France
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Note to self
Don't follow people who cross on a red man.
I literally typed this into my phone on my way to the metro after nearly becoming windshield splatter on someone's car yesterday morning. There's a blind-spot on one of the crosswalks that I pass on my way across the peripherique to the metro station. Since the person on the other end of the crosswalk has a full view of the oncoming traffic, I (as well as the rest of the confident travelers on my side of the crosswalk) generally tend to think that once they've realized no cars are coming and start walking across the pavement, it's safe for our side to forge ahead (even when the little crosswalk man is red). This has been failsafe until yesterday morning, when someone didn't get the memo and decided it'd be ok to walk into oncoming traffic whilst totally disregarding the Peugeot and Volkswagen that were racing to make the green light. Oh, merde! I and two other half-asleep Parisians, needless to say, picked up the pace after realizing we were in the path of a few honk-happy commuters who were probably still half asleep and likely willing to rid the city of a few pedestrians if they could make it through the stale vert light.
That's not the only note I'm writing to myself these days. Note number two: Steps are deadly, try to avoid walking on them in public at all costs.
Yesterday, while walking up the measly four steps to my school building, instead of putting one foot on one step and the other foot on the next step, I decided to forget a step altogether and fell nearly flat on my face just in front of two students (or maybe teachers), spilling my piping hot espresso all over the marble floor and my pants. Not knowing what language I spoke, one of them asked if I was ok in about three different languages and then proceeded to ask me in French if I needed to go to the hospital. I didn't really know how to react - I just said, no...shrugged...gave an awkward smile and brushed myself off. I'm still cringing from that.
Still, not comprehending this very new invention called stairs, I found myself once again conversing with the marble, but this time in front of everyone and their mom at one of Paris' busiest places - Les Halles. I was carelessly strolling through the square, on my way to the magasin when out of nowhere two downward steps appear and send me flying onto my arse in between two innocent folks trying to have a chill moment. "Whoops!!" This time around there was more laughter, a hearty attention, madame! from one of those folks, and a brisk, ça va! from me.
I'm so not looking forward to tomorrow, it's supposed to rain and who knows how my balance will fare on slick Parisian steps. Maybe I should look into taking walking or stair-climbing lessons after my French class.
I literally typed this into my phone on my way to the metro after nearly becoming windshield splatter on someone's car yesterday morning. There's a blind-spot on one of the crosswalks that I pass on my way across the peripherique to the metro station. Since the person on the other end of the crosswalk has a full view of the oncoming traffic, I (as well as the rest of the confident travelers on my side of the crosswalk) generally tend to think that once they've realized no cars are coming and start walking across the pavement, it's safe for our side to forge ahead (even when the little crosswalk man is red). This has been failsafe until yesterday morning, when someone didn't get the memo and decided it'd be ok to walk into oncoming traffic whilst totally disregarding the Peugeot and Volkswagen that were racing to make the green light. Oh, merde! I and two other half-asleep Parisians, needless to say, picked up the pace after realizing we were in the path of a few honk-happy commuters who were probably still half asleep and likely willing to rid the city of a few pedestrians if they could make it through the stale vert light.
That's not the only note I'm writing to myself these days. Note number two: Steps are deadly, try to avoid walking on them in public at all costs.
Yesterday, while walking up the measly four steps to my school building, instead of putting one foot on one step and the other foot on the next step, I decided to forget a step altogether and fell nearly flat on my face just in front of two students (or maybe teachers), spilling my piping hot espresso all over the marble floor and my pants. Not knowing what language I spoke, one of them asked if I was ok in about three different languages and then proceeded to ask me in French if I needed to go to the hospital. I didn't really know how to react - I just said, no...shrugged...gave an awkward smile and brushed myself off. I'm still cringing from that.
Still, not comprehending this very new invention called stairs, I found myself once again conversing with the marble, but this time in front of everyone and their mom at one of Paris' busiest places - Les Halles. I was carelessly strolling through the square, on my way to the magasin when out of nowhere two downward steps appear and send me flying onto my arse in between two innocent folks trying to have a chill moment. "Whoops!!" This time around there was more laughter, a hearty attention, madame! from one of those folks, and a brisk, ça va! from me.
I'm so not looking forward to tomorrow, it's supposed to rain and who knows how my balance will fare on slick Parisian steps. Maybe I should look into taking walking or stair-climbing lessons after my French class.
Funny French Phobias
I've been learning a lot more than just the French language in my daily French classes. This week, a few new nationalities were added to the mix of students, including two peeps from Turkey, one from China, one from Korea and two from Japan. So, today we got to talking about where one could access the internet should one need to while staying in Paris. Let's see, there are cybercafes (pronounced see-bare cah-fay), internet cafes, taxi-phones and several bars around the city that provide internet access for a fee. I also suggested the public parks in town that provide WiFi for free, which was followed by a raised eyebrow and accompanying frown from my French teacher who said she'd be scared to have her laptop stolen if she used it at the park. Then, I thought to myself, "oooh, so that's why people have been looking at me funny - they think I'm the local snob showing off my electronic goods instead of keeping them safely stored at home who might get what's coming to me if I keep parading my laptop around in public." Good to know.
