So we left Paris...

Paris was a great experience, and I can't wait to get back there after this program is over, but there's so much more fun and excitement to be had in other areas of France!

I spent my last day in Paris just hanging around. I walked around a lot, mailed my way-too-heavy ski jacket home so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore (that is a story in itself but involves lots of half-French, half-English jokes with the post office worker), and did laundry.

Hello, Parisian laundromat! 

That was actually really fun. (And I freaking love front load washers and dryers where you can watch the clothes when you're not reading Harry Potter in French.)

I also encountered a Parti de Gauche demonstration regarding constitutional changes (with the whole Euro-Greece issue, I gathered).

There was a tug-of-war. 

This is the sign to mark the opposing side of Parti de Gauche's stance.

Here's the video:

That was fun. There was some singing afterward which I also filmed.

This morning we left at 6:30am to reach the train station to travel to Avignon by train then to Barcelonnette by car. This year the group was given 2 minibuses rather than the usual minibus and car. It was easy to fit the luggage, but there ended up being some Franglais (mostly English after a while) explanation of the "manual" mode on what was supposed to be an automatic vehicle by me to Carla. It was automatic, but one could switch to manual if one wished, which was suggested by M. Dubernet to Carla. It sort of worked, but it wasn't all that necessary. The roads here, while in the mountains, are well thought out and not as hilly as they could be. The vans did fine.
Pics from traveling:

Picture of me (as requested by my fam.) in Gordes.
I couldn't see anything! The sun was in my face!

Pretty kitty in Gordes.

More of Gordes.

Did I mention that this is the most expensive city to live in within France? 

Also, did I mention that Johnny Depp has a house here? (We didn't see him.)

Photo of the Alps from the minibus.

Another picture of the Alps.

And then my camera died, so I have no pictures of our actual arrival in Barcelonnette or of Jean CHAIX (where we are staying). We passed the equestrian center where I will be working though! It looks awesome!

Now it's bed time, so I'm signing off! Bonne nuit!