Crepes, crepes, more crepes...

I heard about Chandeleur around Christmas time. We had invited the Dean to our final Sunday brunch of the first semester (something  that the tenants of the Chateau have made an unofficial habit of). He, being french, suggested on making crepes. And then proceeded to school us on proper thin-pancake production...

It was then that he mentioned Chandeleur, a holiday on February 2, when the French traditionally eat a meal of crepes. A holiday about crepes?? Why hadn't I heard about this before? The idea is to celebrate the presentation of Jesus to the temple, but in this century, it means...crepes.

And crepes we ate. Traditional, buckwheat, egg-less, egg-less with beer, topped with chevre, swiss cheese, sausages, jams, sugar and of course, nutella.

So many crepes were made, and the kitchen became so smokey that one of the guests had to escape for a brief moment to get some fresh air - we weren't going to mess around. This was a holiday about crepes, and crepes we would have. Lots and lots of crepes.

The Dean, while we were eating, smiled and started telling us his own story of Chandeleur. His mother, very pregnant (with him) and very much in labor (though the nuns at the hospital had told her she was mistaken) was in such pain on the day of the Chandeleur that she couldn't stand still. Every time she flipped a crepe, she would give a little jump, hopping around the kitchen as the crepes flew.

Legend has it that if you can successfully flip a crepe using only one hand and holding a coin in the other, you will have wealth for the remainder of the year.

How did it work out for me? Well, let's just say I had been practicing. Cha-ching!

The Expat Book Club

Any American living in a non-English speaking country will understand me when I say 'English literature is like crack.'

You love it, you need it, and once you get your fix, you can't stop. Soon you find yourself talking to anyone who speaks English to see if they have a spare book to throw your way. And if you do happen to find an English bookstore (I'm looking at you William Shakespear & co.), well, there goes your paycheck.

Luckily, I brought the big suitcase back to the States over the holidays. I was able to import what seemed to be an entire bookcase load of books over to Luxembourg to sustain me.

Currently on the docket? Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingslover


I'm about 50 pages in, but I'm liking this book for a couple of reasons:

1. I love food, food culture, cooking, etc. This book is essentially about a family growing fresh produce, and eating flavorful (seasonal) whole foods.

2. There are recipes included. sold.

3. It's educational. And yes, I miss learning dearly. For the time being, this book is filling that void.

4. It reminds me of those days in New Mexico, trying to coerce the lettuce to grow at high altitude. When I read this book I find myself back on the ranch, knee high in sunflowers, chasing cows out of the pasture...

Am I a geographic?

The conversations as of late have led me to ponder some stuff...

1. My generation is an increasingly globalized one. The number of classmates, friends and acquaintances that have moved far far (and sometimes very far) away from home is bigger than it would have been twenty years ago. We want to tackle the world, go on adventures, make our mark! ...but what about this pesky business of friends and family? I've been realizing that even one and a half years later, that little place in your heart still yearns to be home sweet home.

2. My colleague, Al, is reading a book about the 'creative generation,' a new class of young professionals that are looking for more than a desk job, too restless to stay in one place in order to pay dues, then move up a few years later. They look to creatively contribute the the world, moving on if they're not satisfied professionally. True? Sometimes I think yes - heck, isn't this why I was set on moving half way across the world in the first place?

But it's dark, and snowy here in Luxembourg and it's the time of year I find myself missing Cleveland a little bit more that usual.

On a happier note...


I've finalized my plans to visit Kazakhstan (and Marissa!) at the end of March - I can't wait to squeeze that girl :)

a new year - going big

In front of the 'peeing boy' statue in Brussels

Moien, moien!

I not quite sure how many readers I have out there in cyberspace, but a few people suggested gently that maybe it was time to update this sucker and finally let people know what was going on in my Luxembourgish life.

My last post, nearly five months ago, was just before my first group of students arrived. I was so nervous, so curious to see how the semester would shape up.

It was the perfect blend of chaos and growth. I thought a lot about lovingly serving people, and how sometimes it's hard to do (and sometimes so so easy!). But that it is what makes your life more positive and fulfilling. This year, more than last, I have had to work harder towards understanding cultural differences in the workplace. There were days of frustration, but now that I have a semester under my belt, those days are fewer and more joy-filled.

Now it is a new year, a new semester, and a new group of students. They are different from last semester, but equally as excited to be here. Sometimes I feel like this job parallels with parenting - lots of questions, there are times you need to discipline, times you need to give tough love, times you get to celebrate, and of course, each group has a new personality.

