I'm not Dead

Well I have neglected this for way too long. I don’t even know where to begin. I am on vacation, and au pair life seems so far away. I can’t imagine that I have to go back a week from today. Uhg I don’t want to, but I will worry about it in a week I guess.

Last Saturday, I saw The Hobbit with Meghan. It was such a good movie! I had no idea they were making three either; I thought just one, so I am happy there are two more left. Then that night Rebecca and her friend Rachel came to Jerome’s apt and we hung out a bit drinking wine, and I should them a Parisian apartment. We had an apéro, I wanted to show them the French way, so I bought a baguette and some pate (fois gras is way too expensive) and then some duck meat and green beans. I didn’t really know how to cook the duck, so I just winged it (no pun intended), and the green beans didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to either, but they thought it was good at least.

Then Jerome came back from work, and they finally got to meet! I have been with Jerome almost a year now, so it was important for Rebecca to meet him since we are good friends. It went really well just talking, laughing, and drinking a little. They got along well as I knew they would. They had to catch the RER home, so they left around 10:30pm or so, and I guess Jerome and I enjoyed a quiet night together. I don’t really remember.

The next day was our travel day to Nice, but our flight was not until like 9pm, so we had all day. We slept in quite late, and then cleaned the apartment and packed our bags. We wanted to go to lunch somewhere, so at like 4pm I decided to take him to Breakfast in America because it is just so yummy! We split banana pancakes first, and then each got a scrambled egg medley of peppers, potatoes, cheese, bacon, ham, salsa, etc. Apparently that’s pretty American, I guess it is? It was yummy regardless. Afterwards, Jerome helped me buy a bottle of wine has a house welcoming present to his family.

We got back and we were gonna watch the new Batman movie, but I had downloaded the wrong one. So I think we watched some Breaking Bad, and then we left the apt at 8pm to go catch our flight. The trip to the airport was pretty uneventful as well as the flight. Nothing abnormal, but security at Orly took like 5 minutes, which is always nice.

When we arrived in Nice, Vincent picked us up along with this new girl he is seeing, and we went straight to Vieux Nice (Old Nice) to get a drink at a bar. I had a Monaco, which is beer, lemonade, and grenadine.  Vincent took us to Jerome’s house after, and I think we just went straight to bed because it was like 1am, so no one was awake.

The next morning I was nervous to see the family again! I took a shower first, and Jerome was already downstairs, and I could hear him talking to his 100 year old grandmother. I ran into his mom and dad upstairs and just said hi and a few words in French. Then I went downstairs and met the grandma, and it was hard for both of us to understand each other haha. She was doing a crossword with Jerome, so I joined in. It was in French obviously, but I answered some of the questions! I think afterwards, we had lunch with the fam, and that was the first true test of French speaking. I just answered questions when asked, and they had to repeat most things twice for me to understand. I can’t remember what we ate, but I ate really good food while I was there.

After lunch, some of his friends came over, and I just sat there as usual, but eventually they left because Jerome and I had to go to the mall to get presents for himself and one for me from him. His family did Xmas differently. They each bought a present for themselves, and then when they open it later on, the family finds out what that articular family member wanted. This isn’t a French thing; it’s just their thing, but I think it is a cool idea. Anyway, Jerome bought a new watch because his broke a few days before and then an alarm clock that helps you wake up easier. He really needed that. And then I let my present be a surprise.

So that night we dressed up and had Xmas that night for Xmas eve with the presents and everything. We had the apéro first with champagne and little appetizers, and we drew names to see who opened presents first. My name was first, so I went. I had three presents. I got this really nice scarf from the grandma, which I like A LOT! Then a 50 euro gift certificate to a store in the mall (so generous), and then Jerome gave me a weekly calendar with landscapes of France on it, which I like a lot. Then I everyone else opened presents one by one. I got Jerome a picture frame (he said to spend under 5 euro), and it is for a picture I gave him of us back in August. He really liked it! I was kinda nervous bc it was a cheap present, but I had no reason to be. The mom got perfume, Adrien, the brother, got a nice winter coat (he lives in Dublin), and then the Dad got a belt.

