From Paris with Love

So.. its a week since I was in Paris! Insane how quickly that has passed. Personally I didnt experience any of the 'city of love' as they call it, but Paris is definitely a beautiful city and I did really enjoy my time there. It was a place where I could see my self living for a period of time at one stage. On Tuesday night when I had finished work, I caught the 10pm bus across to Manchester where I stayed with some friends and then flew to Paris on the 6am flight. I was a bit worried that I wasn’t going to make it in the end, but thankfully got to the airport about 10 minutes before check in closed… I seriously need to get better at paying attention to what time things start, when planes leave (or buses for that matter as well!). Thankfully so far I am yet to be caught out by my lack of pre-organisation… yet!

I got to Paris airport and caught the bus into the city to Opera Station where I met up with Bree. Mike however, was missing in action. He had left the hostel about 2 hours previously to pick up their washing and had never returned. We were at a bit of a loss as to what to do about him because we didn’t know where he was, he should have figured out he was lost by this stage and he had no money (that we knew about) or no phone to get in contact with him. Bree even called his parents (who also happened to be in Paris) just to see he hadn’t somehow got a hold of them – I think she gave his mum a bit of a fright when she asked you haven’t seen mike have you?!!

Bree and Mike outside the Louvre

Once we had Mike with us we first went and visited the Louvre, where we spent a good few hours wandering around getting lost and admiring the art work. Saw a fair few famous names and paintings, Monet, Delacroix, Renault Michelangelo, the Mona Lisa… One thing that I really noticed about the vast majority of the paintings and sculptures is that almost all of them are nude! So much nudity it is insane! I think they need a PG sign on the entrance to warn people!!! Hehe….. just kidding but I found it slightly amusing considering that most of the artwork was created in times where it was all about covering up… covering up … covering up…. Oooh I can see your ankles…. Woo hoo…… hehe J

The security guard saw me take this and cracked up

Every day in Paris I think I probably walked at least 15km!! After we had exhausted ourselves exploring medieval artworks, Egyptian, paintings, sculptures etc at the Louvre we then headed up towards the Arc de Triumph for a bit of a look, followed by a bit more walking over to the Eiffel Tower. Around the actual monuments themselves there are a lot of hawkers trying to sell you minature towers and bracelets and things. I almost felt like I was back in Asia in some situations you got harassed that much to buy their things.

My favourite sculpture

Notre Dame

On Thursday after a big breakfast at the hostel (mmmm bread…. Yum!) we walked to Notredame, had a bit of a look around there. It was quite funny actually because there was a guy on loud speakers who would occasionally shush people-the chatter would die down for a couple of minutes and then graduatlly rise again. We also climbed up the top of Notredame after waiting in a queue for about an hour and a half. Awesome view from the top.  There are some pretty cool looking chimera. I actually thought they were gargoyles but I was wrong. Gargoyles are the ones that stick out from the wall of the building and are used for drains of water off the roof. Chimera are the monstery type creatures that sit on the side. Why? I have no idea! But they look pretty cool. Oh ther are a lot of police in Paris too, all the time there are police cars undercover and in uniform going around. And the most impressive are the army dudes with their massive guns wandering around town. That reminded me of living in Zambia with the police and their AK-47s.

I think the monkey like one is a bit bored of being stuck on the top of the tower

View from Notre dame

Hello Eiffel Tower

Next we wandered up the river along to the Eiffel tower to climb that. Before you are allowed up you have to go through screening to make sure you don’t have anything dangerous that could be thrown off the edge. There was a big box full of swiss army knives that was labelled for destruction that had been confiscated off people. The Eiffel tower is split into 3 different levels, you can climb the first two (or for lazy people catch a lift) and then everyone has to take a lift (and pay again) from the second level to the summit, as it’s called. I would have liked to have climbed that section but unfortunately they don’t let you. Well I think they have events on occasionally where people run up it for charity or races and stuff, and apparently there was an elephant that they took up there once. Why I don’t know but its amusing random useless information for you to know! Riding up the elevator you really start to appreciate how tall it is, you just keep going up and up and up and up and up and up and then finally you are there. Pretty cool stuff. I actually didn’t get to see the entire tower at night time all lit up in its glory, just parts of it from a distance. It doesn’t get dark there till like 10.30 at this time of year. 

View from the top of the Eiffel Tower

I pretty much ran down the two flights of stairs on my way down, as I had an hour to get all the way across the other side of the city to meet up with a friend Mailys who I met backpacking 2 years ago at airlie beach in QLD. We met at a little restaurant in Montmartre where the resident drunk caused much amusement to everyone with his bizarre discussions and antics. He managed to sneak a couple of drinks off people while we were there. The owner of the restaurant was so French, he was cool with crazy wild hair and a beret. For a bit of a laugh at one stage for some reason he decided to put a new mop on his head and a red nose so that he looked like a clown. Good free entertainment! He told me how his daughter lives in Australia now, she went backpacking and then met someone so is getting married over there now. Everyone knows someone in Australia! 