So, then the topic of discussion turned to French libraries. It's a sad truth that I've never stepped foot in a library in France. Not that I don't have any desire to, but it never seemed to serve much purpose for me as a non-French-speaking/reading resident. I imagine I'll make my way to a library once I've mastered the French language (or get more curious), but can't be sure that will be anytime soon. But, back to phobias. So, our teacher starts to tell us all the great things we can do at the library - like check out books for free, listen to music, and even use the internet...maybe. That's when she tells us that many libraries in France no longer allow WiFi throughout the building because librarians were complaining of headaches. "From the sound of people typing," I curiously ask. No, from the waves emitted by the WiFi. To which I respond with an unsavory and inappropriate snicker. (It totally slipped out.) Needless to say my teacher wasn't laughing with me, and her face had a dead serious look on it when I finally looked up. "Mais, c'est vrais!" I didn't want to be rude, but I had to voice my opinion, so I just told her that maybe it was true, but it's just très français. I know I'm going to sound like a generalist here, but it's just to make clear my thoughts on why something like this is "very French." Since I've been living here (the entire time with a Frenchie), I've learned a lot about French folks - about their habits, their traditions, their prejudices and even about their phobias. What I find most interesting for sure are their phobias. Even Gui comes up with the strangest explanations for certain ailments or complications that usually invoke a similar snicker from me. So, here are a few of the common phobias I've come across:
Fans: Having a fan on - especially at night while you're sleeping - is very bad for your health and causes respiratory problems.
Air Conditioners: A/Cs promote too much change in your body's temperature during the summertime, which can cause you to get sick. Also, A/Cs push dust into the air and cause respiratory problems.
Ice: Ice is too cold for your stomach to digest properly, thus shouldn't be consumed often or in large quantities.
(*edit) S'mores: The black carbon (?) from roasted marshmallows, if eaten, causes cancer.
They all have some kind of valid reasoning behind them, but as a foreigner, I find them a bit strange (I guess just as foreigner to Texas might find it odd or revolting that we keep the A/C on even in winter and drink 44 ounces of liquid submerged in ice while driving). There's really no way for me to know if they're right or not, and that's not really the point anyway. I figure they've been feeling this way and doing what they do much longer than me, so maybe they're onto something. I don't know. Perhaps a lot of it, too, is just phobic hand-me-downs that have been around forever like ghost stories or fairy tales. If there is any truth behind their reasoning, though (especially for the WiFi waves), I'm afraid there are going to be a lot of heads aching in Mountain View, CA.
So, then the topic of discussion turned to French libraries. It's a sad truth that I've never stepped foot in a library in France. Not that I don't have any desire to, but it never seemed to serve much purpose for me as a non-French-speaking/reading resident. I imagine I'll make my way to a library once I've mastered the French language (or get more curious), but can't be sure that will be anytime soon. But, back to phobias. So, our teacher starts to tell us all the great things we can do at the library - like check out books for free, listen to music, and even use the internet...maybe. That's when she tells us that many libraries in France no longer allow WiFi throughout the building because librarians were complaining of headaches. "From the sound of people typing," I curiously ask. No, from the waves emitted by the WiFi. To which I respond with an unsavory and inappropriate snicker. (It totally slipped out.) Needless to say my teacher wasn't laughing with me, and her face had a dead serious look on it when I finally looked up. "Mais, c'est vrais!" I didn't want to be rude, but I had to voice my opinion, so I just told her that maybe it was true, but it's just très français. I know I'm going to sound like a generalist here, but it's just to make clear my thoughts on why something like this is "very French." Since I've been living here (the entire time with a Frenchie), I've learned a lot about French folks - about their habits, their traditions, their prejudices and even about their phobias. What I find most interesting for sure are their phobias. Even Gui comes up with the strangest explanations for certain ailments or complications that usually invoke a similar snicker from me. So, here are a few of the common phobias I've come across:
Fans: Having a fan on - especially at night while you're sleeping - is very bad for your health and causes respiratory problems.
Air Conditioners: A/Cs promote too much change in your body's temperature during the summertime, which can cause you to get sick. Also, A/Cs push dust into the air and cause respiratory problems.
Ice: Ice is too cold for your stomach to digest properly, thus shouldn't be consumed often or in large quantities.
(*edit) S'mores: The black carbon (?) from roasted marshmallows, if eaten, causes cancer.
They all have some kind of valid reasoning behind them, but as a foreigner, I find them a bit strange (I guess just as foreigner to Texas might find it odd or revolting that we keep the A/C on even in winter and drink 44 ounces of liquid submerged in ice while driving). There's really no way for me to know if they're right or not, and that's not really the point anyway. I figure they've been feeling this way and doing what they do much longer than me, so maybe they're onto something. I don't know. Perhaps a lot of it, too, is just phobic hand-me-downs that have been around forever like ghost stories or fairy tales. If there is any truth behind their reasoning, though (especially for the WiFi waves), I'm afraid there are going to be a lot of heads aching in Mountain View, CA.
Sad that I missed this...
...but glad I have two months to catch it. I need to pay more attention to the news these days. I found out this morning that I missed this in honor of the EU presidency being turned over to France for the next six months. Glad that "y.caradec" took photos for all to share in its magnificent blue glory. I'll try to get some pictures of my own, but I'm not promising anything.
10 p.m. on Sunday
Fête de la musique
(FYI: The videos below are not the best quality and the sound can be a bit loud.)
Every year France opens its streets to musicians of all sorts for one full Saturday. Streets get jam-packed full of pedestrians, and at every corner a new genre of music envelops the block. After being comatose for a few hours in the early afternoon, we met up with some friends and headed out to the heart of Paris where we planned to catch some Rugby then follow the crowds towards the sounds of drums, amped-up guitars and synthesizers.
The first show we happened upon was drawing all kinds of foot traffic. It was some sort of orchestra-ish act, complete with trumpets, tubas, and other various instruments that had the street up in a roar. (I somehow only snapped video of the beginning/tamest part of the show.)
Moving along, we found ourselves in between two shows - one heavy metal act that was far too loud and totally unappealing to me and a strange, funky, not-sure-what-kind-of-music duo who had a more "mature" crowd engaged. Too bad the music from the "thrashers" across the street was trickling into the other band's show.