After we had a grand three course dinner. First some type of mushroom broth soup we put crispy bread in, then oysters (my first time—very good), then duck I think—some kind of meat, and for dessert crème brûlée. They made me use the blow torch to light up mine, and I was so nervous, but I did it. It was a very nice meal foodwise, and I felt very comfortable with them in general.

The next day on Christmas, we had another nice lunch. I don’t remember what we ate. I think pumpkin soup, and I don’t know what else. But it was all very French with a few courses, then bread and cheese/dessert, followed by a coffee (in my case, hot chocolate). Then we played a dice game, that I was crap at, so I was first out. Then me and Jerome watched the new Batman movie because I had never seen it before, but we didn’t finish it because dinner was ready before we could. As you can see our days were based around meals. I was French and only ate two big meals a day instead of little meals throughout the day! I know I am mixing up my days too, but we will just have to go with it bc I can’t remember the exact order of stuff.

For dinner, we had homemade fois gras, which was very good. I am so glad I like this stuff now. I used to hate it, although it isn’t very good for you, but oh well, I am becoming more French! Then we had pigeon, which was weird to me at first, but I want to try new things, and it was a good, dark meat. It’s not the pigeons you find in the street either btw. For dessert, we had mango and passion fruit ice-cream! It was weird though because it was in log form, and you slice it instead of in a carton and scooping it. Then the boys went to a friend’s house, but I didn’t want to go because I wanted to skype my mom and Amanda. Amanda and I have the Xmas tradition of calling each other, so I def didn’t want to miss out on that. When Jerome got back, we finished Batman, which was really good! I am excited that there’s gonna be a new movie because it leads to know there will be.

I really think I am mixing this stuff up… oops oh well. I know this timeline just isn’t perfectly right.

Anyway the next day, the 26^th, we had a simple lunch of thinly sliced raw salmon we made sandwiches out of on toasted bread and butter (YUMMY!), and we went on a family hike afterwards on top of some mountain. We drove like 30 minutes, but the drive was very beautiful. The hike was nice seeing mountains in the distance, and it was very beautiful with blue skies and sun. I wore shorts! Although it was kinda chilly, but I still wore shorts!

We got back and Jerome said he wanted to go out to dinner just him and me, so we hung out in his room for a bit and got ready, and went to have an apéro at his friend’s place before. We went to a couple’s apartment, and I met them in August. They have lived in Ireland for like two years, so they speak English, so the girl, Manon, and I got along very well. Her boyfriend is in Jerome’s band, and another guy in the band came over too. It was nice, but I was quiet most of the time like usual, but I did speak French a bit. I hope they thought I was better than before in August.

Then me and Jerome went to Vieux Nice for dinner. We decided to go to the same restaurant we went to in August because we knew it would be a good choice. And then we decided we would get the same dish I got in August (ravioli in a creamy pesto sauce with pine nuts) because it is so good, and then another dish. So now we have decided that we will go to this particular restaurant each time we go to Nice together, and get the ravioli dish and another dish to try, which we each split halfway. It will be a good tradition! I wonder when the next time I will go back to Nice will be?

We had a very enjoyable dinner, and a good conversation. I just think me and Jerome needed a little vacation together. Just to have time to spend together, since it is so limited in our real lives. When we got back, we watched How to Train your Dragon. It is such a cute movie, and I knew Jerome would enjoy it, which he did. Although, I fell asleep at the end unfortunately, but he really liked it!

The next day we got up early (well 10am) because my flight was that afternoon. We went to Parc Phoenix, which is like a mini xoo with fish and a botanical garden. They had birds just roaming the grounds (chickens, turkeys, I know there was a peacock, but we didn’t see it), and they had otters, gerbils, and wallabies! Wallabies are just SO CUTE. I LOVE THEM. They are like baby kangaroos!

We headed back for lunch at the house after, and I had a rice/pork dish. We just ate leftovers, but it was yummy as usual. Then I had to finish packing up and leave. I said bye to the parents and Adrien, and I felt pretty sad. I didn’t want to leave at all.

