Today was the first full day in my new home, though I spent almost half of it out and about:) I woke up around 8:30 and wandered into the kitchen for breakfast - So nice and simple, I serve myself whatever I want, I can even boil water for coffee! The paper "The Parisien" was on the table and the radio was on - it was like a big classroom! I listened to a talk program where they discussed the different school systems in France and around the world. I really have no idea what exactly they said, but it all sounded very interesting:) The paper is a little easier to decode because it has pictures and the words don't move so fast:) I had coffee, an apple, and some bread(not just bread - french bread, real french bread - mmmmm) with jam for breakfast. I ate at my own pace and was not hawked over by anyone, what a nice change! This morning was a nice lazy morning, a little more exploring the house, taking a shower, organizing my room and reading a little. By noon the clouds had cleared and the sun came out shining bright for the first time all week! The skies were blue and I had to go out and enjoy it, sore feet and all, I didn't care, I wasn't missing this day! I am sooooo glad I went, if I hadn't I would have missed more than just the day. I decided to do a trial run to the school to time the walk and then to go to EXK - a nice cafe I found last week with free wifi that's by the school. I mapped out my route at the house and made sure I had my keys, my compass, and my camera(the three things needed for any adventure!) Because it was such a nice day, a lot of people were out on the streets, walking, riding bikes, roller blading(very popular here), I even saw one guy on a long board skate board! I felt like part of something, like a special club of life lovers enjoying a nice day together:) The walk was really nice, it took me through three big plazas I have never been to! On one road I ran into one of those fun little outdoor markets you find so often on Sundays in Paris. I never get tired of walking down the main row and watching all the busyness of buying and selling going on around me:) The products are amazing and so fresh! There are fruits and vegetables of all kinds, cheeses(the French are all about their cheese-they have over 300 kinds! and are proud of every one:), there's meat(both raw and cooked or even cooking right there!), and then there are the fish. I don't like fish and the smell of these stands is enough to make me want to gag, but I must admit it fascinates me. Right there in front of you are all kinds of fish stacked on ice so close you could reach out and touch them if you wanted to....I don't....but I could. There are squids and shell fish and all kinds of strange things I have never seen, would never know what to do with, and could never bring myself to eat(though I have been getting a lot better at the whole sea food thing and have actually come to like certain things - strange how tastes can change). All around you people are yelling and selling always in a friendly hurry. There is bread and flowers, nuts and mushrooms, and escargo! The little French market is a great big treat! Not long after I left the market I came across a big crowd of people. Music was rising from the center of the circle and some people were dancing. I got closer and slowly worked my way up to the front line, right near the action. There was a whole horns section, a guy on some make-shift drums, a couple people with shakers or rattles and a very energetic little white guy adding to it all with singing and sound effects of his own:) In the middle of the circle there was also a nice looking bald headed black man dancing around. After some time he started juggling. He juggled over his head, behind his back, under and through his legs, and if this doesn't sound amazing enough, he did all of this with a jar of real live goldfish balancing on his head! I'm serious, I have a video! I hung there for a while, once again apart of something, sharing a magical moment with total strangers. Being connected by the experience and the joy it brought us. As I walked away and the music slowly faded it was replaced by shouting, but not just random shouting on the streets, this was organized. Hundreds of voices rose above the city sounds chanting in unison. You can imagine this would be pretty frightening especially if you have no idea what they are chanting! As I got closer to the group I could read the signs and banners they were carrying and I figured out that they were protesting abortion. This made me feel instantly better as people protesting death aren't usually very into killing, and I watched them with interest for some time. Eventually they began to move and it turns out that what I had watched was just the beginning, the gathering and organizing before their "Walk for Life." I watched them set off then I set off myself. You should have seen the police pressence on the surrounding streets! There were bunches of cops walking in groups in full riot gear in case things got out of hand. They had body armour stuff on, helmets, even large plastic sheilds and things that looked an awful lot like baseball bats! They were so frightening I wish I had a picture of them, but I was to frightened to take one! I passed by my school(2hours after leaving the house - but minus the market, singing, and riot stops about 1hour and 15min to walk to school) and I went to my cafe, but it was closed, as so many are on Sundays. I didn't want to head straight back so I headed to Starbucks for a comfy chair - French cafes don't seem to have those. I sat there for about three hours reading a little d*** Francis and then planning and dreaming RNW:) I also got to watch the "Walk for Life" walk right past my window! It went on forever! There were so many people, and the prosession of police that followed the marchers was equally as impressive. I counted almost 50 police vehicles! Many of which were buses or vans, some of which were scooters:) They seemed ready for anything, but I do think they were disapointed in the end as many of the big groups in the march were from churches(their signs had crosses and versus and were pretty easy to pick out:). I walked back home after the cafe and just thought about what a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was happy in my new home, but I was still scared walking the streets. This isn't like my old neighborhood with glitter and posh, this is a bit more dirty and real. There aren't as many people walking around in suits and nice dresses, it is more hooded sweatshirts and baggy jeans. The area is a lot more ethnicly diverse and I'm not used to that. Yesterday I was a little scared white girl, but today I am not. Well, I am still a white girl and because of all the walking I've been doing I am getting pretty little:), but I am no longer scared. Well, maybe a little, the right amount of healthy fear that keeps me careful, but it is not at all like yesterday. I love that feeling that can only be found on the far side of fear:) Thank God for keeping me safe and for opening a whole new world to me! My comfort zone has expanded once again:) P.S. Right after I finished what's above I was called to dinner. Tonight we had chicken and vegetables with cheese to follow and some chocolate cake. We talked a little about the day, then some politics, and then I got a mini history lesson about the French involvment in the American Civil War and the Revolution. I learned all about Louisiana - the old one that stretched from the present day Louisiana all the way up the Mississippi and into Canada! We talked about Napoleon the first and Louis the fifteenth, or was it the fourteenth? Well, anyways, I learned a lot:) Plus I got a magazine all about the old Louisiana to read over and be ready for more conversation tomorrow! This is so much fun:) Thanks again for all your prayers, God has really blessed me with this move!