day, but truly, coming here to France to teach and live with a French family, and then Shanghai—THIS is living.  THIS is Monroe Mann.  Languages, international travel, international living, and socializing with the cool and interesting people of this world.  THAT is what gets my blood pumping.  And performing!  So I’m glad I have my guitar with me too! J

Okay, seriously, I’m gonna barf if I keep typing on this computer with the train in motion.  Later peeps!

11:02am
Lyons, France.  At a… Starbucks.  Ha.  Criticize the US as much as you want but… We. Are. Everywhere.  And I really don’t think it’s because we suck. J

I arrived only to find… no Eva.  But a foreign number called about 30 minutes ago and I figured it must be her.  But I didn’t want to call her back on my phone because it would end up costing me $20 or more.  I impressed myself again by talking in French with a local and explaining that I wanted him to please call this number for me.  He did, and he gave me the phone, and it was Eva!  Turns out she was at the other station in Lyon, and rock and roll: in French I explained where I was, and that I would meet her at the Starbucks whenever she gets here.  30 minutes she said.  I’m not perfect with my French, but good enough that I really think living here for the next two months, with a French family, is just what I need to put my skills to the perfecting grindstone. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that I inspired Evan to start his own blog, documenting his adventures as a model, traveling the world.  I’m really hoping he follows through.  He said his first post will be tomorrow once he starts the blog.  If he does it, I promised I would share his new blog link on my blog.  He said he’d do the same for me.  Cross blog promotion baby!  Fingers crossed that I get his blog link soon...

I am totally surprised that I am not more tired.  I have barely slept the last two days, and even less last night on the plane.  OH!  New Year’s!  On the plane!  It was more anticlimactic that I ever could have expected.  We go on the plane at 5pm.  By 5:30 we were in the air.  At 6pm, the pilot came over the loudspeaker, in as deadpan a voice as I’ve ever heard: “It is now 12 midnight in France.  Happy New Year.”  Not one person clapped.  No one said anything.  It was actually rather amusing.  It was unequivocally the most ‘unfestive’ Happy New Year in the history of mankind, and yet, I think I will always remember it as one of the greatest new years ever.  Because I truly felt better at this new year's celebration than I’ve felt at any other.  I really can’t remember having a better new year celebration than being on the airplane, heading off to a grand new international adventure.  Even now, I’m glowing.  So happy.  So excited.  So content.  So thrilled!  I’m here!  In France!  For two months!  Then traveling by train throughout Europe for two weeks!  Then… CHINA!  For a year!  No more 9 – 5 grind!  Sure, I’ll be teaching “9 – 5” but come on, working in a foreign country can in no way compare to a regular job at regular old ‘home’.  This is SO INCREDIBLY AWESOME and I am SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY, CONTENTED, AND (deep breath; exhale) AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  Life.  Is.  Good. 

Hey, for all of you reading this: take a long hard look at your life.  Are you REALLY doing what you want to be doing?  Cause if not, please find the guts to be (as Sara Bareilles sings) BRAVE!  Evan (who has been quite the world traveler too) told me that he was really impressed that I’m going to live in China for a year.  He said that he doesn’t think he’d have the guts to do something like that.  It really made me feel great.  Well, folks, BE BRAVE!  Pursue your dreams!  Live the life you KNOW you should be living.  Yeah, it was totally scary to give my two weeks’ notice at my cushy and pretty well paid lawyer job.  But after I did it, I had a pretty good gut feeling that it was the right decision.  And now, today, as I write these words from a Starbucks in Lyons, France, I know with a resounding certitude: YES, IT WAS AND IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS I HAVE MADE IN MY LIFE. 

No rules, No excuses, No regrets.  My motto.  And I’m so happy to know that I am actually living by it.  Which reminds me, I really need to get that tattoed on me somewhere.  With a rose to remind me that nothing is perfect, and even a beautiful rose has its imperfections.  Perhaps I will get that when I get down to Castres.  Hmmm….

