Je ne parle pas francais...n'est pas?

This was truely a weekend of forwards and backwards and general insanity. I spent all day Saturday (and I do mean all day) up in Camus for AFS arrival orientation hanging out with a crazy group of kids, and feeling incredibly old. As horribly mismanaged and slightly incompetent as this organization can be, among them I am with my kind. Around exchangers I have that instant identification and commonality that I get so rarely anywhere else. It doesn't matter who, or where from, or where to, but if you've gone through a year pretty much dropped in the middle of nowhere at your own volition, I will probably find some reason to like you.

The whole day started out in typical Peggy fashion: I set my alarm for 4:55 am in order to be in outer SE Portland by 7. I wake up at oh, 6:15. Silly cell phone alarm clock, you have foiled me once again. Only then do I realize, oh shit, I'm at the new place, not the apartment, so all the downtown busses are a good 15-20 minute walk back down Palatine Hill. Oops. I throw on some clothes, run down to the Fred Meyer stop, miss the 12 by maybe 2 minutes. I spend the next 38 minutes while waiting for the bus plotting ways to make it look like I've showered in the last, oh, 35 hours. The new short-ass hair actually pulls this off suprisingly well. By the time I make it out to SE, we all pile into their van, and arrive at the church in Camus, I've now made everyone (group leaders, volunteers, students) a good 2 hours late. Bravo, yes I know.

I am volunteering as an orientation group leader for the year. Basically, I work with this sweet old librarian guy named Dan (Don? Quizas?) and a group of 9 AFS-ers at each of the orientations through their year here. We've got Turkish, French, German, Norwegian, Phillipino (half Indian), Thai, and Japanese. I think eventually they'll be an Italian girl too, but AFS Italia apparently summarily postponed all outgoing students because of the London crap for five days. Poor things. The Turkish boy was pretty silent, he told me he comes from Istambul, and his favorite things to do are chat and internet. Rural Washington will either do him a load of good, or kill him. The German boy and Norwegian girl, well, I predict they'll be down each others pants by the Pendleton Roundup outing mid September. Sweet kids, but yea, sparks a plenty. It made me laugh remembering our hookups (Alejandra and Cowri sharing a sleeping bag. Good times had by all). The Thai and Japanese girls were both really quiet, but given time and patience I'm sure they'll catch on. You can tell so quickly who is simply frightened and engaged, versus shut off completely. I keep finding myself wondering what people though about me through those first hellish moments...could I project that open mind yet? The Phillipino kid, he totally cracked me up. Kids more fluent than I am. He told me his home language is English, as he grew up in Bahrain, and its the only common language between his parents. He introduced himself by asking whether I liked American Idol. It breaks my heart though that hes still without a permanent placement, like, he'd be the perfect student. No communication problems, already pretty well aculturated, and so very eager and enthusiastic.

And alas, my pet French girl. Probably the least English competent of all, given no sleep and perpetual deer-in-headlights condition. So sweet, and totally freaked out by everything. I'd introduced myself to her early in the morning, before we were even in group sessions for some reason, so at least I think she felt Ok with me. When it become very clear that her spoken English comprehension under the circumstances was less than helpful, even at half speed with three word sentences, the Phillipino and I started trying to throw her a few words here and there. That was probably my first mistake, you know, we're supposed to be all about the ra ra ra trial by fire philosophy. Then, for the rest of the day, I'd catch her eye during the discussions, and she'd throw me a pleading look. Anytime we'd want everyone to give us a response of some sort, I'd do my best to explain the questions, either in French (ish), written out, or charade, all the while thinking, "damn it girl, why are you not spanish/russian/czech?!?" My French is less than abysmal, but I'd be lying to say I didn't get a kick out of trying. And if nothing else, it put her a little bit more at ease. However, I definitly never imagined I'd spend my debut at Portland AFS speaking French all day. The melange of Czech/Spanish/Russian, sure. But French, nope, not so much.

Someday todos de mes langues van a hacerse de mejor. Odnazhdi.

I'm glad I got to be a part of their first day in country. It brought back so many crazy memories. But overall, I'm glad I can a person for them here that I would have wanted back in the day in Czech. It'll be really interesting to watch the whole crew develop over the school year, in ways I'm sure I can't even imagine. I can say without hesitation that that year made me the person I am today, and I can't help but be excited for all of them, as they embark for the very same crucibles.

The house is shaping up nicely. Its so much bigger than I guess I've grown accustomed to, that I keep putting things down, and totally losing them. We had the place to ourselves this weekend, and oh the luxuries of an empty house to stretch out in. The room is coming along, we've got some serious procuring to do, but I can see it taking shape. Five days on a real bed and I think I've been officially converted. That and its my father's tirade of the moment, the whole "why don't you buy yourself a mattress? you never take good enough care of yourself. you're so cheap you don't respect yourself enough..." and more bullshit. Cracks me up, actually. But the bed, soooo nice. I'm pysched for this perpetual flux to be over, for people to stop turning over, for the new girls to arrive, and for this year to finally get started.

I cannot abide limbo, surprise, surprise.

Home Friday, for a marathon of people and places and pretend. But most of all, finally finally escaping to the woods!!