A Big First Month: June 2010 in Europe

Last year at this time I was back in the states, sharing the good and the bad of living in Lucca, Italy and Flers, France with my people after my three months abroad.

This year, after living in the states for seven months (from Dec 5, 2009 - June 6, 2010) I had the structure I had so longed for last year - with two jobs to get back on my feet, my awesome family and friends to plan gatherings with and walk with around the lakes, a car (thanks parental unit!) and a dependable gym membership.

But the longer I spent away from Europe, the more I wanted another shot at it. Last year was chalk full of crazy experiences that were all new and exciting. Some erupted in our faces (ie: the colossal argument over a flat tire on Via Pesciatina) and other adventures were out of a dreamland (ie: weekend in Rome, Tour of Slovenia's city of Bled, etc.)

Needless to say, it's been just over one month of being back in Europe. Phil and I have spent the first three weeks in Lucca, but with very different experiences. I think the nine months or so have shown us that we have many common interests, but that our differences must be embraced and appreciated more than the things that bring us together. That said, I've spent the majority of my time balancing minimal work (design writing for Designer Pages) with running and riding a bike. When not working or bumming around outside, I clean and cook for the two busy men (Cristiano and Phil) that I live with.

This brings me to Phil's experience this year. Every day is filled with French, Italian, and English on his cell phone and on skype. He often lays down to sleep and falls asleep in less than 2 minutes. Although I wish I had a big job to relieve the stress of loan repayments, I am happy tShow allo support him. It's a very exciting time for him and cycling, and a very unique position that I'm put in, acting as a sounding board, an accountant for expenses, a chef, and a sponge for the cultural differences abound.

Now, we're in Flers, France with the beautiful Beucherie family. It's been so great. I think the fact that I understand more of the language and that I know them so much better has helped immensely. We have been here just over a week, and will depart tomorrow for Italy again. This week of pseudo-vacation followed two days in Luzerne, Switzerland and three days in Bensheim Germany. Each were for work, so not all fun and games, but they have opened my eyes up so much to all that surrounds us in this great continent.

Photos:
1) An evening trip to Sienna to see Mark and Trish, friends in Italy who are from New Sweden, Maine
2) July 3, 2010 - Léa Guesdon and I on our first day in Flers at Franck Beucherie's 40th birthday celebration
3) Sunset over the Swiss Alps while driving to Luzerne, Switzerland
4) A view of the Luzerne waterfront - BEAUTIFUL city!
5) The Beucheries: Steph, Franck, Simon, & Romaine
6) Walking around Bensheim, I ate a salt herring sandwich called Matjes. It was...interesting.

The distance run

On rainy days like this it sometimes takes awhile to get motivated. It means a frustrated cyclist boyfriend because it's difficult to ride. Hours of sighs and staring out the window waiting for it to let up as we sip bottomless pots of coffee to stay motivated for the perfect launch. I used to be better at letting the depleted motivation of my cyclist man flow through me without really being affected. But strangely, the more time we spend together, the more I can see our emotions linking together. So witnessing him feeling down tends to soak up my energy too now. That is why I chose to make the concerted effort to deal with the weather in a new way today and depart from what could have ended up a boiling pot of indoor anxiety before the moping set in.

So today at around 1:30pm, the clouds broke and I saw sun for a few minutes. Instantly I yelled up to Phil that I wa going out for a run. My legs felt strong and endured the first 5 miles so well that I kept truckining outside of Flers for awhile. I'm guessing I was about 7 miles into the country, after stopping to pet a poor little mud-crusted pony and mooing at some responsive cattle with fluffy mopheads, when it began to sprinkle, again. Turning back toward town, I realized the rain was quickly picking up. At one point I noticed how hard it was hitting my jacket and bouncing into my eyes. Luckily however, I felt warm and cozy under my rain-repellent jacket and a baseball cap, making it enough keep body relatively dry. Sailing through the chateau gardens on a new return route, I ended up along the long mote that spit me out onto a road high above the train station that I kind of recognized from a drive we took my second day here. Thus overtrusting my sense of direction, I kept running toward what I thought was the Beucherie house. Two hours into my once serene and mind-clearing run, I was full bladder-stricken and had a couple of very sore legs barely holding me up. Not to mention, I was winding through unrecognizable gray streets in what is considered the Flers industrial park, I presume, that is surrounded by sheep farms. I saw a sign that says 'Charal' with a red graphic of a bull head that had disturbed me since the first time I had seen it about five days ago. It is an oppressive sign that looms over Flers from a distance, sitting atop a large factory that pumps out thick smoke. Previously while running around town I avoided running past this place like the plague; it looks like a meat camp. Additionally, I wanted nothing to do with it after hearing how the French regularly prepare their steaks: very bloody. Yet all of a sudden, I was dependant upon what looks like a grinding facility... and guiltily, I was so happy to see the unfriendly, familiar landmark.

Just 10 minutes later, I got home after my nearly 3 hours of running, yet I wasn't hungry.
C'est a vie :)