Hey, Eva's here!  Gotta go!

Answer: $950. The Question?

12:08pm
$950.  The question: How much does it cost to mail enough clothing, books, and video equipment to France and China to survive for a year, finish your PhD in psychology, and shoot two music videos?  6 boxes to China; 2 boxes to France.  Enough for me to survive and thrive for over a year. 

I purchased insurance for each of the packages too.  I asked how likely the packages are to arrive in China.  She told me that as long as the packages are not to Mexico, Brazil, or Italy, they probably will not get lost and will arrive.  How interesting!  I always knew Italian trains were often late, but packages too?!  And she told me I needed to worry about ITALY, and NOT China?!  That is CRAZY!  But I’m happy to have paid a little extra for the insurance to make sure I have money for clothing, a new video camera, new books, etc should they not arrive.

Off to the airport now.  Phone is scheduled to be deactivated on Jan 7th.  And then, it’s just email, FB, and Skype: unless I happen to buy a disposable French phone.  I will look into that once I get over there.

I’m a bit chagrined with how much it cost to send everything.  I didn’t even plan for ‘shipping costs’ when I planned my budget.  And so, I had to charge it all to my credit card, so as not to subtract from my liquid assets.  Not a huge deal, but I wish I had considered this all when doing my initial planning…   I did get a book royalty check for about $180 today though, and that’s helpful.  Every penny counts, right?!

I got a phone call from Lori today!  Her voice and her effervescence just makes me smile from ear to ear whenever I hear it.   She is one of my bestest of friends and... the first girl I ever kissed.  And it was on stage.  In underwear.  Me in boxers.  She in a silk teddy.  Junior year of high school at the Eastern Slope Playhouse in North Conway, NY.  The play: Equus. I played Alan; she played Jill, my girlfriend.  We've been really great friends ever since.  And she is the BEST modern dancer.  Just incredible.  It was so nice of her to think of me.  I miss her.  Always!  She was all ready to come visit me in China until I told her the cost of airfare.  Yeah, I know, Lori!  I so wish I were a millionaire and could just buy plane tickets and cars and stuff for my friends.  That is GOING to be so cool when it happens one day!  One day soon, I'm sure of it!

Okay, I have a 12:20pm German lesson, and then off to the airport at 1pm.  Au revoir, Etats Unis!  A la prochaine!

T-minus 36 hours and counting...

Monday morning
December 30, 2013
6:29am
I am still awake!  Haven't slept a wink.  I JUST finished all of my accounting and bookkeeping for 2012 in Quickbooks.  I couldn’t bear to leave without having a full and clear picture of my financial situation, and I also want to be able to get my tax info to my accountant with as little hassle as possible: I will have enough to worry myself with overseas.  Now I am ALL DONE.  I just need to wait for my W2’s from Legal Aid Society and my book royalty statements, and W2s from the Army. 

I’m actually in better financial shape than I thought.  I managed to save up a lot of money these last two years thanks to my brilliant idea of moving back home with mom and dad.  Many people look down on my for moving back home, but in the back of my mind, I knew that it would only be temporarily, and if I had to pay rent, I would have no savings.  Instead, I have a nice travel purse.  Sure, it’s often been a pain living with mom, cause she can be difficult at times (isn’t every mother difficult at times?), but clearly it was and has been worth it: I can afford to go on a three-month sojourn through Europe before starting my paid teaching job in China.  Awesomeness.

Now, I need to make sure that I have $2000 set aside that I don’t touch.  I need $2000 when I arrive in China so I can pay my first and last months’ rent, plus security, and get a phone.  And I need money for food too during that first month.  I only get paid once a month, and since I start work on the 17th of March, I won’t get my first paycheck until April.  So if I don’t save at least $2000 on the side, I’m in big trouble upon arriving in Shanghai.  And I’m stoked: even with $2000 put aside, I will still have enough to cover my food and travel costs in France and Europe.  If I go over, I have a few credit cards I can use.  My Discover balance is $3000 now though.  And I owe $650 on Capital One.  So I’m already going into the trip a LITTLE in debt, but the good news is that I probably won’t have to go any MORE in debt.  And starting in April, I can start paying off the cards, and rebuilding my savings accounts.  Though when I get a couple more coaching clients (www.EnoughExcusesAlready.com), I will be able to start paying off the credit cards even before I arrive in China.