On our way to see a friend's band perform, we stopped to listen to a bit of jazz. It was meh.
The highlight of the fête was the last show we caught with an amazing singer (who we found out later is SIX months pregnant...and barely even showing!) and a band that included a very cool violinist, too (sorry, the clip sucks).
It was such a cool experience, and the fact that all of France opens its doors to showcase its talent is the most amazing thing. Sure, there are negative consequences to having so many people take over the streets of a major city...
... (and by the end of the night, it was at least three times as bad - hey, at least people were trying) but, it promotes the artistic abilities of every citizen, and it's what makes Paris such a cosmopolitan city. Here are a few more snippets from our day in the heart of Paris.
Every year France opens its streets to musicians of all sorts for one full Saturday. Streets get jam-packed full of pedestrians, and at every corner a new genre of music envelops the block. After being comatose for a few hours in the early afternoon, we met up with some friends and headed out to the heart of Paris where we planned to catch some Rugby then follow the crowds towards the sounds of drums, amped-up guitars and synthesizers.
The first show we happened upon was drawing all kinds of foot traffic. It was some sort of orchestra-ish act, complete with trumpets, tubas, and other various instruments that had the street up in a roar. (I somehow only snapped video of the beginning/tamest part of the show.)
Moving along, we found ourselves in between two shows - one heavy metal act that was far too loud and totally unappealing to me and a strange, funky, not-sure-what-kind-of-music duo who had a more "mature" crowd engaged. Too bad the music from the "thrashers" across the street was trickling into the other band's show.
On our way to see a friend's band perform, we stopped to listen to a bit of jazz. It was meh.
The highlight of the fête was the last show we caught with an amazing singer (who we found out later is SIX months pregnant...and barely even showing!) and a band that included a very cool violinist, too (sorry, the clip sucks).
It was such a cool experience, and the fact that all of France opens its doors to showcase its talent is the most amazing thing. Sure, there are negative consequences to having so many people take over the streets of a major city...
... (and by the end of the night, it was at least three times as bad - hey, at least people were trying) but, it promotes the artistic abilities of every citizen, and it's what makes Paris such a cosmopolitan city. Here are a few more snippets from our day in the heart of Paris.
So much in so little time
Gui and I accomplished so much today. It was yet another day off for him, and poor guy didn't even get to sleep in this morning. There was too much to do! Around 9:15 we headed to the Champs-Elysees to sign the documents for our new flat!! Yes, we're proud key-holders of a very lovely apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt, just southwest of the peripherique. Let me just say that getting an apartment in Paris is NOTHING like getting one in the States. It seriously felt like I was signing a mortgage, not a lease. We had to initial every single page of a nearly 50-page packet of documents three times so we could have three originals. And on top of paying a deposit and the first month's rent, we had to fork over nearly 900 euros for a stupid placement fee...yeah, money that we'll never see again that's going to pay this woman who's giving my hand a cramp. I think it's ludicrous, but I guess that's how they roll here. After signing our lives away ('seems like we're doing that a lot lately), we swung by our new pad to check the place out; the las time we were there, the floors were covered with plastic and the place was getting a fresh coat of paint causing the entire floor to stink of turpentine. This time, it was in a lovely state - the floors are really nice and we discovered a few things that we hadn't really paid much attention to before - like the nice mirrors on the hallway wall and the small but very functional window in the bathroom. I think we'll be happy here for a while.
After a tried and failed attempt to take a short nap, we rushed over to the prefecture (administrative offices for the town) to get a clear understanding of what we needed to start the carte de sejour process. It was a pretty hysterical moment for me - facing the reality of all the stories I'd read about this process. It was almost as if a dream I'd been having for so long was turning into a very real and tangible situation...the administrator was just as I'd pictured - wearing an armpit-stained shirt and a hellish scowl across her face. To begin with, we didn't have a number because the number dispenser was dispensing tickets that said they were closed. Luckily, Gui's mom came with us (she does this for a living, so we wanted her input) and she told us to just go to the first floor and wait in line. We found the line that wasn't calling numbers and stood in it. When the window became available, the woman asked us what we needed and then asked if we had a number. Of course we didn't have one (and she knew damn well that they weren't handing them out), but when she spotted a crumpled ticket that said service fermé, she picked it up and said "oh, ok, there's your ticket, now go ahead, what do you need?" So, after she proved her point (that we need to have a ticket, even if it's not a ticket at all, but we need to at least appear to have tried to take a ticket before even thinking about coming to her window), we proceeded with requesting the information about the cds. We had no intention of doing anything but picking up a list of required documents for our next meeting, but she made it clear that she was going to examine all the things she requested (my passport, Guillaume's identity card, our marriage certificate) before doing anything else or answering anymore questions. After looking over our stuff, and not saying much, she finally said, "You've got an appointment, so you'll need to bring the following documents with you to that appointment." No mention of the date, time or location of the appointment, but just that we got one! When we inquired more about this elusive rendezvous, she simply said it was "Thursday at 3pm." Gui can't just leave work whenever he wants, so he asked if he could pick the date and time. That's when she clarified that the appointment was scheduled for 3 months from now - Thursday, August 1st. So, we left it at that, took the paperwork that shows what we need to bring back in August (and is required for me to travel to and from France until then), and went on our way. That's when she finally gave a toothy grin and asked us to have a nice day. I guess it just takes some time for French folks to warm up to you.
Well, that was our day today. We tried to take care of some banking business, but were only able to schedule an appointment for the end of the month...better than nothing. Tomorrow's another early day - we get to check out our wedding photos (yay!!) and start some furniture shopping at Ikea (double-yay!!). We still have so much to do, but the important stuff is at least on the right track towards accomplishment! Things are looking peachy.
