The sun shone through an arched doorway- spreading sunlight across the courtyard. I could hear pigeons making their pigeon-ey sounds behind me. And then the centuries-old church bells rang that 7pm had arrived on time- signaling that my first full day in a midevil village was drawing to a close.
Sally entered the graveled courtyard with plates, utensils, and wine glasses.
"I'm afraid that dinner will be about ten minutes late. Would you like a glass of wine while you wait?"
The moment will forever be cemented in my memory as the moment in which I was pretty sure I'd died and gone to Heaven.
As you can probably tell from my description above that I am basically the luckiest person alive. When I applied to stay at this residency, I had no idea that it would be so incredible. Yesterday, after a long day of travel, Sally- the residency director- and I pulled in to the drive of a home straight out of a travel magazine and when she said "This is the house", I instantly burst into tears of gratitude. All this? For me?
After unloading my bags, Sally showed me my beautiful room and then the studio- my reaction to seeing all this was stunned silence and a heart full of appreciation. I kept telling myself to get a grip as I fought back more tears- but when Sally led me to the terrace to sit and watch a brilliant display of lightning that flashed from cloud to cloud across the valley, I lost it.
"Mom would love this.... She'd have a cow!!" I said as I wiped tears away from my cheeks.
For the first time in the two months I've been away, I felt embarassed that I have it so good. In my head, I know that I worked hard to plan and pay for this adventure, but I had no clue that it would be like this- you can't plan this, you can't pay for it. It is like...like a bottle of the most brilliant blessings has been opened and poured over my head. All I can do is sit in a sort of daze and realize that this, THIS is it.
The only thing that could make this better is if my friends, my family, my blog readers, all my encouraging loved ones were right here with me to enjoy it too.
__________________________________________________________________
Before I post pictures, here's a summary of my travels yesterday:
3am: alarm went off
3:30am: I finally got out of bed
4:00- out of hostel and drug luggage down the bumpy Reykjavik streets
4:30- stood in rain until shuttle to airport arrived
5:20: arrived at airport
7:50: boarded plane to Paris
7:51: realized my seat reservation was in Business Select Class
7:51-8:00: repeated "leg room! leg room! leg room! leather seats! leather seats!" over and over again
8:00-1:30(Paris time): asleep-including drooling and twitching
1:35: chose to follow a large group of people getting off my plane.
1:36- realized that the large group of people had led me to baggage claim.
1:36:10- realized that since I was at baggage claim, it would mean that I would have to go out and around and back in to the airport and go through security and customs all over again.
1:37- hated life for a brief moment.
2:15: made it through security (again) and found my gate. Deliberately did NOT follow any crowd of people.
3:55- plane to Toulouse scheduled to leave
4:20- plane still hadn't left
4:35: plane took off- I silently panicked because our late departure would mean that I might miss my train to Cahors.
5:00: Chinese man next to me spilled orange juice all over his friend's lap.
5:50: touch down, baggage claim.
6:10: sprint to bus
6:38: Sprint to train
6:38-6:55: looked like an idiot trying to communicate in a language I do not speak or understand...attempted to tell the conductor that I needed to buy a ticket and didn't know what to do. All she said was "You're American, right?"
6:58-8:30- Train ride to Cahors- conversed with two friendly gals.
8:30-9:00: Car ride to residency
9:00: lightning show and Viv cried.
9:05: called Mom.
10:00 shower, photos with Juanita.
10:10: sound asleep.
I got up this morning to the sound of the 7am church bells. Sally brought coffee and breakfast to my little apartment, and I spent the rest of the day sketching and trying to wrap my mind around the fact that someone brought me coffee and breakfast. This is it.
Here are some pictures:
Sally entered the graveled courtyard with plates, utensils, and wine glasses.
"I'm afraid that dinner will be about ten minutes late. Would you like a glass of wine while you wait?"
The moment will forever be cemented in my memory as the moment in which I was pretty sure I'd died and gone to Heaven.
As you can probably tell from my description above that I am basically the luckiest person alive. When I applied to stay at this residency, I had no idea that it would be so incredible. Yesterday, after a long day of travel, Sally- the residency director- and I pulled in to the drive of a home straight out of a travel magazine and when she said "This is the house", I instantly burst into tears of gratitude. All this? For me?
After unloading my bags, Sally showed me my beautiful room and then the studio- my reaction to seeing all this was stunned silence and a heart full of appreciation. I kept telling myself to get a grip as I fought back more tears- but when Sally led me to the terrace to sit and watch a brilliant display of lightning that flashed from cloud to cloud across the valley, I lost it.
"Mom would love this.... She'd have a cow!!" I said as I wiped tears away from my cheeks.
For the first time in the two months I've been away, I felt embarassed that I have it so good. In my head, I know that I worked hard to plan and pay for this adventure, but I had no clue that it would be like this- you can't plan this, you can't pay for it. It is like...like a bottle of the most brilliant blessings has been opened and poured over my head. All I can do is sit in a sort of daze and realize that this, THIS is it.
The only thing that could make this better is if my friends, my family, my blog readers, all my encouraging loved ones were right here with me to enjoy it too.
__________________________________________________________________
Before I post pictures, here's a summary of my travels yesterday:
3am: alarm went off
3:30am: I finally got out of bed
4:00- out of hostel and drug luggage down the bumpy Reykjavik streets
4:30- stood in rain until shuttle to airport arrived
5:20: arrived at airport
7:50: boarded plane to Paris
7:51: realized my seat reservation was in Business Select Class
7:51-8:00: repeated "leg room! leg room! leg room! leather seats! leather seats!" over and over again
8:00-1:30(Paris time): asleep-including drooling and twitching
1:35: chose to follow a large group of people getting off my plane.
1:36- realized that the large group of people had led me to baggage claim.
1:36:10- realized that since I was at baggage claim, it would mean that I would have to go out and around and back in to the airport and go through security and customs all over again.
1:37- hated life for a brief moment.
2:15: made it through security (again) and found my gate. Deliberately did NOT follow any crowd of people.
3:55- plane to Toulouse scheduled to leave
4:20- plane still hadn't left
4:35: plane took off- I silently panicked because our late departure would mean that I might miss my train to Cahors.
5:00: Chinese man next to me spilled orange juice all over his friend's lap.
5:50: touch down, baggage claim.
6:10: sprint to bus
6:38: Sprint to train
6:38-6:55: looked like an idiot trying to communicate in a language I do not speak or understand...attempted to tell the conductor that I needed to buy a ticket and didn't know what to do. All she said was "You're American, right?"
6:58-8:30- Train ride to Cahors- conversed with two friendly gals.
8:30-9:00: Car ride to residency
9:00: lightning show and Viv cried.
9:05: called Mom.
10:00 shower, photos with Juanita.
10:10: sound asleep.
I got up this morning to the sound of the 7am church bells. Sally brought coffee and breakfast to my little apartment, and I spent the rest of the day sketching and trying to wrap my mind around the fact that someone brought me coffee and breakfast. This is it.
Here are some pictures:
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 4am 
I called him "Bongo and Baguette Dude"
I had just found out that I was in Business Select Class
When you fly 'Business Select' you can ask for two drinks... and they automatically give you two creams and sugars.
Chapter 3 begins
Tired after a long day of traveling.
My breakfast this morning.
Before.
During.
After.
My room.
The studio.
A few of my favorite supplies.
A view into the courtyard.
My first attempt at sketching here.
My second sketch for the day.
Oh this looks so incredible!!! Wish I could hop on over for a visit!
ReplyDelete