Post card lovin'

Hey y'all,

I love sending postcards. So I obvi love getting pictures like these sent to me.

David and CC are pumped about getting a postcard. 

Luv,

Sarah 

Allons-y au zooooooo

Hey y'all,

Friday I went to the zoo here in Lille. It's located over where I go running all the time, but I had never actually gone there. I can actually hear the zebras making their noises as well as the monkeys when I'm running. It's pretty wild. Literally, folks.

Fun fact: Zoo in French is pronounced like toe, but with a z.

It's pretty small - it took us a max of 45 minutes to see everything. Regardless, I enjoyed it.

Our first stop were les oiseaux. Goodness, I died. Check out these little nuggets snuggling. Couldn't handle the cuteness. Luvbirds.

Also. This thing? I don't even know. 

I can't even.

Of course I also saw King Julian. Reminded me how much I want to become a professional whistler.

Side note: The zoo was free. How magical is that? 

This is me throwing up the deuces and posing with the rhinoceroses. 

Yeah, you're seeing this correctly. I'm wearing a sweater, scarf and jacket in the middle of May. What kind of sick joke is this? Summer is never going to come. I was watching the news the other day and they said the Lillois would have to wait until at least June for good weather. JUNE?! 

Also, the zebras were cuddling as well. Precious.

Check out this statue at the entrance of the park where I run and where the zoo is. To what does this statue pay homage, you may ask? Get this - it's a statue au pigeon voyageur.

...A STATUE FOR CARRIER PIGEONS

Intéressant. 

It was built in 1936 and dedicated to the "20,000 carrier pigeons who died for the motherland" during WWI.

Wowza.

I read a writeup on this statue and the woman represents Peace, the pigeons are above her and the snake represents the enemy.

Alas, not much else exciting is going on around here. Just booked my bus tickets to London next Thursday. I'm leaving Lille at midnight on Thursday morning and am arriving in London around 5am. Then I'm leaving London at 11:30 pm (UNLESS YOU KNOW OF ANYONE IN LONDON WHO WILL HOUSE ME FOR A NIGHT!!) and then I'll get back to Lille around 6am Friday. Not much sleep, but I'm really excited to go to London!

Luv,

Sarah 

France vs America

Hey y'all,

It's weird. Even after being here since September, there are still things about this country that surprise me, make me laugh, etc.

Yesterday, the taxi drivers were on strike. So there were about thirty taxis parked at Place de la République. Made me laugh, although it wasn't quite as comical as when the tractor drivers were on strike.

Yesterday, the metro workers were on strike, so for the first time in TEN YEARS, there wasn't a single metro, tram, or bus running. OOF.

Turns out, the workers were trying to negotiate for higher wages. The officials who have the authority to grant that (whoever that may be), said a big fat NON. Thus, the transportation workers decided not to work today either. Wild. They recommenced negotiations today, but unfortunately neither side is budging, so you know what? NO METRO, BUS, OR TRAM TOMORROW EITHER.

Way to hold your ground, transportation folks. 

Final thing. Next Monday isn't a holiday, but apparently no one works. Here's what happens - you don't work, you don't get paid for the day, and instead, the money that everyone would've made in that one day goes to help the old people of France. 

#SOCIALISM

When I was told that this was happening, my immediate reaction was : no way that would fly in the States. 

Miss you all. 

Luv,

Sarah 

Birthday deets

Hey y'all,

I apologize for not updating too much last week. I only had my phone and the place where we were staying didn't have wifi. Oof.

A little background info. I went to the beach with a French friend and their family - 1 brother (and girlfriend), another brother, sister, mom, dad, grandmother, and dog. I was talking to one of my friends from home and she was like "Sarah, you're seriously assimilating." And I thought to myself, you know what, yeah I am!

Anyways, I could go on for days about how French families are different from American families (or at least my specific American family.)

I'd be lying if I put it any other way - the car ride was miserable. Both ways. Absolutely miserable.

There were three of us stuffed into the backseat of an Audi sedan for approximately 9 hours. UGH.

The place where we stayed was on the beach, so that was nice.

Here's a picture of the beach from the first day.

Sorry for the thumb in the top right corner. I'm embarrassed.

First sunset 

Here's me with their dog. 

She's cute and all, but I prefer this one. 

My Deacon. 

My birthday was filled with lots of rain and cold weather. Womp.

Alas, I got flowers, so that was a plus. 

And a birthday tarte aux fraises. Cannot complain. 

And the whole family sang happy birthday to me. In English. Respect. 

Here's a picture of the pier. Not as impressive as the ones I've seen in NC. First of all, it didn't really go that far out into the ocean and it wasn't very high. 

Can you tell I'm missing the NC beaches a little bit?

Here's the coast lit up one evening. 

Here's the other, much less commercialized side. 

Prettay. 

At my birthday dinner, things got a tad out of control. 

And by that I mean, I had salmon in my pasta. Wowza. It was delicious.

Someone else got this one of the other nights. Made me laugh.

The one redeeming factor of the car ride was that the French countryside if gorgeous. Essentially every single little town that you pass has a huge steeple on a cathedral, and it's so pretty to see those spotting the horizon. 

Alas, that was my trip in a nutshell. 

Luv,

Sarah 

Birthday à la plage

Hey y'all,

I've been in Saint Jean de Monts since Saturday the 4th. It's a looooong 8 hour ride from Lille to the western coast of France.

The weather has been pretty good - low 70s everyday with sunshine - except for today. Today it's raining. Womp. Oh well.

We've done a lot, from riding bikes, to tanning to swimming. We're heading back to lille on Saturday where I'll finish up my last few weeks there. Too wild.

Anyways, today is mon anniversaire. May 8 is a national holiday in France so everyone is celebrating my birthday.

Just kidding. Everyone is celebrating the end of World War II. You're welcome, France.

Here's a picture of me on the pier this morning. As you can tell, sub par weather, but it's alright.

Throwing up the deuces, per usual.

Luv,
23 year old (VOM) Sarah

Summer plans

Hey y'all,

So today has been an extremely lazy day. I went for a run, cleaned my room, wrote THREE blog posts (you're welcome), but other than that, I haven't done jack squat. Unemployment suits me well.

Anyways, I've nailed down my plans for the summer. I'll be working as a resident advisor at a camp through the Center for Talented Youth at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. I come home from France on June 3, and then I'll go up to PA on June 20. I'll be there until August 3, after which I'll return home for about a month, and then move on up to the Windy City.

I've got a gypsy soul to blame.

Here's a picture I took of a pretty tree today at the park where I run. It isn't a North Carolina dogwood by far, but it'll do.

Luv,
Sarah

Sweet goodbyes

Hey y'all,

My contract with l'Académie de Lille ended on Tuesday, April 30th, so I'm officially unemployed! It actually feels wonderful.

On Monday, I had to say goodbye to the first set of classes (because at one school, I only see those students once a week). These are the CE1 students (kindergarten/first grade) singing a song to me before I left. I died.

So so precious

Then Tuesday, I spent the first half of the day at one school and the second half at another. All the teachers were super sweet and want me to come back and visit during the month of May, which I will of course do.

My last hour of my last day ever as an ETA was magical. On Tuesdays, I work at the preschool and so I spent my final hour of work with 4 years old.

We reviewed the 1,2 buckle my shoe song.

What a year it has been. I celebrated LDOC (last day of contract) with a nice cold pint of Leffe. Slurp.

Luv,
Sarah