Two
There are two important things I need to blog about.
Firstly, Guillaume and I will be heading to Austin for some fun with friends and famille from June 1st-8th. But, first, we're going to be spending the weekend of May 30th in San Antonio (can you believe Gui's never been?!), enjoying some yummy food at Mi Tierra, the Riverwalk and who knows, maybe even a [pitcher of] margarita[s] or ten. We're super-stoked about a Texas visit, so if you're going to be in Austin for that week, make plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, steak-night, brunch, happy-hour, or whatever other event that involves food and drink (Texas-style, of course) with Guillaume and me. I'm really excited about him finally returning to Texas (this time as my husband...OMG!) to catch up with friends, but I'm still a little nervous about his first encounter with all my aunts, uncles and cousins! He seems to be looking forward to it, and I know it's going to be a good time, but my family can be a bit...hmmm...loud...crazy...strange! I mean, look at me for goodness' sake!
Now for my second bit of news. I'M NOW AN OFFICIAL FRENCH FAMILY MEMBER! Well, at least according to France. I got my visa today that certifies me as a "family of French," which is probably more appropriately translated as "family to a French person," but seriously it says famille de francais. Anyway, all I know is I'm official. I have two months to get my resident card from the local prefecture in Boulogne-Billancourt (where Gui and I have decided to get an apartment...oh dear, I think I need to add another bit of news here, but it's not really official yet, so I'll wait until we actually have a signed lease, but either way we're living in Boulogne so I'm still going to their prefecture), then I'll be set to work, study and altogether settle in France! We plan to make a visit to the prefecture within two weeks of my arrival in Paris so we can get the ball rolling asap. I need to work, yo. Well, I need to study French first, actually, but I still need my resident card before I can do that, so there you go.
I must add that the French consulate in Houston is really nice, as are the two women who work there. Of course, there was a bit of paperwork that they required that was indicated NO WHERE on their website as required for my particular visa, but it was no biggie. Thank the heavens I way over-prepared and brought copies of just about any paperwork with my or Gui's name on it, just in case.
It was a really pleasant ordeal, actually. I was an hour and a half early for my appointment, but they saw me within an hour and I was out of there with a shiny, new visa glued in my passport before my appointment was supposed to commence. Good stuff. It was a far cry from the near mayhem and crazy lines I saw at the American Embassy in Paris, but I guess the US is slightly bigger than France, so...
Firstly, Guillaume and I will be heading to Austin for some fun with friends and famille from June 1st-8th. But, first, we're going to be spending the weekend of May 30th in San Antonio (can you believe Gui's never been?!), enjoying some yummy food at Mi Tierra, the Riverwalk and who knows, maybe even a [pitcher of] margarita[s] or ten. We're super-stoked about a Texas visit, so if you're going to be in Austin for that week, make plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, steak-night, brunch, happy-hour, or whatever other event that involves food and drink (Texas-style, of course) with Guillaume and me. I'm really excited about him finally returning to Texas (this time as my husband...OMG!) to catch up with friends, but I'm still a little nervous about his first encounter with all my aunts, uncles and cousins! He seems to be looking forward to it, and I know it's going to be a good time, but my family can be a bit...hmmm...loud...crazy...strange! I mean, look at me for goodness' sake!
Now for my second bit of news. I'M NOW AN OFFICIAL FRENCH FAMILY MEMBER! Well, at least according to France. I got my visa today that certifies me as a "family of French," which is probably more appropriately translated as "family to a French person," but seriously it says famille de francais. Anyway, all I know is I'm official. I have two months to get my resident card from the local prefecture in Boulogne-Billancourt (where Gui and I have decided to get an apartment...oh dear, I think I need to add another bit of news here, but it's not really official yet, so I'll wait until we actually have a signed lease, but either way we're living in Boulogne so I'm still going to their prefecture), then I'll be set to work, study and altogether settle in France! We plan to make a visit to the prefecture within two weeks of my arrival in Paris so we can get the ball rolling asap. I need to work, yo. Well, I need to study French first, actually, but I still need my resident card before I can do that, so there you go.
I must add that the French consulate in Houston is really nice, as are the two women who work there. Of course, there was a bit of paperwork that they required that was indicated NO WHERE on their website as required for my particular visa, but it was no biggie. Thank the heavens I way over-prepared and brought copies of just about any paperwork with my or Gui's name on it, just in case.
It was a really pleasant ordeal, actually. I was an hour and a half early for my appointment, but they saw me within an hour and I was out of there with a shiny, new visa glued in my passport before my appointment was supposed to commence. Good stuff. It was a far cry from the near mayhem and crazy lines I saw at the American Embassy in Paris, but I guess the US is slightly bigger than France, so...
I'm like OMG!
My mama is coming to Paris and I'm SO stoked! I can't believe in just 12 short hours I'll be waiting for her at the Charles de Gaulle baggage claim, ready to drag her around this crazy city with me. It will be surreal. It's her first trip across the pond - across any pond, really, and I feel blessed that I get to take her places she's only read about in books. I love my mom beyond words, and this will no doubt be an experience of a lifetime for me - for us both!
Can you believe this is the ONLY picture I have on my computer of me with my mom?!! We will just have to do something about that, now won't we?! Geesh!
Way overdue photos
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to post these - I've had them uploaded for at least 2 weeks! But, alas, here they are at last.
PARIS WITH FRIENDS
BRUSSELS & AMSTERDAM
BACK IN THE STATES
PARIS WITH FRIENDS
BRUSSELS & AMSTERDAM
BACK IN THE STATES
I'm baaack!
