It’s a good thing I don’t have to write this little blog post in french or I would never get it done. It takes me forever to compose even one sentence, and just when I think I’ve managed to write a little thought perfectly, Claire (one of my profs) brings out her red marker pen and covers the page with corrections. Soothingly she says – “but really it’s very good!” Yet it’s hard to find my original words under her keen, razor sharp “améliorations.”
Both Claire and Christine, the two mainstay profs of the three-semester course I’ve been taking at IS, were thrilled with the re-election of president Obama.
- un beau mec
This photo was posted on our blackboard at IS the day the results came in, and Obama was pronounced “Un beau mec!” A beautiful guy!
Before going to school that morning, Dominique, our landlord, greeted me with a great hug (not usual in France – usually it’s kisses on the cheeks) and a great Hurrah for Obama. A few nights later, Monique and Dominique brought together the Americans from “La Bastide” to celebrate Obama’s victory with champagne. What fun!
Because Claire has two little girls and a third one on the way, I gave her Obama’s newest book “Of Thee I Sing” which he wrote for Sasha and Melia. She is reading it to her children now. If you haven’t seen this book, I highly recommend it. To Christine I gave “The Audacity of Hope,” and to Dominique “Dreams From My Father.” I offered to help them with translations 🙂
The silence from American friends and others on email about the election is quite strange to me. As someone here suggested, Americans must be very fatigued after the elections (witness Obama’s famous tear) and not eager to re-engage in political talk, even to celebrate. But I’m here – not there – and don’t really understand the silence very well. But just ask me – was I overjoyed and relieved? 
As I mentioned earlier, IS studies are not all drudgery. Christine thought we should learn a bit about
French cheeses and we 
were only too happy to oblige. We had a bonus treat with the opportunity to taste a sample of the Beaujolais nouveau – just released that morning. Not a bad way to study french on a fall afternoon.
These beautiful afternoons are made for exploring the area around Aix. In just about every direction there is something wonderful to see. Recently we traveled in a little arc around the northwest of Aix and were captivated by a little town called Ventabren, perched high on a hill with remains of fortifications left intact as witness to times past. But what the history of this little man is I don’t know. 
It was a Sunday and the town was shuttered for family lunches. We strolled through winding streets, not large enough for cars but just fine for walking, and mounted the hill to the cemetery, a vast recreation area, a view of Marseilles and an excellent restaurant that welcomed SweetPea and gave us shelter from a sudden cloudburst.
Ken is happy to report that his knees still work, thanks to the kind and excellent ministrations of a physiotherapist, an orthopedist, and a massage therapist. All that good work and hours of working out at the gym and practicing on the golf courses of France has resulted in his shooting the best nine holes ever! a six under par ! spectacular!
We wish everyone – friends and family – a very lovely Thanksgiving. Ken and I have so much to be grateful for this year and we’ll be sharing it with our new “family” here at “La Bastide” our apartment home, and we also have a party scheduled next week to say farewell to my classmates who are leaving after the final days of class.
Keep the emails coming! We miss you !
