Bonjour, mes amis:

Although it's sprinkling at the moment, we did see a lot of beautiful sunshine yesterday afternoon. Starting this afternoon (we hope), the weather is supposed to improve--with days of sunshine projected for the week ahead.

We had our second opportunity with a French-speaking conversation partner yesterday, again meeting at the nearby Book in Bar coffee shop/ book store. For an hour and twenty minutes we spoke French and English with Fabien and Gabriella, his English girl friend. Fabien's English was pretty good ... just needs practice speaking. He has hopes of going to the United States to work with computers in some capacity. His family is from Corsica.

We're meeting with him again next week--same time and place. He seemed to think he could connect me with some local tennis players ... we'll have to see if anything materializes there. Nice young man of about 25. His girl friend seemed to be a recent development. She is apparently returning to England for a week or so. Not sure where that relationship is headed.

Earlier in the afternoon, we (Yvette, Niko and me) came upon an 87 year-old woman, sitting on one of the many benches along Cours Mirabeau (the beautiful blvd near where we live). For about an hour, we engaged her in some lively conversation (she spoke no English). She had traveled all over, it seems--to Egypt, Viet Nam and other part of Asia, and of course all over most of Europe ... knowledgable, interesting lady.

This is the third such experience we've had talking to older people sitting on benches along the boulevard. In fact, we've decided to incorporate this into our daily strategy for French speaking: seeking out the older generation on the benches along Cours Mirabeau.

Natasha and Erica go to London today where they will spend the night. Then Erica flies off to Geneva where she'll meet Cliff (who's off to Barcelona with Lawrence) to visit some college friends who live in Geneva. Then, E and C take the train here on Sunday for a week with us.

A bientot ...

Bonjour,

I can't believe it is already the fourth Sunday of my Sabbatical experience. How the time flies. At last, a day without "la pluie" from the heavens, all of which meant that Niko and I took a four mile walk while I checked out sports complex (avec 8 tennis courts), about 1 mile and a half from our flat. As it turns out, Yvette and I had visited this club in our October visit. Trying to see if something might work out there for some doubles now and then.

At five in the afternoon, we ventured into the local International Church a few blocks from where we live for what we thought was the weekly service. It turns out that an 18-member choir group of African children (from Uganda) were in concert for the entire service. Their combination of dance and song was outstanding. We met the local pastor and spouse and will probably try to visit again next Sunday. We did email the church contact person for a Friday evening French conversation experience.

We have French conversation experiences scheduled for three or four days this week, an opportunity we hope to network and begin to make some progress with our French.

Ce n'est pas facile. However, little by little we are finding our way. As the weather improves, so will our prospects in everything.

Bon nuit et a bientot!

Around Aix

Here are some photos of our life in Aix-en-Provence. You can see Yvette and Niko in front of a near-by e'glise, whose welcoming bells we hear every day.

You can also see Yvette/Niko on Cours Mirabeau, the beautiful, tree-line boulevard which captures the heart and spirit of Aix. Cafes and vendors of all kinds line the Cours. Our flat is about one block away on a side street.

The other picture is of me at the popular outdoor market that fills one of the plazas. Fresh produce of all kinds is readily available, along with fresh fish and sumptuous-smelling roasting chickens.

Interesting enough, the prices at the outdoor market don't seem to be much different from the local store markets. It must be about l'experience.

Searching for conversation partners

Bonjour, mes amis:

We're finally getting some sun today, although it is still a chilly 60 degrees.

It appears we are getting some response to the five emails I sent out a few days back for conversation partners or, at least, conversation experiences. I found the contact prospects at BOOK IN BAR, a Librairie Anglaise ... sort-of coffee shop/ book store place a few blocks from our flat.

There seem to be all sorts of people wanting to improve their English speaking ability. However, we suspect we are not in the generation of English speakers many of them are looking for. We have conversation sessions arranged for Monday and Tuesday with another possibility for Thursday. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of some successful networking so we can expand our possibilities.

Again, everything is expensive here--even the prices at the outdoor marche (market) where we bought some tasty fish and vegetables yesterday.

Niko is in dog heaven--with all kinds of new smells to savor and dogs everywhere. We can take him in most restaurants.

Hope all is well dans (in) les Etats-Unis. Erica and Cliff fly to England on Saturday for a week and then come to visit us on May 16th pour une semaine (week).

A bientot for now,

Bonjour mes amis,

Well, the cold, rainy weather continues to fill the skies of Provence--very unseasonable, the locals reassure us. We'll tough it out, but we didn't bring much clothing for this climat miserable.

We made some contacts via email today in search of partenaires de conversation. We'll see what, if anything, develops. We got the contacts from a nearby cafe, book store, Librairie Anglaise where people gather for conversation and study across French-English lines.

Must admit, for the moment at least, it is great not to have any deadlines to march to.

The car-bomb threat thwarted in Times Square has been all over the headlines here as well.

Prices still amaze us here. $5 for a small cola for Yvette at lunch today. The wine is much cheaper. Come on, Yvette, drink up!

Niko continues to delight in his new surroundings ... all the fresh smells!!

Well, the time is getting away from me. Au revoir et a bientot!

Jeffrey

Bon jour, mes amis!

Well, the weather hasn't been cooperating with our French experience thus far. Much cooler and rainier than normal (at least, this is what everyone reassures us).

Yesterday, we shopped most of the day at Carrefour, a huge, moster sized (at least twice the size of Walmart) store which seemed to have everything. We also shopped at the local supermarche not too far from our flat.

An immediate impression from France is that everything is more expensive here. I inquired how people make it and was told they just do the best they can, apparently making sacrifices as needed.

Still haven't made it to the daily marche (market) where we hear the produce etc. is fabulous. Hope to make it demain (manana).

Niko the superdog seems to have made a super adjustment. He must be delighting in having his "family" around all the time. He protests with shrill whimplers when we leave for an outing without him.

Famed artist, Paul Cezanne is apparently from Aix-en-Provence. Yvette says she is a big fan of his; we hope to visit the local musee displaying his work before the week is out.

Hope all is well dans les Etats-Unis. Au revoir, jeffrey

Bonjour, tout le monde,

Well, we have arrived in Aix en Provence, the location for our Sabbatical experience here in France.

Although it has been mostly raining since our arrival, Yvette, Niko (our 22 pound Shitzu-poo) and I are gradually settling in. It was a long flight from Miami to Munich, and then on to Marseilles ... where we were picked up by Donal, the Irish-born, young, hi-tech engineer from whom we are renting our third-story flat (34 steps up and down).

Niko made the flight in good shape, snuggled in his cage in the "hold" of the jumbo Luftansa jet. As it turned out, no one ever bothered to check all of the paper work Yvette had dutifully assembled for Niko to accompany us. As you can imagine, we were more than relieved to see that Niko had arrived, safe and sound, with apparently no problems. What a trooper.

In theses early days, we have a long list of things to do to help us find our way here in Aix. Already, we are testing our French in our multiple outings to the local Boulangeries (bakery), restaurants and delis.

Yesterday, May 1st, happened to be a national holiday in France which meant that many of the stores and shops were closed. However, the pace should pick up tomorrow (Monday) and we'll be able to get out to a supermarket and the "Carrefour" which, folks tell us, is like a mini shopping center all in one, huge store.

That's about it, for the moment. We are so excited to be here, at last, and to have this wonderful opportunity before us.

A bientot! (talk to you soon)