I don't even know where to begin. So much has happened since my last posting. My wonderful friends came to visit me and Gui in Paris. We had such a great time here and really enjoyed the short side-trips to Brussels and Amsterdam. Brussels is my new favorite place...whoever created that city has my greatest thanks. We all kept a beer diary throughout our trip and filled our diary with entries of every new beer we could treat our taste-buds to. Of course no trip to Belgium could be complete without indulging in chocolate and of course, mussels in Brussels!
We had the time of our lives in Belgium, which might explain my lukewarm experience in Amsterdam. The city, history and architecture are beautiful; the people and the atmosphere are another story. My two favorite moments in Amsterdam were 1) the trip to Anne Frank's old house (I didn't want to leave - so amazing), and 2) the canal boat ride through the city at sundown. Overall, the trip was a great success. We had a ton of fun, and it was great to see my friends on the other side of the pond.
(pictures from the trips to come soon...)
I spent my last 10 days in France sharing as much of my time with Guillaume as possible and trying to organize my affairs for my return back to the States. I've been back now for 3 weeks, and it feels like so much longer. Being apart from Gui never gets any easier. This time was particularly difficult. In the past, we'd always managed to work out a way to spend most of the year together, but this time was a little different. We had come to a crossroads where both of us were embarking on journeys towards our long-term goals, and neither of us knew when we'd see the other next. For us, it made no sense to make plans for our futures without considering how the other would fit in it. So, long story short, we are now making plans for me to indefinitely return to Paris in May after we exchange our vows on April 26th this year. It's the most wonderful feeling to be on the same path with the person I love, and to know that we'll no longer have to tailor our separate lives to be together. I'll be posting my experiences and obstacles throughout the transition, many of which I'm sure will be very difficult and frustrating. But, it is almost an understatement to say that these days I'm a very happy girl.
We had the time of our lives in Belgium, which might explain my lukewarm experience in Amsterdam. The city, history and architecture are beautiful; the people and the atmosphere are another story. My two favorite moments in Amsterdam were 1) the trip to Anne Frank's old house (I didn't want to leave - so amazing), and 2) the canal boat ride through the city at sundown. Overall, the trip was a great success. We had a ton of fun, and it was great to see my friends on the other side of the pond.
(pictures from the trips to come soon...)
I spent my last 10 days in France sharing as much of my time with Guillaume as possible and trying to organize my affairs for my return back to the States. I've been back now for 3 weeks, and it feels like so much longer. Being apart from Gui never gets any easier. This time was particularly difficult. In the past, we'd always managed to work out a way to spend most of the year together, but this time was a little different. We had come to a crossroads where both of us were embarking on journeys towards our long-term goals, and neither of us knew when we'd see the other next. For us, it made no sense to make plans for our futures without considering how the other would fit in it. So, long story short, we are now making plans for me to indefinitely return to Paris in May after we exchange our vows on April 26th this year. It's the most wonderful feeling to be on the same path with the person I love, and to know that we'll no longer have to tailor our separate lives to be together. I'll be posting my experiences and obstacles throughout the transition, many of which I'm sure will be very difficult and frustrating. But, it is almost an understatement to say that these days I'm a very happy girl.
New Year's Eve in a nutshell
Ok, so you've probably realized I've been a bit behind on posting about our New Year's Eve celebration. Well, that's mostly because I haven't had the time (i.e. patience) to upload all of the pictures we took from the celebration into an album. So, I decided I'd just post a few pics that highlight the night. We celebrated with good friends of Guillaume who live in Clamart (where he grew up), and it seems everyone he grew up with was in attendance. I spoke the most French I've spoken since I've arrived here (that's what happens after one-too-many glasses of celebratory champagne, I guess), and we both started the new year with sugar-filled bellies (thanks to the mountains of Haribo products at arms-length), beacoup bisous (I've never seen so many guys with girlfriends kiss each other) and big smiles. We even danced - who dances at house parties anymore, you ask. The French jeunes - and so do their girlfriends! :) Definitely a NYE celebration for the books.
beaucoup bisous = lots of kisses
jeunes = what France refers to as their young population
beaucoup bisous = lots of kisses
jeunes = what France refers to as their young population
Christmas Review
So, it took me longer than I thought (I'm sure my procrastination had a little to do with it, too), but here are the pics from my first Christmas in France. We started the celebration on the 24th, with Guillaume's dad's family. It was my first time being exposed to such massive quantities of unlimited food and drink. It seemed like it was never going to end. I overindulged to the point of near-sickness, but it was a good training course for the rest of the week.
On Christmas day, we set out for Guillaume's grandfather's property in Marcq. We spent Christmas day and the day after there, and had a really nice, relaxing time mostly indoors by the fire. Guillaume got to show me the tree he used to climb when he was a kid and we dined on turkey (which I, surprisingly, didn't take pictures of) and the usuals - foie gras, cheese, cake. Before we left, Monique (Gui's grandmother) served us up some of her special spaghetti (Guillaume's favorite). It was to-die-for and perfect before hitting the road back home.
After an evening of rest, we headed out on the 27th to a Russian restaurant to exchange Christmas wishes and gifts with Gui's uncle and cousin. It was a nice change of (eating-)pace, and my first experience eating true Russian food. I had the beef stroganoff as my main course, and it was really great - nothing like the Hamburger Helper I ate in college. :) I also discovered the reason Russian vodka is more expensive - it's so much better! I've had colonel's before (lemon sorbet swimming in vodka), but I usually have problems finishing the vodka after I've finished the sorbet. Not this time! It was a very tasty meal, and wonderful way to finish off the Christmas celebrations.
