Paris Je T'aime 2009

On July 11th I arrived in Paris in a van full of sound equipment and material to be used for the upcoming two week evangelism camp. For two days, the staff finished the final stages of preparing for the arrival over one-hundred people from more than fifteen nations. For two weeks, these people would put themselves outside their comfort zones to share their faith and love with the people of Paris. The camp, Paris Je T’aime (Paris, I love you), original started in the seventy’s, and was discontinued at some point. Then, in 2005, the staff of YWAM France restarted the idea and it has since been a great success. The idea is to send people of different abilities in groups all over Paris with specifics roles geared towards making known the word of God. Paris is ideal place for this for many reasons. Paris is one of the largest cities in Europe and the most visited city in the world, with over fifty millions tourists each year, making the sphere of possible influence incredible. Also, the train and metro system in Paris provides cheap, quick travel in and around the city, making the transportation of teams and equipment simple and fast. Last but surely not least, YWAM has many contacts in Paris, and because of this has been able to get permission to hold open-air concerts with police permission. These are the main reasons, but there are many more. YWAM France believes that they have a calling for their capital and they have capitalized on it with the forming of this camp.
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Seventeen nations were represented at my first Paris Je T’aime, including South Korea, U.S.A., Norway, Germany, Madagascar, Switzerland, and France of course, just to name few. Ages ranged from fifteen to retirees, with only maybe half having done a Disciple Training School with YWAM before. This meant that some were completely new to the whole evangelization idea and other more experienced. One group that really stood out to everyone was a young, inexperienced youth group of twenty-one from Kansas City. When I say young, I mean among the youngest there. Some were fifteen, many sixteen and seventeen, with the leader and his wife being only twenty-three. For many of them it was their first time out of the country. No one speaking any French whatsoever, these guys managed to make quite an impact, which you will hear about further on. The one-hundred and two participants were housed in the dormitories of a university just outside of Paris in a town called Anthony. The location was ideal because not only is there an RER in Anthony (A direct train to downtown Paris), but the university provided food for breakfast and lunch and an inexpensive place to house everyone together. To go to Paris in the afternoons, six teams were established, each with specific goals. When each person signs up for the S.O.S (Summer of Service), they can request a team on their application. The six teams were: Two teams of street evangelism; Team for the homeless; Team for Muslim outreach; Team for children’s ministry; Team of intercessors.
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In the mornings everyone would get together for praise and worship and a teaching. This would usually last until around noon, when we would eat and then get together according to teams. The teachings covered a variety of subjects. One subject, for example, was the difference between faith and hope and how it applies to our personal ministry. Overall, the teachings were really informative and provided balance to the camp, even though there were some mornings when more than half the room had a coffee to help maintain consciousness. After lunch, we had a time to get ourselves together and get with our teams. I worked with Evangelism team two. Our goal was to go out to specific places in the city, set up open-air concerts, give out surveys, and hand out literature to anyone willing. The first day we took to establish the different abilities and talents in the group and setup a small “concert”. It was really amazing to see just how much potential there is when you bring so many people from so many backgrounds together. We had guitarists, singers, rappers, dancers, speakers, violinists, and many others willing to do what they needed to do at any time. As far as literature and handouts, we had bibles in French, Arabic, specific books in English, cards with websites in different languages, DVDs, and much more. In the evenings, all the teams would come together for a huge open-air mixing all the teams together. The idea was to get attention using the arts, and then have people walking around the crowds making contacts.
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On my first day out with the team, we went to Saint Germain des-Prés (Saint Jur-mah dey pray). This is right in the heart of Paris and is filled with tourists and Parisians alike. For the first two afternoons, we were given surveys in French and English to ask the people walking the streets. We would pair up according the language abilities, keeping one English speaker and one French speaker together. The survey was simple and quick and was not meant for statistical purposes whatsoever. It was simply designed for two things, to get people thinking and perhaps start a conversation. Some of the questions included “Do you believe in God?”, “What do you consider to be the values that guide your life?”, “What religion do you relate to most?”, and the questions get a little deeper as it gets towards the end. Giving out the survey, we received many responses such as, “I haven’t really thought about it”. Although we got a lot of people just whizzing by us, we established many good contacts and had some great experiences. Here is just one quick personal testimony from that time:
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The second day, I was working with a young guy from Switzerland, Allen. Allen goes to school in Washington D.C. and grew up speaking both English and French, so he and I worked well together, having the three most common languages in the Paris streets covered (Spanish being the third). We decided to split from the group and found a park surround a fountain, which was a much more relaxed area than a busy street. We thought it ideal because people were relaxing rather than trying to get from A to B. Here we met a lady who happily took the survey and answered all the questions in less than three minutes, explaining the she was Christian. Afterwards, she began asking about what we do. After a few minutes of talking, she explained that she was in a bit a dilemma and was glad she had encountered us. She explained to us that she is the mayor of a city in Northern France with a population of 60,000 people (I forgot the name). She told us that she has been wanting to have more a personal relationship with Christ but that she doesn’t want to hurt any relationships with her citizens, of which have various believes. She told us that she goes to some churches just to be amongst her citizens, but doesn’t feel a personal connection there. She then asked if we could pray that she could establish a personal relationship and get beyond the simple traditions but at the same time maintain good relations in the city. We of course happily agreed and she was very happy to have met us there in the park.
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In the evening, the others teams arrived at Saint Germain des-Prés for the open-air. We setup and began around at 7:30. Crowds quickly gathered, and contacts were being made. I spoke about as much Spanish as I did English or French during both weeks, and I was called on many times to translate. Once I even translated from Spanish to French and vice-versa, which, honestly, wasn’t all that great, but the idea got through. The first night, the police came and told us that we could stay, but that the speaker system had to go. We worked around this, and still gather crowds with acoustic guitars and conversations. That first night out was so powerful. On our way back to Anthony, we walked the streets of Paris with acoustic guitars, saxophones, violins, and dozens of voices. We sang praise and worship songs from Saint Germain des-Prés all the way to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and then back up north to Châtelet. If you know anything about the streets of Paris, you know that not only is that nearly three kilometers, but it’s a consistently crowded area. People stopped and listened, some shook their heads, and at some points there were people singing along. On the subways and trains back, we continued singing. Some people filmed us and many listened to us sing, whether in French or English. This was quite an amazing experience, and I know that many woke up the next morning with very scratchy voices.
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During this week, Tom, who was in charge of translation team during the camp, and I made contact with a man from Mexico who works in Paris as a diplomat to France. He came to every open-air at Saint Germain des-Prés and became extremely interested in what we were doing there. Tom was able to have some great conversations with him, and I really got to know him well speaking his native tongue, which he appreciated. He was so interested in fact, that he made the trip to come to our early morning teachings with the group back at the university. He joined us the entire next week at our open-airs and morning teaching. He had just been through a divorce and in this time I believe he was deeply touched and comforted.
There are countless testimonies, and each person has a story to tell from the first week. This is not to mention the five other teams that were working as well, which all had great success, but which I was not there to witness and write about.
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The next week, the first evangelism team left to do the next week of evangelism solo in Lyon. Evangelism two picked up a few extras and we began our work at a place called Trocadéro. Trocadéro is the area that overlooks the Eiffel Tower and sits just alongside the Museum of Man. In many pictures, you will see fountains just in front of the Eiffel Tower along the Seine River. These pictures are of Trocadéro. This is one of the most walked on places in Europe, and perhaps the world. More tourists walk by the Eiffel Tower than any other landmark in France, and I believe Europe as a whole, but I’m not sure about that. The point is, we had full permission to use sound equipment and anything we like for the entire week in one of the most perfect of places. This was the first time that YWAM has had access to this area and we made sure to take advantage of this opportunity. We began at six o’clock every evening with a rock band that had recently arrived from Switzerland, which gathered huge crowds, and then dances, raps, and skits. We stayed incredibly busy during this time and even though it rained Thursday and Friday nights, we still made a huge impact. Crowds would gather around, dances would randomly break out involving Ywamers and non-Ywamers, people watching would be taken in by skits and personal testimonies, and many lives were touched. I have no idea how many bibles were handed out, but I can estimate in the hundreds. Those are only the bibles handed out, not the amount of people who were engaged in conversation.
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I told you I would mention the Kansas City team again, so here it goes. These young girls and guys spoke absolutely no French, many had never left the United States, and none of them had ever experienced evangelism like this. During the last evening of the camp, a girl from England noted something that everyone knew was true. Although this team was not the most prepared as far as languages and experience, they were willing to do what it took to get the job done. They had no fear to walk up to someone who spoke no English whatsoever and begin a conversation using body language and pointing at the music or dance happening. This fearless attitude sparked many great opportunities that many times resulted in amazing things.
I also mentioned that it rained on Friday night. That was understatement. After setting up the equipment and get everything ready to go, not only did it suddenly rain, but it poured. The only way to describe it was that we were caught in the middle of a fist fight between heaven and hell and the heavens were opening up. Lucas, leader of evangelism team, and I quickly grabbed the generators and ran to a nearby crape stand and asked if we could put the generators in their kitchen. We gathered up all our electronics and as fast as we could, we ran everything to the nearby museum entrance. Everything and everyone was drenched, but miraculously, the next morning everything was working just fine.
