Highlights from Week 2

Bonjour! Bec here with some quick highlights from this past week. 

• Our friends Guy and Laura were here from Tuesday to Friday. We saw them a lot and explored the city. We went to the Musee d'Orangerie (see previous post), Musee Rodin, Angelina's, and the Fete de Musique! The Fete de Musique is a huge nationwide party where every musician in France takes to the streets to perform. It consisted of a lot of 80s/90s rock cover bands and classical music. At one point, we were listening to ACDC and a drumline literally ran past. Everyone took off following them, literally running around the Marais. It was quite entertaining. Here are a few pictures from our time with them:

At the Rodin Museum

Guy was our personal tour guide. We exhausted him with our deep questions.

Friends in denim

•  Seth and I went on an overnight trip to Tours/Loire Valley. My friend Becca is finishing her study abroad term, and I got the chance to show Seth around Tours. He officially knows where the ice cream comes from that I always talk about. We had a great time getting to hang out with Becca! We love getting to see friends!

• On Sunday, Seth and I went to see 2 chateaux in the Loire Valley. We visited Azay-le-Rideau and Villandry. Here a few photos from that as well:

Villandry

Tours has the sweetest old people. ;-)

Azay...Turns out, no one goes to chateaux on Sunday. 

We were the only ones there. Kinda spooky... 

• We had a great time in Tours. We walked around a lot and went to the Botanical Gardens. It was nice to take a break from the fast pace of city life. This country mouse needed a break. I get overwhelmed when I wake up to sirens on the street, cram my body into the metro to get to school, and stumble over how to order something to eat. My brain needed a break. It was a good time for us to relax and rejuvenate. However, we also got sick on our trip. Still not sure what happened, but we started feeling puny Saturday night and somewhere on the train ride back to Paris, I thought I was going to have to see a doctor. It was a messy mix of sinus troubles/allergies, coughing, sneezing, fever, and a headache. We did make it to school on Monday. When I got home, I literally stayed in bed for 7 straight hours in and out of sleep. I ate dinner and got back in bed until the next morning. 
• Today is much better. A good rest is what was needed. We went to school and learned a lot. After, we went to a free exposition our friend Guy told us about. It was at the Hotel de Ville (like a city hall) and was all about "Haute Couture" (high fashion). It was amazing! It has examples of how clothes were made in Paris fashion houses, biographies of famous designers, and dresses from 1880s to today. Seth was a great sport. After, we went to the Luxembourg gardens for some down time. Grilled cheese for dinner, homework, and it's a day!

Thanks for all of your prayers for my and Seth's health! They were heard! We feel much better. It stinks being sick when you don't really know anyone, don't know what medicine to take, or how to ask for it. Culture shock hits hard sometimes, but God pulled us through it. Keep praying for us as we continue to adjust to this new place!