Blurry picture by night of the oldest wooden buildings in paris

After our meal, some Roquefort cheese and a few glasses of wine, we began wandering the streets of paris by night. Mailys is very passionate about her city and was explaining places that I should go, could go and then she showed me around some of the oldest areas of the city. I saw some buildings that were built in the 1400s!! Insane how old the place is. Australia is such a baby of a country! Such a different level of history.  I like seeing history in action, exploring it and wandering around it seeing wat you can find. We watched all the lights go off in the city at midnight on the way home – all the cathedrals and monuments and big buildings have the lights that show them up turn of at midnight. Which I think is a good idea, saves wasting electricity when people aren’t looking at them. 

Blurry picture of the Eiffel tower at night, as I saw it

Our last day in Paris was another day full of exploration and walking. First we walked to the Arc de triumph so we could climb it (200 steps). I noticed on the wall that EEU citizens under 25 could get in for free. I didn’t have my British passport on me at the time, but I had my European Health Care Card and that apparently is sufficient evidence because I got in without having to pay $8. Happy days! More money for food!

Above the Arc de Triumph

We then walked back to the other end of town where we said our goodbyes and I continued wandering around the older sections of the city by day. I went to the Jewish Quarter, walked all along the high streets of Paris (wasn’t really tempted to buy anything though), ate Berthillon, a famous Parisian sorbet and eventually made my way back the hostel to get my bags and head back to the airport. Again I had the wrong times. I was thinking my flight was at 10pm so I had a few hours to spare and was going to sit at a café for a couple hours have some food/drinks, but I wasn’t acknowledged by the owner of the café that I was going to sit at so I decided just to go to the airport. Luckily I did because my flight was about 1.5 hours earlier than I had thought so I got there with about 30 minutes to spare!  One day I will eventually learn to read my tickets better….

Yummy icecream

I know so many people who have this (in my opinion) completely WRONG idea about what French people are like. I have not met one French person who was not lovely, helpful, accommodating, friendly.  Maybe it helps that I try to speak at least a little bit of broken French when I first meet them. I’ve got a few French friends in Liverpool . Actually one of my mates here, Philippe has a didgeridoo which he taught himself to play. I can’t play to save my life (which technically I shouldn’t be attempting to play a didgeridoo anyway being female…) but he is brilliant. We’re going to jam guitar and didgeridoo, maybe hit some of the open mics with it as well!

finding jobs to do

On top of the Arc de Triumph -285steps

(Written on Wednesday morning but no internet till now... ) I’ve had quite an interesting past week. I ended up having an interview for a sales/management/marketing position which somehow I was offered. I spent a week going to their training, orientation and all that jazz to decide very quickly on the field that it wasn’t something I felt comfortable doing. Basically they were selling electricity and gas to people. The product itself I didn’t have any issues with because it actually was a good deal. What I didn’t like or feel comfortable with was the sales pitch and the sort of forcing yourself onto other people, purposely confusing them to get them to sign. I don’t particularly agree with that. 

On the work-front however I have been working a lot more at Hannahs bar, and should be going full-time next week I think. I actually really really enjoy it! The staff are a lot of fun and generally it’s a good work environment. It’s a massive steep learning curve in terms of knowing what the alcohols are, beer and how to pull them and making cocktails, but my confidence there is growing and before you know it I’ll be up to speed with the rest of them! J

Dietetics wise, I’ve got an interview next week on Wednesday for  a 2-day renal position in the Wirral which I am hoping to get. That combined with Hannah’s and the part-time masters I’m doing should be able to keep me out of trouble for now!

Right now though, I am on another plane!  Destination: Paris! I’m pretty excited about this. It is a definite last minute trip as I only booked the flights about 30 hours ago or so. Two good friends of mine from Australia, Bree and Mike are in Europe for the next couple of weeks and because I really wanted to see them, it was either these few days in Paris, or a weekend in two weeks time in the Greek Islands. Naturally I wanted to go to the islands and take full advantage of the beaches, but Paris was by far the cheaper of the two options. I’m looking forward to it, should be fun!

Be the change…

Bus stations are interesting places. Strange things can happen at bus stations. While I was working and living at Clatterbridge I had to catch many a bus and became quite familiar to some of the bizarre sights and things overheard. For example, at Birkenhead bus station it was quite a normal thing to witness girls parading around late at night in their winter pyjamas. I wrote this entry while I was sitting at Victoria Coach Station in London awaiting my bus back to Liverpool (6 hours overnight...bleh). I was in London for a few days for Hillsong Colour Conference and have lots and lots to process and mentally download from the sessions I’ve attended, which I’ll eventually write about here as well as I hope it continues to influence my life, make me a better person, a better example and witness for Christ.