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Overall, the second week was amazing, and everyone enjoyed every minute of our time at Trocadéro. One Chinese tourist who was visiting Paris alone for just two days told Denis, our coordinator, “I now know why I came to Paris”. Here is just one testimony from the second week in front of the Eiffel Tower.
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There was a young eighteen year old Tunisian Muslim at Trocadéro our first night there. He heard the music and began watching the open-air. Kyle, one the Kansas City team members, walked up to him and began a conversation, or at least tried. The Tunisian spoke no English, but was interested and gladly waited as Kyle went and found a translator, who just happened to be Allen, whom I mentioned earlier. This young man began talking with Allen and before the night ended, Allen gave him a DVD. The next evening, he returned and began talking with Allen about the DVD and said that not only did he watch it, but he watched it again with his brothers. The fourth night, before being rained out, this guy decided to begin his life with Christ. He wanted everything he could get. He took bibles, got contacts with churches in the area, and was there for every minute we were at Trocadéro. Saturday, our last official day of the S.O.S., another young Tunisian appeared at the open-air and began talking with someone. When this young guy found out, he quickly ran over and started talking, Tunisian to Tunisian. By the end of the evening, the newly saved young man was giving this other guy a bible and praying for him. After the evening had ended, Allen walked up to his Tunisian friend and said, “It took me twenty years of my life to do what you did in just one day”.
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There are many more things that can be said, and there are many things that I don’t know about as well. I can say, however, that every single person involved played a huge part and that our time in Paris was well spent. We made some great friendships, and many evenings after coming back exhausted, we danced in the main building together and spent countless hours talking. I know that I have a lot of great memories in just two weeks and that I plan on coming back next year if possible. At the end of the camp, I shared a quick testimony with everyone, and I will try to repeat it here.
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During my Discipleship Training School in El Salvador, I experienced some amazing things and really got to do some incredible evangelism. However, since that time I haven’t had quite the chances that I had during my D.T.S. Maybe I have, but I haven’t capitalized on them. Since going to college, I have changed gears from more of an outward Christian (like on my D.T.S) to an inward one. What I mean by that is that everyone tells you just how hard it is to maintain a good personal relationship with Christ during college, so you concentrate on yourself and the area between you and God. However, you forget just how amazing it is to share what you have openly. I used this metaphor, which everyone seemed to like. Imagine a bag of popcorn, which you have really been looking forward to. Isn’t so much better if you have someone to share that popcorn with? Although you aren’t getting as much popcorn, both people involved get more out of it, and I know that I have had some great conversations or games over a bag of popcorn. It’s kind of the same way with Christ. You can always have popcorn, but when you share what you have been blessed with, it is just that much better.
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So, on that note, the dates have been set for the next Paris Je T’aime. It will be July 12th to July 26th, and the limit upped from 100 to 300 people. Check out www.jem-france.com for more info on this.
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Many pictures will be coming up shortly, but I may just have to wait until I am back at school or home to get all of them up. I will be posting dozens, so I may just post links as not to cover this page in all photos.
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As for my trip to France, it is almost over. Sunday I went with two friends to the Rue de Rivoli to see the end of the Tour de France. After standing for two hours and seeing the longest parade of advertisements I have ever seen, the group zipped by to finish their last few kilometers. That was pretty exciting, and extremely multicultural, with many nationalities all around us cheering on their team. I will make sure to get some pictures up of that. And yes, I saw Lance Armstrong for all you Americans out there. Saturday evening, after our last open air, I also got to go up the Eiffel Tower just before it closed, meaning I got to see Paris lit up at night, which was gorgeous. However, the last train to Anthony was at 12:57am, and we flat out sprinted through the Denfert-Rochereau train station to make it back on time. Also, in these two weeks I have gotten a fairly good knowledge of the Paris metro system and the city layout. I have seen all the major sites, and this week I am planning on seeing some of the less popular but just as beautiful sites. I am staying in downtown Paris for this week, in a small apartment on the Rue de Belleville. For those of you who listen to french music, this is the same small street on which Edith Piaf was born, which I just found out today. Next week I am heading to Normandy to visit the D-Day beaches. I will be staying in Bayeux, just near what the Allies code named “Utah Beach” during the World War II invasions of France. I will make sure to write about that during my time there. I will be back in the states on August 5th, and then back to school on the 9th. I will continue to write until then, but no promises on internet. For now, I write in my room at night and then walk to the nearest McDonald’s to post and send out the emails.
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Alright, I hope you enjoyed reading this!
Au Revoir