Truly, whenever I finish my bookkeeping, I always feel SO great.  I say this over and over, but it’s SO nice to know how much money I DON’T have, haha!  But seriously, it’s a wonderful feeling to be on top of your finances.  And there’s a zenlike effect that the bookkeeping itself has on me.  I listen to Pandora (usually the Aly & AJ station, or an Avril Lavigne station, or some Pachelbel) and I transfer all the numbers from all of my bank and credit card statements, and voila, eventually out come the P&L Statements, the Balance sheets, etc.  See: the MBA in Finance sure comes in handy.  :)

Wow, just one more day.  Just one more day.  Just one more day.

I admit that I was thinking about my ex a bit today, and I do miss her, but the truth is: I’m moving on.  Moving Forward!  Doing this trip/move/adventure was the best decision I could have made, and I’m ready to put her into my past.  Ahhhh…

In fact, I have to admit that in many ways, her breaking up with me has turned out to be a blessing:

a) I would never have started taking hiphop and house and dancehall classes at Broadway Dance Center had she not broken up with me.  And now, I'm a pretty good dancer!  The other day I was dancing in Grand Central, on the main concourse, listening to 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles, and 'Pompeii' by Bastille, 'Accidentally in Love' by Counting Crows, and 'Everything's Gonna Be Alright' by Naughty by Nature.  And I was hip hop dancing up a storm, and people were gathering around and clapping.  These two cute British chicks asked if they could dance with me while their friends took photos.  I can't WAIT to find a dance school in France, and certainly in Shanghai!

b) I would never have probably gone on this trip in the first place if she hadn't left me.  And this trip is like manna from heaven.  I think it's going to be life changing and positively fantastic on so many levels.  Yippee!
c) Finally, I would never have started studying languages so intently otherwise.  I started learning German once she left in hopes of impressing her should she ever take me back.  It didn't work, but I got hooked, and the study of German blossomed into the study of 20 other languages as well.  And I am BLOWN AWAY with the capacity of the human brain.  I never in a million years would have believed that it would be possible to actually study 20+ languages simultaneously, actually make progress in each, and not get totally confused unless... I were actually doing it, living it, and seeing it happen right before my very eyes. 

So, as is always the case, every terrible trauma has a silver lining.  Just took my 18+ months to see it.  But I'm smiling now.  Moving on to the next adventurous phase of my life.  And excited beyond measure to see what the next few weeks, months, and years have in store! 

Thanks for keeping up with my adventures!  HOOAH!

Oh, and if you'd like a free 15-minute career, business, or life consultation with me to see if my coaching services may be able to help you kick some major butt in 2014... let me know.  Visit www.EnoughExcusesAlready.com for my contact info.  I'd love to chat with you further.

2 days and counting...

Just had a great Russian lesson.  Went over the four different ways to say “Whose”: Masc, Fem, Neuter, and Plural.  And how cool: my Russian teacher Natasha lives in Moscow and I didn’t know this, but the Transiberian Railway runs all the way from Moscow to Beijing!  I thought it was just Russia alone.  She and I both were talking about Mongolia, and how neither of us have been there.  So she proposed that we each take the Transiberian Railway and meet in Mongolia.  Wouldn’t that be an adventure.  She would take her family; I would get a group of friends from China.  The train runs from Russia through Mongolia and into China. 

Another fun fact I learned while looking at a map: the tips of Russia, Mongolia, Kazakstan, and China all intersect: China from the south; Russia from the north; Kazakstan from the west, and Mongolia from the east.  That would be a pretty wild meeting place haha.  Seriously, check it out: go to google maps and look.  I wonder why THAT is the intersection point of all four countries, i.e. what's the history behind those borders.  Gotta look into that.

