Playing Catch Up

When living in a city far away, there comes a point when distraction sets in and, for a fleeting moment, you forget about your life back home. I had several of those moments in the two weeks and I send my apologies for neglecting you all. Since last time, I have celebrated St. Patrick's day, gone to Chartres Cathedral, given a thirty minute oral presentation to my Institut Catholique class, and spent a lovely week with my parents.
St Patrick's Day:
A holiday much more exuberantly celebrated here than in the US, I assume because of the proximity to Ireland. It was quite nice, actually. It was the first time that most of our program all got a chance to hang out together outside of the classroom. An overwhelming abundance of shamrock pins, hats and singing.
Chartres Cathedral:
I have dreamt about visiting this church since I studied it in high school. Known for it's stained glass windows, Chartres is one of the oldest cathedrals in France and has the 3rd largest crypt in the world. The Cathedral was stunning even if the windows weren't as thrilling as I had expected. I think the most beautiful parts were the marble labyrinth on the floor and the gothic semi-circle wall around the altar. The windows, of course, were beautiful, but the intricate carving and decoration on the inside was really amazing.
It was such a pleasure to have my parents here this past week and to really so them my Paris. Although there were some hiccups, mom got sick and there were some sub-par meals, I think they were able to get a taste of how my life has been going here. The highlight by far was our dinner with Helene and Thomas. It was so funny to hear Helene speak in English, because she rarely does when we are at home. She prepared a fabulous aperitif which consisted of far more than appetizers. Thomas loved getting a chance to speak English and mom thought Helene was a hoot. We found out that Helene is a virgo and Thomas is a Tauren just like my parents, what a coincidence. At the end of the evening, seeing how much my mom enjoyed the Laduree cookbook that Helene published, gave mom her copy. She is really one of the most generous people. The sadness of having to leave her is already starting to set in.
We have spring break starting on Friday and I am beyond ready for a break. I am going to Nice with Laurel and plan on doing nothing but lie on the beach. I need some sun.