Regional Exploration (part II)

"What gives value to travel is fear. It is the fact that, at a certain moment, when we are so far from our own country we are seized by a vague fear, and an instinctive desire to go back to the protection of old habits. This is the most obvious benefit of travel. At that moment we are feverish but also porous, so that the slightest touch makes us quiver to the depths of our being. We come across a cascade of light, and there is eternity. This is why we should not say that we travel for pleasure."

Right afer Sam left, my friend Esme flew over from Idaho to spend a week here. & so my second round of regional adventures began!

We spent a few days exploring here - my roomate Hayley even took a day off to hang out with us in Grenoble. That was really fun because I'd never really explored there & with our conflicting schedules, we don't see much of each other. Plus, we saw Nine, which I've wanted to see since Christmas Break. I wasn't disappointed, although I really don't think I could be disappointed with a muscial movie. Give me singing & dancing any day & I'll be happy. We also went skiing (though it's the end of the season, & it wasn't as great as it has been), went to Annecy, & explored Chambery.

However, we did do something very exciting on the trip that has led to my new obsession: Couchsurfing! Whoever invented the concept is pretty much a genius. It's a social networking site similar to Facebook where you can create a profile and search for people who are opening up their homes for you to stay for FREE on your travels. Not only is it much cheaper than staying somewhere like a hostel, but it is better because you have people who know the region to show you around and help you get where you want to go. Plus, you get to meet great new people from all over the world.

Granted, there is definitely a fear aspect here. I was so scared there would be someone who would take advantage of a 20-something girl, which is why I decided the perfect time to try it would be when Esme was here - that way there would be two of us! So, we went to Geneva to try Couchsurfing for the first time. It was great! Our host, Dan, was really easy to talk to! He cooked us dinner & breakfast & then spent the day with us showing us around Geneva. Some brief highlights: the flower clock, the UN, the Red Cross Museum, Cathedrale de St. Pierre, & Lake Geneva. There's lots more pics on Facebook if you're interested.

Later on in the week, we couchsurfed again, this time in Lyon, for 2 nights. We were hosted by the cutest American-Czech couple. I loved them! They made us two delicious French meals & on Saturday morning they took us to their favorite local cafe & then to Saturday market. I hope that we stay in touch, because I loved spending time with them & learning from them. They both know so much about Lyon, France, & life. I have to give them credit - leaving the country they were born in to start a new life in a completely foreign country. It's true that I'm studying abroad, but that has a set end date. It's really just a long visit before the rest of my life in the United States. I'm sure I'll come back here one day, but it was never my intention to spend the rest of my life here. I think it takes much more courage to go to a foreign country with no end date in sight. I know that after awhile, it would become your home, but wouldn't you still miss the country you were born in? I think I would miss the US - little things, like peanut butter and Starbucks on every corner, and big things - like my family and friends, and the language. Do you think you could do it?