Travel Memoirs: A Dreamy Train Ride

It was one of those moments when you wake up in a strange bed and feel disoriented, wondering where the heck you are. And then I remembered, Oh yes, I'm on a train.

It was five weeks in during my semester studying in France when classes halted for a two week-long break. In these five weeks, I had made friends with two American girls from my study abroad program and another Swedish girl from one of our classes. Together we had decided to set off to southern France and then on to Barcelona to fill our two weeks with as many adventures as possible.

I had volunteered as trip organizer, booking our flights and accommodations. Though we could have flown to Nice, it was cheaper to take a train, and after all, why not take advantage of France's famously speedy and efficient railway systems? I also had always thought the idea of taking a sleeping car and traveling overnight on a train to be appealing, and perhaps even slightly romantic. Thankfully the girls seemed to like my idea and I booked our tickets.

We knew full well that our sleeping car wouldn't be spacious or glamorous at the rate we paid, and we were curious to see how six individuals were to fit into one sleeping compartment. Yes--we would be sharing a compartment with three other strangers! We ended up sharing with a mother and her two children, both of whom were extremely quiet, well-behaved, and slept soundly.

The beds pulled out of the wall and were stacked three high on either side of the compartment. By the sheer kindness of my travel mates, I ended up on the lowest bed. Our train had departed around 10:30 at night, and by 11:30, we were all tucked into our beds, partially as a courtesy to the very sleepy children curled up opposite from us.

As I lay there, I stared at the twinkling stars out the window by my feet. The clickity-clack of the train quickly lulled me to sleep, and I slept deeply and soundly the whole night through.

I awoke early, as sunlight began to peek into our compartment. I propped myself up on my elbow to see out the window and stared for many moments, certain what I was seeing was an illusion. It was the sea!

There was my first glimpse of the Mediterranean, seemingly yards away outside our window, sparkling with the most gorgeous shades of orange and red from the sunrise. I was in awe, feeling I had stepped into a dream. This--this was one of the most beautiful sights my eyes had ever seen, and appearing at such an unexpected moment.

A huge smile crept across my face as I took in the beauty of the sea in the utter quiet and stillness of our little train compartment. What a glorious beginning to our adventures along the sea.

Travel Memoirs

My little blog here began as a way to share my overseas experiences with family and friends while I was away. The travel theme has been recurring here many times since I have been so incredibly fortunate to have traveled and spent time abroad in my life thus far.

I think of these many travels daily. Most often I am thinking of dear friends I made during my travels and missing them terribly. Other times I think of little things: the quiet restaurants, the amazing coffee, the fresh bread and pastry shops, walking everywhere, lovely architecture. I love these little moments of remembrances that transport me back to these special places where I've visited, lived, studied, or worked, even if only for a tiny instant.

These little memoirs that are a part of my daily life are very special to me. Travel is sacred to my soul. Travel is something I desperately need in my life. I had felt a longing for it ever since I was a young child, but until I first traveled abroad at age fourteen, I never really knew how deeply I needed it. I still feel the call of travel tugging at my heart each and every day, beckoning me to adventure and new discoveries.

I am a firm believer in living in the present and enjoying it to its fullest potential, however I find it to be quite refreshing to my mind and heart to pause and reflect upon my travels. I believe that is what travel is all about. It's excitement, discovery, stepping outside of one's own comfort zone--these things inevitably change a person, be it in big ways or small. The times I have studied or worked abroad have been especially intense times of growth for me--personal growth, spiritual growth, academic/linguistic growth, and thousands upon thousands of enriching experiences. I feel that if I were to forget these times and not pause to let the memories flood my heart and mind once again, then it was all for naught.

Strasbourg, France

Because I recently read a book on French parenting, France has been especially on my mind. I essentially spent eight months total there--two six week-long study programs in Normandy and five months studying at the University of Strasbourg. Oh! How I adore France! I lack the words to convey how deeply I love the French language, culture, and people. Yet in my recent remembrances of France, I've felt inspired to start sharing some of these travel memoirs that cross my mind--not just of France, but everywhere else I've been, too. It may be something as small as foods I came to love or something as big as a specific event that was quite memorable.

I hope you will enjoy these snapshots I will soon begin to share!

Ladurée Love

Oh dear readers, you must go and visit one of my most favorite of all blogs {called This is Glamorous}, to see this absolutely lovely post about Ladurée!

Ladurée is a Parisienne tea room/pastry shoppe/restaurant, which ranks on top of my list of Paris "musts." It is dream-like and elegant and absolutely one of a kind. Oh, and they were the ones to make the 'le macaron' famous, by the way.