La Premiere Semaine a Paris

The first week of YWAM France’s “Summer of Service” was spectacular. I apologize for not posting, but due to time constraints and the lack of internet, I believe it is excused. Earlier, I tried posting pictures from here at McDonald’s, but the connection wouldn’t suffice, so excuse the lack of exciting illustrations for now. I will make sure to post as many as possible after my return. For now, I will go over the basics of what we are doing, who I am working with, and share some quick stories.
The Summer of Service takes places every year in the heart of Paris. It is put on by YWAM France, but nations from all over the world are represented. This year, the roster capped out at 102 people, ranging from the U.S.A., South Korea, Belgium, Nigeria, Norway, France, and ten other nations. We are staying in a part of Paris called “Anthony”, which is about twenty minutes out by train, a train which stops every five to fifteen minutes during the day, making access to downtown very easy. We are split up into six teams: Homeless, Muslim, Children, Evangelism 1 and 2, and Intercession. Each team does a specific work in a specific place during the early afternoons, and then each night at 7:30, we meet in a specific place to do “Open-Airs”. Open-Airs are basically where we choose a public place, set up a sound system if possible, and do music, dance, dramas, and anything to get positive attention. As crowds gather, we use this time to minister through words and also walk around the crowd and simply talk. Many of our team members are English speaking only, but in Paris this is never a negative thing, as the amount of tourists balances everything out. The first week, we held our open-airs at Saint-Germain dés Pres, a popular place due to an old church and its location just next to a metro station and many restaurants. The second night, the police asked us to take down our sound system, which didn’t stop anything, but limited our dancing abilities. However, this upcoming week we will be working nights in front of the Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited locations in Europe, and we have full permission. This should be a busy but successful time. We usually end our open-airs just after ten, putting us back at base after eleven, making for a full day.
In the mornings, we receive a time of praise and worship followed by teachings. Praise and worship has been awesome, with a mix of French and English music with guitars, a piano, violin, and today there will be a flute. It’s been a powerful time and a good time to spend together with everyone. The teachings have been good. Two days ago we received a teaching that pretty much shoots down and negative thoughts you can have about Muslims, which for many is very important. The truth of the matter is, it is incredible easy to talk to a Muslim than to a Frenchman. The French, for the most part, have very good lives and have grown up outside of the church (Churches, including Catholic, died after the revolution). So, many believe that God is just simply not something they need in their lives because of all of the laws they believe go along with Him. Muslims, on the other hand, actively seek God everyday and want God in their lives, no matter how well they are doing. They are kind, and will listen to what you have to say. Even when they reject it, they are very polite about it. For many of the Americans that have come, I think this has actually surprised many of them, especially with the many stereotypes that they receive back home.
In the early afternoons, we get to work in separate teams. My team, evangelism two, does mostly small open-airs. We have also done some surveys in the streets that are meant to be conversation starters. These surveys are over “Faith in France”, and contain questions such as “Do you believe in God?”, “Jesus said I am the truth, the way, and the life… What do you think of this statement?” As it progresses, the questions get more challenging. The goal is not statistics, but conversation. It has worked very well, and has definitely caught the attention of some of the people I have talked with. Earlier last week, Allen, a Swiss-American and I were walking through a Park in Paris giving out the survey. We asked a lady sitting on a bench if she would be willing to take the survey and she agreed. After taking the survey, we began talking. Turns out that she was the mayor of a city in Northern France (Can’t remember the name) and that she had been struggling with her relationship with God as of late. We were very surprised when she said this and asked if she could explain. She stated that because she was mayor of this city, she could not afford to be too public with her faith as to offend anyone. She goes to a catholic church on Sunday just because so many of her citizens are catholic, but she does not feel a connection there. She then asked us to pray that she could maintain a good personal relationship while at the same time maintaining good relationships with her citizens. We quickly agreed and she really appreciated this time with us. We have also had multiple requests for the gospels and a few email contacts for further information. I am the only fluent Spanish speaker of the group here, and have been contacted multiple times to translate for visiting Spanish and I have also befriended a Mexican diplomat living here in France. He has since come to every open-air, and plans on coming to the Eiffel Tower every evening this week. Overall, we are done some great stuff, and we are expecting even more this week at one of the business blocks in Europe.
On another note, we had Monday off the see parts of Paris. Since I have already toured Paris myself, I went with a group of people to see the Palace of Versailles. The Palace was closed off for the week, but because of this the gardens were free to enter. The gardens were gorgeous and were bigger than any gardens I had ever seen, even those of the Biltmore House for you Americans out there. The pond in the middle of the garden was huge and reached the entire length of the gardens. Myself and three others rented a rowboat for half an hour and I, being the only guy, rowed around the gardens for a while, which was actually a really awesome experience. The gardens were full of history and meticulously cared for. Afterwards, we went into Paris and got some crepes and visited Notre Dame. I actually went inside this time and was amazed by the hugeness and detail of it, but at the same time amazed at how religious it is. By that, I don’t mean in a positive way. There were still people there paying for “Cierges” (I forgot the word in English), the things you pay for to have your sins properly forgiven.
By now I have seen a lot of Paris and have spent hours traveling the Metros, and I still have more time here. I will try to keep you posted as I go, but expect a much more picture oriented story when I arrive back in the states. Until then, keep me in your prayers!
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P.S. The only picture I managed to upload (of the Eiffel Tower) is exactly in the location of our open-airs starting tonight. I will be dancing under a glowing tower, which I am definitely looking forward to. And...The picture wouldn't upload, sorry all.

