16/11/2002 Versailles, France (Phill)
Okay? last day in France for a while. Leaving on a jet plane (train
actually, but that isn't part of the song) for Rotterdam, and onwards
to Utrecht tomorrow.
I've spent this week doing the fqmily, new uncle thing. Clarissa is
totally fabulous. My present to the parents was a nice wee website to
showcase their ne daughter. I know, very geeky, but I pro,ise it was
requested. I didnt manage to actually make the web site truely
interactive, so you could hit a button on the site and a big arm
would release from the side of her crib to tickle her or anything,
but it's still cute. Check it out at www.clarissafalempin.com
I think I am about ready to move on though? cause when Clarissa's
asleep its pretty boring. I'm out of Friends tapes and the highlight
of my day is listening to the BBC World Service. Not a good sign!
So the next plan is to go to Holland to visit Fieke. It sounds like
theres wuite a lot planned; but since shes still in class I'm sure
I'll be entertaining myself. Of course, that might be made easier
with the 5 girls in her house! :)
Its funny you never really appreciate your language until you travel.
Being in France is so terribly frustrating because the older
generation here rarely speaks English. FOr example, we went for
dinner the other night with Felicity's in-laws. They really dont
speak English, they politely try but most of the meal I sat in
silence. I do understand wuite a bit of French, but speaking it is
pretty traumatic for those around me. It's actually pretty
uncocomfortable if you think about it. It's, of course, tough for me
to keep quiet that long (my mum and aunt both speak french, so really
its just me that doesnt), but also it means the rest of the table
keeps trying to include me in the conversation. What you end up with
is this running commentry in English which keeps interrupting my
attempts to zone out! :)
No really, its been decently good, but time to move on. My knee is
getting worse and is actually wuite painful so I'll probably go see a
doctor this week in Holland and get it looked at. I've been eating
cheese all week so I really need to start working out again! Yes I
know, you're terribly upset that the biggest problem I have to deal
with is the amount of cheese I'm consuming. Actually not true, I
finally got the paperwork for my job back in Austin. I'm probably
accepting an offer back out there starting in January, but the H1B
work permit is a massive headache. Mainly becuase it requires so much
documentation from me. Things like diploma's, old passports, old INS
documents etc... arent exactly things I carry around with me! I left
copies both in Austin and London, except I'm not in either place, not
will I be for a while. So I do have some real worries.
Au revoir!
Posted by Admin at November 17, 2002 05:11 AM