My Precious Choir

This weekend was the weekend of our last choir concert in France. It was in Orleans, about 1.5 hours from Tours, and each day we would meet at a parking lot about 20 minutes from my house to take the bus together. The bus rides were fun, especially with a new friend I made. I never caught her name but she was really sweet and we spoke French all the way to Orleans. We also sang songs while everyone in the bus watched us. They thought we were pretty funny. When we got there we warmed up for maybe 20 minutes with the other choir, then we worked on our songs for maybe an hour. Then they sent us home. It was the most useless rehearsal I've ever been to. Mainly, because it was shorter that the time it took to get there.

All the French were prepared for the bus ride home, but us "étrangérs" missed the memo. Everyone whipped out their food so all of us were so hungry. Before we got on the bus, my friend Miriam from Sweden said loudly, "Je meurs de faim!" (I'm dying of hunger). And literally all six people that were walking in front of her turned around and started pulling out sandwiches and other types of food from their bags. It was the funniest thing! And Americans doing think French people are nice. Ha! When we got on the bus we were bombarded by people trying to give us food. They were all so sweet and we got home full and happy.

The next day was the same thing except we were prepared this time. It was a real concert but this time we warmed up for 20 minutes got on stage and sang for 15 minutes and then got back on the bus and went home. I ate my sandwich that I had on the way home so I didn't have to bum food of anyone this time around. On the way home the people sitting in the back seat started singing a really pretty hymn. It was so nice just to listen to them. Then one of the women from choir took us home like she had done the night before. She's a really sweet lady that is a Professor at our university in Tours. She is also Aaron's teacher. She dropped us about 15 minutes from our house and we walked the rest of the way. It's getting so warm out it was a really nice walk.

Then today we met earlier that usually because it was a matinée showing. The same thing again, 1.5 hours to get there, 20 minutes warm ups, 15 minutes on stage, 1.5 hours ride home. After our concert in the bus our director, Hervé, made an announcement that it was all of our last concert with them, and he thanked us for being here. They all clapped for us and then, on the bus, they broke our the wine and crackers!! Everyone got a little cup of wine and the crackers, cookies, and nuts were passed around and around until everyone was happy. I hadn't eaten much when I had the wine so it knocked me out and I slept the rest of the way home to the sound of the students in the back singing :)

When we arrived back in Tours everyone got off the bus, and as I was getting off they all started to sing Auld Lang Syne (the French version) to us. I had to hold back my tears. It was the first goodbye I've had to say yet, and they were just so sweet to us. Hervé came up and gave us biz forts (big kisses) goodbye and then someone got a picture of us with him. Then we said goodbye to all the individuals and took off in our own directions. Miriam and I started "fake" crying after we left, but that's all I really wanted to do, but I knew if I did I would never hear the end of it from Grant. So I held it in.

We went to the bus stop to wait for the bus, but then Romain called me and said they were on their way to pick me up and take me home, so I just went with them. Now I'm sitting in my room realizing how much I'm going to miss France when I leave, and trying to think of ways that I can make it thought the goodbyes. But I'm sure dinner is just around the corner so I'm going to sign off.

Bisous mes amis!