Mary-Est-En-France

February 10, 2021

Wednesday

We slept in late, knowing that it would be a relaxed travel day. The weather was bleak. The temperature hovered around 40 degrees and there was a steady drizzle of rain. We enjoyed coffee and clementines for breakfast. I stepped out on the balcony of the apartment and gazed at the mountain looming nearby. It was striking to see the diversity of plants growing on each side of the monolith.

We left the warmth of our little haven and headed into town. We cut through little side streets, attempting to reach the spire that we saw poking through the maze of rooftops. There were adorable local thrift shops and businesses on our way. We were struck by a sign we saw in one window, criticizing Macron (the French president). The response of his government to the pandemic and their measures surrounding confinement have been largely unpopular in France. Many label his call for respecting curfew and confinement to be hypocritical as long as he allows schools to stay open.

“There isn’t racism in this country, there are not violent police in this country.”
“Must work, must work, must work.”
“We’re not going to touch the gifts given to the rich.”

The Église Paroissiale Du Sacre-Coeur de Lourdes or Parish Church Of The Sacred Heart Of Lourdes. St. Bernadette was baptized in the church that originally stood here. It burned down and this one replaced it in the late 1800s. It has been in use since that time.

In the square just beyond the Parish Church, we found the Tourism Office (closed) and a WWII monument. I wish that I was able to get a better picture, but the rain and a construction gate really cramped my style.

Memorial to the dead of WWII from this area.

Everything in the town was shuttered. It seemed like we were the only people there. It was almost eery. Alli wanted to pick up some souvenirs for family members, but I wasn’t sure would be able to find anything in this little ghost town! Then, as we rounded a corner, we ran right into a little man tending his shop. I really have to laugh, this was an incredibly European encounter. He turned to face us and immediately began trying to shill painted and non-painted statues of the Virgin Mary. Realizing that we spoke English, he started stating the prices in both English and French and repeating phrases that he had clearly memorized from years of working with tourists. He applied the pressure, telling us he would be closed soon for lunch and wouldn’t be open again the rest of the week. I didn’t want a statue or a bottle for some grotto water and didn’t believe a word he said about closing, but I needed some postcards anyway. I grabbed a few and handed over my 1.80 euro.

An incredible little tourist trap on the side of the road.

Escaping the little shop, we wandered aimlessly through the damp streets. We happened upon the house where St. Bernadette’s father lived in his later years. It was purchased by the parish, as St. Bernadette was a nun and had no money of her own to support her father.

Maison Paternelle de St. Bernadette. The home of St. Bernadette’s father.

Curious and wanting a better look at the structure, we followed the path downhill towards the base. We discovered that the family home that Bernedette grew up in was right around the next corner. It included a mill! Normally, you can take a tour through it. There was a little convent sitting next-door and I suspect that the nuns there operate the tours.

I love this vintage travel advertisement for Lourdes. “Visit more and spend less!”

A quaint family home. Bernadette lived here for many years with her family, until they hit hard times. It seems that after this, they frequently changed domiciles.

We finally noticed that a thin blue line was painted on the pavement. It indicated the “Trail of Jubilation,” likely used for a holy walk on the Feast Day. We decided that we might as well follow it and find all there was to see in the city.

We followed the path to a beautiful bridge. It overlooked a view of a wonderful little waterfall.

I love this hotel’s colors! I read that Lourdes has the second highest per capita number of hotels in France after Paris.

The trail led us to a set of wonderful gates adorned with white statues. The grotto complex was huge! There was a straight path from the gates down to the basilica. Beside the massive church there was a building for confessions. Each door was for a different language.

Statue of the Virgin Mary facing the basilica. The statue is surrounded by flowers.

The basilica! I was so bummed that the spire was under construction. The building is surrounded by white statues of different saints and religious figures.

A convent that you can see from the stairs of the basilica.

Look out at the square! We were the only people there! Usually, this square is filled the week of the Feast Day.

Alters devoted to different saints that saw visions of the Virgin Mary

St. Bernadette’s alter. The steps mark each day that she saw the Virgin Mary. The images in the middle of the alter are other famous French saints.

I love the flower and water design at the Bernadette alter. In her visions, the Virgin told her there was a spring beneath layers of dirt. She brought the townspeople there and dug in the dirt until the spring was revealed.

The front doors of the Basilica. One says the “door of light” and the other is the “door of life.” The door on the right is a coconut tree.

A look at the inside of the main body of the church.

I love this alter. There is a mosaic of Mary surrounded by little angels overhead.

Remember the dome we saw from outside earlier? Here is the decorated interior. It is a little hard to see, but there are tiny roses in red and white that circle the blue window at the center.

