But let's not talk about fare-thee-wells now

Some of my favorites: Clara, Kate, Kyle, me, Cara and Janette

I'm getting nostalgic. I'm so comfortable being in France that it feels like it's been so much longer--but at the same time, it feels like I got here. How is it time to go home already? If I could turn back time--if I could find a way--I would, and I'd go through this experience again just to soak it all in even more. I've been living in France for six weeks and now I'm expected to just leave?

The entrance to Cézanne's studio

This morning, Cara and I went to the Atelier de Cézanne: the Impressionist painter's studio on the north side of town. To put this in context, today before class we visited the studio of one of the best-known painters of the nineteenth century. One of the painters who inspired Picasso (whose house we'd already visited). Life is so beautiful here! The atelier was great--they've left it basically how it was when Cézanne died. There was a huge window taking up most of the north side, and all his paintbrushes and props were everywhere. You can see Mont Ste-Victoire, his favorite subject, from the windows. We also walked around the garden for a while, which was lovely.

Tonight IAU hosted a picnic in a park on the other side of town, and that was nice. All the host parents brought blankets and dinner and wine. All the American students took pictures of each other. At one point, Kevin had six cameras on his wrist and it was absolutely hilarious, although written out it isn't as great. Everyone here is wonderful in so many ways. They're easy to talk to, fun, generous and brilliant.  I've said this a thousand times to just about everyone, but I love my friends here so much that I refuse to believe I've only known them for six weeks. (Don't worry, friends back home, I love you too!) 

Janette and Cara, who I love to pieces

I made a playlist of songs that remind me of this summer. I've already mentioned many of them in this blog, but the playlist currently consists of:

• "Prelude and the Sound of Music" - The Sound of Music. This reminds me of the beautiful day at Moustiers Ste-Marie, le Lac de Ste-Croix and in the lavender fields
• "Overture," La Force du Destin - Verdi. This is the theme for Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. It's stuck in my head the vast majority of the time.
• "Belle" - Beauty and the Beast. Bonjour!
• "Don't Ask Me Why" - Billy Joel. "Now you parlez-vous français." Now I do!
• "Foux de Fa Fa" - Flight of the Conchords. Pomplemousse, baguette, daily life.
• "Habanera" - La Gloire de Mon Père. This is the theme for La Gloire de Mon Père, another movie we watched in the film & litt. class
• "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)" - Don Mclean. Van Gogh painted in Arles, which we visited the other weekend.
• "Hedwig's Theme" - Harry Potter. Deathly Hallows part two was beautiful, and I got to see it before anyone in America!
• "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" - Jean Sablon. I visited Avignon and there's a song about it.
• The Pokémon theme song. This is less obvious, but Kyle likes to sing it when he knows we aren't videotaping him. His stick figure character is a guy singing Pokémon; mine is a short girl with a bow, of course, and Cara's has curly hair.
• "La Marseillaise."
• "Mourir demain" - Pascal Obispo. I learned about this song in high school, but it's a great way to learn conditional phrases while completely rocking out.
• "Dog Days Are Over" - Florence and the Machine. Remember when I was having a few blah days? This song helped.
• "Happy, Happy We," Acis and Galatea - Handel. This is the great romantic duet from one of the operas Cara and I went to see, but its lyrics are mostly "Happy, happy."
• "You and I" - Ingrid Michaelson. This makes me think of the Luberon excursion: "Let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France."
• "Hakana Matata" en français - Le Roi Lion. It's just great. I love Disney songs in French.
• "Carey" - Joni Mitchell. Something about this song sums up everything I feel right now. I keep listening to it on repeat.

My "extended host family": me, Martine, Jackie, Kate and Elle

The lyrics to "Carey":

The wind is in from Africa
Last night I couldn’t sleep
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here Carey
But it’s really not my home
My fingernails are filthy, I got beach tar on my feet
And I miss my clean white linen and my fancy French cologne

Oh Carey get out your cane
And I’ll put on some silver
Oh you’re a mean old daddy, but I like you fine

Come on down to the mermaid café and I will buy you a bottle of wine
And we’ll laugh and toast to nothing and smash our empty glasses down
Let’s have a round for these freaks and these soldiers
A round for these friends of mine
Let’s have another round for the bright red devil
Who keeps me in this tourist town

Come on, Carey, get out your cane
I’ll put on some silver
Oh you’re a mean old daddy, but I like you

Maybe I’ll go to Amsterdam
Or maybe I’ll go to Rome
And rent me a grand piano and put some flowers ’round my room
But let’s not talk about fare-thee-wells now
The night is a starry dome.
And they’re playin’ that scratchy rock and roll
Beneath the Matalla moon

Come on, Carey, get out your cane
And I’ll put on some silver
You’re a mean old daddy, but I like you

The wind is in from Africa
Last night I couldn’t sleep
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here
But, it’s really not my home
Maybe it’s been too long a time
Since I was scramblin’ down in the street
Now they got me used to that clean white linen
And that fancy French cologne

Oh Carey, get out your cane
I’ll put on my finest silver
We’ll go to the mermaid cafe
Have fun tonight
I said, oh, you’re a mean old daddy, but you’re out of sight