'Fall'ing back in love with France

It is officially Fall. It is COLD here! I had to ask my dad to ship my winter coat...brrr!

Last night was awesome. Before dinner I had Jameson with Jean's dad, and they served crackers with it. We sat in the study and talked. His dad said it wasn't everyday that you drink Jameson with someone who has been to the factory. :) Then, we had an amazing meal.

His mom made a broccoli and cheese casserole with pasta on the side. There was also a steak, kind of served a side dish, which I thought was kind of cool. They were very nice about me being veggie. The French usually drink water with their food from what I've experienced, and we also had red wine. After the main course there is dessert. The usual options are cheese, yogurt, fruit, or some kind of pudding/mousse. The chocolate pudding thing I had was deeeelish. Then, just when I thought it was over, there was MORE! Out came a chocolate torte, I guess is what I'll call it. Like a flat cake that was more like a brownie back home. With it came a giant bowl of some of the best raspberries and strawberries I have EVER had, which I was told came from their garden. It was amazing. I told them we don't have fruit like that back home. His brothers made me laugh and I tried my best to speak with them. His brother told me that they had some English speaking friends from Norway come to visit and his mom only made one mistake in English. She said, "Now we can all go to the chicken!" Kitchen and chicken do sound similar; I never thought about it. I hope my mistakes are that endearing. :-/

Jean's dad has a wonderful cozy den with books lining the walls, floor, tables, etc. It's like a mini-library. I loved it. After dinner we sat in there and he told me how he met the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. His dad is so cool!! He had a book about Los Angeles that we looked through together. He also had a picture of him and his wife in cowboy hats riding horses in New Mexico. I loved it. It was really good for me to listen to French like that, but it always tuckers me out after a while.

Today Jean's older brother Francois went and got me credit for the cell phone Jean is letting me borrow so I didn't have to find it, and in an hour or so I am going to head back to Paris on the train with him because I can stay with Maja again. His family has been so incredibly accommodating and nice. It is making me much happier to be here. I hope I can pay it forward someday.

Let them drink Leffe

The lady whose apartment we have been staying at came home today, and the date that my apartment will be ready keeps getting pushed back. I am excited to have my own shower but I am tired of squatting.

PARIS LESSON # 3: NOTHING HAPPENS IN A TIMELY MANNER.

I was supposed to see my friends Jean and Antoine on the weekend anyway so I figured I would see if one of them had any ideas for a temporary place to stay. Jean was my language partner when he studied at Grand Valley, and he introduced me to Antoine last summer. I could always check into a hostel, but I’d really rather not pay if I could help it. I got a text back from Antoine saying “You are welcomed at Jean’s house tonight!” and was very relieved. We took a train to Versailles and Maja grabbed dinner while we waited. My appetite has been really weird since I got here; sometimes I only eat one meal a day because I’m just not hungry. They came and then they took us to a bar and we each enjoyed a Leffe beer. As Jean says, “It is not Budweiser!” It’s a very tasty beer that really packs a punch. I’m surprised I can even taste the difference because at home I have no palate for beer whatsoever, but I can tell Leffe is good beer. We had a great time catching up and they ran into a friend from high school who apparently plays in a heavy metal band. The idea of a French heavy metal band cracks me up. Jean is dating a very sweet girl who was in France with my study abroad group last summer. It’s always nice to talk to other people who are going through long distance relationships because they understand what it is like.

We took Maja back to the train station and then we returned to Jean’s house. His brother gave up his bed for me! I felt so bad, I had no idea I was taking someone else’s room. It was so sweet of him, and he seemed genuinely happy to do it. I am so grateful. It is a relief to be with people I know and feel comfortable after the week I had. I feel so lucky to have French friends! Anyway, Jean is probably about to get up and I should go meet the rest of the family. J

**Update**

Jean’s parents are so nice! They served a traditional French breakfast. I had café au lait and toast with “Gelée de coing” or in English, quince jelly. I have no idea what quince is, but it was delicious. His mom even showed me a picture of one, but I don’t think we have them in the states…do we? She said it’s like a pear but harder. It was really good anyway. His dad is a big Bob Dylan fan and spoke English with me. Being in a home with a family makes me feel so happy.

We went to lunch with Antoine. We have all decided that to help our language skills that I will speak in French and they will answer in English so we all get some practice. I feel very comfortable speaking with them because they know what it is like to learn another language. That was the most French I have spoken so far, and it felt good. We played a really fun vocabulary game after we ate. For example, Jean would draw an airplane, and whoever said the word for it in their non-native language first got 2 points, and if they other person knew it they got one point. If you didn’t know it at all you got zero points. So, if I said “avion” first I’d get two points, if Antoine then said “plane” he got one. It might not sound fun, but there are always little miscommunications or strange translations that crack me up. I lost horribly but it really helped refresh my memory of some French vocabulary. I am constantly impressed with how good their English is. They have both spent a decent amount of time in English speaking countries, so maybe there is hope for me after all. J

Jean is leaving for a business trip very early tomorrow, so now he is resting and I am snuggled under a blanket in my temporary bed soaking up this free internet like crazy. He also left me some movies to watch in French. J It is a perfect lazy Sunday in Versailles. I hope I can move into my room soon…