Week 65 - Back in France

Hello fam!

So apologies in advance, usually I write this email the night before so I can actually have some kind of coherence, but I had no envie last night so sorry if it's even more random and scatter brained than usual.

This week!

Monday and Tuesday we were on lockdown, Tuesday we started to get pretty slap happy. Played games, I finished packing, got our last frites (got special permission to go out for that one), and basically just completely cracked. It was fun. 

"Last frites in Belgium"

We went to the Redds that night for the JA FHE. They ask the missionaries who are leaving to bear their testimonies or share something they've learned. It was so sad :(.  Four of us were leaving so it was very bittersweet. And to make it worse they sang God be with you till we meet again. They kill me.

Wednesday we got up super early to get to the gare, got to Brussels, got to Paris and met up with Soeur Sabando, got on a train and came up here to Valenciennes!

So Valenciennes. It's basically the summary of what everyone thinks France is, small and quaint, quiet, everyone is at least 60 years old and Catholic. No one understands my French. It's fun. Very different feel from my other villes, but I'm excited to get to finish my mission here. The look of it reminds me a lot of Tours mixed with Liège. But that doesn't really mean anything to you guys haha.

Soeur Sabando is great, probably the chillest start to a companionship, we already know each other and have lived together so we could just get to work. No more awkwardness than is normal in a two-man apartment. It's just quiet and tranquille up here. And super cold. And no matter where you're walking the wind is in your face haha. I don't know how it's possible but that's how it is.

Thursday was really great, got to meet some amis and see more of the ville (we walk everywhere pretty much since there are like literally four bus lines and a tram, I've never used public transport this infrequently). Made a little Thanksgiving dinner for ourselves. Pretty low key, I honestly kind of forgot that it was a holiday haha.

Thanksgiving with my Canadian companion, who tried to convince me that Thanksgiving was in October.

Friday we did missionary work. Went to ward council. Woooohhoop.

Saturday, ditto.

Sunday we went to church and did some porting. Woot. Met some super nice Muslims.

And so like yeah. Voici the week. Full of adventures as you can tell.

I sent a package home with a bunch of clothes I don't wear right now but still want and some chocolate for you guys! Hope it gets there okay!

Love youuuuu
Soeur Hansen

"The wise man that Soeur Corneta gave me from a creche she got-- she was like, I can't keep this, i can't fit it in my suitcases!"

"I found a Care Bears coloring book in my desk when I was cleaning it out. and we'd been on lockdown for four days so..."