I didn’t know what to expect of Colour, having never been before. A couple of good friends back in Sydney encouraged me to go this year as they had benefitted from attending the Sydney. Now that it is finished I am still trying to figure it all out exactly, I guess downloading it all in my mind bit by bit. A couple of key themes were threaded throughout the entire period though, one particularly of being the change that I want to see in the world, making a difference one person at time, changing one life at a time through my own words and actions.

At TNR a couple of weeks back I was given a card for an organisation/website called my generation (I think) with the idea behind it that you do something for someone, give them the card and they can then go to the website and read stories and upload their own story of how a random act of kindness made their day. Honestly, I have yet to go to the website and check it out because as always life distracts you and you put things aside, so this little card has been sitting inside my wallet waiting for an opportunity to be used.

I am not one to usually give money away on the street to people, but after everything that was spoken about at colour, this evening I felt compelled to follow through and be active in providing for the needs of others. While sitting in the bus station I was approached by a girl from Slovakia who said she missed her bus and was a few pounds short of what she needed for a new bus ticket to get back home. 

While she was telling me her story, my mind was going back to one of the sessions at colour where they were talking about the sex trafficking trade in Europe, the atrocities that occur within that situation. I don’t want to be a person who judges others because of the situation they find themselves in. It made me wonder what it would feel like for me to be in that situation, to be asking random strangers for money for whatever reason. This girl was not obviously homeless, well dressed and made up speaking quite good English. Who am I to judge and refuse the physical needs of another human being, another woman because I selfishly don’t want to share?

I don’t know whether her story was real or not, but my heart moved for her and she seemed genuinely upset so I helped her out. At that point I remembered that I had the my generation card in my wallet so did a bit of fumbling around to find it and gave her that as well and then she continued on her way. I’d cleared out my wallet a couple of days ago getting rid of loose papers, receipts and things (it had recently been described as a disaster zone), and had seen the card from TNR which I was yet to put to use. Then earlier today while at one of the sessions at Colour about how we can be practical when we serve and minister to others I re-remembered the card, that I hadn’t done anything with it and I may have had a bit of a thought/prayer that I could put it to use, but I can’t really remember.

In hindsight I now think back over it and I should have asked her name and spoken with her longer and said something witnessey. Shoulda-woulda-coulda… But I gave her the card and a little bit of money and I hope and pray that she was able to catch her bus in the morning, that she does get to the website and that it plants a seed in her heart someway somewhere somehow.

In the words of Jeff Konemann…. I dare you. Do something different, be the change. Impact the world one person at a time.

I dare you.

A fork in the road.

The Road not Taken

Robert Frost


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,
 

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
 

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference

Just a quick post while I'm in London, reminiscing school day English poetry (why oh why?!). I'm a bit tired still as I caught the 6 hour bus here this morning to attend Hillsong Colour conference (women's conference) and am still recovering from this cold. :(

At the moment I am at a bit of a fork in the road. I am being challenged, stretched and pushed alot at the moment, I've started a new job in a completely new field that I know nothing about which is a bit scary, and have begun to settle into life in Liverpool alot more. I love Liverpool. It is the first place that I have been to in years where I have felt 'home' at and actually wanted to settle. I really REALLY struggled a couple of weeks ago with the decision to stay here for the next few months, went through alot of pain in that decision and have been feeling alot of peace ever since about being here. And different opportunities have been presenting themselves here work wise, church wise and things and in a way i have been feeling a big pull or push towards staying put for a while, resting, recharging, reconnecting, putting down roots and settling for a little bit. Part of me really wants that, but at the same time it is scary bcause I have been going going going for so long. I don't want to be going just from fear or running from myself though.

In saying that, I've just found out that I got into the uni degree in international nutrition at the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine that I have been looking at, which would start in September (unless I deferred). Prayers are appreciated at the moment as I'm going through a major period of confusion, frustration and general lack of direction, more so than usual. Particularly whether to continue pursuing international nutrition and uni, or whether to stay in Liverpool. :)

I want to be doing the right thing, I just don't know what that is.

A moment to stop

After a couple of slightly chaotic weeks, things have slowed down and I'm learning to rest and stop for a bit, resulting in me becoming sick with a cold right in the middle of an AMAZING spell of sunny warm and windy weather.

In brief, I moved out of Elm House at Clatterbridge thursday/friday 2 weeks ago, caught the train to Manchester the Friday to catch up with mates, flew to Geneva, Switzerland on the saturday where within the next 5 days I did a fly through trip of Switzerland, returned to Liverpool and moved into my new flat at Anthony House, then the next day (thursday) went to Sheffield for a couple of days for This New Republic (young adults conference) through my church. Its only since Easter really that I've had a moment to stop think and begin to sort my things, life and everything else out. Today I even managed to get to the shops to get some sheets and clothes hangers so now I actually have a floor...