As for New Year's Eve, I'll have to work on updating my blog with those pics tomorrow. Suffice it to say it was a very good time with LOTS of friends and, of course, lots of food and champagne.
On Christmas day, we set out for Guillaume's grandfather's property in Marcq. We spent Christmas day and the day after there, and had a really nice, relaxing time mostly indoors by the fire. Guillaume got to show me the tree he used to climb when he was a kid and we dined on turkey (which I, surprisingly, didn't take pictures of) and the usuals - foie gras, cheese, cake. Before we left, Monique (Gui's grandmother) served us up some of her special spaghetti (Guillaume's favorite). It was to-die-for and perfect before hitting the road back home.
After an evening of rest, we headed out on the 27th to a Russian restaurant to exchange Christmas wishes and gifts with Gui's uncle and cousin. It was a nice change of (eating-)pace, and my first experience eating true Russian food. I had the beef stroganoff as my main course, and it was really great - nothing like the Hamburger Helper I ate in college. :) I also discovered the reason Russian vodka is more expensive - it's so much better! I've had colonel's before (lemon sorbet swimming in vodka), but I usually have problems finishing the vodka after I've finished the sorbet. Not this time! It was a very tasty meal, and wonderful way to finish off the Christmas celebrations.
As for New Year's Eve, I'll have to work on updating my blog with those pics tomorrow. Suffice it to say it was a very good time with LOTS of friends and, of course, lots of food and champagne.
Margot & moi
On Thursday, I had the pleasure of babysitting Guillaume's second-cousin, Margot, while her parents worked and Guillaume went off for a job interview. She's such a sweet girl, and I realized there is definitely a difference between little girls and boys. I don't have any little girls in my family, so it was a new, but very fun, experience watching Margot for a day. We started off with a chilly (and short) walk outside after breakfast, and spent the rest of the day playing, dancing and reading with a short nap in-between. Guillaume came back after her nap, but after a few minutes of playing, he caught-up on some sleep himself. We had a fun day, but she sure was pooped by the time her papa came home.
Rude reality
I've never considered myself a patient person - in fact, I'll often declare myself the opposite. But, what's up with the I-refuse-to-wait-for-any-reason attitude of older French folks? I know it's not news, and yes, it's a stereotype, but people here simply refuse to wait their turn! Last weekend, Guillaume and I were waiting to be seated at a small restaurant with nearly no seats available when an elderly (like senior citizen) couple dashed ahead of us with "pardon, pardon" only to jump into a rare available booth, whilst rudely disturbing the neighboring table. Today, while we were waiting our turn in line to see the exhibition, a group of old folks, once again, jutted ahead of the line to get in first. What's up with that? I find myself even more patient than ever here, as I refrain from scolding the elderly, but I'm also becoming ruder myself, I think. After failed attempts to be polite by saying hello, apologizing for a bump, or giving a smile, I've reverted to the French glare and snob-approach. And I don't agree with those people who say, "Well, it's because Americans are all so fake-nice and French are just real," because if that's the case, then I never want to live in a place that makes people's reality equate to rudeness and scowling. Sure, you'll find the fake friendliness in the States, but I'd rather someone's fake smile provoke me to smile than someone's real scowl provoke me to scowl.
Un bon apetit
We've been pretty busy the past few days - mostly with Christmas planning and shopping, meeting up with friends and family and spending time with each other. On Sunday, Guillaume and I met up with his aunt for a drink in a really famous area in Paris. We had spent some time in Bastille the night before with a friend of Guillaume's, having a bottle of wine and some tapas before heading out to a crowded Parisian bar where we met a few cool peeps and sipped our drinks. I made the mistake of letting Guillaume order my drink and I ended up taking 20 minutes to finish 2 ounces of alcohol!! I still had a good time, trying to speak some French without being made fun of and watching the bartenders crush ice from a small bucket with a wooden mallet.
Sunday evening was equally fun, and we ended up walking around Victor Hugo's old 'hood before tackling a pitcher of agave margaritas at a Mexican cantina. It was such a treat! I want to go back to this cantina to try out their tapas because the nostalgic smells of spices and herbs were totally teasing my full stomach. We had a really good time with Guillaume's aunt - she so super cool and I can't wait to hang out with her again, which will probably be around Christmas when we all get together.
Last night we treated Guillaume's mom to a choucroute dinner (with a fresh oysters appetizer) on the Champs Elysees, which was très magnifique!! Gui and I had been to this restaurant before and enjoyed the same meal equally as much the second time as the first, so his mère was very happy!
We'll be staying in Boulogne-Billancourt for the next 2 days, which is a pretty nice and trendy area in barely-suburban Paris. It'll be nice to be a little closer to the city, within walking distance of a metro station, too! We have a lot planned for the next couple of weeks - Guillaume's sister comes in from London tomorrow, there's a trip to the museum set up and a dinner party to attend next week, and there's still some Christmas shopping to be done! We haven't done anything extravagant (mostly eating, drinking and being merry), but I feel like we're go-go-go all the time! I guess that's the way it works around here, and I'm happy to conform - for now, at least. :)
Sunday evening was equally fun, and we ended up walking around Victor Hugo's old 'hood before tackling a pitcher of agave margaritas at a Mexican cantina. It was such a treat! I want to go back to this cantina to try out their tapas because the nostalgic smells of spices and herbs were totally teasing my full stomach. We had a really good time with Guillaume's aunt - she so super cool and I can't wait to hang out with her again, which will probably be around Christmas when we all get together.
Last night we treated Guillaume's mom to a choucroute dinner (with a fresh oysters appetizer) on the Champs Elysees, which was très magnifique!! Gui and I had been to this restaurant before and enjoyed the same meal equally as much the second time as the first, so his mère was very happy!