Les Premiers Jours à paris

Saturday I arrived safely in Paris after a six hour drive which covered most of the country from south to north. We are staying just outside of Paris in a suburb called Anthony. Today everyone at the base and tonight we will have our first meeting, getting ready for tomorrow’s beginning of all the happenings. Yesterday we went to Paris in the evening just to walk around and get a bite to eat. We got off the train at Norte Dame and saw the church. We walked around a bit, saw the original Paris, the Seine, and a park downtown. I took a few preliminary pictures, but the good ones will comes over the course of the next two weeks spent downtown. My first week, we will be working on the river directly in front of the Eiffel Tower, which will be interesting. Today, I am going on a self-guided tour of the city, making sure to hit the hotspots and then the less popular spots that have been noted to me by the locals. Before I head back, I have to meet someone and pickup 130 maps of Paris, enough for every person for the next two weeks. After my mission, I will head back and begin the Summer of Service! Here are just a few of the pictures I snapped yesterday. I am currently at a MacDonald’s with free wifi, but I won’t be able to make it here every day. However, I will post whenever I get the chance.
P.S. I tried to upload some pictures, but ran out of time. Sorry about that.
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Marseille

Before flying to Oslo, I spent the day in Marseille, the heart of the French Riviera. Marseille has been an important figure since the Roman Empire, playing the role of one of the busiest ports in the region. The unique shape of the harbor along with the mouth of the Rhone River allow for both an easily defended area and fresh water, making Marseille invaluable. During my visit there, I wanted to see as much as possible of the city is about six hours.
I arrived at the Gare St. Charles by train at 8:30am, put my bag in a locker, and immediately bought an all day subway, tram, and bus pass for the city. On a quick side note, the transit system in Marseille, a city with less than one million inhabitants, is extremely efficient. Subways and trams allow quick access to all areas of the city, and where they don’t go, buses do. The recently constructed system is quick, clean, and easy to navigate, making any tourist’s visit very frustration free. My first stop was Vieux Port, the historical harbor area of Marseille. After stepping off the subway, while still underground, I could smell the unmistakable scent of a fish market, telling me I was in the right place. The harbor area is lined with a market of every kind of fish in the area, all for sale by local families. In the water behind them, boats of every shape and size fill the harbor, providing enough surface area to walk clear across the harbor without getting wet. Apartments and restaurants lined the area, providing a perfect mix of tourists and locals.
I proceeded to walk to the end of the harbor area towards the beaches east of the historical area. On the way, I passed the two forts which overlook the city, both still in near perfect condition. In the near distance, I could see the island from which the “Count of Monte Cristo” comes from, surrounded by crystal blue water that I have only seen so clearly in some areas of the Caribbean. The walk east was lined with small coves, many providing perfect swimming and snorkeling areas. Also, two small beaches provided a great recreation area, with volleyball courts and protected swimming areas. Apartments and houses lined the coast, many with a priceless view of the Mediterranean Sea. Every half a kilometer, there would be a small bike rack where on could rent bikes anywhere in the city for a very reasonable price. Bikes were kept on magnets that could be released by credit card, which would hold a 100€ deposit until the return of the bike anywhere in the city. Although I didn’t try one, I’m sure that the bikes are very practical, especially for those short on time.
Walking inland a bit, the roads became small and buildings taller. The streets were lined with street vendors, hostels, hotels, and restaurants. I stopped at a small Italian owned restaurant for a quick burger and fries after realizing that the classic “Marseille Fish and Chips” couldn’t be found for less than twelve Euros. After lunch, I made my way by bus to the north east part of the city, where there are great overlooks of the area. Old churches and art galleries are common in this area, providing a very cultured experience in just the hour of walking through. The view from above gives you an idea of just how many boats are in the harbor, many of which people actually live in for the summer. After spending some time here, I hopped on a subway and arrived back where I started in less than ten minutes. My flight for Oslo left at 4:55 p.m.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that Marseille now takes the place of my favorite city in the world. Let me elaborate. Marseille provides many of my favorite features, including coastline, a large but not dense population, French language, and class. By class I mean the way in which the city looks. There are those cities that come across as well cared for, well run, and which contain an overall very happy population. That is how I saw Marseille in the short time I was there. All this provides what I personally feel is the perfect setting for a classic international city. Small details, such as reasonable real estate pricing, an efficient transportation system, and a still vivid historical background just add to my delight in the city. Overall, Marseille would be somewhere where I would love to spend some time in the future. If you ever get the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend it.

