Markets!

So one thing that France really does right is markets. Perigueux has a big outdoor market every Wednesday and Saturday morning. There is almost nothing that you can't find there. Mangoes, oysters, hazelnuts, onions, pumpkins, pomegranates, you name it. And everything is so delicious, so fresh, and so cheap. These markets exist all over France (small towns, big cities) - and they're definitely one of my favorite French things. This morning I got up early in the fog to to go to a class and then headed to the market to buy some fruit. The other great thing about the markets is that they're so pretty with all the colors of fruit, vegetables, and awnings. I didn't have my camera on me today, but I want to try and remember it on Saturday morning so I can take some pictures!

I've been eating really well since I moved in with Marina. It's much more comfortable than living at the school, even though I'm sleeping in her living room. Friday we cooked all that food, Saturday we cooked some more when Karen was visiting, and I've twice made a - if I do say so myself - very good minestrone-type soup. It's so great having a kitchen and being able to eat like a normal person. Though it's frustrating not having an oven...for some reason very few apartments here have ovens. Maybe people buy them and install them when they plan on living somewhere for an extended time.

Daniela and her delicious guacomole. The word for avocado in French is avocat. It's the same word for lawyer. Hear that, Mark?

Azahara and Marina cooking in Marina's tiny kitchen (which she has cleaned and cleaned and cleaned - her apartment was pretty gross. I'm hoping mine isn't too bad when I move in!)

Getting ready to gorge ourselves.

I am going to a few classes tomorrow and then going to present on Wasington, D.C. on Friday in a couple classes (even though I'm supposed to have the day off - I figured I have nothing else to do, so it's not a big deal this time and it's not a hard thing to present on; plus I already did the presentation in a few other classes). I actually do finally have a schedule. I'm working six hours in the high school and six hours in the middle school. Shockingly, I think I might end up preferring the middle schoolers. They seem to have better attitude toward school - and they tend to be much more excited about learning English, even though they can't speak very well. I went to a class today and they about fell out of their chairs when they heard I was from the States - and then they couldn't believe I came from DC. It was just too cool. They spent the class asking me questions and were generally very sweet. I've had a few classes like that (both in middle and high school) and then other classes that simply aren't interested in learning. No one has been overly rude to me, so either way, I think it will be okay. But like I said before, if just half of my classes are excited, I think I'll be okay. I start actually teaching and working in groups after the vacation - so we'll see how that goes! Vacation starts this weekend. The teachers and students are really ready to get a break. We start again November 12 - though I'll actually be in Bordeaux that day because I have to go for a doctor's appointment. If you had to get a visa to come to France (i.e. if you're from outside the European Union) you need to get it validated by going to a doctor's appointment scheduled by the immigration office. I have one November, but so does Daniela, so we an take the train over together. After that I should be all clear to qualify for money for my apartment rent and be completely legal being here - so that's definitely a good thing.

Katie and I leave for Prague on Tuesday - should be great! I haven't heard anything bad about Prague. And people seem to speak highly of Vienna, too. One of the assistants is from Vienna, so today she gave me a bunch of suggestions of where to go, so I'm glad I talked to her about it.

Christmas decorations are already going up all over Perigueux. They aren't lit up, but strings of lights and stars and trees that will light up are going up all over the town and across streets. They must have so many to put up that they need to start in October. And I thought America was premature in its decorating habits! (I even saw Christmas candy in one of the grocery stores today.) But they'll probably start lighting everything up the first day of December. I think that the town will be really gorgeous for Christmas. The town is already very pretty - when it's sunny. But with Christmas markets and decorations, I think it will be really nice!

It might look like this - but more festive! This is the town hall.

And here's the cathedral at night - very pretty! It's a pretty enormous cathedral and very imposing. But it looks pretty from all angles, particularly from the river. When I went for a long walk yesterday evening the sun was setting behind the cathedral when I walked back. I was kicking myself for not having my camera on me.

I've actually taken really long walks/run on the river the last couple days - and it's been great. I have missed exercising, and the endorphin kick was definitely needed. I think I'm going to get back into the habit of exercising most days, even if it's just walking on the river. There's a great path to walk for miles on the river, so it's a really nice place to go. Particularly if I want to run...because it's completely flat.

And this is just the super cool chocolate store in town (one of many - but this one has the best window displays). They're all geared up for Halloween, even though Halloween isn't a big deal in France or in Europe.

This evening I'm headed over to Katie's to watch some Daily Shows/Colbert Reports that she has downloaded. I feel out of touch with the world! I read the Post, but I miss the constant stream of information about what's going on in America - particularly about the election. I'm counting on Jon Stewart to give me a dose of that tonight.