Exercise

The one thing that has gone right for Shereen while in France is finding a decent gym to work out in. She has been going to classes 2 to 3 times a week. Apparently word has gotten out that there is an American at the gym, since she seems to be quite popular, even with those who babble in French to her. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get into a regular exercise routine, and the past 2 weeks have discovered just how out of shape I have become. One of the sales interns at work mentioned that he was playing basketball at a gym in Sully and invited me to join him. Last Tuesday I went after work for the 2 hour training session. I was quite impressed. Most of the time we ran drills, led by a coach who really knew basketball (yes, I could tell even though he was speaking French). The high schools don't have organized sports like in the US, so the towns have their own teams that high schoolers and others join. The training session was prep for the Sully team that will compete against surrounding towns through the winter. Well, to say the least, my legs have lost some spring. I was able to gut it out and stay with the others for the evening, but was basically incapacited for the next week.

I worked late the next Tuesday and wasn't able to play. But on Thursday I joined the American we met a few weeks ago, who is here for a one year assignment, at a voluntary gym night. They have a trainer who leads the group in a variety of sports, including handball and basketball. This week we played team handball, a sport I was interested in learning. You may have seen this sport in the Olympics, France won the gold medal this year. I had a great time. It was easy to pick up and the flow of the sport has similarities to basketball and hockey. Once Shereen and I get our medical certificates, which allow us to participate in these formal activities, I plan to pay the fee to become a regular part of the group.