We'll be staying in Boulogne-Billancourt for the next 2 days, which is a pretty nice and trendy area in barely-suburban Paris. It'll be nice to be a little closer to the city, within walking distance of a metro station, too! We have a lot planned for the next couple of weeks - Guillaume's sister comes in from London tomorrow, there's a trip to the museum set up and a dinner party to attend next week, and there's still some Christmas shopping to be done! We haven't done anything extravagant (mostly eating, drinking and being merry), but I feel like we're go-go-go all the time! I guess that's the way it works around here, and I'm happy to conform - for now, at least. :)
Invasion sirens in 2007?
While I was putting on a pair of earrings this afternoon, I heard one of the strangest sounds I've ever heard. Is there a tornado? Should we go hide somewhere? Why am I the only one stirring at this very odd sound? I stepped out of our room and asked Guillaume "What is that??" So, apparently, sirens are tested every first Wednesday at noon in case there is ever an invasion - or other disaster. I'm not sure how much this will help, I bet everyone is well aware what they need to do, but I still find it so strange that this practice still continues today.
Planes, trains and small cars
So, I made it! The flight from Memphis to Amsterdam wasn't awful, but I only managed a short nap for the entire 8-hour flight. Usually, I try to get some sleep on the plane ride over so I can adjust more easily to the time change, but this time my insomnia was in full-force.
I spent only a few hours in Amsterdam, but it was so early and the weather seemed so bad that I didn't mind that I spent those hours trying to catch some sleep. Finally, I got to Paris, and I was so stoked that I didn't have to go through customs! I guess since I'd entered a Schengen country already, it wasn't necessary for them to check us again. Guillaume arrived at the terminal a bit late - he got a little turned around at the airport - imagine that! But, nearly 3 hours later, I finally arrived in Chatillon - the traffic in Paris around 5pm was absurd!
We've pretty much been non-stop since I arrived last week. I feel like I've been here a month already, but there's still so much I want to do! Mostly, we've been meeting up with Guillaume's friends and family in Paris. On Sunday, I got to meet all of Guillaume's cousins from his father's side of the family, and also his grandmother, which was a little intimidating. Luckily, she was incredibly nice and patient with me. For the most part, everyone's been able to communicate with me on some level, but lately Guillaume's finding himself with a new profession as a translator. We met up with his family at his dad's apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt for delicious desserts including apple tart, pear cake, belgian chocolates, coffee, clementines and other sugary delights. It was very comfortable and everyone was so sweet - trying to speak English or teach me a bit a French, and I was able to understand quite a bit of their conversations in French. One of Guillaume's cousins and her husband have a gorgeous little girl named Margot, and we offered to babysit for them at any time. She's so sweet and I'll probably benefit more from babysitting her than anything else since most of her books are on the same level of comprehension that I'm on!!
On Sunday night, we met up with a friend to see the movie "We Own the Night" which was showing in English with French subtitles. It was actually a really cool movie, and I think watching it with subtitles was really good for me.
So, I guess that's kind of the update on what we've been doing. If there's one thing that I wish I could change about Paris, it's the smoking. I know things will change on February 1, but not one day passes when I don't inhale someone's secondhand smoke. And, unfortunately, all of the places we go to meet friends and have a drink are pretty much smoke-factories, so there's just no escaping it. I guess it's the price I'll pay (for now) for the perks that come with being here - like the food! I've eaten so well since I've arrived - maybe not as much as I'd like to, but definitely enough. :) I've had cheese galore, steak, ratatouille, saucisson, creamy soup, fresh fruit and veggies, good coffee and the most amazing panini baguette I've ever tasted! Oh, and one more thing I'd like to change about Paris is the selection of beer - man, I never realized how spoiled we are in the states with the beer selection! My goodness, it costs nearly $7 to get a decent-tasting beer anywhere around here!! I guess I'll have to wait until we make that trip to Belgium in February!!
A la prochaine...
I spent only a few hours in Amsterdam, but it was so early and the weather seemed so bad that I didn't mind that I spent those hours trying to catch some sleep. Finally, I got to Paris, and I was so stoked that I didn't have to go through customs! I guess since I'd entered a Schengen country already, it wasn't necessary for them to check us again. Guillaume arrived at the terminal a bit late - he got a little turned around at the airport - imagine that! But, nearly 3 hours later, I finally arrived in Chatillon - the traffic in Paris around 5pm was absurd!
We've pretty much been non-stop since I arrived last week. I feel like I've been here a month already, but there's still so much I want to do! Mostly, we've been meeting up with Guillaume's friends and family in Paris. On Sunday, I got to meet all of Guillaume's cousins from his father's side of the family, and also his grandmother, which was a little intimidating. Luckily, she was incredibly nice and patient with me. For the most part, everyone's been able to communicate with me on some level, but lately Guillaume's finding himself with a new profession as a translator. We met up with his family at his dad's apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt for delicious desserts including apple tart, pear cake, belgian chocolates, coffee, clementines and other sugary delights. It was very comfortable and everyone was so sweet - trying to speak English or teach me a bit a French, and I was able to understand quite a bit of their conversations in French. One of Guillaume's cousins and her husband have a gorgeous little girl named Margot, and we offered to babysit for them at any time. She's so sweet and I'll probably benefit more from babysitting her than anything else since most of her books are on the same level of comprehension that I'm on!!
On Sunday night, we met up with a friend to see the movie "We Own the Night" which was showing in English with French subtitles. It was actually a really cool movie, and I think watching it with subtitles was really good for me.
