the sabbatical logs

​August 3--August 10, 2015

august 3rd---Departed for Palermo, Sicily—a connecting flight from Rome.  Arrived August 4th.  Upon arrival, my luggage was damaged.  Went to declare the forms as my family waited unknowingly.  Finally, met my family and explained my tardiness—I am now at my 2nd home.  My family in Italy lived in the States for over 20 years before returning back to Italy--my aunts, my grandmother (who was more like a mother), and my grandfather (now passed) raised me —I’m home, at least for a brief while.  Yet, I’m tired from the flight.  Before taking a nap, we eat and eat well!
​
-----------​

August 10th---Departed for Nice, France.  Stephanie, my comrade from the States is visiting her family and has invited me to interview her grandmother, Monique.  I stay in a small town outside of Nice called Valbonne—breathtaking and very characteristic—a medieval-looking town.  A place with hills, mountains and green—a 30min car ride to the beach…we visit Antibes and see the Picasso museum.  Picasso lived and painted in Antibes for a year.  We then visit a stunning little city in the mountains called Eze.