On the outside of the church, we can see huge mosaics depicting important biblical scenes and figures. Here, the Virgin Mary and Jesus seem to be shining their light on world leaders.

A wonderful wooden organ that sits are the back of the church, above the entryway.

After spending a fair amount of time admiring the artwork, we went back outside and decided to see the grotto. This is the spot where St. Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary. If you’re interested in reading more about the story, you can do so here.

Here is the grotto. See the rock in the middle of the picture? Right behind it is where the spring bubbles up. The statue of the Virgin is placed where Bernadette saw her. Folks can come here to pray, to receive Mass, or to play a candle.

If you walk downriver and away from the grotto, you can fill bottles with water from the spring. This water is supposed to cure those who drink it of all maladies that afflict them. There have been 70 documented miracles here. There is a doctor on staff that documents supposed miracles and monitors cases of those who claim that miracles occurred. You can bath in the water just beyond this point.

A view of the stairs that lead up to the roof of the basilica. These are lined with white statues of saints and holy figures.

We were cold, tired, and damp. There wasn’t much left to do near the basilica and there really weren’t any other sites to see for the day. All the shops were closed, so we couldn’t grab any souvenirs. We decided to grab food for the night and to turn in for the evening. A person at the Welcome Desk told us there would be a Mass the next day, so we compromised and said we’d make up the time from Wednesday early the next morning.

On our way out, we found a statue of St. Bernadette and some adorable lambs.

When we got back to the apartment, we all collapsed and took naps. Some of us watched a Zach Efron episode about his visit to Lourdes. It was neat! When all of us were finally awake again, we started work on dinner.

When we started getting food around, we realized that we forgot bread. Maggie went out to get some more, so I asked her to pick up some dessert for me at the boulangerie and gave her enough cash for her to get a snack for herself too. She found this amazing beignet.

Alli made and awesome potato soup for dinner. We realized that we didn’t have flour only after curfew started, so it was a little thin. The flavors were awesome though!

That evening we hunkered down to watch Pirates of the Caribbean and Mean Girls. It was a fun and relaxing night.

February 9, 2021

Tuesday

It was going to be a long day of travel. We had about 6 hours on three different trains to get from Valence to Lourdes. The first train left the Valence station at 9:25. Alli and I headed out about 45 minutes before, thinking we would have plenty of time to get there on the bus. We took the 14 and found ourselves suddenly ejected on the side of the highway when the driver declared that it was the end of the route. We learned that the 14 does not go all the way to the TGV station everyday. When we asked for help, the driver waved his hand and said “go straight, get off.”

We searched the walking route and Maps told us that it would take 30 minutes to get there. It was already 9, we were going to be late. We asked our friends to call an Uber became neither of us had the app. Of course, the car that we ordered suddenly said it would be there in 20 minutes (still making us late). Jenni found the number of the taxi company, so we called. Alli struggled with them and then it was my turn. Finally, we got one ordered. We stood shivering outside the Harley Davison store while we waited. The car arrived and after a 4 minute drive we were finally at the station- we missed the train by 10 minutes. We realized that the walk was shorter than maps predicted and we could’ve made it if we hustled.

Two little Americans found the only American store in the city to get stranded in front of.

The next train would not arrive until 1:30, all there was to do was wait. Our friends would arrive before us in Lourdes and would check the group into the Airbnb-phew. We got breakfast from the Paul boulangerie in the station and settled in. We got to experience the antics of a screaming little girl, watch a few drug deals, and enjoy a lunch from Paul later in the day.

At 1:30, we at last boarded our train. The trip was full of tension because the train sat for 30 minutes on the tracks, eating up all of our time for a transfer. We were unsure that we would make our next connection and worried that we would be stuck in some random city for the night. Thankfully, the connection at Narbonne was delayed. We got on without a problem.

I’ve never been so happy to see a train station! Thank you, Narbonne!

The third train was absolutely exhausting. It was two exhausting hours. We got into Lourdes after curfew and had to walk to the Airbnb in the rain.

We felt so victorious staring at the Lourdes station.

When we arrived, Maggie and Jenni had dinner waiting for us. They picked up Indian food from a local restaurant. We enjoyed wine and chips as we hung out later in the evening. We listened to music and talked until it was time for bed. I’m still amazed by how great it feels to speak English with someone in the same room as me! I finally feel like I have a community here.

February 8, 2021

Monday

I spent my morning packing and cleaning up the apartment. I didn’t want things to be a mess or for there to be a dirty sink when I got back at the end of the week. I left around 12 on the bus to Lyon. I took the tram in the rest of the way.