I checked the train timetables here:  http://www.traintomongolia.com/trans-mongolian-train-timetable/   Very very interesting.  Though I notice that it apparently takes about 7 days from Moscow to Beijing.  That doesn’t seem very ‘express’.

I was on the transiberian express once, from Moscow to St. Petersburg.  Back at Franklin College in Switzerland.  During a class trip.  Spent the night in a sleeper car, which was pretty cool.  There was no murder.  Though perhaps that’s only on the Orient Express.  Hmmm… :)

I have to do my damn accounting now, for 2013.  I want to finish all my Quickbooks bookkeeping before I leave, so I can just send the stuff to David at www.ActorTax.com from China, without having to do the bookkeeping over there.  If you want a great tax guy, he's wonderful.  But I’m still stuck in April 2013, and have many more months to catch up on.  I really should be doing that, and not writing in this journal/blog.

I really hope to find time to work on my novels again soon. I’ve neglected them for the last few weeks.  I’m up to about 18,000 words in Soul S.T.A.S.I.S. and I need about another 30,000 to be considered ‘novel length’.  And I need to start doing the research for Shanghai’d, another new novel I am working on, about the crazy practice back in the day that birthed the term of the same name.  And ugh, more PhD work.  My goal is still to finish the entire dissertation and earn my PhD by the end of 2014, but I’m not yet sure if that will be possible.  Which reminds me, I need to email again to Kim (my dissertation advisor) about whether he received my latest research proposal draft.  It got signed off by my other two committee members, and now it’s time for the ‘scientific merit review’ process.  If I get through that, then it’s IRB time, and then awesomeness: I can actually begin the research subject recruitment process.

And the movie.  Still waiting to hear back from the US distributor.  We're so close to finalizing a deal, and I really hope it happens in January.  Time will tell.

Hard to believe I’m only going to be here for another two days.  This time, in 48 hours, it’s off to the airport.  Oh, did you know that they use the Cyrillic alphabet in Mongolia.  Another fun fact.  Ya know, for the next time you're a) in Mongolia, b) trying to impress a friend, or c) are on Jeopardy haha.  But this is yet another reason I’m stoked about learning Russian and Bulgarian: the Cyrillic alphabet has multiple uses.  Not just for Russian.

I’m still so sick.  I think I’m sick AGAIN.  A new sickness.  I think hanging out with Nicole did me in.  I went over to her house to help put together her daughter’s dollhouse for Christmas last week, and she was coughing.  Nicole.  And I think I got whatever she had.  Lovely Christmas gift, haha.  No good deed goes unpunished.

It’s raining out now.  Drizzling.  The sounds of the droplets landing here and there is nice.  Soothing.  Calming.  Nothing lasts forever, even cold December rain.  That's a play on a GNR song, for those who may not be up to snuff on 90s music culture.  

I still can’t believe I’m doing this.  France, yes.  That’s understandable.  But China?  That’s just CRAZY!  Everyone wants to go to France for a few months; but who goes to China?!  FOR A YEAR?!   It’s so rugged, and ‘out there’!  Japan, Korea: they somehow seem more tame.  China feels like the wild west to me.  As wild a place as Iraq was.  As Africa.  That safari I went on in South Africa.  Living almost with the lions, in the tents, with a protective fence along side.  I remember walking along the fence at night, pitch black, tress all around, feeling like I was in Jurassic Park.  Waiting (and secretly hoping) that a lion would roar out from behind the other side of the fence.  And I would wrestle it to the ground.  Alas, I just day dreamed like Walter Mitty, and ended up crawling back into my tent with no stories to tell.  Well, scratch that: I just told a story.  Haha.  Yay, I got a story out of it after all!  And yes, I ended up seeing lions the next day when we actually went walking around.  Inside.  With no fences.  Pretty wild.  No pun intended :)

I should also update and post my acting reel before I leave.  It is almost done.  I really should do that.  Maybe I will try to work on that later today.  I don’t think I have time to make it ‘perfect’, but hey, as I love to say, ‘good now is better than perfect never’.   I also need to head into the city today to see one of coaching clients before I leave.  I promised I would try to seem him twice in person before we switch over to Skype, and well, it's important to be a man of my word.

