Getting my history on

So because of the strike, not only are the streets littered with garbage, stench, and disease-ridden creatures, but most schools are also closed. No really, the students are on strike too: I went to my middle school for the first time yesterday and the middle school students were setting dumpsters on fire. and the dumpsters are pretty big right now considering they're overflowing. My high school has been shut down for the moment because students blocked the entrance yesterday throwing eggs and firecrackers at anyone who came near. SO: instead of going to work, I have been enriching my knowledge of my new city.

What used to be a Greek port, Massalia (now Marseille) is home to a number of great archaeological finds. which I just found out today at the Natural History Museum and the Marseille History Museum (which is conveniently located in the mall, just under the Galeries Lafayette). And get this: I was walking around the Palais Longchamp park today and just paid the 1 euro to get into the Natural History Museum and out of the cold, not expecting to see anything but stuffed dead animals and fossils of mammoth teeth, when I stumbled upon the Venus of Brassempouy! That probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but if anyone took prehistoric art history with Marie Watkins, you will know that that little 3 and a half centimeter sculpture is a big deal. She belongs to a museum in Paris, but is put on display other places and I got to see her today!

Now my next great find today was at the Marseille History Museum: the best preserved hull of a 6th century ship in the world. Yeah I thought it was pretty cool. They freeze dried the wood and they only keep it under blacklight in a sealed off room with 3 tinted windows because it's so fragile. Then after I was tired of trying to squint to see the boat, I explored these roman ruins outside in the Jardin des Vestiges (also just outside the mall). Except there were a lot of really shabby, mean-looking cats stalking around so I didn't want to stay long.

OH--one more fun fact: the very first cafe ever in France was opened in Marseille in 1680-something. I guess that makes sense, since Marseille is the oldest city in France.

PS this photo is actually a fake pirate ship in the Vieux Port that has a restaurant inside it

Celebrity Encounter

Marseille is feeling more like home now...yesterday I went to IKEA and got a few things to cozy up my apartment (namely, a bedspread because the blanket my proprietor gave me is really janky). I finally got a schedule from my high school to start work this coming week...and SCORE I might only be working 3 days a week! So up until now I've just been on vacation, really. Then after less than a week of working I go on vacation for the Toussaint holiday (it's like fall break in France) until November 4. It's true, the French really don't work ever. But I NEED to share this awesome story with everyone: last Friday night I was out at a club called Trolleybus (I giggle every time I say it in a french accent...) with some French friends and saw these 8 foot tall guys speaking in veerrrrry american english. Then one starts trying to talk to me and I tell him I'm from the States. Turns out these guys are the HARLEM GLOBE TROTTERS. That's right. They were doing a show on Saturday night in Marseille and I was lucky enough to party with them on Friday! I felt like a celebrity rockstar for a few hours hanging out with them....until it was too far past my bedtime to care anymore how cool they were. So there's my first celebrity encounter in the south of France...let's hope the next one is James Marsden. Or Patrick Stewart. Or pretty much any gozillionaire with a boat (NOT Forrest Gump...)

For now I'm looking forward to starting at my schools--they're giving us a welcome lunch on Monday, then I actually start on Wednesday--then Grandma's coming a week after that! Be on the lookout for some postcards...if I don't have your address then you won't get one. If you want one, send me your address!

OH and here's a photo of my roommates at the beach: (from left) Esther, [me], Maria, Ana, and Julia (except she's not our roommate)

Moved In

So I finally made it into my apartment...this week has been full of paperwork, logistical stuff, immigration offices...and it's only Monday! I had some trouble on Friday evening when my credit card was eaten by an ATM-----never use a Caisse Espargne ATM!!-----but thank you Wachovia for sending my replacement so quickly! I just got it in the mail this morning.

BUT my apartment is really charming (minus the screaming baby that lives below us, but I can live with that; I have to be up early for work anyway). My roommates are two Spanish girls, one from Seville and one from Barcelona, and Esther from Boston. It's kind of frustrating living in a city like Marseille because it isn't safe to go out on my own at night, but we're doing a pretty good job of going out together, or other assistants walking each other home after it's dark. It's strange...I don't think I've ever felt so blonde. Most Marseillais are north african immigrants, so I kind of stick out around here. That's why walking around alone at night is so dangerous for me in particular.

I don't have internet right now, so I have to go to McDonalds every time I want to check my email...I don't think I've been to McDonalds so often in my life (not counting 2am drive thru runs). But I really am that gross american that goes to macdo's all the time! Hopefully, we should be getting the wireless in our apt hooked up by Wednesday.......hopefully. There's so much paperwork and forms flying around right now that it's hard to keep things straight.

Man, I miss everybody so much...the other night I went up to Notre Dame (it's up on a big hill in Marseille) and watched the sunset. it was so gorgeous I wanted everyone to watch it with everyone I missed! In any case, I'm usually on Skype at macdo's in the evenings (well, my evening time) so chat me up!