July Posting

The admin training course went really well. There are some really good people in the class. Most of them will be leaving very soon on mission, or they have already left. It was a pleasure to help out with the course, and I learned a few new things too.

And the party in Italy the 21^st of June was great! Emanuela has some interesting friends. Apparently, most of them were in the communist movement in the 70’s. Some had prison terms to serve because of this, including a doctor and a researcher for the Pasteur Institute. They were all interesting people, and I was able to communicate with quite a few of them in English or French. Emanuela has about 40 people living on her property (her great-grandfather both the village at the end of the 18^th century). It’s not a commune, but almost. The big party was the 21^st, but I stayed 3 days and was not the last to leave!

Since then – WORK! I have just finished painting and varnishing. Yesterday, I installed some of the bathroom fixtures (one drill bit for each 2 holes) and the blinds for my one window. I moved a few items yesterday, including a huge painting I bought 3 years ago that has been in storage since – the place already looks more lived in. I cleaned the place today because there was dust and other crado (is this French slang?) stuff on all the surfaces. And I washed the chandelier today – something exploded just afterwards. I changed all the bulbs and verified the wiring inside and the circuit breaker didn’t even shut off. I have no idea what the problem is, but I have an idea that I will have to change the dimmer switch. We’ll see that tomorrow. I would like to make a couple of shelves for the bar, and I have to move my stuff from Savoie. But we are getting there. I won’t have too much time to enjoy the place before leaving, but I will be finished, I hope.

I am also trying to get reacquainted with Lyon the evenings. There are a lot of really nice restaurants and bars near my place. That’s one of the reasons that I chose this location. It is, however, difficult to meet people here. I’m not great at starting conversations, or even keeping them up, but I’m starting to break the ice with a few people.

And I am still psyched about going back to Congo. I have been studying the hand-painted map they gave me of the region before leaving in 2006 – trying to get re-acquainted with the area. I’ve also been studying their plan for the next 6 months. Apparently, all the capital admins they have had this year have been for a very short time, for one reason or another. So it is good that I am staying for a year. I should be leaving before the end of July (around the 28^th?) because I would like to have a last briefing with the lady who is in charge of all the field admins (and who is also a very dear friend) – she leaves on vacation with her new daughter the 3^rd of August. I will leave Paris, for Bruxelles, then Kigali in Rwanda and then going by car to Goma in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire, also known as Congo - Kinshasa to differentiate it from Congo – Brazzaville).

Tonight I am going to Jazz a Vienne Blues Night with a new acquaintance. I will also be going Thursday evening for “A Tribute to Frank Zappa”, an evening with Jean-Luc Ponty, a jazz violinist whom I adore.

So life is fine. All is well with the world