I had an hour to kill before my train and didn’t want to sit outside the station, so I picked a direction where there was a cool building and set out. At the end of the street, I saw a huge building with bright tiling. I found out that it was part of the Université Jean Moulin. Jean was a famous French Resistance fighter in WWII. He was imprisoned by the collaborationist regime and died as he was transferred to German by the Gestapo.

I checked the time and started to head back towards the station. I realized that I was in a familiar area when I found a memorial to the victims of WWII and the collaborationist regime. I realized that I visited this neighborhood with my study abroad group in 2019!

A memorial to the “15,000 men, women, and children detained and tortured here” as well as “the thousands deported to concentration camps.”

A beautiful mural dedicated to Jean Moulin.

The former military prison Montluc. The prison first opened in 1918 and was considered innovative for its “good” treatment of prisoners. For most of its history, the institution house military prisoners. During WWII, the Gestapo used it as a prison, interrogation center, and an internment camp for individuals being transferred to concentration camps. Over 15,000 were imprisoned and 900 died here. The prison was used in a civil capacity after the war and in its later years housed women and children. There is an eery nursery in one corner of the prison yard. It ceased operation as a prison in 2009 when conditions were finally deemed inhumane.

In 2019, I was able to tour the interior with my study abroad class. It was an incredibly informative visit. I’ll share some of those photos below.

The main floor of the prison. Each door is a cell. There is a tiny window and a bucket in each cell. If you venture inside there are signs indicating some of the residents of the cell and their stories. Many of those featured were women and children.

An example of a cell on the first floor.

There is no air conditioning available in the prison. On the upper floors, the heat and smell is unbearable even when unoccupied. You can gaze down at the floors below through this open avenue.

The women’s quarters in the prisons, decorated in the 1990s.

One of the decorated walls of the nursery.

Memorial National de la Prison de Montluc in 2021.

Part of the Hôtel de Police, a former part of the Montluc prison.

A city park overshadowed by the Hôtel de Police, housed in the former Montluc prison.

Street art near the Lyon Part Dieu station.

I made it back to the station and found my seat on the train. It ran a little long due to construction on the line, but Alli met me at the station in Valence and we found each other without a problem. We landed on Domino’s for dinner. Ugh I was so excited to eat food I didn’t make myself. The convenience of living in a city is something I will never question again. I miss it so much! Pizzas in hand, we headed back to her place for the night.

I found Domino’s in France! I marveled at the convenience of picking up dinner and not having to cook it myself.

A fountain in the the center of Valence.

We ate our dinner, chatted, and then got ready for bed so we could be up early to travel the next day.

February 7, 2021

Sunday

I got a late start and took a shorter walk than usual. The sun was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t believe how warm it was outside!

I spent the evening getting ready for my trip to Lourdes. We were heading there to celebrate the feast day of St. Bernadette. I learned that this was the saint that Mme Bodet was named after! Because Anthon is a bit out of the way, making the trip in one day really is not doable. Instead, I would be staying Monday night in Valence and leaving with the rest of the girls from there. I made sure all my clothes fit in my backpack and snuck a bottle of wine in for good measure. I relaxed with some comedy shows before I went to bed for the night.

Be prepared to be inundated by photos in the coming posts!

February 6, 2021

Saturday

A warm, cloudy day in Anthon! I set out on my walk early in the day to avoid the predicted afternoon showers. I got to hear the Jane Eyre/ Mr. Rochester proposal chapter which was somehow more awkward to listen to than it was to read. Because of recent rains, the Rhône has been incredibly flooded. Things seemed to be returning to normal though! I saw my little swan friends across the way as I entered the trail.

Their favorite spot might be flooded, but the swans are back!

When I finished up my jaunt around the village, I peeked out from the pool behind the house to check the water level. It remained high, but had definitely fallen to some degree.

The water is two different shades of green. The lighter side is covering the sandbar. The trees near the bank are no longer submerged.

I spent the rest of my evening painting and watching movies that my friend Elizabeth suggested. I tried “Hail Cesar” and “Superbad.” I got a good laugh from both. It’s so weird having time to watch new movies!

February 5, 2021

Friday

Wow! It’s been forever since I’ve been able to update the blog. Sorry to keep you waiting, folks!

I was so happy to have my first full day of break. Teaching was wearing me down. I’ve really been struggling with the subjects that are requested of me. Students just don’t seem to connect with a lot of them or don’t have the vocabulary to connect with them. It doesn’t help that I don’t have the French vocabulary to translate some of the subjects.

