Journal Entry July 27th 9:55 am

July 27 9:55 am
I realized that I am once again writing about myself instead of my experiences here. Elea's house is huge, much bigger than it first appeared to be. When I first arrived I wondered how they fir a family of 8 into this tiny house but after being shown around I realized they have room to spare. Literally, they have like 5 massive spare rooms that they don't use! Her family is very nice I like talking to her Dad but he is very busy so I don't see him much. Her mother is very sweet but quiet and sometimes looks like she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her sister Manon reminds me of Jollene a lot especially when she and Elea argue. Her brothers... well they are brothers they tease and joke but you can tell that they love each other very much.
It's interesting, Elea says she is not very close to her Dad but I can tell when she talks by how intently he listens that he cares for her very much. I think maybe it's one of those things you can only see from outside the situation.

I feel like this trip has changed me, not because I'm thinner or tanner. Something within me has changed and I'm not sure what. Maybe it's the realization that my childhood really is over, or the aching to make a difference in the world. Whatever it is I don't know if it is good or bad but it is ever-present like a cloud over my head or my shadow following behind me. It's there just waiting to be faced and dealt with.

7:15 pm
Today we went into Lectoure. We went to the library, the church, a bakery, and a gift shop. We walked around and I took lots of random pictures.

Elea's sister Manon drove us into town, they argued most of the way there and back. It makes me glad that my sisters are pretty much grown up so we don't do that anymore. If we argue then we just hang up the phone or leave the house.

The town is so pretty, all of the houses have the white walls and red tile roofs. It's like someone set it up just for a postcard. I learned there's a castle up the road, I really want to visit it. I think I will ask Elea to give me directions and I will go tomorrow while she is working.

10:53 pm
It's kind of funny how well Manon and I can communicate with her very small amount of English and my even smaller knowledge of French but it works.