Oops
I was on my way out earlier today, and managed to lock myself out - oops. Okay, you can stop laughing now. I'm in a foreign land, I have no money, no ID, no keys - this is a problem!!! Well, thankfully it is midday on a weekday and my landlord is around the corner. So this was easily solved. Honest, this the FIRST time it's happened since I've arrived.
Anyway I locked myself out on the way over to the international student coffee shop. I'm not sure if I've written about that before: for 4 euro, you can get a mug then you get free coffee all year long. There are some folks from the theology department that show up there around 2pm for their fix of caffeine and nicotine. One guy that
is there regularly is from Scotland - he is a Redemptorist. And he is hilarious in a very Scottish sort of a way. There were some other people there two that I hadn't met: an Indonesian Franciscan and a diocesan guy from South Africa. There was also a guy from Croatia that I see pretty regularly. It's a nice break in the afternoon to drop in for coffee and conversation. So I'm pretty awake now, from the lock-out, the caffeine and the company.
Tomorrow evening I'll head over to the Catholic Worker house in Gent for dinner and conversation. I've been promised there will be enough english to keep me engaged. Anyway that should be interesting. They are just starting out, although they have been around for several years. So they are interested in what news I can bring from the states. Not much I'm afraid, but I have an affinity for the group. They are going to Calais over the weekend. Refugees live there on the coast in whatever whay they can, trying to join their families in England. The CWs bring food and clothing. From what I remember, the refugees are from Afghanistan and Iraq.
I have contacted the CSJ international center in Le Puy (in southern France). I want to get down there in the spring. We'll have a couple of breaks. I'll either just visit, or maybe do retreat there. I'm also getting to know some folks from the UK and Ireland, so there may be possibilities for retreat there. I was thinking I'll probably do retreat here in Europe, rather than trying to arrange something in the states. I also hope to connect with the local CSJs, but thus far have been unsuccessful.
Peace,
Amy
Anyway I locked myself out on the way over to the international student coffee shop. I'm not sure if I've written about that before: for 4 euro, you can get a mug then you get free coffee all year long. There are some folks from the theology department that show up there around 2pm for their fix of caffeine and nicotine. One guy that
is there regularly is from Scotland - he is a Redemptorist. And he is hilarious in a very Scottish sort of a way. There were some other people there two that I hadn't met: an Indonesian Franciscan and a diocesan guy from South Africa. There was also a guy from Croatia that I see pretty regularly. It's a nice break in the afternoon to drop in for coffee and conversation. So I'm pretty awake now, from the lock-out, the caffeine and the company.
Tomorrow evening I'll head over to the Catholic Worker house in Gent for dinner and conversation. I've been promised there will be enough english to keep me engaged. Anyway that should be interesting. They are just starting out, although they have been around for several years. So they are interested in what news I can bring from the states. Not much I'm afraid, but I have an affinity for the group. They are going to Calais over the weekend. Refugees live there on the coast in whatever whay they can, trying to join their families in England. The CWs bring food and clothing. From what I remember, the refugees are from Afghanistan and Iraq.
I have contacted the CSJ international center in Le Puy (in southern France). I want to get down there in the spring. We'll have a couple of breaks. I'll either just visit, or maybe do retreat there. I'm also getting to know some folks from the UK and Ireland, so there may be possibilities for retreat there. I was thinking I'll probably do retreat here in Europe, rather than trying to arrange something in the states. I also hope to connect with the local CSJs, but thus far have been unsuccessful.Peace,
Amy
Comments
It's getting dark here, too, by the time 4:30 rolls around, especially on overcast days. Wind chill was in the 20 degree F range this morning... How do YOU compare to that?
It will be great to have you back for a few weeks, Amy. May you have great days until then...
Pat M
--the editor