Ordinary Life

I am constantly surrounded by beauty. I often fail to notice it. Looking out my window I see ornately decorated window frames with intricate renaissance shutters and fancy little box-railings. Walking to the metro I see cute bistros umbrellas covering laughing patrons and cheery-eyed pups. The metro itself is beauty with the mélange of peoples and cultures that intersect, even just for a moment, to move in the same direction. My office is located at Bellecour, or Beautiful Courtyard. That it is! Louis XIV, riding his steed, stands guard over the children at play as they laugh and giggle through the trees. I eat lunch with Louis everyday. We sit and gossip about the people that walk by.

“When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life, I see so much magic though I missed it at the time.” ~ Jamie Cullum, musician

Last Sunday, Becky and I went to the Parc de la Tete d’Or (park of the golden head.) Oh, it is breathtaking! Elephants, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, and bears live amongst rose gardens, exotic greenhouses, and a serene lake. We bought giant ice-cream cones and sunbathed with the sarcastic jests of a neighboring bocce game ringing in our ears.

Monday marked my first day of work. My officemates are some of the most genial people you could ever find. Crystale snuck in with a chocolate croissant for me this morning. Delicious! I was also treated to dinner by one of my bosses. She took me on a tour of the important sites of Lyon and we ended up in Vieux Lyon, or the Renaissance district. We sat on the cobblestone sidewalk of a vintage restaurant. I ordered very tradition Lyonnais dishes under Madame Moulin’s direction: salade lyonnaise, sausage in ancient mustard sauce, potatoes, steamed vegetables and Cote de Rhone.

Before we could manage to think about dessert, it started to rain. I very quickly learned that when it rains, it rains. Thunder and lightening filled the sky as the restaurant awning began to creek open above us. We were safe as the rain continued to pound above us and the lightening was drawing near. Suddenly, the awning sprung a hole and the rain welcomed itself to the middle of a dinner party sitting next to us. The women began to curse hysterically and ran inside. The rest of us laughed at their misfortune. Invariably, only minutes later, everyone began to glance agitatedly towards one another as a large moan began to grow louder and louder. Suddenly the waitress appears with a broom handle trying to push the rain off of the awning. She started screaming at the busboy as he looked at her with mix of fear and wonderment and shrugged his shoulders. Needless to say, we were all very wet before the night was over.

Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain

Today I had an “Amelie” moment. It was a fleeting glimpse of a world at peace, when everything seems perfect as the wind whips through your hair and the sun shines softly on your back. I was walking across le Pont de l’Université (University Bridge, you can see it behind my head in the photo) and suddenly, everything just felt right. I belonged. The rush of the cars honking around me, the whir of the bateaux below, the smell of the cool crisp breeze floating from the water, a glimpse of lovers strolling hand in hand.

Unfortunately, the emotion was simply flirting with me--tickling at my ears, nipping at my heels. As soon as I stepped off of the bridge, it was gone.

I forgot to place images in my last blog. One is of Becky, Me, and Leanne. Then there is Leanne and Becky climbing up the huge flight of stairs. Finally, there is a picture of the view of my street.

First Impressions

My first real taste of French life came in the form of an open air market. Everything about it was absolutely delicious. From, the old men wearing berets shouting out the price of their fish, to the immaculately groomed poodles, to the smell of saucissons in the air, it is exactly the reason why I came to France. Everything here oozes culture. Even my set of apartment keys seems daring and romantic. I want to feel a part of it all, as if I belong. Even for just a moment.

Wandering through the streets, I can’t help but be amazed at the beauty of the city. The heart of Lyon is situated between two rivers: le rhone and la saone. In this strip of land and throughout the rest of the city you can find opera houses, theatres, museums, elegant town squares, fountains, murals of life, parks, and of course les boulangeries (bakeries). The sandwiches here are to die for. They are just made of bread, butter, and cheese, but I could eat one everyday forever and never tire of them.

Really, each day is such a new adventure. I can’t describe it. My head is brimming with hope and possibilities. I have already met some amazing people from all over the world.

Today I went to the Anglican Church of Lyon. It falls under the umbrella of the Church of England. I found it on the internet. A bloody jolly good group of chaps we got there. I feel as if I have to put on a British accent just to fit in. My sense of sarcasm and dry humor has increased tremendously as a result. I met a girl named Becky from London who I think will become one of my good friends. She lives only two streets down from my flat. I also met a bloke from Scotland named Ed and a couple from Ireland, just to name a few. They all seem like great people.
After church, Becky, my new Canadian friend Leanne, and I crawled up the largest flight of stairs I have ever seen to the top of a huge hill that overlooks the city. Gorgeous!

Now I am sitting in my room wondering what to have for dinner. All the grocery stores are closed on Sunday and I only have a box of Frosted Flakes, some peanut butter, and a bottle of wine in my cupboard. I could be in for a nice treat.