Jerome drove me to the airport, but we stopped to get ice cream along the way because he told me this place had tomato ice cream that we wanted to try. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the tomato ice cream that day, so we just got plain yogurt flavor and something else. Then we went to the airport, and checked myself in, and Jerome hung out a bit before I went through security. I didn’t want to say bye because my trip in Nice was really nice, and I wish I had stayed longer, but all good things must come to an end. So we said our final goodbyes and went our separate ways.

I boarded my plane with 15 minutes to spare before take-off. When the plane was backing up to get on the run way, it just completely shut down. I had never had that happen before. Luckily they announce in French and English, so I knew there were mechanical problems (well duh), and people were coming to fix it. At the most, 30 minutes later, it was fixed, and we took off, but I was worried because if the plane broke on the ground, why would we still fly it?! But it was all ok obviously. I landed in Paris, and it took like an hour to get back to Jerome’s apartment. I got back at like 8pm, and just stayed in that night.

 The next day, I met up with Rebecca and Rachel, and we toured a school Rachel is interested in. Then we went to the Luxembourg Gardens and found a little brasserie and got lunch. After I went home, and Nico and his girlfriend, Marylis, were there. She doesn’t speak English, so we chatted in French, and she is a very nice girl, and I like her a lot. She is very friendly!

I didn’t do anything that night except skype two friends, and Jerome and I talked on the phone for a bit. The next day, I went running at Jardin des Plantes. It was a good run, I haven’t done it in so long. I am sore today from it. But there is a zoo there, and they had the wallabies out in a big area outside the zoo, so I got to see the wallabies!! Later on, I went to the Louvre by myself because I had nothing to do, and it is about time I went there. Jerome told me to go the Egyptian part, so that’s what I did, which was very cool. I then went home, and got ready to go to dinner with Rebecca and her family.

We went to this restaurant that I went to with Nico back in August, where they only serve steak and fries. It is really good though, and they know how to make it well since they have perfected this one dish. Dinner with her family was really nice. They are really good people and very easy to talk to. It is nice to meet English speakers because it takes away all my fears of my lack of confidence in French, which Jerome told me a few days ago I need to work on, and I completely agree. Anyway, me and the girls went to the Latin Quarter after dinner and got drinks. We went to the same bar we went to last summer for one of our study abroad friend’s bdays. Brought back memories! Then we went our separate ways home, and I watched a show and went to bed.

Today, I went running again. I ran to near Jerome’s work and checked out a park around there, and then ran back home. It was nice today (sunny and blue skies, but very windy). I have just stayed in since. This blog has taken forever to write. Nico is cooking dinner tonight and asked if I wanted to join! So I have something to look forward too. I am so bored here since coming back. None of my friends are here except Rebecca, so I just feel so lonely! I guess it’s ok though. I have been watching a lot of TV shows.

Wednesdayyy

It is Wednesday today. Just the usual Wednesday. I took the boy to the bus at 7:15am, and went to bed when I got home watching a show first. I slept until 11am and did my laundry while I played a game with the girl. You have a card of a thing on your head and the other person does too, and you ask questions until you can guess what you have. Then I showered, picked up the boy/bought bread. We then had lunch, which was leftovers from last night—Blanquette de veau, which is actually cool because my first experience with a French restaurant was this past April.

Jerome and I took a wknd trip to Charleston, SC and couch surfed. I have been there plenty of times before, but he wanted to do a wknd trip somewhere relatively close, so I chose Charleston. It was a great trip. Our host was great. Charleston was great of course, and we had a lovely time. One evening we were walking around to find a restaurant and we stumbled upon La Forchette (The Fork), a French restaurant and decided to go there. I had Blanquette de veau, which is a veal dish with a sauce. It reminded me of stroganoff somewhat, but it was SO good. It was a good first experience with French food!

