Bienvenue a Paris!

Okay. So. Since I still haven't caught up on the past two weeks of blogging, and it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon, I think I'll just start from now.

Paris is so different from New York that I hadn't been spurred into anything resembling homesickness - that is, until yesterday. Yesterday I went to the American Cathedral (AmCath, from hereon out) in Paris for their 11am Eucharist. I'd been in email contact with the choirmaster there, but we've hadn't actually connected, so I figured I might as well kill two birds with one stone: I could track him down and talk to him about singing, and I could see what exactly I was getting myself into. I arrived a little late (the cathedral is pretty... it's like my cathedral in that it's neo-gothic, but a lot smaller, obviously) and the choir was just finishing the psalm. I successfully fought off rising tides of home/cathedral/choir-sickness as the celebrant celebrated the Anglican service - until the offertory anthem. I totally broke down as the choir sang Mendelssohn's "How Lovely are the Messengers." First of all, I love that piece. Second off all, the anthem leads with an alto line, and they had a countertenor in the alto section. Third of all... well, third of all, it's me, and I've been going through choir withdrawal, so obviously I teared up.

After the service I staked out the choir room - not as creepy as it sounds, as the hall in which the coffee reception was held was right next to the choir room. I introduced myself to Ned Tipton, the director, and within five minutes he told me to come early to rehearsal next Thursday so we could talk more, and that I should just stay for rehearsal and start singing Sundays right away. How sweet is that? The choir's pretty good, actually; they're not professionals, but they are auditioned, and sound like they really know what they're doing. They don't really need another soprano, but whatever.

So... that's cool. Five classes, tutoring a French girl once a week, as-needed babysitting, and rehearsals and services. I think I'm pretty much set.