Vacation ... part 2

I left off with my trip to Norway where I went to visit my friend, Anett, who was a roommate in college. She had recently returned to Norway after living in the States for many years. I flew there from Germany on RyanAir, a very cheap airline. The prices are great if you book ahead, but they only allow one small carry-on, not weighing more than 10 kg (about 22 lbs). So, I packed a tiny, 18" carry-on for a week-long visit. Believe me, that was hard! I brought only 2 pairs of shoes.

The weather was somewhat chilly, but after the first rainy day, it was also bright and sunny. Norway is so beautiful, with the forests and the fjords. The apartment house where Anett lives has a tower and, one night while there was an incredible rain, thunder and lightening storm, we went up there with our glasses of wine to watch the night spectacle. Every day we were out walking around Oslo, visiting places like the new Opera House, and the gardens and parks. One night we went to a huge party, an annual artist's gathering, that lasted until 3:00 a.m. Lots of music and performance art going on all night. I met many of Anett's friends and was able to visit a bit with her Mom and her brother, Heiki.

I also was able to reconnect with some friends from Thunderbird, the Grad school I went to in Arizona. I had dinner at Velaug and Pal's house, and my old roommate, Gunnar, joined us, as well as another friend, Siv. It was a great trip down memory lane, especially since I had not seen any of them since 1982!

I returned to Germany after a week and spent a cople more days with Lauren. Then, on August 30, I headed back to Paris. I returned to hot, sunny weather, much welcomed after the cool temps in Oslo.

But, yikes, my return was less than stellar as my landlords wanted me to move out of my apartment by the end of the month - yup . . the next day! Because this area is a very expensive one, they want to rent the apartment for a lot more money. Nevermind that it is a pit!!! Well, I finally was able to stay until September 30, but they wanted more money for the rent. Since this is a sub-let, with no lease, I was not in a strong position. And anyway, I never have liked the place. But having to go through the whole apartment hunting process again was very stressful.

Hurray! I have found a new apartment and I share it with another teacher. It is a 2 bedroom place, small but bright. It is four flights up with no elevator but I have gotten used to climbing many stairs since coming to Paris. The actual moving part is somewhat challenging. I am taking the whole week, carrying things over piecemeal on the BUS!!! It is a little hilarious. I travel to the new apartment on the bus to avoid the Métro changes with all the stairs, then return via the Métro. Thankfully, I have had some friends helping and more than half of my things have been moved. I expect to be done by the weekend. How I managed to accumulate so much stuff is a mystery.

The process of changing my address, turning on electricity, and transferring the internet and phone, is also a challenge. The French have more bureaucracy than I have ever known, so nothing is ever simple. Factor in my limited language skills and it becomes a true exercise in frustration. But, soon, it will all be done. Speaking of language, my French has improved, but not nearly as well as I had hoped. I spend most of my time speaking English! Next Tuesday I will begin with French lessons again at my school, one evening a week.

I continue to explore Paris and the surrounding area. Last Saturday I visited Fontainebleau, a beautiful chateau outside of Paris. Next weekend I am off to Brussels to visit with my sister, Karen. She has taken a position for a year in Prague, heading up an international legal institute. I am looking forward to visiting her in Prague sometime soon.

As for how long I will be here, the lease I signed for the new apartment is 6 months (and is renewable) so I will be here for at least 6 more months. After that, who knows? For the time being, Paris is still home.