Anyway we had that last night with a Bechamel sauce, which is a classic French sauce where you melt butter then add flour and let it cook over a stove for a bit. Then you add milk to it, and eventually it turns into this creamy heaven-like sauce! So veal, béchamel sauce, and then rice. A pretty good combination. So we ate that for lunch today as left-overs. Then I took the boy to guitar, but the teacher was a no show. Came back for a bit, and then took the girl to pony club, came back and watched a show, then went to the cremerie to buy milk. I chatted with the owner in French (American Mom’s husband), and then I saw and chatted to American Mom, went to pick up the girl, then came back and have some time to kill until they have music, but I have to get them to take showers beforehand, which the boy is doing now.

I just showed them their Xmas present (the board game arrived today), and the boy’s birthday present, and they seemed happy. Too bad I won’t be here when they open them, but then again I’m not sad, I’ll be on vaca!

Tuesday I had class as usual, which was a huge bore as usual. After class, I went to Starbucks with Kendall and Clare, and then I met up with Paige to exchange gifts! I got her some Speculoos spread and then this amazing cat bracelet (we have a cat joke going on, always posting cat things on each other’s walls and such, we love cats!). She gave me some cat napkins! And then a pretty necklace. It was a good gift exchange. That was the last time I will see her until after the break. She is going home for a week and then the next week in FL with her host family.

Last night the girl was sick and threw-up. She had a piano concert too, I felt bad bc her parents made her go anyway. She literally threw-up and then we left five minutes later for the concert. French parents are harsh. I mean she felt better but still. When she got back she wasn’t feeling well and went to bed early, but today she was fine.

So I have started a new show: Breaking Bad. I have heard of it before, and everyone loves it, so I thought I’d give it a try. After the first episode, I was hooked! It is about a high-school Chemistry teacher who gets in the meth business to make money for his family. It is really good, and I have watched three episodes within 24 hours.

Two days until vacation! So ready. I need to pack!

Weekend

So I went in to Paris for a bit today to do some errands. I received the board game from the UK, that whole big mess up, so I mailed it back today for 17 euros. Don’t want to think about it. I hope the other one arrives before this week ends because break starts this Friday. I also bought the boy a shirt from Quicksilver Saturday, and I got a size too small, so I went an exchanged that also.

Sunday didn’t do anything worth mentioning until the afternoon when Jerome, the roommates, and I went to the l’Aquarium de Paris. It was at the metro stop Trocadero, which has a good close-up view of the Eiffel Tower, so we took pictures with that in the background walked in the Christmas markets they had. Then we went to the aquarium, which was really cool, but it only took 30 mins to go through. It was 15 euros too, but I am glad I went. They had a lot of pretty fish, no dolphins though.

On Saturday, I went Christmas shopping at a mall for Jerome, Eliott (bday soon- the shirt), and Paige. I managed to buy each one a gift, so I was happy with myself. I won’t post what I bought in case those two happen to read this, which I doubt, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Jerome told me to get something under 5 euros, which I managed to do too. Meghan and her friend Lindsey met up with me at the mall too, and we wandered around trying to find Xmas presents for Lindsey’s fam. I then took a bus to go have lunch with Jerome because we weren’t going to see each other that night, and it was nice. We just got some kabobs, which kabobs are different here. It is basically like a gyro, so it is always tasty.

I headed back home after and saw Nico for a bit, and then we both left around the same time to go see friends. I went to go meet up with Rebecca! Finally after one year! We met up near the Louvre and went to a brasserie and just chatted for a while. Her friend came with her to Paris as well, and she was really nice. I was just telling them about the good and bad of au pair life and everything else in between. We then went to le Marais to meet up with her parents for dinner. They were really nice, and we went to some Italian place, and I got carbonera.  After dinner, they all went home, so I headed home too.

I didn’t really know what I was doing that night, but it really worked out because Nico and Vincent had no plans either, so we just stayed in and drank and played drinking games. I taught them Up the River, Down the River and Circle of Death, which they liked. It was so fun playing those games again! Because here in France, they don’t play drinking games—no pong, card games, flip cup, anything, and it is a shame because they are so fun. I went to bed at 3am, but the boys stayed up, and I heard them singing Titanic at one point. Silly boys. Jerome then called me at 5:30am to be let in even though I texted him telling him I left they keys under the mat, oh well. I went right back to sleep.