One of two Forts Overlooking the City

A Church in the NE part of Marseille

Typical Inland Street

A Giraffe of Books in the NE district

The Coastline

Coca-Cola!

Love the buildings along the coast

The World War I Memorial

Perfect Dining Experience (Not where I ate)

BLUE water

The walk east

To give you an idea of how many boats are there

The Historical Harbor area

The Coastline - Notice the small natural (and not) swimming areas

Les Aérienne Economique

On my recent trip to Norway, I decided to take advantage of the o’ so popular discount airlines. After seeing prices beyond belief, I was lured in and soon realized that the eye-popping low rates quickly climb with taxes and small fees, not to mention a serious baggage restriction. However, all that said, the final price came out to be less than half that of a major airline, so I went for it.

The catch with discount airlines is that they normally leave from small secondary airports and at odd times of the day (not good for business travelers). My flight left Marseille Provence airport at 4:55 p.m. (qualifying as odd), and actually ended up to my advantage, as traffic in the airport was low. The plane was a Boeing 737 which had been fitted with more seats than a major airline, meaning seats do not lean back and leg room is minimal. Still, the flight was overall comfortable. In flight drinks and snacks are very costly, and music and reading material must be self-provided, which is to be expected. Upon landing at Oslo’s secondary airport (Oslo Torp), the real meaning of “cheap” struck me. As I boarded the bus to Oslo, costing me €18, I soon realized that not only was I not in Oslo, but I had landed two hours outside of Oslo. After all was said and done however, I reached my destination and my trip went as planned.

The important fact to remember when traveling economically is that you get what you pay for. With discount transportation, don’t expect much more than arriving at your final destination alive and you won’t be disappointed. My round trip from Marseille to Oslo with Ryan Air, even after the extra bus tickets to and from the airport, saved me over €200, making the trip affordable in the first place. I expect that in my future tight-budgeted travels, Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and other small airlines will be utilized whenever possible.

