An American in [insert cliché here]

This is my second day in Paris, and it was just peachy! We went to Sacré Coeur, saw a bunch of sights, ate lunch at an overly touristy restaurant nearby. In the evening, we stopped by the biology laboratories at the University of Paris where Marion, the teacher I'm with, has some friends doing research. They were working on radioactive material and are seriously underfunded and will possibly have babies with three arms some day. 'I went to Paris and all I got was this lousy radiation poisoning.' How's that for a souvenir? Fortunately, I didn't go into the lab, I just stayed in the equivilant of an over crowded TA's office with three desks. After about a half an hour, one of the TA's came in for his desk, but no one introduced him and he didn't say anything; I thought he was just grumpy having his workspace taken over. When he got up and left, I heard him talking in the hallway, and it turns out he is an American who doesn't speak French....couldn't quite figure out why no one thought to introduce us, but I thought it was good that in all that time of being in the same room with him, I didn't let an English word of frustration slip or do anything that would otherwise give away my nationality.

After this visit, we went to the Louvre for way too short of time, and then we went and saw what I had been waiting for- Paris at night. It was fantasically beautiful, with the Champs Elysees lit up, the Eiffel Tour shimmering in the background and the ferris wheel and all of the other great Parisien landmarks all ready for Christmas. Time for bed. Good night!

Christmas time in France

For Christmas, mom sent me a big box of what I had requested- American junk food. I received the package slip in the mail, but I wouldn't have time to pick it up before the post office closed, so I signed the slip over to one of my students to go pick it up. I opened all of this rediculously uniquely American food in his company, and it was this constant 'Qu'est-ce que c'est?' 'C'est quoi, ça?' 'Et ça?' (What is is it? What's that? And this?) I explained that the cake mix was for cupcakes and the cream cheese frosting was for the cupcakes. And he goes 'Frommage? Sur un gâteau?' Cheese, on cake? I had a difficult time explaining that the cream CHEESE frosting was in fact just sugar, so I opened the container and let him taste it. And then with the popcorn, he was SHOCKED that it could be made in the microwave, but after I showed him a package and explained a little bit, he said that it clarified a lot about some American movies that he just couldn't understand where this popcorn was coming from. And then with the macaroni and cheese, he was absolutely DISCUSTED by the idea that this orange powder could possibly be considered cheese, being in France where not only is their cheese of legendary quality but almost entirely white. I made up a box and let him pour the powder as I stirred. It was like letting him catch up on 12 years of lost American childhood. He'd never heard of oatmeal. He liked the Triscuits, which again are flavored by powder, but I didn't point that out. It was pretty great, and I was like a kid in a candy store.

Oh, and of course, thanks mom for the jewelry, even if it isn't edible!

Return from oblithion

As usually happens to travelers trying to maintain a blog, I have strayed in my dedication durning tha past few weeks. I will try to come back to faithful updates of Franceland!

Things have been going well, lots of things to do with students and teachers around the holiday season. My schedule is going to change a little bit and I'm going to miss my students! I guess that's what every teacher goes through every semester/year, so I should just suck it up. One of my classes were so cute, they said they would miss me and they sulked all the way back to their classroom (these are adults). Origionally I had a difficult time with because they didn't understand a word I said. But over the semester they got used to my accent and I settled into a level of English expression more suitable to their comprehension so it got to be rather fun. And the class that likes to take me bowling are no longer my students either. I'm going to miss them, too!

On Wednesday I have my official medical exam in Bordeaux which will mark the last piece of documentation I need before I can get my finalized Carte de Sejour. Whew!!! I am very happy about that. From Bordeaux, I will go to Paris until the 24th with a young teacher and her husband. I will spend Christmas with assistants in Bordeaux, New Years with former students in Bayonne (a coastal town) and possibly Spain (yay for knowing real French people with cars), and then I might finish up my vacation in Pau with other assistants and possibly meet back up with Marion, the teacher I'm going to Paris with. Just in case you were wondering!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, JOYEUX NOËL! I miss all of you and I can wait until I can see you again!!!

Do you like fish?

Last night was great! I was minding my own business in my room when I got a knock on my door. I love it when that happens and it is not accomanied by giggling and scurrying feet. It was a neighbor (Benoît) from across the hall over to chat. Always lovely! Later, I got yet another knock on the door and it was the two other girls who live in the dorm. They invited me to dinner, and I succeeded at existing in French for about 6 hours! Whew! It was very nice to have contact with people other than squirrely boys for a change!

Also, I have been working on my Christmas list. I didn't realize how much I missed the highly processed American junk food until I watched an episode of Heros that had boxed macaroni and cheese, cup cakes with frosting, and microwave popcorn, and mini marshmallows in it! yummmmm! If anyone would like to send me any of these delicacies for Christmas, please feel free!

Simmered

Fortuneately, things have simmered down since my last post. They gave me a 3 month extension on my visa! yay! More later when I've got more time....