I've been back in France for a month now. Last weekend I was in Paris. I had the opportunity to see my great friend, Martha Weeks. She's not getting older, she's getting better. It was good to catch up on her life (always in movement), and on news about our old buddies from HP. We even had dinner with another old HPer, Pierre Francois Catté.
The real reason for my trip to Paris, however, was the MSF General Assembly. It was interesting. I saw quite a few people that I knew already; more than I would have thought possible after only one mission. The association has some really great people involved, and they all have pretty interesting personalities. I feel that I am getting to know the organization better and better, and I like what I see. It's not perfection; that's clear in the biographie of MSF written by Anne Vallaeys which I am currently reading. But it seems a whole lot better than the other ONG's I've encountered. I'm glad that they've accepted me, and a looking forward to leaving with them on another mission at the end of July / beginning of August.
I will continue with MSF France. It is the oldest of the five sections (the others being Spain, Holland, Belgium/Luxembourg, and Switzerland) and it operates in over 40 countries. It also includes the US subsection. Of course, all departures and returns pass through Paris. To facilitate these movements, and simplify my life as a nomad, I just signed a "promise to purchase" on a tiny condominium in Lyon. I thought about buying in Paris but, financially, that's out of my league. Lyon is very convienent for travel, has great food, is a big city, and is where I lived 20 years ago.
Basically, the condominium will be my crashpad between missions and a place to store my stuff while I'm gone. As mentioned, its tiny: 187 square feet, with an 87 square foot mezzanine for sleeping. I should be owner in 4 to 6 weeks, once the city fathers decree that they have no other plans for the street which would cause the building to be torn down, or that they don't want to turn the apartment into social housing. Since there is some work to be done before I move in, I probably won't live in it before returning to the field. But I'm happy to be buying it now. It will give me something to do between missions, and the comfort of having my own place at those times.
