OHMYGOSH

Greetings from Le Puy!

(pronounced: luh PWEE)

hehe, I know this is hokey, but after I was done writing, I wanted to add this picture, and it just added it at the beginning of everything, so excuse the cheese ;)

Okay, so I have a LOT to fill you in on, but that seems SO daunting that I might just do some highlights for now and then more details later?

Let's see:

1. Moved into the apartment with Andres, the Spanish assistant in my high school, who is from Columbia. I now have a kitchen, living room, and spare half bedroom (I say half because it's not separated by a full wall from the living room--but it has a spare bed!).

2. Went to training in Clermont-Ferrand (the main city in my region) and met LOADS of new people

3. Met some French people

They were friends with the assistants last year and want to be our friends this year, so they're trying to get to know us, and they're SUPER nice :)

4. Started School

5? Lots of other little stuff

First thing:

On Sunday, Stephanie (oh my gosh, whom I haven't even told you about, WOW, it HAS been a long time), who is the English assistant at three junior highs here, Andres (roommate) and I went walking up to La Vièrge. There's a big statue of the Virgin Mary on the highest peak in Le Puy, and so we went urban hiking up there. It was the perfect day for it, just gorgeous, and you could see for forever. :)

Here's a pic inside the statue. It's graffittied all over with prayers for the virgin to answer:

The view from up in the statue WOW.

The Virgin herself with child, and this other statue in front is of some guy who made pilgrimage to see her, and the statue is eternally kneeling and praying to her. I think it's kind of clever, actually, as these statues weren't built at the same time (I don't think).

A view of the town from the walk up. That cathedral is also very religiously important. There's a stone in there, I think it's volcanic rock (looks like it and all the hills around are sleeping volcanoes), and the story goes that a woman back in maybe the 6 century?? was sick and came to this rock and she was healed, so MANY people come here to touch the rock and be healed. I touched it, so here's hopin'. :)

Another view of Le Puy from the hike up.

And again (I like this one).

So, I went grocery shopping today. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH BEAUTIFUL EGGS????? Well, and if you have, I'm sure these are like right up there in terms of beauty. Man. AND THERE'S EVEN A FEATHER ON THEM! CAN YOU SEE THAT!?! Goll-y.

Here's an update on "American TV shows dubbed in French that Meghan has seen":

• Desperate Housewives
• Malcolm in the Middle
• Bones
• Medium
• the old 50s zorro tv show
• Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman
• Gray's Anatomy
• Lost
• The Simpsons
• Flipper
• Prison Break
• NCIS
• Scrubs
• Hannah Montana
• Law and Order: SVU
• Cold Case
• Lassie
• 7th Heaven

Okay, that's all for now. I love you all and hope everything is going great for you!!!

Megs