Sunday 14th of April – passer une belle week-end


Sunday 14th of April – passer une belle week-end
















The bed is not the best but I won't complain if the sun is shining and I can take holidays for almost nothing. I was by far too lazy get up for breakfast (even though it would have been free). Around 11 then I got up and met my new “room mate” or how ever, une autre stagiare qui vient d'Orléans. I talked to her for about 2 min as she responded, “On va à les calanques si tu veux venir avec nous, hen?” - “Pourquoi pas...” Alors c'est decidé. A first quick impression about the patients and a quick talk to one of them I had lunch. Nothing to complain about, more than just “a bit”.
13h30 – and we are all ready to go. Forty minutes later after being stuck in a rather normal “big city traffic jam”, there we were. Beach – sun – rocks – and no parking, shit. Another twenty minutes later or so (at least it felt like that, I didn't check it) we found our place to stay for the day. Everyone ready, then let's go! On y va! Deux stagiare d'Orléans et droits marseillaise et moi were walking together. Nice chats and I was very surprised that my french was actually not gone. Very quicly I was thinking in french again and felt like back on top of it. Sometimes not so quick as before but quand-meme.
It was gorgeous and since pictures say more then 1000 words, I will put some here so you can get a feeling.
Pure happiness as I experienced it in the evening. Just no one to share it with since I still don't have Internet. As it expected the guy who is responsible to get us the wifi-code is on vacation “welcome to france”!! Although everyone seems very nice and I cannot wait to start Monday. I hope I can upload this soon since it is now already Monday night!


Saturday 13th of April – arrivé dans le paradis



Saturday 13th of April – arrivé dans le paradis

7h05 Greg sent me a message “yo man, where are you” - “Fuck I slept in, wtf”. Am I going to miss the flight? Before leaving I had to get dressed and yes this time it will take longer. 5Min later I managed to wear the following list of clothes:
  • 2 boxer shorts
  • 4 shorts (2 sport,2 recreational)
  • 1 sweat pant
  • 1 skater pant
  • 1 jeans
  • 4 t-shirts
  • one long sleeve t-shirt
  • 2 sweater
  • one button-up shirt
  • and to round it all up a rain coat with filled pockets
Ryanair here we go. Carry-on was 14kg, I hope they won't check. As my room mate told me 30euros per kilogram. Totally stressed, I pokered for the bus at 7h38 – arrival at the airport at 7h58. After being confused and totally freaked out about nearly everything I did it, I passed the security at 8h08 (at 8h10 the terminal closed). Fuck this! Now I can breath, that's at least what I assumed. But not yet, I stood directly in front of the security, sweating like a big and stressed as hell. “I hope they won't check me because I look suspicious. “Please go back, you cannot go through yet” - “buut...I was already” - “just wait”... 5min and I was through, nothing happened just security on break or something. And by the way the guy just in front of me got pulled out to get totally inspected, with my clothes layers, I would have totally missed the flight!
In the flight everything should be fine. My blood pressure was slowly decreasing and I was just getting more and more excited. “Man now we are equal after yesterday” my response to Greg after leaving the flight! Fuck how could I sleep this through (I knew the answer already, next time maybe go to bed before 3am if you have to get up at 6 next morning!)
I spent the morning/early afternoon skating around marseille, a very beautiful city in my eyes. Here the quick difference to Paris: Everyone says Marseille is dangerous although I quickly realized something about the smell here. Suddenly I was not scared of passing through a underground area, in Paris I would have expected the smell of human urine or most likely even see someone peeing in a corner. This was not the case here. The only thing I quickly understood is the immigrant ratio, even in the bus from the airport you could guess – language: french, english, arabic.
Since I could not find internet in a convenient way I decided to make my way around it and ask. Ask one, two and there you go. Centre readaption functionelle de valmante, bus number 21, about 20min and then get off, directly across from the 'Casino grand surface'.
I was introduced and given the key. My new home for the next 3 weeks – number 16 it was. “Just out of curiosity is it possible to eat upstairs with the patients as well if I am lazy to cook” - “we can have a look and ask”...
“Oui ca va, viens la vers 18h30, ca devrais aller pour le week-end après on verra.” - Quick summary and why I am very happy? I will pay in total 50€ housing instead of 335€. My food so far is free and sun in shining and I am sweating by 22°. Additionally I am waiting for 3 weeks of internship followed by FINALLY little Karin to come and meet me in Nice. I am wondering, what seriously could upset me in this moment? (The internet in my room will be dealt with on monday morning but that's not a big deal!)

Catch (up with) me if you can 


A lot of moments have past since I wrote here. Experiences were experienced and friendships bound the way of life. 2 years ago, I left Montreal, with a broken heart and a broken relationship. At this point I was not sure if this was the biggest mistake in my life or the beginning of something special. I left in Morning. It was rainy, windy, and the moods could not have been lower. I hitched 5000 km across wide open spaces. I have seen so much grass most of the people I know could not even imagine. Then I arrived. I worked. But one day, I received a message,my love has not forgotten me yet. Her question: “do you want to come down to San Francisco with me”. I certainly did not take me much time to think about this offer. Next stop, Vancouver then Whistler and finally Bellingham. From there I was save. San Juan Islands, Krabbing, Canoeing with seals, eating lamb-burger, drinking whiskey (and be a good son in law :-), the list could be continued here for a long while. But I stop.
Take back the flight to “home” they call it like that for me, but is it really my home? My relationship with my family has changed. I have grown up. Everything is different. The remaining question: was it a change for the good? To find an answer to this I am asking myself, can one even evaluate his/her own life? I keep think and think, solution although seem to be far ahead of me. 
Back in Europe a time of confusion and not knowing came, working with my dad as I kept thinking I don't want to sell sausages all my life. Visiting my sweet heart every now and then. Christmas, New Years in Berlin, life seems wonderful at those moments. The first light in the tunnel came when I received a letter “vous êtes accepté par Disneyland Paris, Animateur et operateur d'attraction – steam train”. So I went, before I had to apply for uni and yes after 4 month I also received a yes from Fontys. And that is where I am right now. Well actually not, but this shell follow now. 
Seven month I spent so far passed all my tests, and even above my expectations. Another change I have realized, from class clown and I evolved to a very eager student with an 8 average. Three years ago, I failed English with 1 out of 15 points and now I am studying and writing as it was my native language (almost :-P). So to bring myself down to earth again, I like it and it is challenging. Here I am sitting now in Marseille for my clinical affiliation period, ahead of me three weeks of sunshine, blue sky and practicing my skills I have gathered so far. Approve to myself that I can help people to gain back the ability to function in life, on their own and also in society. Maybe (but only maybe) I can change someone's life in my future to a better good as well...