Toulouse, France
It is so nice to be 'settled' in a cozy home that has children's toys, books, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, a deck with a hammock swing, and table and chairs that overlook the local neighborhood from the 3rd floor of an aparment complex. We are at my friend, Krista's home where she has lived with her 2 children for several years.
Toulouse is a medium sized city of about 500,000. Located in the South of France and about 1 1/2 hours to the Mediterranean Sea and 2-3 hours to Barcelona, Spain. We drove to the beach on the Med a few days ago and it was not only lovely, but hot, hot, hot! The sea water was warm and we loved it! Ruby loved it more and I could not get her out - I know I named her Oceana Ruby for a reason. She is only 4 1/2 and really good in the water. She can not swim yet, but getting really good. She uses arm floaties or a floating ring.
My daughter Ruby is not only a good travel partner but at 4 1/2 she is also a really good communicator. The two of us can only speak English at this point, which is very Universal, but we often have communication difficulties as we travel through countries that are not predominately English speaking. I have become quite accustomed to this and am very used to getting by on smiles, hand gestures and one-word sentences ( in English or French, here in France of course). Ruby must have learned some things from watching me. She is very social and friendly to begin with and yesterday she was so longing for a playmate her age and at the playground she went up to some kids and said, "Play? Play.... Play?". Now to learn the French word for 'play'.
It is very hot right now - about 100 degrees farhenheit. We are glad the past few days have been overcast. Being two Alaskan girls, the heat just wipes us out. Yesterday we took the bus into the city of Toulouse and this small excursion turns into a major excursion with the heat, the language barriers and the unfamiliar city. Three hours was enough! By accident we found a park with a carousel and a balloon man who twists balloons into funy shapes. Ruby is very happy about these things, she gets a heart and flower shaped balloon and 2 rides on the carousel, for her, that makes our excursion well worth it. On the bus ride home she is wiped out and lays down on two empty seats.
Back 'home' we prepare the house for the heat: winding the awnings out on the deck; closing the doors to keep the heat out; turning the fan on. It has been so nice to have these past few weeks to have some stillness and to process a bit of the past few months: Turkey... India...... Thailand....... Australia..............New Zealand.........................
One thing I have learned about the heat in many of the countries we have been to, is that it really slows us down. This is okay because we are really in a waiting period anyway. We are waiting to see if Ruby will get into school here. Once we know this then we will go from there. Waiting is not always easy. But there is lots to do and learn in the meantime. A new French word here and there....corrections on my few slaughtered French words - like for instance, thank goodness someone finally told me the difference between "Francais and Francois"! I was telling people that " I could not speak Francois". In English, that is the equivalent of "I can not speak Frank", which unfortunately is not like saying" Frankly, I can not speak French", at least then I would have been saying something!
It is so nice to be 'settled' in a cozy home that has children's toys, books, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, a deck with a hammock swing, and table and chairs that overlook the local neighborhood from the 3rd floor of an aparment complex. We are at my friend, Krista's home where she has lived with her 2 children for several years.
Toulouse is a medium sized city of about 500,000. Located in the South of France and about 1 1/2 hours to the Mediterranean Sea and 2-3 hours to Barcelona, Spain. We drove to the beach on the Med a few days ago and it was not only lovely, but hot, hot, hot! The sea water was warm and we loved it! Ruby loved it more and I could not get her out - I know I named her Oceana Ruby for a reason. She is only 4 1/2 and really good in the water. She can not swim yet, but getting really good. She uses arm floaties or a floating ring.
My daughter Ruby is not only a good travel partner but at 4 1/2 she is also a really good communicator. The two of us can only speak English at this point, which is very Universal, but we often have communication difficulties as we travel through countries that are not predominately English speaking. I have become quite accustomed to this and am very used to getting by on smiles, hand gestures and one-word sentences ( in English or French, here in France of course). Ruby must have learned some things from watching me. She is very social and friendly to begin with and yesterday she was so longing for a playmate her age and at the playground she went up to some kids and said, "Play? Play.... Play?". Now to learn the French word for 'play'.
It is very hot right now - about 100 degrees farhenheit. We are glad the past few days have been overcast. Being two Alaskan girls, the heat just wipes us out. Yesterday we took the bus into the city of Toulouse and this small excursion turns into a major excursion with the heat, the language barriers and the unfamiliar city. Three hours was enough! By accident we found a park with a carousel and a balloon man who twists balloons into funy shapes. Ruby is very happy about these things, she gets a heart and flower shaped balloon and 2 rides on the carousel, for her, that makes our excursion well worth it. On the bus ride home she is wiped out and lays down on two empty seats.
Back 'home' we prepare the house for the heat: winding the awnings out on the deck; closing the doors to keep the heat out; turning the fan on. It has been so nice to have these past few weeks to have some stillness and to process a bit of the past few months: Turkey... India...... Thailand....... Australia..............New Zealand.........................
One thing I have learned about the heat in many of the countries we have been to, is that it really slows us down. This is okay because we are really in a waiting period anyway. We are waiting to see if Ruby will get into school here. Once we know this then we will go from there. Waiting is not always easy. But there is lots to do and learn in the meantime. A new French word here and there....corrections on my few slaughtered French words - like for instance, thank goodness someone finally told me the difference between "Francais and Francois"! I was telling people that " I could not speak Francois". In English, that is the equivalent of "I can not speak Frank", which unfortunately is not like saying" Frankly, I can not speak French", at least then I would have been saying something!
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