In The Seat Of A Train

We're going to the Mediterranean for the weekend. 

The city is called Port Vendres and here's the weirdest part: Port Vendres has a "Sister City". This means that Port Vendres celebrates random American things in collaboration with its American sister city (such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence) and the two cities presumably have high schoolers that correspond through letters. Port Vendres's sister city is Yorktown. Yorktown, Virginia. YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA. I LIVE TEN MINUITES FROM THERE. The woman in charge of the connection? She came to speak to my French class. Her son is my delegate. He's the one who got me my passport on time for me to come here. Holy cow.

So...

SHOUTOUT TO THE YANCY FAMILY

I'll add the weird, insufficient explanation of these sister cities that I found online at the very bottom.

We are staying in a jîte in this place, which is essentially a youth hostel without the "youth". It's just a hostel...I think.

Apparently it's run by some elderly man with a passion for jîte-ing, and he'll be our tour guide when we get there. 

Here's all the information: 

http://artswan-public.sharepoint.com

Tomorrow, coincidentally, they are having Fête Américaine. This literally translates to American party. They're having an American party just coincidentally. Cause, you know- why not? 

What even is this country. And why is this happening.

So, I'll be living at the beach till Sunday night. Not bad.

And let's take a moment for the weird coincidences. Please.

On PV and Yorktown:

" The twinning of Port-Vendres dates from 1990, the work of the association "Port-Vendres Abord, heritage defense" and the municipality.

Recall that it was at Yorktown, small village of the state of Virginia was the site of the decisive battle in 1781 that saw the defeat of English will lead to their final surrender in 1783 and materialize the independence of the United States proclaimed July 4, 1777.

The British General Charles Cornwallis with 7 regular 247, 840 sailors, 106 cannons capitulated before October 19, 1781 16,000 men whose 7000 French commanded by George Washington with Lafayette and Rochambeau under him.

Participation of Port-Vendres to commemorate the 225th anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America helped to reconnect with Yorktown.

Note that the delegation of Port-Vendres has been in the spotlight in all official events and meals (even with passages for television) thanks to Mrs. Nicole Yancey, Honorary Consul of the state of Virginia and Carolina Lareuse (American , wife of a Catalan Prats de Mollo), Honorary Consul of Princeton should thank ...

For more information a US site traces the history of twinning in Port-Vendres:

www.xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/pvendres.htm

www.sistercitiesyorktown.org/ "

(- http://www.port-vendres.com/page_ic.php?CatID=48&them=4000 )