Brittany is now IN Brittany!

First of all...an update on the bug bite...new medications did the trick, and she's doing fine. So, after a few days in Paris, without enough time to be a tourist, Britt took the metro (4 flights down...with two full, large suitcases!) to the train to get to Brest (final destination for 10 weeks, in the province of Brittany). WHEW! She had some difficulty with the train, and ended up taking a later one, which put her an hour behind, so she actually got to see the school where she'll be after it was closed -- didn't get to go inside.

Her "lodging" is questionable, at best. She has a small efficiency apartment (all to herself) which was in desperate need of cleaning. Everything, including bedding, dishes, floors, etc. was dirty. After some well-deserved self-pity, she got it together, got cleaning supplies, and spent a lot of Saturday making it livable. This is not what was supposed to be her welcome to this part of the trip; we have been in contact with people in charge, and her living situation might be adjusted. Until such time as that, she's made it livable, with the help of an English teacher -- another Catherine. (Interesting note -- the parents of her host family in Besancon were: father: Dominique and mother: Catie (maybe short for Catherine...two ladies who she's had help from now in Brest have been Dominique (it's a male or female name) and Catherine...interesting!).

We've spent many minutes on the PHONE these past two days, since she does not yet have access to internet, except at the homes of one of these new shepherds (they're "mom" age, according to what I've been told)...can't WAIT for the phone bills to roll in! It's worth the investment, though, for peace of mind. When I spoke with her about 4:00 today, she was doing well...had prepared her own dinner (ravioli with carbonara sauce and salad) and is planning to call tomorrow from Dominique's home, as she has phone service without charge to USA. Also in the plans for tomorrow (Sunday) is a visit to the nearby beach with Dominique and her daughter, and a possible meal at a creperie to experience regional cuisine.

The journey, trials, tribulations, drama, and adventure continue...