Need to Rehydrate!!!!

October 3, 2006
Archive


You know it's going to be rough Tuesday morning when you're out Monday night with a couple of Irish. It started benignly enough. On Sunday I went to the Office of Tourism to get some bus schedules, and I found a little flyer, in English, about a creative writing group meeting here in Carcassonne every other Monday. I was so excited to have found something like that, so Monday evening I walked over to the house, and joined this lovely little group of writers. There were 7 of us in all, the teacher (English), Anne (the English woman who I met the other day who owns the English book shop up the street from me), another british woman, a canadian, and two irish. The class was great, and it was so nice to be writing again and discussing things like vocabulary choice and tone and rhythm. After class, which ended at 10:30, Susan the Irish woman, who is a bar tender at the Irish Pub where my Spanish friend took me the other night, took me to another bar across the canal, where I drank I think about a liter of beer (Oktoberfest...) and met tons of new French, Irish, Brazilan, etc. friends. and was escorted home at 2 to wake up at 7 and go teach people about American culture (which I felt somewhat legitimate in doing since I had, afterall, been drinking beer).

During the weekend (and I will post pictures, I promise), I'm pretty sure, though not entirely certain, that I was wedded to a donkey during a tradtional Carcassonnian parade (don't worry, Ben, I'm sure it's not binding!). That's right, while walking about la cité (the walled city), I heard music and shouting. I followed it to find winding through the streets a long line of older men in serious drag, women dressed as gypsies, and a bride and groom (symbolic) all dancing along to a band of wandering...minstrels? The bride rode on a donkey. I asked one of the locals who was taking pictures what it was all about, and he told me that it's a traditional parade on the first Sunday of every October to celebrate the fall and also the roles of masculinity and feminity (thus all the drag?). He told me that they have been doing this since, oh, the 12th century or so. They find young women along the path, and make them kiss the donkey. I joked that I should hide myself. About 1/2 hour later, I found myself in the crowd, with my camera out, taking pictures and laughing, when suddenly, a gentleman in a pink tutu and red wig took my hand. We had a lovely dance, and then he led me to the donkey. Well, what could I do? When in Rome...or apparantly, when in the middle ages...

That about somes up my weekend. I began work on Monday, and my students are great! I like the job, I like the hours, I'm really excited about getting involved with all of it. Tomorrow I am going to Montpellier for a training day with all the IUFM assistants in the academy. I'm looking forward to meeting the others and having some more contacts around the area! Also! Good news- I've found a few friends with cars which means that I can see the area a bit! That's great! Also! In even better news- I just bought a plane ticket home for Christmas! Hooray!

So, I hope you're all doing well. Keep in touch!