Streets of Lausanne

Switzerland was amazing, such a beautiful place and the weather was great, really really warm while I was there. I went that particular weekend because it was the only one that Rachel was free and as I hadn't seen her in a couple years I really wanted to catch up. She's a good egg, one of those friends for life where you don't see them for ages and ages and when you meet up its like you were never apart. It was great travelling and exploring with a friend, something that I haven't ever really done. Pretty much all of my travelling has been done independently and when I did have a day to myself in Zurich I did miss Rach being around. I also got to stay for a day with the dolitzsch family who I knew 10 years ago when I lived in Zambia. Luca their eldest is now 4, and he took me on a tour around Thun, showing me the highlights and practicing his English. The whole time I stayed in Switzerland I was looked after so much, and well and truly blessed.

About to catch the boat over to France (where the mountains are)

 When I bought my travel pass, Rachel was telling me how it would allow me to travel on all buses, trains, trams, boats, that we could catch a boat to France etc etc. I was like REALLY? You can do that?! Let's do it... So we did! On the Sunday morning we caught a boat across the lake into Evian, France, where the water comes from. We even managed to stumble upon this tap in the middle of the town down an alley where the spring water comes out naturaly. There was a bunch of local guys there at the time filling up bags full of water bottles (Evian of course) with their Evian water supplies for the week! We did the same when the tap was free.

Evian, France

Rach and me in Evian, France

Bern, Switzerland

Lindt lady in the supermarket

 Everywhere in switzerland I was given chocolate. The supermarkets have massive lindt displays (as above, chocolate for breakfast lunch dinner, as a snack. We even got a block of chocolate for free one day when we bought a drink from the supermarket! There is never a wrong time to have chocolate, it is even edible as a block in the middle of a bread roll! And the cheese.... yum! I got to go to a proper swiss fondue at Rachel's grandparents house on my first night, so cool.

Spietz

After coming back from Switzerland I went to the young adults conference with our church TNR, This New Republic, which was really good. I made some new friends from various different cities/churches, got challenged, had fun and overall good time. I don't have consistent internet access at the moment, so will try and write about that experience a bit later.

Clatterbridge Hospitals' Lambanana

Just when...

Just when you think things are quietening down and maybe becoming more settled, it all goes crazy again. Welcome to my life...

So I made the decision earlier this week that I would stay in Liverpool, and see what there is in store for me here. On the weekend I'd been out in town with my French friends and I met up with them first at this place called Anthony house just behind the Anglican Cathedral. I was chatting to one of the guys who lived there (knowing that I'd potentially be needing to move within the next week) and he gave me the contact details of the people in charge. So Tuesday night I checked out one of the rooms at Anthony House, then last night I decided that I'd make a decision (shock horror) and rent there. The flat is pretty cool, I'm going to be sharing with an English guy, an Italian guy a Spanish guy and a Chinese guy, but I think the Chinese guy is about to move out by the sounds of it. 

Anyway, so things seem to be piecing themselves all together. I'm feeling significantly calmer, a bit more settled about life now which is awesome, and 2 locum jobs came up yesterday in Liverpool as well which would be amazing if I got one of them. So I guess it's a case of waiting to see what happens. Well not really waiting, I haven't had a moment to wait because I've had to pack and move out of Elm House at Clatterbridge, store my stuff at one of the dietitians I've been working with and then got a packed out weekend and week ahead which should be awesome. It's all coming together - God's definitely looking after me :)

Reminder to self

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Do not be anxious about anything  but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:6-7

 
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

I'm being challenged at the moment. Alot. Challenged in a way that hurts, tests me, pushes me out of my comfort zone and scares me. I think** God is calling me at the moment to stay where I am. Perhaps that doesn't sound that scary. But it is. This is the longest I've been in one place for probably a year and a half. To stay put is hard. I don't have any answers, what I'm doing, why, how, what, when. Nothing. Maybe I have too many questions and am questioning life too much, looking for answers and trying to keep busy busy busy. Maybe that's what I'm being taught, to slow down a bit. Maybe.

Actually maybe I'm having a bit of a Mary/Martha moment in time. Instead of trying to rush around doing everything I should be just focussing on God, listening to him, learning from him and relying on him instead of myself. Looking back on the last few months at least, there hasn't been that many moments when I've allowed myself to rest. Whenever there is an empty moment in my life I try and fill it with something, whether its to further my career or personal development or keep myself occupied. I haven't stopped very much, and maybe that's what God wants me to do at the moment. Instead of doing, I need to listen, be still so I can hear what He is trying to say instead of trying to catch it as I run past.