Norvège

On Friday, July 3rd I left Marseille for Oslo, Norway. In 2008, while in Costa Rica, I became friends with a Norwegian girl and have since maintained email contact. Well, she just happened to be in France a couple of weeks back, so we met in Avignon and I showed her and her friend around. She said that if I ever wanted to come to Norway, I have a free place to stay. So, I bought the tickets. Norway is not a member of the European Union and still maintains its’ own currency, the Norwegian Crown (Kroner). It is the home of the Midnight sun during the summer (in the northernmost half), the most vivid sights of the Aurora Borealis during the winter, and Nordkapp, Europe’s northernmost point. Oslo is a city of about 500,000 people and is the fourth most expensive city in the world and is an important port with a great history. I would be staying in downtown Oslo for two days before traveling an hour and a half north to Kolbu, where I would stay until my flight back to France on July 8th .
I arrived in Norway the night of July 3rd at an airport named “Oslo Torp”. What I failed to realize is that when they named this airport “Oslo Torp”, they really meant “Nowhere near Oslo”. I took a bus to meet Tina downtown. After twenty minutes in, I noticed a sign saying “Oslo – 120 kms”. It was then I realized why my tickets were very cheap. After a two hour bus ride (an hour of it probably spent in tunnels) I ended up downtown safely. The next day we pretty much walked all the way around Oslo. I visited the home of the King and Queen of Norway (pretty much like the queen of England, just a country figure), visited the historical port of Oslo, the Oslo Opera House, and an overview of the entire city. The city is beautiful, and is very spread out. The transit system in the city was flawless, with a mix of buses, trams, and subways, making it easy to access any part of the city quickly. The city was also very multicultural, and is a popular attraction for tourists of all parts of the world. The common language used is English, as Norwegians take English every year of school, making the majority of the country fluent in English. However, it is still respectful to try to pick up at least a little Norwegian while there. The exchange rate for the Norwegian Crown is approximately 9 Crowns to one Euro. The average sandwich cost about 60 Crowns, or about €6.50 to give you an idea. Oslo has very beautiful architecture, with few buildings taller than five or six stories. The people (at least those I met), are very nice and very interested in your visit to Oslo. They share tips and locations on seeing the city and all share a sense of pride in their country (more noticeable than most). Overall, my two days in Oslo were great, and the city was quite exciting.
After two days in Oslo, we headed to Tina’s family’s house in the small town of Kolbu. If you want an idea of what Norway looks like, let me help you. Imagine rolling hills and scattered lakes, now put every shade of green possible on and around everything. Norway is by far the greenest country I have ever seen and the care put into the fields is great. I can understand why environmentalists and “tree-huggers” enjoy trips to this country. Kolbu is very much farm country, with tractors driving on the roads and fields surrounding the area. Her family was great, all speaking English of course (making me feel a little bad), they were eager to tell me about their area. On a side note, Tina’s mom, Heidi, lived in the United States for a while in the 80s. When I asked where, she responded with the town of Conway, SC, which is the town where I was born (small world?). On another note, Kolbu lies at a longitude of 61° North (Juno, Alaska is 58° North), meaning that in the summer, the sun sets very late and rises very early. For example, the first day was the only very clear day I had, and the sun set around 11, just to rise again between 2 and 3 am. Also, it never really got completely dark. Even during the night, the sun being not far out of sight provided a light, well enough to not have to turn lights on in the house to read. If I would have driven just a couple hours north, I would have reached a point where the sun never sets during the summer months.
The nearest large town, Gjøvik, is a very historical city and very significant in this part of Norway. While visiting Gjøvik, I visited the sight of the 1994 winter Olympics. For the Olympics, Norway constructed the “Olympiske Fjellhall”, the world’s largest underground cavern in the side of a mountain in Gjøvik. With a full arena and complex underground system (including swimming pools), it was quite impressive. Also in Gjøvik, the “Skibladner”, the world oldest working steamship does voyages in the nearby lake, Norway’s largest lake. We made sure to visit that as well, and chat with the captain of course. Also in Gjøvik, we visited a famous glassblowing site, which specializes in their very rare “blue glass”, well-known from that area. I got to witness the entire process, which is extremely intricate.
Overall, the countryside of Norway struck me as a very peaceful, untouched area that was full of culture. Sheep in the fields, moose crossing roads (although I didn’t see any), and the overall innocence of the place made it a great place to visit and I would recommend it to anyone. I know that if I ever get the chance, I will definitely return to Norway for a road trip to Nordkapp to see the Northern Lights. I really enjoyed staying with a family that could tell me anything and everything about the area, and provide me with some great food! For example, typical Norwegian meatcakes (believe me, they are better than they sound), Norwegian pancakes, and of course Norwegian brown cheese, all of which was amazing. Oslo was also gorgeous, and I will make sure to provide as many pictures below as possible without putting too much on the page (for loading reasons).
Before flying to Oslo, I spent the day visiting Marseille, where I flew out of in the evening. Marseille now marks as one of my favorite cities, or at least the first impressions make it so. I, however, locked my camera in a locker in the train station and did not have it with me during my tour of the city. My friends whom I was with took plenty of pictures, and I will wait to write about it until I have swapped pictures with them.

The "Skibladner"

Aboard the World's Oldest Working Steamboat

The Underground Olympic Park - Pictured Here the Hockey Arena

A Small Nearby Lake

Sheep get in the way, so you have to be firm with them

Marshmallow Field

Norwegian Countryside

Lake Mjøsa, Norway's Largest Lake

Glass blowing in Gjøvik

Oslo Harbor

Oslo Opera House

Downtown Oslo

A Small Parade in Oslo. We still were not sure why though...