So, I guess that's kind of the update on what we've been doing. If there's one thing that I wish I could change about Paris, it's the smoking. I know things will change on February 1, but not one day passes when I don't inhale someone's secondhand smoke. And, unfortunately, all of the places we go to meet friends and have a drink are pretty much smoke-factories, so there's just no escaping it. I guess it's the price I'll pay (for now) for the perks that come with being here - like the food! I've eaten so well since I've arrived - maybe not as much as I'd like to, but definitely enough. :) I've had cheese galore, steak, ratatouille, saucisson, creamy soup, fresh fruit and veggies, good coffee and the most amazing panini baguette I've ever tasted! Oh, and one more thing I'd like to change about Paris is the selection of beer - man, I never realized how spoiled we are in the states with the beer selection! My goodness, it costs nearly $7 to get a decent-tasting beer anywhere around here!! I guess I'll have to wait until we make that trip to Belgium in February!!
A la prochaine...
Ma nouvelle apparence
translation: my new look
Although it's likely to last for only a fleeting moment, I decided to spice up my blog with some festive colors. I'm not usually the festive type, but since this will be the first year I spend Christmas away from my family, the holiday somehow feels more important than usual. But, I'm really excited about how Christmas works in France, and I can't wait to see Paris in the dead of winter. The year I spent Thanksgiving in London was interesting, and although it's only an American holiday, it was cool to see people still celebrating with turkey and stuffing served at restaurants. But, I do remember missing the food and fun that usually warms my tummy and my heart during Turkey Day, so I'll likely have similar feelings while I'm celebrating Christmas with Guillaume and his family in Paris.
Besides the new look of my blog, I've starting thinking about how my own personal look might change while I'm away. I know I can be a chameleon of sorts, and usually change myself in some way to fit into a new crowd or a new place. So, I'm hesitant to buy the latest trendy sweater here before making my way to Europe where la mode is, likely, not on the same trend as Austin. Yesterday, after a six-hour brunch, I spent a total of $5.00 (parking!) for the entire day, mostly because I was indecisive about buying a pair of shoes here that I might not wear in France. That's definitely a new record for me!
Although it's likely to last for only a fleeting moment, I decided to spice up my blog with some festive colors. I'm not usually the festive type, but since this will be the first year I spend Christmas away from my family, the holiday somehow feels more important than usual. But, I'm really excited about how Christmas works in France, and I can't wait to see Paris in the dead of winter. The year I spent Thanksgiving in London was interesting, and although it's only an American holiday, it was cool to see people still celebrating with turkey and stuffing served at restaurants. But, I do remember missing the food and fun that usually warms my tummy and my heart during Turkey Day, so I'll likely have similar feelings while I'm celebrating Christmas with Guillaume and his family in Paris.
Besides the new look of my blog, I've starting thinking about how my own personal look might change while I'm away. I know I can be a chameleon of sorts, and usually change myself in some way to fit into a new crowd or a new place. So, I'm hesitant to buy the latest trendy sweater here before making my way to Europe where la mode is, likely, not on the same trend as Austin. Yesterday, after a six-hour brunch, I spent a total of $5.00 (parking!) for the entire day, mostly because I was indecisive about buying a pair of shoes here that I might not wear in France. That's definitely a new record for me!
What I'm going to miss: Version 2.0
So, before I left to California I posted this entry about the things I'd miss while I was away from Texas. This newer version is definitely expanded, since so many little things I take for granted will surely be difficult or impossible to find when I'm abroad. These are just the material things...of course my family and friends are implicitly what I'll miss most while I'm gone!
1) Mom's home-cookin' - be that roast, enchiladas, rice, chalupas, or chicken salad, there's nothing that tastes quite as good as when mom makes it!
2) Driving - even though I won't miss traffic or driving to work during rush hour, I think I'll miss the control that I feel when I'm driving my car; it's almost like that freedom to escape...just get in your car when you feel like it and drive wherever you want to go.
3) Breakfast tacos
4) Wearing flip flops any time of the year - I know you can't do that everywhere here, but you surely can in LA and Austin!
5) American reality TV - especially the really geeky stuff like The Bachelor or SYTYCD
6) Knowing where to find what I need - out of shave gel? gotta go to Target! need some pasta? taking a trip to HEB or Trader Joe's!
7) Fast food - I know I'm going to be living in, arguably, the best city for food in the world, but sometimes all a girl needs is a nice taco combo from Taco Cabana, a biggie-sized chili from Wendy's or a strawberry limeade from Sonic!
8) Friendly people - France (especially Paris) doesn't exactly have a medal for being home to the most approachable people.
...... I'll post more as I think of them!
1) Mom's home-cookin' - be that roast, enchiladas, rice, chalupas, or chicken salad, there's nothing that tastes quite as good as when mom makes it!
2) Driving - even though I won't miss traffic or driving to work during rush hour, I think I'll miss the control that I feel when I'm driving my car; it's almost like that freedom to escape...just get in your car when you feel like it and drive wherever you want to go.
3) Breakfast tacos
4) Wearing flip flops any time of the year - I know you can't do that everywhere here, but you surely can in LA and Austin!
5) American reality TV - especially the really geeky stuff like The Bachelor or SYTYCD
6) Knowing where to find what I need - out of shave gel? gotta go to Target! need some pasta? taking a trip to HEB or Trader Joe's!
7) Fast food - I know I'm going to be living in, arguably, the best city for food in the world, but sometimes all a girl needs is a nice taco combo from Taco Cabana, a biggie-sized chili from Wendy's or a strawberry limeade from Sonic!
8) Friendly people - France (especially Paris) doesn't exactly have a medal for being home to the most approachable people.
...... I'll post more as I think of them!
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