Christmas has past, and indeed the new year is well on its way as I begin my third week of classes since returning from vacation. I am long overdue for a blog update!
To briefly recap on Christmas:
I flew to England with Lizzie and spent the holidays with her family and making the most of vacation. I met and spent time with lots of family and friends of the family, talked, ate, laughed, watched mostly quality television programs, played "Dance Central" on Xbox Kinect and more. Pictures of Christmas day can be found on my facebook - a hectic but happy family meal and then present opening gathered in the main room. I will have to show off my new banjo cufflinks! New Year was spent in Birmingham with friends of Lizzie's that had also become my own as I had the privilege of meeting a few of these young British Unitarians this summer in Illinois at OPUS, and then more this past September at the BUYAN conference.
Since back I organized a successful dinner for language teaching assistants in Rennes with about 15 people at what has become my favorite local Indian restaurant. I took a successful trip to Vitré to see the old walled city and castle with some good friends. I've been sharing banjo music and American culture as best as I can with my French students.
This past Thursday a friend from back in Knoxville, Amien, came to visit. It was good to see a face from back home, and have the opportunity to show someone around Rennes. We went out Thursday for drinks and music with Lizzie, a French friend, and another American assistant, and walked around the city at night. Friday we spent a good portion of the day walking around the city, finding respite from the intermittent rain when possible. At least Amien didn't get any misconceptions about Breton weather! We saw the premiere of Black Swan that night, a ballet thriller with Natalie Portman that is definitely worth a watch. Afterwards, like a true Breton, we went for crepes and cidre.
I have managed to line up a concert this coming Thursday at a bar in town! I have been wanting to play for a while, and I heard from a colleague that Bar le St Melaine, which holds ERASMUS parties (for foreign exchange students). would be a good place to ask. The owner was very enthusiastic about my proposal for an acoustic concert, and was happy to book me without even listening to my music! I hope he won't regret it. This seems a really nice place to play, and the owner told me if it went well he'd be happy to have me regularly. I had better get to practicing! Luckily Gael, from whom I bought my banjo, lent me a guitar in December. When I was over yesterday to play music with him he asked me if I was planning on using the old guitar he lent me in the concert, and when I affirmed this he said he would bring one of his nicer guitars with him to the concert for me to perform on. Quelle chance!
Well, now that I'm more or less caught up, it's time to do lesson planning and music practicing. I'll update soon... no, really I will!
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