Summer is here!

Well...there has been a drastic change in the weather this week...it's been sooo hot!! I think it's been in the 90s the past couple days. I live in a house with no airconditioning, so it gets pretty muggy and gross! We ate dinner outside tonight which was nice.

I've been in Annecy now for 3 weeks, which is crazy to think...I feel like I"ve been here ages, but at the same time, it feels like I just got here. Tomorrow I start my last week of the first session. It'll be sad at the end of the week to say goodbye to some people, including Katie. I know my way around the downtown part of Annecy fairly well now, found some places that we love to eat at, and have been enjoying sitting by the lake. Yesterday was the music festival in the town. There were SOOOOOOOO many people!!! I told Sandra it was like the Woodstock of Annecy! What the music festival is, is there were several different bands stationed all over the town, at least like 7 different spots. And people just walk around and listen, or can sit at a restaurant and listen. There were just lots of people in general...a gridlock of people, mostly drunk people. Sandra, Katie, and I got Chinese food and tried to enjoy some of the festival...we found it hard to do being hot and tired and unable to move very far at any speed. We heard some REM remixes, some regage, some jazz, etc. It was a cool part of the culture to experience.

Thursday I gave a presentation in class...10 min in French. I gave a mini short version of my testimony and talked about a song that Les and I wrote (My little girl...) I translated it in French and showed the class the words. I told them what I like about the song etc. I was really nervous mostly because I was talking in French about Jesus. I was worried how the class would respond. They responded really really well. Conversation was sparked, and I was asked what I believe. It was pretty cool. Surprisingly, one of the guys I was most worried about actually went to the church where Lifeteen (a Catholic organization for youth that my church also does) started. Anyway...it was good, and I felt good after...it was kinda like me coming clean, ya know? I was happy after, needless to say. Oh, and they made me sing part of it in English...that was the most terrifying!!! Hopefully what I said planted some seeds somewhere along the way!

Friday, Alex, Sandra and I leave for Italy...Florence, for 3 days. We're pretty excited, just a little scared about not knowing any italian haha. It'll be good, I've always wanted to go to Italy, so hopefully it'll be a good trip.

This morning I attempted at going to the church that I found on my walk last Sunday. I thought there may have been a mass at 11, but I was wrong. I walked into the church and there were not a lot of people, I just sat in the back and observed. I had brought my Bible so I started reading while I waited to see what was going on. Needless to say, it didn't take long for me to realize that the priest was going to be baptizing several babies. I felt like everyone saw me and was wondering why I was there. I watched a little bit of the ceremony in between reading...it was hard for me to understand what was being said. A little old lady, on her way out of the church, saw me and stopped and asked me what I was reading, and so I showed her. She said that I was admirable for being there and reading. Then she asked if I was at mass and I told her no because I didn't know what time it was at. She then asked if I was French, and I said no, and she asked if I was American and I said yes. I told her I was studying there and staying with a family. Then she left. I didn't stay for the whole baptism...after a bit, I went to a park across the street and sat and enjoyed the view and read my Bible for a while before coming back home. It was a nice morning, but embarrassing!! haha

So yeah...it's hot here. I'm missing home of course, but am trying my best to live it up here while I can!! I have some more pictures to post, but that might have to wait until tomorrow or Tuesday, as it is my bedtime now!