I spent the day listening to Jane Eyre on my phone. I took a long walk and came in when it started to rain. I took pleasure in noticing the first signs of spring popping up all around me. Little berries were on fence vines, tulips were poking up in flower beds, and bulbs were opening up.

In contrast, my parents sent me a few pictures from Michigan and it looks like everything is frozen over!

I spent the rest of my night listening to the audiobook and painting. I bought paints in December but haven’t felt motivated to use them. I finally felt a spurt of creative energy! I made myself a nice little sheep to hang on the wall. I needed a pop of color!

February 4, 2021

Thursday

I met Catherine at Place les Platanes at 8am. As we rode to school, she told me about her experience with the British variant of COVID. It sounded absolutely horrible. I was concerned that she already was returning to work and hadn’t been retested. I know that the French don’t require it, but it makes me anxious to think about. I was thankful I decided to start wearing two masks in schools.

Leaving my apartment in the morning I was able to see the moon hovering over my neighbor’s house.

I arrived at my first classroom and was surprised when it was empty. I checked my email and discovered that the teacher was on strike that day, so there would be no students from his class. I got to spend an hour reading and chatting with friends that were up way too late.

My next class finished “12 Years A Slave” and had a small discussion. Even though the students watched the movie in French, I don’t think they fully understood it. One student asked how long Solomon was enslaved, as if it wasn’t the title of the dang movie. I wonder if these kids really are just not developing critical thinking skills.

My next class was a 4ème group with Catherine. We did the “Civil Rights in Media” presentation. The kids didn’t really seem to care or understand. I wasn’t really able to present or speak with the kids because Catherine talked over me in French.

The last class of the day was the 6ème. They asked some really great questions on the same presentation. It was more encouraging. I think they are really curious and excited to be learning English.

Finally, I got to go home. I made some fried rice and got to talk with my dad on the phone. In the evening, I called one of my friends and got to chat before bed. It was a good way to start my vacation.

February 2, 2021

Wednesday

When I got back from Avignon on Sunday, my landlady let me know that I received a package that I would have to pick up at La Poste in the Villette sometime in the coming week. Wednesday presented the perfect opportunity to grab it, send off the present to my friend, and get some groceries.

I took the 8:48 bus and arrived in the Villette around 9:00. I got in line to wait for La Poste to open for the day. When I finally got in, I was able to collect my package by presenting the note that was left on my door and my ID. I then asked for some help with sending an envelope to the US. It was so easy! I’m less afraid now to ship some things back home.

I left La Poste and realized I had a lot of time to kill before the 11:15 bus back to Anthon. There’s only one bus between the towns every two hours- we love country life! I decided to walk a lap around the town and listen to my book. The weather was warm, but incredibly windy. At times, I thought I would be blow right off the pavement.

After my lap, I headed over to the Intermarché. I passed the little city sheep, the band of chickens, and the mini-library. At the store, I decided to splurge and buy myself some colored pens. I only brought black pens with me and wanted something so I could highlight French words I didn’t know in books. I was excited to use them later that day. Seeing that I had time left, I walked all the way back to the original bus stop to catch the 1980. I was able to relax at the stop for a few minutes before it arrived.

Back at my place, I put away the groceries and brewed a cup of coffee before opening my package. I was so excited!! I’m so thankful for the friends that have sent me things! Little comforts from home mean so much.

My package contained: yarn, Expo markets, 3 granola bars, some razors, my favorite lotion, and some “teaching is a work of heart” chocolates.

I’ve been deprived of crocheting for almost a month now! As I watched the news, I set to work and made a new hat with the yarn. It took me about 30 minutes. Haha now I guess I’ll just have to wait for another shipment of yarn to arrive!

After making my hat, I cleaned my entire living space top to bottom. When everything was spick and span, I decided to dye my hair. I bleached and then toned it. I think the process took about an hour or two? I feel so refreshed now!

I confirmed my ride to school the next day and my lessons and sat back to relax. I brewed a cup of decaf and took it outside to enjoy the sunset over the Rhône.

So flooded that the river almost looks like a lake.

February 2, 2021

Tuesday

Yay! I got to avoid my crazy classes! It felt so good to have a slow, relaxing morning. I got up, enjoyed my coffee, and watched the news before heading out on a brisk walk around town. I’ve been able to stick to my goal walking distance, which has been cool! This week, I’m listening to Jane Eyre. Charlotte B really has some intense diction. I can’t believe I read this book for the first time in 7th grade. No wonder I was such a weird kid!

View of the river from the trailhead. Usually, the entire center part is above water. The swans sit there regularly. The trees are half covered by water.

