Monday, November 10
I woke up late — around 8:30 AM. In the morning, I spent some time in my room. I might need to go to the city center of Toulouse by myself sometime — maybe tomorrow.
I had lunch with my host. The lunch was leftovers from the previous day’s dinner. We talked about plans for my next trip, and I decided to go to a city in eastern France instead of Lyon, where his friend lives. I booked a plane ticket from Nice to Geneva, Switzerland. When I was checking the prices, I was surprised to see that plane tickets are sometimes much cheaper than buses or trains. However, since I have a large piece of luggage, I need to pay extra for that. Considering the price, time, and convenience, I decided to take a plane this time. The total ticket cost was about 130 euros.
In the evening, there was a class at the dojo. I joined and observed a kids’ class (ages 7–9). Since I came here, I’ve been impressed by how well the children can focus on the class and follow the teacher’s instructions. I feel that their level of discipline is different from that in the U.S. It’s really impressive.
After the kids’ class, I taught an adult class where the students’ levels were quite different. I think it’s a good idea to divide students into smaller groups so that each group can practice techniques suited to their level. It’s such a great experience to teach almost an entire class in this dojo. Also, today I’m going to another dojo to teach as well. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity.
After coming back, I had dinner with the host and his wife. Dinner was French-style sandwiches called Croque-monsieur. They sandwich ham and cheese between slices of bread and bake them in the oven. I loved it. He and she each had a slightly different way of making the sandwiches, so I got to try both. She told me that there’s also something called Croque-madame, which has an egg on top. I thought that was interesting. (“Monsieur” means “Mr.” and “Madame” means “Mrs.”, by the way.)
I haven’t studied French as much as before, but I think I’ve been using it a lot more in daily life.
I’m writing this the next morning. Sometimes, I feel anxious about traveling around different countries instead of working in my home country—especially when I return to “real life” after experiencing something special, like yesterday’s hike. It might be one of the downsides of traveling to different countries, especially when you’re alone. It’s impossible to live every day filled with completely new and adventurous experiences.
Tuesday, November 11
I went to a small southern city, Carcassonne, with other teachers from the dojo. Carcassonne is known for its historic fortified castle. According to Wikipedia, the name of the city comes from a legendary figure, Lady Carcas, who was the wife of Ballak, the Muslim prince of Carcassonne. She defended the city from the Frankish army, a group of Germanic peoples in the Roman Empire. When Charlemagne’s army—the King of the Franks—was leaving the plains near the city, she was overjoyed and decided to ring the bells. One of the men shouted, “Carcas is ringing,” which in French is “Carcas sonne.” That’s pretty interesting.
We had lunch inside the castle. There were many tourists there. After visiting, we headed to a small dojo, which was part of a building at a school. We practiced together with the students. It was fun to teach and train with different French judokas. Most of them looked young, from elementary school students to teenagers. They were so passionate about practicing Judo that they even asked questions after the practice.
On the way back, I was reading a French history book on my tablet. Coincidentally, I had just read chapters about Charlemagne. The more I learn about the history of the cities and countries I visit, the more I enjoy being there. That’s why I want to learn more about the history of cities in France, and I will do that.
I am writing this before dinner. We were waiting and preparing for the host’s wife, who went on a long cycling ride. Today is a national holiday in France—Armistice Day. She took advantage of the holiday to enjoy her hobby, cycling throughout the day.
I am ready to eat.
