It started sometime in the night and was still going when I awoke. Through-out the whole day it seems to rain and pour upon us. As I ran to make copies, went to get our long stay visas, and then left with more paperwork, walked to campus, walked to the bank, I cleaned the apartment, and through the party at our place. It kept raining, despite its apparent ringing of its self into nothing, there was always more to come. The day was draw out just as the rain. Once night had captivated the cityscape was the rain exhausted. The soirée was underway and much food was had.
To add surrealism unto the entire day there was this euphoric aura that just kind of hovered over everything. From getting up earlier then I have since I got here (7:40 am, or just after midnight for you CSTers) through the entire day. Its just so weird to have such an eventful day, seeing an old man get his by a bus, shortly after a team-mate slipping on the stone streets and hurting her knee, or buying a water boiler and toaster for our apartment. Its so weird to realize that I am here and Im not sure that I have yet. I feel as though this is all a dream and part of some counter world that I live in during my waking hours. A world so dull and tedious that I spend my entire day dreaming of the moments I get to sleep and rejoin my friends in fighting for the kingdom of Christ. It is as if I am walking and living the pages of a novel I cant set down and just want to get to the next paragraph, next page, next chapter, and never want to end. I dont think before this time I could have ever understood this, but at least now I am experiencing it.
Im still working out what to write up here about my year on STINT, so much of it has to do with my relationship and intimacy with Christ. Of things that are already written into my journal that I dont feel like writing twice (if anyone wants to read it when I get back they can, might find it insightful). We are still without internet in our apartment so the updates have been infrequent. Most likely this will turn into a forum for me to update people as to what is going on in life, and of little nuances as to my time here living in France. As thrilled as I am to talk to people I dont like repeating stories, and actually at times it feels as if everyone I know, knows a little different me based on the stories they get to hear. Im not one for repetition, which I guess is evident in the way I live me life. There are only a few things I would do more than once (the same way anyhow). Hmmm, interesting, not sure I ever knew that.
Likely entries to come soon: The prostitutes underneath , Laundry Adventure, 100 year Anniversary of Separation Church/State, crazy stories from campus, language adventures, and maybe a photo exposition from around Toulouse (if we get some nice weather on a weekend soon).
Continue to be but shards of broken clay held in the hands of Christ,
~paul