Musician Land

So, my friend that I've been staying with is an actual, real life, professional musician. All of his friends are musicians, too. I've been hanging out with the first violin for the National Orchestra in Lorraine, the featured cello soloist for a the Elysée Parisian Concert hall, instructors from the Music Conservatory in Lyon, etc. I feel a little out of my league!!! Meanwhile, my friend (Charles) has been practicing for the opera he plays piano for in Saint Etienne. He memorized his pieces after practicing for two hours....

Last night Charles and I were invited to the home of one of his students for dinner. They are American ex-pats who have been here for 10 years. It was kind of like being in a movie with those ivy league families who wear turtlenecks and offer you scotch, brandy, or cognac in front of their marble fireplace before serving you a 5 course meal. Oh, wait, that's exactly what it was. They were wonderful people with a love for music, and they were so welcoming! After they put the two youngest children to bed, the dad said to me, "If you ever wanted to be a nanny, Clemence (the 7 year old daughter) wants you to be her nanny really badly!" I think he was kidding, but it did kind of make me start thinking about what I'm going to do come May when I'm unemployed...

Tonight I'm meeting up with some English assistants in Lyon as Charles rehearses with the opera, so this will be the first night where I'll have to navigate the bus system...I'm a little nervous!!! If you don't hear from me again, you can assume I'm riding endless circles on the public transportation system in Lyon!