Thoughts Session- The Stories of My Life- France

Where to begin?

The idea of being a teaching assistant in France was introduced in Professor Kuiper's Linguistics class in December 2000.

Most study abroad options (which were a requirement for foreign language/education majors) involved paying to go abroad and were not cheap.

This option had students from UWM and other places going to help school districts in France with pronunciation and other aspects of learning English.

It was a full year commitment, with arrival in France in September of 2001 and return to the US in late April/early May 2002.

The idea was extremely intimidating to me at first. Over seven months in a foreign country living on my own? I hadn't lived on my own yet.

Preparation: getting passport and visa among other things for the application.

9/11: would I even be going to France? My flight was scheduled for 9/19.

9/11 itself and the aftermath.

Leaving job at GPL

Arrival in France- the frustrating trip to Lisieux, complicated by losing directions and trying to find them at Chatelet-Les-Halles.

First one there, so I got to pick my studio apartment.

Emma

Jenny

Nathalie

Jean Pierre

Marie

Living in France

Laundry Sundays

Loneliness when the others went home for holiday breaks

TUNA- into it until we weren't

meeting Uncle Jim in Paris?

Matt's Collection Hour- 9.28.23

1. Somewhere Only We Know
2. A Thousand Years
3. Electric Avenue*
4. Unshielded Desire (1)
5. Bette Davis Eyes (2)
6. After The Storm
7. Count's Place (3)
8. You Don't Have To Prove Yourself
9. I Just Don't Understand
10. Don't Make Me A Target
11. (Dodo/Lurker)
12. Harbor Lights
13. Cast Your Fate to The Wind
14. I Still Care For You

(1)- Jack DeJohnette et al

(2)- Kim Carnes

(3)- Count Basie and KC 7

*What can I say? I love this song.

Notes:

Four songs from the HPB haul from last week. The only artist not represented this week was Bill Withers. Perhaps next week. 

Matt's Collection Hour- 9.21.23

Oh, Lady Be Good! (Count Basie & Kansas City 7)

Electric Avenue (Eddy Grant)

Hurts To Be Alone

Julia

I Will

Use Me

Harden My Heart (Quarterflash)

Money

Apres Moi

The Gri Gri Man (Jack DeJohnette)

Walking on Broken Glass

For My Daughter (Ahmad Jamal)

Love You More

Breathe (Alexi Murdoch)

Is There Something I Should Know

Notes: I went shopping at Half Price Books and bought six CDs, so those will be coming to the MC Playlists. So happy to have Electric Avenue. Decided to make these sessions an hour, and yes, they will have music I've never heard before.

Matt's Collection

9.7.23

The Big Banana
Cameras In Paris
Hypnoculture
Samba De Mon Coeur
This May Not Be The End of The World
(Dodo/Lurker)
Who Is It?
Uh Oh, Love Comes To Town
Sweet Lullaby
In Ohio
Devil's Broom
29 Palms
Sobonana Kusasa (Tom Pease)
On The Way Home

Life

September 7th. School is now back in session (or, for Naomi, in session). More adjustments, and after last Sunday (when I was a yelling lunatic) I realize that I have to be better at handling the kids' craziness. 

The kids do NOT know how to regulate themselves emotionally. Therefore, we as parents must be the regulators. That means not acting as crazily as the two of them. I can't be a screaming hothead, because then Levi is going to learn that that's how to handle things. It's not. 

On the other hand, it would be nice to not be called out by my lovely wife for things in front of them. I sometimes feel like I have three family members each picking, picking, picking at me. With the kids, it's the patience level. I can only do so much at the same time, but they want it NOW. With Sarah, it's the picking at the little details. It's up to me to make sure the jellos don't melt when I'm not even sitting there? Oy. I just need some peace sometimes.

I'm happy to be going on this trip this weekend, but part of me would just like to take a trip of my own and get away from it all. It will be nice to start the new routine fully next week, where I get a nice quiet house with Naomi on Tuesdays before sending her to school and breathing a bit.

On The Trail 9.2.23- 5K

On The Trail 9.1.23- 3.5 M