I also got nominated to be a part of this new thing at Fryeburg Academy: the hall of excellence.  That’s a nice honor, regardless whether I get picked.  Thanks to whomever nominated me!

Okay, may the force be with you all.  I’ve got a million and a half things to do.  I am sure you do too.   So stop reading already and go do them!  Yes, I'm talking to you Monroe!  And YOU!  READER!  Chop chop!  Get moving.  Do what you need to do. :)

Three Days Till New Years on an Airplane!

Okay, packing for a trip is hard enough but today has been a puzzle of the highest magnitude: trying to decide what to bring on the plane; what to send ahead of me to France; what to send directly to China; what to leave here.  I fly on Tuesday afternoon.

I went to FedEx first, and yikes, a 15lb box would cost upwards of $250.  I asked if they had a slow boat to china, but they laughed, and said no.  Humph.  Next stop: Post Office.  Still expensive, but better: 30lb box to China about $130.  I also asked them if they had a slow boat to China, and the woman did NOT laugh.  Cause apparently, there really did use to be a slow boat to China.  But it's gone.  GONE!  WHY!  Apparently the Post Office stopped shipping by boat a few years ago.  All international freight is by air now.  Humph.  Again!  I originally planned to bring a lot more books, but alas, it's cost prohibitive as we can see.  I sure do love my books!--and some are simply necessary, unfortunately: my language books; my psychology books for my PhD; etc.  Pain in the butt.  I can't find them anywhere else, and I hate reading on an Ipad or kindle, so... sucks to be me.

Anyway, today has been quite the accomplishment in itself: I have managed to consolidate everything into 3 large boxes and 3 small boxes to China, with most of my clothing for a year, plus my books and whatnot.  And 1 large box and 1 small box to France, with some clothing and books. 
And finally my necessities for the next two weeks, since it will take at least 7 - 12 days for the boxes to arrive in France.

I'm sending the China-bound boxes care of my Chinese Language School, Mandarin House.  They are being truly accommodating.  I'm SO stoked to take Chinese lessons three mornings/week when I arrive!

But alas, my adventure is first taking me to France.  Landing in Paris on the 1st.  Ha--gonna spend New Year's on an Iberian Airlines plane (Spanish).  I'm sure this will end up being the one and only time I actually fall sound asleep on a long flight, and at midnight, I'm gonna get woken up with, "Feliz Nuevos Anos!"  My Spanish isn't so great, but I think that's how you say HNY.

I bought my Eurorail pass today as well at www.eurail.com.  That's a dream come true.  I've always wanted to 'backpack around Europe' and now I'm gonna do it: $660 for 15 days of continuous rail travel, starting March 1st.  I'm gonna be teaching at the high school in France until Feb 28th (a full two months), and then I'm off on a two-week adventure throughout Europe, starting in, I expect, Oslo, Norway.  It only costs $55 to fly from France to Oslo, and then I'll start taking the trains, speaking different languages along the way (how fun!) until I eventually end up in Rome, staying with my friends Roberto and Helen for a few days until flying to Shanghai.  Direct flight from Rome to Shanghai.  Leaving in the evening and arriving the next day in the afternoon.   

I got a text from one of my coworkers at work today.  She told me that I inspired her.  That my decision to leave my job as a public defender and go after my dreams inspired her to reevaluate her life, and what she is doing with hers.  I've been getting a lot of these emails/texts lately.  Really makes me smile.  I'm proud and excited to be living my dreams, and proud and excited to be inspiring others to pursue theirs as well!