It was too muddy to go for a walk through the woods, so I stuck to doing laps around town. Heavy clouds hung overhead throughout the walk and I was forced to stop and come in when an intense rain started to pour. It was a perfect time to make some pizza for lunch. As I was getting my dough together, I happened to look out the door. I saw my little neighbor cat sitting on the steps! I slowly opened the door and we sat on the step together as he purred loudly. It was wonderful.

Someone looks surprised they were spotted!

Not too shy to ask for some pets! He has such a loud purr.

Finally, I had to go back inside to finish lunch and my friend sauntered away. (Yes, I made sure to thoroughly wash my hands and arms before touching food again.) As things cooked, I walked over to the back yard to get a view of the river. I couldn’t believe how swollen it was. The water swallowed several trees- I actually saw one rushing by as I stood there! The usual sandbank and distinction between the two fleuves disappeared completely.

You can usually see the base of that tree. The embankment is incredibly high.

The usual island is gone! There’s no way you could stand out there!

For dinner, I went over to the Bodet house. It was just Mme Bodet, Janja, and I that evening. Daniel was visiting some friends and didn’t want to risk the fine for coming home after curfew. We had buttered pasta and hamburgers with salad. It was a tense dinner because grades had just come out and Janja did not do as well as his parents wanted him to. His phone privileges were limited and he was not happy about it. After dinner, I sat with Mme Bodet to watch the news until it was time for me to go home and have my phone call with some friends. The broadcast talked about towns being completely overrun with water.

February 1, 2021

Monday

Wow! Already February. Hard to believe that I have been in France 3 full months now! It feels like a strange fever dream- it’s hard to believe this is really my life for the time being.

Snapchats from home get me through the day!

Monday felt like a splash of cold water to the face. It jolted me back to reality after my wonderful weekend getaway. We got news from the French government that the confinement we feared would not be happening, at least for the time being. Vacation would go forward as planned. That was certainly good news! I think it might be the highlight of my Monday.

I took the usual 7:25 bus to school with the kids. My bus card needed to be refreshed, but thankfully the bus driver let me on for free after I stammered that I would be recharging it that morning. When we arrived at school, I hopped off and went straight to the little store where I was able to recharge the card. It was more expensive than if I waited, but relieving the anxiety was worth the price for me. I found a fun little present for one of my friends that I was very excited to send off some time during the coming week.

I got into school about an hour before my classes, so I sat in the staff room and enjoyed some coffee from the machine. It might be my best friend at school haha. I chatted with the Italian professor, the young history teacher, and a few others that passed by as I caught up on Twitter and the news.

Classes started at 10am with one of my most difficult groups. The teacher wanted me to talk to them about sexual harassment. This group has such a low English level, the 20 minutes felt like an eternity. It was difficult to give them vocabulary and translations because I haven’t studied the subject in French. I was frustrated that the teacher ignored me the night before when I tried to express these concerns. Ultimately, I feel that this lesson was unproductive.

At lunch, I sat with the Italian teacher and two secretaries. I felt awkward with the secretaries after the Italian teacher left, so I scarfed down my lunch and sought refuge in my empty classroom. I watched the late night shows from the night before to relax and started a new book.

My 2pm class was the new group 4ème. I tried to teach them about jazz, country, and rock. The lesson didn’t seem to interest them at all, which surprised me. All the other classes I’ve used it with have enjoyed it. The students were frustrated when I refused to speak in French with them and insisted on using English.

I left the classroom to retrieve my 6ème class from their teacher. When I came back, the door to my room was closed. Someone sat inside with a parent and refused to look up when I knocked. My lesson was projected on the board and my things were on the desk- it was obvious that the space was occupied. Still- other teachers insisted that I find another room. We had to wander the halls to find an empty spot. When we did, the computer didn’t work. The teacher wouldn’t allow me to blend the two halves of the class so they would both have time to speak English, so we wandered some more until we found another room. Again, the computer didn’t work. As we wandered the halls, the teacher that was angry with me weeks before for having a loud class stood menacingly at the other end of the hall and watched as I struggled. I know there will be complaints from her going forward.

Finally, the last hour of the day arrived. Only half of the 3ème euro group was present because the other half was on a field trip. We went outside to play games with the teacher and came back to play hangman inside. It was such an easy end to the day. The teacher informed me that the person I work with on Tuesdays would be gone the next day because her son’s daycare was closed. We agreed that it would be better if I just stayed home on Tuesday. Free day off!

I rode the bus home with the students and took a nap when I got back. I went for dinner at the Bodet house and we enjoyed wine, risotto, and shrimp. We watched the news together before I went home. There was a flood warning for the coming days. I was thankful to have the next day off.