Feeling the Christmas spirit

HO HO HO!!! Can you feel the spirit of Christmas? I can't remember ever being this excited at Christmas time. It's going to be the first family Xmas after many years and I just want everything to be perfect. Despite it being oh so commercial, Christmas to me remains a period of sharing, giving, a time for family reunions and big festivities, a time of togetherness, Umoja (as we say back home).
Walking the streets of Montpellier and basking in the street lights, feeling the cold and walking from stand to stand at the traditional marché de Noel (Xmas market), I realised that I do love this country and truly enjoy being here. Experiencing the French lifestyle, the French cuisine and traditions is simply awesome and I am continuously amazed and the wonders of La France!

(Christmas market)

(Xmas stand)

(Santa's sleigh)

(oh Tannenbaum)

(Xmas tree sale)

The Union Buldings

The Union Buildings, home to the South African government and the president's office. It overlooks the city of Pretoria with it's canon and terraced gardens.

Traffic

"Rush hour", "Congestion", "Bumper to bumper", "Traffic jams", "Standstills"... all these terms used to describe high traffic at a certain time of the day. Terms that go hand in hand with "Frustration", "Anger", "Pressure", "Road rage", "Fatigue", "Headache" and so many more. Looking out my window at peak time, I saw none of that, none of the irritation all I could see was beauty, a certain urban beauty. Lights dancing about, illuminating the trees, I could hear the hooting, I could feel the tension and the frustration but still I saw none of it. All I could focus on was the lights in the trees and that certain urban beauty.

More autumn

(Landscape of Haute Saone)

Seasonal change

It's that time of year already, a time for leaves to slowly change, fade and fall. Autumn is amidst us, and I am loving it. I love the different tones of yellow, orange, red and brown; watching nature transform in front of my very eyes, slowly moving towards it's death only to be born again in springtime. I do not enjoy much rain, yet I enjoy autumn, seeing the variety of colours, the leaves twirling in the wind, the refreshing and soothing sounds of a drizzle afar and of course the taste of warm chestnuts. Autumn could very well be my favourite season...as long as I am inside draped in my duvet reading a captivating book with a warm cup of hot chocolate listening to the soft sounds of the rain on my window pane .
Autumn takes me back to the time we used to live in Alsace, were we to used to enjoy long family walks in the woods. Mom and dad walking hand in hand, my brother and I running about in an attempt to find as many mushrooms as possible. I have often said that I am nostalgic of my childhood, and it is no wonder for mine was a blessed one.

This is a song about this magical season.

Colchiques dans les prés, fleurissent, fleurissent
Colchiques dans les prés, c'est la fin de l'été.

La feuille d'automne emportée par le vent

En ronde monotone tombe en tourbillonnant.

Châtaignes dans les bois, se fendent, se fendent,
Châtaignes dans les bois,se fendent sous nos pas.

La feuille d'automne emportée par le vent

En ronde monotone tombe en tourbillonnant

Nuages dans le ciel, s'étirent, s'étirent

Nuages dans le ciel s'étirent comme une aile

La feuille d'automne emportée par le vent

En ronde monotone, tombe en tourbillonnant

Et ce chant dans mon coeur, murmure, murmure

Et ce chant dans mon coeur appelle le bonheur

Montpellier by night

(Reproduction of Michael Angelo's Moses)

Walking through Montpellier during the early hours of the morning, I could not help but compare it to South Africa. Everything is different, the architecture, the way of life and the mentality. But what stood out most for me, is the fact that there I was at 3Am walking down the city streets, feeling calm and safe. I can't recall ever walking that late in a South African city. First of all, I never walk there (always sitting comfortably in my car), secondly it just isn't safe enough to do so after dark (except maybe for malls and most of them are closed at such a late hour).

I am my country's biggest fan and I can't stand it's detractors and people criticizing it (even when they do have valid points). One such point is the South African crime rate. It is alarmingly high, but what is even more alarming is the fact that the nature of these crimes are so violent and inhumane. It would be lovely to take a nice stroll in a park back home or even on the beach, yet I can't picture myself doing so. At one point while in Richard's Bay this winter (or summer depending on which side of the globe you were) we drove down to the beach at sunset, but could not bring ourselves to stay and hence as soon as night fell we left. What a shame really to be in the most beautiful place on earth (according to me, yes) and not be able to enjoy it fully, constantly having to worry about being mugged, raped, murdered, just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I am not often out late in Montpellier, but when I am I am not fearful that I am about to be highjacked (oops!I don't own a car here, true! But if I did I would not be fearful). Don't get me wrong this is not a crime free zone either, but the nature of the crimes just seem so much pettier and a lot less violent.

All this to say I feel safe in Mtp!!!

Sky's the limit

I am currently in a mood where I feel like anything is possible! Sky is the limit!

Snappets of Montpellier

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After a two month holiday, I've headed back to Montpellier and...campus (can't say I missed the lather). Montpellier is a really nice place to live in. It's population is mostly composed of students or pensionners and it is home for many international students making it quite a cosmopolitan place. It has a nice vibe to it, is quite calm and laid back. I really enjoy it, even more now thatI'm back. I doubt that I'll live here for good, but for now it is the place for me and it suits me just fine.

Back in France

It's been a while since I've posted anything, almost over a month if not! A lot has happened since my last post and I am back in France.

It is with great sadness and regret that I said bye to my family and friends and dear old SA! I've only been back 2weeks and it feels like forever. Upon my arrival I was quite jet lagged and confused, it took me a few days to readjust to hearing and speaking french again. It's been two weeks and I am still in adjustment mode....talk about being slow!

Anywhooo, while in Paris I came accross a very witty ad for english lessons which brought a smile to my face everytime I saw it. French people have the reputation of being very bad with foreign langages, especially English, thus the catchphrase "Arretez the masacrer l'anglais" which litteraly means "Stop slaughtering (the) English"!

A day with the elephants

(Elephant sanctuary Hartebeespoortdam, 09 August 2009)