On Friday, I had French as usual and was right back in Paris at 7:15pm. Jerome hadn’t gotten back to me, but I just went to his apt anyway because I had been in contact with Nico. I was chatting in French with Nico and Vincent, and eventually Jerome came home, and we watched the show that’s like Survivor, but it is all in French, so I enjoy it as much as I can. Fortunately I can see what’s going on obviously, so I can still enjoy it. You may think it is weird that I can’t understand TV when it’s in French after so many months, but even Jerome, who is fluent in English, cannot watch an English movie without subtitles easily. Subtitles help so much! But we can’t add them to the TV shows normally.

I have an apt today at 3pm my time with an adviser in Raleigh about my resume and cover letter. I have to use skype to call her, so I hope there isn’t connection or hearing issues. I just want my resume and cover letter to all be in order! I asked my host mom last night to write me a recommendation for the SKEMA aplication, and she agreed thankfully! I am happy to get the ball rolling! Also my birth certificates finally arrived to my mom’s, so those will be on their way! Getting stuff done!

Nemos!

This is somewhat of an inside joke. On Friday, Vincent went to the Disney Store and bought a giant Nemo for a friend's baby, but I am its surrogate mother when I am at the apt until he actually gives it to his friend. He is a great cuddle buddy! Nice and big and cushy to hug!

Random News

I just did Word of the Week with the kids, and then we played Scattegories. It is so hard because I use French words, and they use English. The girl was struggling, but the dad was helping the kids the whole time. It was fun though, and I am in a good mood because I feel like a productive and useful au pair.

Yesterday was Wednesday and therefore long. American Mom was sick, so I helped her out and took her girls to pony club along with the girl. I definitely owed her one for helping me when I was sick, so I was happy to help. The girl and I just randomly showed up at American Mom’s house, and we were knocking for like five minutes not sure if we should just walk in bc we knew American Mom was sick, but eventually they heard us.

I am just listing random things as you can see…

My study abroad friend, Rebecca, arrives in Paris tomorrow! I am happy. We are trying to plan when we will meet, but it is becoming complicated. She arrives tomorrow morning, and I want to see her tom night, but she will be jet-lagged, so hopefully Saturday.

I don’t really know what I am doing this weekend, but I know I need to do Christmas shopping that’s for sure.

I am sorry this is a pretty bad post. I guess I don’t have a lot to say.

I think yesterday I ate some Nutella and peanut butter on bread, and I took almost the rest of the Nutella (but if you used a spoon, you could still get a lot out and scrape the sides). Then when the kids were home, the dad wanted to give them some Nutella and he was like “C’est fini” (it’s finished), and then told me he wanted to give some to the kids, which implied he couldn’t because I “ate it all.” Making me feel guilty...trying to at least. I didn’t. Because I am entitled to the food here! Tell me if you didn’t want me to eat the Nutella then!

I worked on me resume and cover letter yesterday and emailed an academic adviser from NCSU. I learned I could still use the services a year after I graduate! So I have an apt on Monday, and I will call her with skype, so we can go over her corrections. I will then use this to apply to SKEMA and other graduate schools. I am happy I got the ball rolling on that.  It feels good to have finally started.

I need two references too. One will be my study abroad adviser, and the other I want to be the parents of my family since it is my most recent job. But I feel weird asking! The mom would be the one to do it, but the dad and I are closer, but I feel awkward asking either one! I don’t know if I should do it before break, so she can do it while she’s off work, but then again it’s her vaca, so I want to give her a break. But she works a lot, so I just don’t know if asking when she is working is good to because when she comes home, she wants to rest and be with her family obviously.

The other day, the girl was shining her shoes and she asked if I had some that I would like shined. So we shined my brown leather boots, they look brand new! That stuff did wonders.

Sorry this was so lame, but I wanted to update y’all. Next week is my last week until Xmas vaca. I could use a break!

