I got me some friends!

Yes people!  I have friends!  Finally I have met some people that I can actually hang out with, and go on little adventures around Europe with!  Some girls in my French class (which are going.....okay by the way) were talking about where they were from in our break last week.  A couple of them mentioned Utah, which meant for the rest of the lesson I was trying to see if the ring on the finger of one of the girls was a CTR ring.  It was!!! Yay, fellow Mormon Au Pairs!  I cornered her after class and asked if she was a Mormon (think she may have thought I was accusing her of being a Mormon! haha!).  Turns out she's been going to Geneva English Ward, as has the other girl that I thought was LDS in my class.  You know when you meet people that you feel like you know already?  Totally had that with this girl!  Her name is Caitlin, we got along really well, even just for the 10 minute chat we had after class.  I can see a life long friendship in the making!  Excited much?!  Now that both girls know that I'm in Gex Ward they will probably be coming out to Gex to see what it's like.  It would be great if they always came out to Gex!  We would be clueless together!

Jenny (who hooked me up with being an Au Pair out here) offered me a lift to the Geneva Ward with her family last Sunday.  I went with her and got to meet the YSA's (some people said that Gex ward is the ward with all the YSA's though, I can see that now).  It was nice to hear everything in English for a change, and I got to meet Caitlin again! Some people thought we were sisters, just because were both really white with dark hair.  Another Au Pair (Elisabeth) had her parents visiting from the States and an empty house so invited Caitlin and I for dinner.  Which was just so randomly nice!!!  Caitlin and I had a little bonding session in the car on the way to Elisabeth's.  Turns out were both art students and had pretty much the same experience with uni not being right and just wanting to take a year out.  The whole Au Pair abroad thing just landed in her lap too.  She is sooooo nice!!!  We want to do a ton of stuff together (Elisabeth too)!  See the sites that France and Switzerland have to offer and then discover as much of Europe as we can (afford anyway!)...even England for Caitlin (so be prepared mum,  I'm bringing back a friend or two)!  Plus I think they'll be a bunch of film nights happening after long days of screaming kids!

This is moi, Elisabeth and her mum and Caitlin........

Can you tell I am just really over excited to finally have met some people that I can do stuff with?!!  Elisabeth is an art student, as well as her mum having been one.  Talking about so many different forms of art with them all night has restored my faith in the art world!!  Now I am dying to actually get creative again and paint or draw......just do something!!  Shame I didn't bring any art stuff with me...that may lead to another package being sent over...eeek!  We had a great evening though, which went into the wee hours of the morning!  The tiredness hit me today.....siesta!

'The Hero's Journey' (apologies for the side view!).........

I said we talked about so many random things and 'The Hero's Journey' was one of them.  I was educated, haha!  Look it up to find out more!  It's basically how every good story (in films, books and life) is set out.  It works so well, i love it!  Think of 'The Lion King' (keeping it simple for ya!)....

Act 1........Simba becomes an orphan (literally in this case).  He is on his own.

Act 2a......He then meets some friends who teach him new things.  He grows.

Act 3.......He is found by Narla who reminded him of his duty (the 'rug pull' is here).  He goes home to fight for his right to be king.

Act 4.......He has to sacrifices himself to save his kingdom, fighting scar.  He survives and saves the day.  A hero!


Anyway!  The countryside round here is gorgeous!  There are some pictures ave to share from a little morning walk that I did the other day.  It is the best way to start my day!  Need to do it more often.

I was out before the sun had even risen above the trees (and that was after a lie in!).....

 Fields of gold..........

I did not want to leave this beautiful light, but........

....the river was calling me.......

Life in France continues to be rather good to me.  I am checking out a little shopping center tomorrow morning.....maybe a chance to look for some decent snow boots (must be prepared for what's to come apparently!).  Right now however I have a date with 'Downton Abbey'!! I am silly excited about this!! my brother in-law (genius by the way!) has hooked me up with a way to watch BBC i-player and ITV player abroad (remember me being gutted that I couldn't watch either in France?).  Now I get to keep up with the family traditions that have developed of watching any period drama on TV.  The men secretly love it, actually maybe it's not a secret?  Not now anyway!  haha!

Good night! x