Friday, August 13, 2010

Day 80 from Sceaux

OK, some days you will get a chronolog, like yesterday's, and other days you will get the reflective and pensive, which I think you are about to get now.

Life in Sceaux is way more laid back than Paris.  Or at least it seems this way.  Maybe it is because it is so green out here, maybe it is because it is so quiet.  It is probably both.  I leave the windows open, all four of them, most of the time when I am home.  All I hear, for the overwhelming majority of the time, are natural outdoor sounds.  There is no air-conditioning, and the flow of air keeps the apartment feeling fresh, as though I was already outdoors.  I like that.  It is relaxing.  Adding the balcony furniture gave me another 56 square feet of living area, which pushed the apartment area to slightly over 900 square feet.  The balcony just feels like another room, because the air feels and smells the same -- and it is nicely protected from the rain.  Despite the small size of the apartment, the windows and balcony give a much larger sense of space.  Those who know me well also know this is important for my psyche.

I got lamps this past weekend.  I did not realize how much more cheerful the place is with them.  I had to depend on natural light for the living spaces, and as an early riser, I did a lot of things in the dark -- not that, silly, it is only me!  Like eating breakfast (no room in the kitchen for table and chairs, though it has a light), and getting dressed.  It made the apartment feel very utilitarian when there was little or no sunlight.  Now, with the lamps, the place is downright enjoyable throughout the day, but much more so in the morning and evening.  I still use the natural light whenever I can, because it is cheaper than the alternative.

This next week, I should get two more kitchen counter/cabinets, and perhaps the etagere, which will complete the storage suite for the kitchen, and the last remnants of "I am not really moved in" will be a thing of the past. Speaking of which, have you any idea how many power strips and plug adapters and other such things you have collected over the years?  I have!  It seemed I was always running out to get such things, because with both different voltages and plug types here versus the USA, I had to start from scratch to get all the e-toys connected.  I was fortunate enough to find a step-down transformer to run my USA DVD player (their DVD players will not play USA DVDs).  So now the new 40" LCD TV can do more than play pictures from my trips; I can actually watch my favorite movies.

On Facebook, my friend Kim mentioned the challenge of language.  Every encounter, even the simplest one, is a challenge for me, even as I study the language.  My vocabulary cannot grow fast enough, and my ear can not tune quickly enough.  The French in Sceaux have been patient and helpful (after all, they are not Parisians, just ask them), and I read what I can to build vocabulary, but the ear training happens on the fly, and it is tough to decipher what they are saying.

I am excited about my job, though it is very challenging and I would be lying to say I had my hands around it. I love having the Coulee Verte adjacent to the apartment -- it makes for pleasant runs (which are improving) and adventurous, but safe, bicycling.  I have lost weight since I have been here; I needed to do so, and I intend to lose a lot more because of smarter eating and a lot more activity.  I miss my family and friends, and most of my human contact is with co-workers -- once I get back to Sceaux it is all quiet.  And green. And open.  I like that.

a bientot,

Mark

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