Oh, my phone: I have to figure out what to do about that.  When to shut it off.  Do I get a disposable in France for two months, or just stick with wifi Skype on my iphone?   I did buy my foreign plug adaptors today, for France, and for China.  One less thing to worry about.  I'm really excited that I'm 90% done with the planning; that in 3 days, I will be on the trip.  Flying to Paris.  Wow.  And I'm sure, at 30,000 feet, thinking, "OH NO, I FORGOT TO ________!"

Oh, speaking of Skype, I had an hour chat with my host family mother, Veronique, yesterday.  She's awesome.  I really like her.  Neither she or her husband, or her two daughters speak English, and so I'm pretty stoked: we spoke in French the entire time, and it's how it will be for an entire two months.  And wow, how my French has improved.  The conversation was easy, and we talked about jobs, the weather, the best way to get to Barcelona, arrival times, about our families and our futures, and huh, I'm pretty proud of myself.  All this self study these last 5 years has actually paid off: my French is infinitely better than it was the last time I stayed with a host family in 2005 (during my two-week leave from Iraq.  Go figure that while everyone else took their break from war to go home, I chose to live with a French family and study French.  Haha!  That's me in a nutshell.  Haha)

So I'll be landing in Paris, and immediately taking a train for two hours to Lyons to see my friend Eva.  I was originally going to meet my friend Maura (German chick who is in university in Netherlands) but alas, her schedule didn't work out.  I'm excited to see Eva.  She's French, and lives in a town called, "Vienne" which is close to Lyons.  See: I was originally going to be teaching in a school in northern France, and to save money, I bought my plane ticket before my school placement was confirmed.  But in the end, I was placed in a high school in southwestern France, near the Spanish border.  8 hours by train from Paris!  Oh mon dieu!  But it's working out fine, because I'll hang with Eva for a few days up in Lyons (a city I have never been to), and schedule permitting, she is going to drive me down to Castres--by car it's apparently only 4 hours.  Isn't she a total sweetheart?  Oui, Eva, c'est vrai!  Tu es VRAIMENT gentille!  So we shall see.  She's super cool, and even though she speaks English, she loves speaking only in French with me, and I love it.  So for the few days I'm with her, it's more French immersion!  And we Skype every few days and I love speaking in French with her.  And she looovvveeeesss my accent.  Cause I'm soooooooo adorable.  (wink).

But coupled with my adorableness is a little sickness still.  Slight runny nose.  Headache.  Stuffy head.  But much better than I was last week.  I'm hoping to be on the plane with a clear head and a non-sniffly nose! 

That's it for now.  I think I'm gonna go check out the movie "Walter Mitty" now, either with my mom, or alone: I want to see as many movies as I can before I leave, cause pretty soon, I won't be seeing many films in English, I'm sure...  I hope she comes: I won't be seeing her for quite a long time.  I won't be seeing anyone from home really, unless you people come visit me! :)  I really wanted to have a farewall 'concert/speaking gig' but it's been too rushed and harried and I haven't had the time to plan it.  Maybe I can try to do something on Monday evening in Manhattan, but I'm not sure if I can find a venue and promote it.  On verra.

My damn neck is still twitching.  War injury from 2005.  From the body armor I had to wear constantly.  Nerve damage.  A doc two weeks ago gave me Baclafen, a muscle relaxer, to reduce the spasms, but I'm not so sure it works.  Just makes me tired.  I guess it's just a casualty of war I have to continue to learn to deal with.  We all have our struggles, alas, do we not?  But on the bright side, my leg is almost 85% better, thanks to the great physical therapy I received at Performance PT in Greenwich, CT.  Kevin, I miss you my love!  Haha.  My therapist and I have a very special, close relationship.  Though I doubt he will read this blog, so seriously, HOW CLOSE OF A RELATIONSHIP IS IT!?  KEVIN, WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME!?  WHY DON'T YOU READ MY BLOG!  I'M ONLY WRITING THIS BLOG AS A WAY TO SHOW MY LOVE FOR YOU!  I MISS YOU!  TU ME MANQUE!!! TU ME MANQUE!!!