Read the post about Ladurée here at This is Glamorous. As ever on her blog, the photos give the impression of having stepped into another world; a world of golden light, soft wisps of fabric, old world glamour, and sheer elegance. You'll find a little history of the Ladurée establishment, as well.

image retrieved here

Santa Came Early!

We have had some ultra-special gifts come our way these past couple of weeks, courtesy of the international travels of friends and family!

Firstly, we received these totally amazing wooden salad spoons from our dear friend, Megan, on her recent travels to South Africa:

 Megan spent six weeks in Cape Town, South Africa. The spoon handles have beautiful tips made out of bone. In Megan's words, "It's not elephant tusks or anything. It's totally legal!"

Megan sent me a link to where she purchased these lovelies, at the Cape Town Greenmarket Square. Oh, how I would love to visit South Africa one day!

We will treasure these beautiful, unique spoons always. Thank you, Megan!


Secondly, my Dad brought this back for me from his recent business trip to Paris:

This mug was a thank you gift for helping my Dad plan for sightseeing and other Paris extras on his down-time. He took great care of my Paris map, which was lent to him on the condition that he MUST enjoy at least one Nutella crêpe for me. I was so delighted to learn that he enjoyed three during his week-long stay!

My dad was so clever to get me a "France" mug rather than just a "Paris" one. Little did he know that what is pictured on this mug is the enchanting Mont Saint Michel in northern France--dear to my heart as I have had the great fortune of visiting this rocky island on two separate {unforgettable} occasions.

Now I am filled with pleasure as I enjoy hot treats in this mug which reminds me both of my beloved France and also of just how much my Dad loves me.

Coffee bliss!

Reunion

Tomorrow, my friend Sarah arrives to Hungary! Yet another excuse for me to spend more time in Budapest. We'll spend Friday-Tuesday there, then travel back to Debrecen together where Sarah will stay with me until Saturday the 22nd.

Sarah and I met back in 2005 when we both studied abroad in Strasbourg, France, for six months. Sarah's originally from Pennsylvania and also attended a small, private Christian University. We had an immediate connection when we met and our common interests seem to be endless. We did some traveling together with another friend to the south of France (Nice and Marseilles) and then on to Barcelona, Spain, where we spent one week.

Have you ever met a person with whom you've only shared a brief time period in your life, yet this person leaves a lasting impact upon you that never fades? For me, my friend Sarah is one of those people. Though we've gone for lengthy periods of time without contact, we've never truly fallen out of touch. She's also one of those people with whom I can not see for years and then once we're reunited again, we pick up our friendship right where we left off.

One day I will share with you photos and stories of some of the adventures Sarah and I had together. You see, I have future plans for this blog, besides just using it for updates during my travels abroad. I have been very fortunate to have traveled a lot in my life, so in the future {when I'm back in the US}, I plan on sharing more about my past adventures with you. I have some really, really good stories, too. I'll also share other things--thoughts, passions, and my sources of inspiration. I've discovered that I really love to blog, even if I don't have too many readers. {thank you to those of you who DO read!}


On another note, I've gathered a few more insights on Hungarian life to share with you:


~It is a widespread trend among middle-aged Hungarian women to have short, dyed-red hair. But not just normal red...we're talking Kool-Aid-red. It's quite a sight. I'll try to sneak a photo to share with you.
~When Hungarians begin eating, they normally say "jó étvágyat" to one another, literally meaning "good appetite" but more generally meaning "enjoy." This is the polite thing to do, and if one comes across another acquaintance in the middle of eating say, a sandwich for example, it is polite to say this phrase to him/her.
~Hungarians are quite predjudiced against the gypsy population. I have many times been with other Hungarians who will suddenly say, "Look! Gypsies!" or "Did you see those gypsies?" Overall, my impression has been that Hungarians view gypsies as a menace to their society, making it dirtier and uglier in all manners. True, the gypsy population here tends to be near to or in poverty levels, and they stand out because their physical appearance sets them apart {darker skin and dark hair}, but honestly, I find the attitude towards these people quite sad. It's similar to the attitude many Americans have towards Mexicans.
~Hungarians, like most others, celebrate birthdays, but they also have "Name Days." Each calendar day of the year is assigned one or two different Hungarian names. The Name Day is celebrated just as much as one's birthday. Gifts, parties, cake, and wishes of a "Happy Name Day!" are all appropriate for this occasion. Unfortunately, there's no "Deanne" name day on the Hungarian calendar!
~What I have observed is that when there's a certain fashion trend, nearly everyone conforms, from teenagers to middle-aged women. If I had 200 HUF {about $1) for every purse in this one exact same style (just varying colors} I've seen, I'd go on a shopping spree. And boots...any girl who's anyone has boots--worn with tights, leggings, or over jeans. Then there's the puffy winter coats with fur-lined hoods and ladies-style bomber jackets. Lastly, the tighter your jeans, the better. I often find myself wondering how some girls have managed to squeeze themselves into these jeans that almost look painted-on.
~Every now and then, even in Debrecen {2nd largest city in Hungary}, you'll see an old person riding in a horse-driven cart. I saw one today--I'm always delighted! It seems like a momentary glimpse back to "the way things were..."

