tendez les genoux

dear friends,

Everyone I know in Paris, whether they're staying for only a few months or indefinitely has worked tremendously hard to build a home for himself.  We get jobs, dogs, find significant others, decorate our apartments...  In any case, our home here in paris becomes our REAL home and we define our lives with what we have here.  Our friends become our family, our teachers become our parent figures.  Why?  Because we strive to find familiarity in an unfamiliar landscape.  Life is a mixed bag...

Recently, I have really felt at home here in this city.  At first I was not quite sure where the real change came from, I just knew I had found comfort.  Now, I realize it is because I have found community.  Before, I was always lost, it was hard for me to communicate, I didn't have a "real" life..my life was an alternate reality.  Now, I can find my way around most quartiers (at least, the important ones) around Paris.  I am familiar with the streets, I recognize the beggars who come into the metro and sing for money.  I DO YOGA!!!!  

Yeah...yeah...I want to talk about yoga.  One day, I randomly decided...actually, no I was REALLY cold, and I thought, well, I can either finish the semester in Yemen, or...or what?  What is the best way to find heat here in Paris  What can I do?  And I thought, hmmmmmm, could it be?  Can Bikram really have a studio here?  AND THEY DID!!!  So, I went.  

It's in a great area right across from the Centre Pompidou, a tiny tiny studio, that can probably fit about 40 people.  The best part (at least for the first few times) was that they taught certain classes in English.  So, I went and signed up and it was great.  Well, actually, the English classes were definitely not as dynamic as I would have liked, so last week I decided to go to my first class in French.  

IT WAS SO COOL!  I'm pretty familiar with all of the poses, so I can understand mostly everything the instructors say, if not, I just put it into the context.  PLUS, I learn a crap load of new vocabulary words.  Like, I learned what toes were, and elbows, and chin, and forehead!!  HAHA, its amazing!  I feel great you guys.  You know, I think it's because since Im concentrating so much on trying to understand, I stay more focused during each pose, because I actually do everything that the instructors tell me to do, rather than zoning off.  I can feel myself getting better.  

Tonight, I had dinner with Marion, and she told me that I looked different and acted differently since she saw me last week.  She was laughing and told me it was because I started to do yoga regularly.  I think I agree.  

Heres the thing, I think.  In Paris, OK sure, I'm learning French, but I had lost sight of a lot of the goals I had in my mind.  Yoga opens the door to a new goal.  Becoming GOOD at it.  I pretty much still look really funny compared to the yogis in the class.  For all those "Friends" fans out there, I'm like Phoebe during the dance class, when she's like, "IM TOTALLY GETTING THIS!!" and she looks like a weirdo, but she's having a great time.  That's how I am.  Having an absolutely amazing time.

Plus, I've met a group of really great people.  Yeah, the yogis are really cool.

And, the weather is starting to get better.  Today, I'm pretty sure it hit 50 degrees, and the sun is out, and they turned on the fountains around Paris.  All signs looking up.  

I feel zen.  I feel good : ) 

xxRanna