Beginning to Say Goodbye

Beginning Saturday morning when my 6^th and final week in Sancerre began, I have had a sense of the impending end of a special time in my life.  I had no idea that this place would feel like home so fast.  Who doesn’t look forward to 10 days in Paris?  Someone who knows that going to Paris means saying goodbye to a town and its people who have become important in just six weeks.

On Saturday morning, I went to the market as I have every Saturday morning since I arrived.  After greeting the proprietor, I reminded him sadly that this would be my last visit to his market and said goodbye. He found someone nearby to take our picture and insisted that I make sure the school gets a copy.  He is just one of many Sancerre residents who feel a connection to the school and its students.  He did his best to make sure that I could identify every vegetable and fruit he had to offer.  My pronunciation frustrated him at times, but I believe I did pretty good in learning the French names of everything.  He also made sure that I knew what I was getting.  For example, one Saturday when I was getting a few avocados he told me I had to use them Saturday or Sunday, allowing me to reduce my order and not waste any.  While here, I did the best to do as I am told the locals do.  I bought what I could fresh and that is all I ate with very few exceptions.  I defiantely ate more fresh fruits and vegetables here than at any time in my life.  What I ate changed as the season changed.  I frequently made brussel sprouts and beets.  Early I had peaches and melon and nectarines.  Always I had lots of the delightful little potatoes.  It definitely won’t be the same shopping for vegetables at Giant.  But who knows maybe I should try finding the produce guy and introducing myself. 

  

This morning I reminded Audrey at the bakery that I was leaving Sancerre on Saturday.  She is closed on Wednesdays so I have only two more opportunities to get baguettes rustique.  But more than just the bread, I will miss our being greeted each day by someone who knows me and what I like.  And of course I will miss the many treats from her patisserie. 

As I finish classes each day this week, I have felt how little time I have left to learn all that I don’t yet know.  Although I probably should be assessing how much more I know than when I came, I keep thinking about what I haven’t learned yet.  I am stressed that I won’t ever learn what I don’t know by Friday so I am working extra hard this week. 

I am dreading saying goodbye to the professors who I’ve got to know over my time here.  I’ve never met a group of more positive and encouraging people in my life.  They are constantly asking you if you are okay and if things are good.  They routinely ask what you did last night, over the weekend and what you have planned.  I now realize that this is at least in part to force you to practice French more, but they always seem so interested. They ask followup questions and through the give and take of conversation you learn about them as well. 

Well so much for feeling sad about Saturday, I’ve got homework to do.