Chapter 91: The Lyoness

nerd blog post #96

Lions have always been my fave animal, tied with elephants. But elephants sort of lose their importance when you play that getting-to-know-you game and you have to say your name and an animal that starts with the same letter. "Elephant Emily" makes me sound large and in charge. And if there's an Erica or an Esther in the room, I have to be "Eel Emily" which makes people think of slime. And so, by the age of twelve or so, elephants sort of dropped to #2, bringing lions, in particular lionesses (as they hunt more and are cool) to #1. Once, when I was a teen, someone told me I look like Nala from The Lion King. I know Nala is a fictional character, but she is very beautiful (nala even means beautiful in Swahili) and it was perhaps the nicest compliment I have ever received. Now, every time someone asks me what animal I would be, I immediately reply that I would be a lioness, and tell the story of once being told that I look like Nala from The Lion King.

But that's not the whole reason I'm going to Lyon this week.....

I have been postponing talking about plans past my trip home in June for awhile. This is because I don't know what I'm going to do. My responsibilities here in Rennes finish by the end of June but I still bought a return ticket. This is for several reasons. Firstly, I had always been planning to spend a full year in France, and I would like to complete the year. Also, I have dear friends coming over in the Summer. I am also paid until the end of the Summer, so can afford to stick around. And, well, I just kind of want to. As to what I'll do this Summer, I don't know, and don't really mind so much. I have plans to go to Portugal with Jessica when she comes, and will also visit Nanike (my German friend from L'Arche Toronto) in Berlin once she's back. Aside from that, I'm pumped to experience Paris in the sunshine and hop around a little bit.

As for September, I still don't know. I haven't talked about it on here at all because I don't want the nerd blog to stench of my indecisiveness. I weigh out the pros and cons of another year in France about a million times a day. And usually, the pros don't go much past the language, the baguettes, and an Armenian clown. But I recently saw postings for a few jobs in France (two in Paris, one in Beauvais and one in Lyon) that are all quite appealing. They offer more advanced students than I have now, an attractive salary, a different location. So I have applied to them and have my first interview on Thursday in Lyon. It's a good university and Lyon is a cool city - the second largest in France. All of this being said, I might be home in September. I miss the fam and the hustle and bustle of my friends in TO and K-Town. I crave my old life quite a lot, even after seven months of delicious cheese.

I guess the reason I started talking about September is because I always write about what I'm up to, and on Wednesday night I'll head to Paris, and then to Lyon the next day. The interview is in the afternoon and I'll spend a night there (couchsurfing -- spooky!) and then back to Paris Friday night. I'll have two full days to check out the city, which will be a nice little vacay. Then, I have a week off (as if we deserve it) for Easter, and I'll be in Paris for ten nights. After paying for rent for these two months, plus the deposit, I don't really have the cash to gallivant around the continent, so I will chill with Madame Eiffel and her friends.

Here in Rennes, it is a beautiful day - sunny and warm. Cynthia and I continue to play house and it is going well. Sharing a key and a bed in an apartment with only two doors (bathroom and exit) is better than you might imagine! I'm glad I have already lived with her in another capacity and know how she ticks. We are eating together every meal as there's no other way to do it, and I like that. I made a lentil and hard boiled egg curry the other night and it turned out well. Breakie is, as always, my fave meal to cook and I make all sorts of b-feasts while Cynthia runs a thousand miles every morning. Once we're back to work, the tight quarters will feel even bigger, and I look forward to plowing through what I came here to do, not to mention a little bit of a routine. The last day I worked (besides that one day a couple of weeks ago), was exactly 2 months ago today. I haven't had that kind of time off since before I was legally allowed to work in Canada. And that's not really a good thing. I really hope that tomorrow's meeting answers a lot of my questions.

I hope Canada is sunny and that your week-ends are going well! Sending you all some love...

Signing off,
Hincks.