Oslo Harbor

Oslo Harbor

Norwegian Guard in front of King's Palace

King's Palace. The flag means they are there at the moment.

Hade Bra!

Le Course a Pied

To you, this may seem like an insignificant train schedule, but to me it is so much more. For me, it is proof. Sunday night, I left for my run. Now not having ran on Saturday, I wanted to get a little more in. I left around 8pm because of the hot weather, still with about two hours of sunlight left. I ran to the town center, and still feeling energized, decided to circle the town. I did it again, then as I was running along the edge of town, I noticed the sign for Pierrelatte and headed that way. I reached the outer point of town, and decided to keep going. At this point I said, "Why not, lets go to Pierrelatte". At about 5kms I reached "The Wall" for any of you athletes out there. Basically, there is a point where cramps and soreness reach their peak, then drop off completely as your body goes into a "routine". After this point, you basically become a machine and feel very little soreness. So ya, I reached that point quickly and kept going. I ran around the far side of Pierrelatte and then stopped at the trainstation to pick up this train schedule. The trainstation has no water fountain, nor does anything else in France. Public water fountains are unheard of. Coming back, I stopped at a friends house and he kindly gave me some water. I arrived back at the base just after 11pm. I ran a total of approximately (give or take 2kms) 30 kilometers in about 3 hrs. Now that is still 12kms short of a full olympic marathon, but still a personal record. Now that I am at this point, maybe sometime this fall I will actually try a full marathon. O, and if you are wondering if it is dangerous, not really. All the roads in France (well, most) have a "bike lane" on each side of the road allowing for seperate traffic, even at round-a-bouts. So even on highways there is plenty of space, plus the shoulder.

Genève, Suisse

This past Thursday, I jumped on a train and headed for the 8th most expensive city in the world, and one of the banking capitals of Europe, Geneva, Switzerland. After taking a train to the French city of Lyon, there was a two hour ride through the beginning of the Alps into Switzerland. Geneva sits literally right on the border of France and Switzerland, and throughout my two days there, I constantly crossed the border, many times without noticing. Geneva is commonly known as one of the major players in the Protestant Reformation, and during my time there I went to one of the major churches in the city where John Calvin's personal chair still remains. The architecture of the city is beautiful, especially the older part of the city. From the top of the church tower, the city is breathtaking, especially with the lake and the huge fountains. Also, Geneva definitely keeps to its rank as one of the most expensive cities in the world. I saw a mix of some of the most exotic and expensive cars, along with shops that would send most people packing. The banking district makes even wall street look bland, with its extravagant buildings and surroundings. Overall, Geneva was a great experience, and definitely worth visiting. During my time there, however, it was overcast most of the time, limiting my view of the surrounding mountains. I stayed with the family of a previous staff member for YWAM France, which turned out to be a really good experience. For example, playing cranium in French, watching the entire Bourne series in one evening / morning, and of course getting a guided tour of an awesome city.

Returning from Switzerland, I stopped in Lyon to see the city that I have traveled through multiple times without ever actually seeing. Lyon is an ancient capital of the Roman empire, and it is very obvious while visiting. First note, the metro system in Lyon, although not as extensive, is very much like that of New York's. I was impressed, seeing as Lyon has nowhere near the population. Also, another neat feature is that on every other corner, there are bicycle racks where you can insert a euro, take a bike, then return it to another rack anywhere in the city. Pretty convenient. While in Lyon, I visited an old ancient Roman theater. This amphitheater is still in pristine condition, with even the side shops being intact, with stone tables and areas for the shopkeepers. I feel like these ruins were probably in better shape than most ruins in Rome itself. Also, the ruins overlooked the entire city, make for quite a great view. Another interesting fact is that they still use the amphitheater today for concerts and such. When I was there, they were setting up for a music festival involving quite an intricate setup. I was also informed that this is quite common and that somewhere south of Lyon there is a fully intact Roman coliseum which is still used for musicals and plays, most recently, Phantom of the Opera.

John Calvin's Church in Gevena

Canons of the Swiss Guard

The Historic Part of Geneva

Shopping District

The Wall of Reformers

Praying my princess rescues me from the tower?

Some visibility

That fountain is huge!

Roman Amphitheater

Riding through the Alps on the way back this was about all I saw

The U.N. Notice the three legged chair. It represents those who have lost limbs in wars and leftover mines from wars.

University of Geneva

Lyon from the Roman Ruins

One of the side shops. Notice the table on the right still intact.

On another note, I will be heading to Oslo, Norway this Friday. So next week look for an exciting post!
A bientot