Off to Budapest tomorrow!

I love France, but America is my home

I have been thinking about France a lot these past few days. A friend of mine named Ariel is leaving today for a trip to France with her family and boyfriend. They are visiting Paris, which I have been to four times, and Normandy, where I spent a total of twelve weeks studying (six weeks in 2002 and six in 2004). Since I know these places well, I spent a lot of time preparing information for Ariel and her family. I had so much fun doing it! I wrote out some very basic French for them (with the phonetic spelling) since no one in her family speaks French. I shared tips on great cities to visit in Normandy. I highlighted spots in Paris for them to visit, with my own secret tips of what makes a visit to Paris truly fabulous. For example, a trip to Paris isn't complete for me without stopping at LaDurée, an exquisite café and restaurant on the Champs Elysées. Even just this morning, I turned on the t.v. to find a Rick Steves special about Paris.

Spending all this time talking and thinking about Paris and Normandy, I found myself reminiscing about my wonderful experiences in France. I even pulled out a few journals I had kept while studying in France and read through them. I made so many wonderful friends and had so many countless magical moments. France was everything I had ever dreamt it would be, and more. While reading my journals, I found myself laughing aloud as I read over some of the things my friends and I said and did.

I fell madly in love with France and its people. Sometimes I can close my eyes and I am back there....back in Normandy at the language institute, laughing with my friends, tasting the delectable food that the institute's French cook, Danielle, made for us, going on all the excursions to the D-Day landing beaches and other charming cities in Normandy. Or I close my eyes and I am back in Paris....riding the Seine riverboat at dusk and seeing couples dotted along the riverbanks, holding hands, kissing; tasting a warm, melty, delicious Nutella crèpe, watching the Eiffel tower sparkle with twinkling lights in the cool night air, hearing classic Parisian music as I stroll leisurely down the Champs Elysées, looking up in awe at the grand Notre Dame cathedral. I can relive these moments, for they are buried deep within my heart. That's the wonderful thing about traveling--the memories are always with you. After returning from my first six week study abroad experience in France, my mom came into my room one day to find me crying. She paused and asked, "You miss France?" I nodded in reply. My mom said with a little smile, "I knew this would happen."

In explaining some of the French culture to Ariel, I told her the French can seem much more closed-off than Americans. They keep to themselves and don't naturally converse with strangers. This is one reason why the French appear "cold" to visiting Americans. While it can be totally natural in the US to strike up a conversation with the person behind you at the supermarket checkout line, it would be strange in France to do so. This is not to say that the French are never friendly, because they most certainly are. We just have some major cultural differences about appropriate public interaction. The French are more private; we in the US are more open.

After spending just six weeks in Normandy, some of the French cultural practices became more natural to me. For example,upon my return to the US, I was walking in downtown St. Joseph and some strangers passed me on the street. They said "Good morning" to me in the way that many people greet each other in passing. This had always been so normal to me; however, after just six weeks in France, I was shocked at how odd this seemed to me. It took me off guard and my inclination was to think, "why are these people talking to me?" Of course, after a few weeks back home, I returned to the US cultural mindset.

I was taking Annabelle for a walk yesterday evening and as I passed several families and couples on the sidewalk, we always gave each other a smile and a "Hello." I love this about America. And since France has been on my mind, I started thinking about some of our cultural differences. There are many things I love about French culture, but many more things I love about American culture. I am so happy it is normal to smile and greet strangers, or strike up a conversation with a stranger in a store. To me, this attitude is a more Christian-way of thinking. We are all children of God. We all share in the same human experience. We all love, cry, hurt, and laugh. So many people go through this life feeling alone. Just smiling and sharing a greeting with a stranger can make him/her feel not so lonely. I embrace this part of American culture. How many people do we cross each day that are carrying heavy burdens, deep hurts, without us knowing it? You never know how a smile or a kind word could lessen someone's burden, if only for a moment. How a small conversation could make someone feel cared for, not invisible anymore. This openness, this friendliness of American culture makes us all feel connected--that we're all in it together as we make our way through life.

France has become a part of me and will always be in my heart. But I am first and foremost an American, in every way possible. I am thankful every day that I was born in America. As much as I love traveling and other cultures, I would never trade being an American for anything else in the world.