The Big Move

Please forgive my delinquance, "chers" readers, for it has been too long since I have reported on my comings and goings for all of you. Indeed, it has already been a full week since I moved into my new apartment in Toulon. The explanation for the move is a bit complicated, but suffice it to say for now that it was simply too difficult to commute from Bandol to Toulon every day to go to work. Public transportation in these parts is not always as reliable or as convenient as is often necessary, and even in the best of times, when there is not strike or other "manifestation" to "perturbe" the traffic, it was still quite a long journey on foot or by bike to and from the train station. And so, I now have new digs in the city. Truth be told, it is quite a transition to come to terms with, and that is perhaps why it has taken me so long to write. I miss the beauty and the tranquility of the country side, but I can't help but revel in all the delights and attractions of city life!

First, there are all the lights! The Xmas lights in Toulon went up months ago, but they stayed dark until December 1st. All the locals complain that they are a waste of electricity and tax-payer euros, but at least I can tell that they truly adore them. The Xmas lights are everywhere, arching over the grand boulevard at each block, twining up palm trees, and sculpted into figures of animals and Santa sleighs at every "rond point." There are so many lights, in fact, that at night it is still bright as day! Excessive? Oh, yes. And, very tacky. The toulonais clearly adore Xmas, and they throw themselves with abandon into the spirit of the season, never stopping to wonder if their decor might not be in the best taste. Xmas carrols are being piped, as we speak, through loudspeakers installed at the tops of all the lamp-posts, and there is even an M.C. who announces all the Xmas sales and specials at every local shop and restaurant in between the songs. With the beaches closed for the season, there is little selse to do besides sipping "vin chaud" and wandering around gazing at the glittering lights.

Second, there are the people. I have to admit, that for French people, the people of Toulon are pretty nice. Unlike Parisians, they are rarely in a hurry, and so they are delighted to stop and chat with a sputtering foreigner, and they're absolutely tickled pink to discover an "americaine" in their midst! Sure, there are also the winos who spend their days and nights sleeping on the corner in puddles of their own piss, drinking the cheapest wine sold in plastic bottles. Yet, even they seem strangely content and are much more interested in protecting their own wino territory and coddling their only slightly smellier pooches they keep as pets (yes, everyone in France has a dog, and I am really jealous!) than they are interested in bothering anyone else. But then, there's also the nice young women who tend the counters at the local grocery store, who smile when they hear my accent and wink if they remember me when I walk through the door, and there's the two adorable young men who work at the sandwhich shop just down the street, Benji and Benoit, who will deliver your sandwhich right to your door if you want so long as it's after 4pm. And, there are all the other language assistants who live, as I now do, in Toulon. Unfortunately, because I had been so isolated in Bandol, I only know a few of them, but I'm hoping to be able to catch up on my social life soon. In fact, tonight, my friend Mieko, another English assistant from Berkely, CA is inviting everyone over to her apartment to celebrate the first night of Hannukah. According to Mieko, she makes a mean latke, and I can't wait! Of course, I suspect most of us are really gentiles, but who doesn't love a good latke? Also, I was recently invited over to the home of one of the teachers that I work with at the college (junior high to us), and she wants me to tutor her son in English. And, you will never guess where she studied English... in Moorhead, MN!!! Yes, as a young woman she was sent to Concordia College as a foreign exchange student, the poor thing! And, to think that's where I went to debate camp in high school! Small world indeed...

And, finally, there is the benefit that comes with living in any decent sized city, and that is having everything you desire right at your fingertips! I have just had my phone, wireless internet, and digital cable TV installed in my apartment! And so, the world of technology re-opens its doors to me, and it feels like a breath of sweet, fresh air! And, the city offers many other conveniences too, such as pizza delivery, shopping malls, and even McDonalds (I've only gone once, I swear!). There's even an Ikea! I went yesterday to get a few more things for my apartment, and I'm telling you, it feels like the lap of luxury! Of course, my poverty still keeps me on a short leash, but at the moment it feels absolutely hedonistic to just sleep past 10am!