Last night I told someone that 2009 was a big year for me - two moves (out of France, into Luxembourg), the death of my poppa, and the birth of new relationships. In the words of my dear friends it was definitely 'make it count '09!'

This year the motto is '2010: go big or go home!' On the docket?

1. helping out with study tours to Florence and Amsterdam
2. a lovely visit from the La Rochelle gang and road tripping around BeNeLux
3. visiting miss Marissa in Kazakhstan in March!!
4. a lovely Lake Erie summer
5. a few weddings :)

And of course, a huge resolution is to be more conscious of keeping the people I care about in the loop about my life - I promise I won't disappear on you this time around!

On y va!

And so it begins! Tomorrow I'm leaving for Dusseldorf to pick up a group of students on Wednesday morning. Beginning Thursday we'll be thrust in to a fury of orientation activities filled with speeches (two given by yours truly) and field trips. I am so ready to get this semester started!

But seriously, sitting in my office, with nothing but my thoughts and a closet full of broken umbrellas (a rather one-sided lost-and-found), has been at times constructive, but almost introspective to a fault. On the constructive side, however, I've been able to create some objectives for the coming months: reconnect with old friends, discover true luxembourgish life, and find ways to challenge myself.

And speaking of challenges. I've decided to run a 10K in Munich on October 11th. This decision came after talking to one of my colleagues at the Chateau, an art professor who is running the marathon to raise money for an Fine Arts endowment at Miami. It's an inspiration, and I encourage you to check out her blog to learn more about her project.


So far training has been great. Running around town has been the best way to discover the little nuances of Differdange. I see people drinking espresso outside the local cafes, children playing in the park, couples strolling down the street - its iconic Europa and I love it.

Joyeux Anniversaire

I'm officially 23....yikes! Another year older, another year of adventure. It's funny, but, my birthday always happens on the cusp of transition - right before a new school year, a new job, a new living situation, etc - and in a way, its a great way to begin a new phase of life.

I'm starting to get settled into life here in Differdange. I was reading/reflecting on earlier posts from when I had first moved to France, and in a way, they are very comforting to read. The emotions were the same at the beginning - nervous, anxious for routine, a little homesick - but now, when I remember last year, those feelings are so foreign. By the time my contract was over, I had my myself a little home in La Rochelle. In French, the expression is 'c'est parallele', or 'it's parallel' to refer to similarity. I think its another charmingly French phrase -things more than just 'similiar', but the same in a way that they almost echo each other. One could says it's another way of rephrasing 'the more things change, the more things stay the same.'

Coming back to Differdange, I can't help but think about that - things changing, but remaining so similar. And three years ago, things weren't so different. I was in Greece on my 20th birthday, (my first time out of the country) cliff jumping, sipping on ouzo, wondering with excited anticipation what the semester would be like. Now, I sit in my apartment (unfortunatly Differdangs is sans cliffs) sipping on wine, once again trying to imagine what my life will look like in two weeks.

I'm still trying to find my feet, but, on my birthday, I had a few warm and fuzzy moments that made this place feel more like home. The first occured in the afternoon, after lunch. That morning, I woke up to find an email notification about a staff meeting at 2:30pm. Yet, when I arrived, there was coffee, plum tarts, chocolate and a lovely rendition of 'happy birthday.'

And all I could think, smiling ear t0 ear, was 'What a lucky girl I am....'

Moien!

home sweet home, circa a century or two ago

And so, the adventure continues. I'm in Luxembourg, drinking a large glass of Cote de Rhone, nibbling on cheese and bread, finding myself appreciating the strange familiarity of European life. The bells are ringing outside my apartment, I hear children playing soccer outside, off-tone ambulance sirens periodically interrupting, and I realize...this is my life. For the moment anyway.

My living situation has changed 180 degrees from that in my French life. For starters, I live in a Chateau. And let me tell you, nothing makes you feel like a giddy little girl quite like exploring a large 14th century house when no one else is around.

I should also mention that my goal for this upcoming year (after a somewhat 'basic' year) was to have a table. And chairs. And if possible, more than one fork. I'm happy to report that all goals have more than been met!

Today I walked around Differdange and found myself under a tree in the park, reading. Sitting there, I heard French, Luxembourgish, German, Italian, and suddenly, I didn't feel like the outsider. Maybe because I am a foreigner in a country of immigrants, or maybe because I am living where I first found myself in Europe. And here, in this little town in Luxembourg, I feel like I am reunited with someone I said good-bye to three years ago: wide-eyed, ready for adventure, believing in limitless possibility.