Money Down the Drain

I woke up Friday morning to SNOW everywhere… a good couple of inches. The boy ended up not having school, which made my life easier for the morning even though I still woke up and showered at 6:30am. I then accompanied the dad who to take the girl to school. The roads weren’t in amazing condition, so I am glad he drove. He explained the differences with driving in snow with a manual, so that was good advice. I had to stay home since the boy didn’t have school, and therefore skip my classes, but I am unsure why because the dad stayed home all day, so I technically didn’t need to? Whatever.

I just stayed in my room most of the time streaming some shows. Thank God Mary Kate told me that morning about an awesome website to stream, and it totally works and isn’t too sketchy, so that solves the problem of not being able to download here anymore.

I also went sledding with the boy, and the dad took pictures. It was fun, but there’s a lot of trees in the yard, so I was scared of running into a tree, so I didn’t go too fast. But then we went to the neighbor’s yard that didn’t have trees, and I went full speed. The sleds were cool because they had breaks and little steering handles on the side.

That afternoon I got to take an earlier train to Paris since I didn’t have to pick up the boy from the bus, so I got to Paris at like 6:15pm. That night, Jerome and I went on a date to a restaurant at the top of the Pompidou, an art museum near the center of the city, and it has amazing views at the top. The restaurant was really nice and modern, and it was nice seeing the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Montparnasse, etc. on the way up the escalators all lit up. We then got seated, and I was not happy with the seating arrangements at all. They crammed all the tables like inches apart, and I just felt like I didn’t have any person space. So we asked if we could move, and eventually we did. Jerome was surprised about that. Once we had moved we ordered wine, then some appetizers. I got escargots! Which was yummy with all the garlic and butter, and Jerome got chicken spring rolls basically, which were good too. Then for the main plates, I got jumbo shrimp with risotto and Jerome got “Le tigre que pleure,” the tiger that cries, which was a beef and rice dish. Mine ended up being better though :p

It was a very enjoyable meal until we had to pay. Jerome offered to pay, and I had actually intended paying for myself, but it was nice of him. However, the machine wouldn’t accept his cards. So he asked if we could use mine, and I had completely forgotten to bring them! I brought a different bag; it was an honest mistake. So we debated our options. My cards were at his apartment, so we thought maybe I can put my passport as collateral and come back the next day and pay, or I thought can we just type my card number in the machine and do it that way? (this is possible in the US, but not in France unfortunately).  We asked the manager what they do in these situations, but he said he had never dealt with that before (embarrassing!), so he then said he would accompany us to an ATM to withdraw cash.

So we had to take an elevator to get to the level of the street and walk in the rain to an ATM. We weren’t sure if the ATM would work because the card wouldn’t work before, but it did! So it all ended well at least. It is lucky the management was so nice about it because when in France don’t hold your breath about that kind of stuff, but we really lucked out on that one!

After dinner, we stopped by at a SKEMA student’s bday party. I saw some friends and chatted in English and French. One girl I chatted in French the whole time, and she told me I spoke French better than she spoke English! So not true, but it really made me happy to hear. So I felt like Friday was a good day overall. Snow, restaurant, and French speaking!

Next day

Wtf I am so mad right now. I was on Amazon UK today looking at presents for the kids, and I found a Trivial Pursuit game in English. I thought an English version would be nice since they have the French version. So I was researching, and I found one for 35 pounds, and when I finally figured out shipping costs it would have been $96 total, and I was like No Thank You. So I continued researching other options. Then I receive an email saying Thank You for you Order????!! Ahh why?? So I have now spent $96 on that stupid game. I had to chat Amazon bc my French phone can’t call the UK, and the person was like there is nothing we can do bc you have to contact the seller. So I have contacted them, and I hope they are nice and let me cancel the order/get my money back. This is so dumb!

Sometime later

So I received an email from Amazon telling me how to file a return claim, so I am hoping this whole fiasco will work out soon. I just don’t know if I should go ahead and buy the game on ebay for 40 US dollars because I want the present to get here on time, but if I end up having to pay for the $100 one, I don’t want to be stuck with the other one either. Decisions…

On Saturday, I saw the movie Argo with Meghan. It was a really good movie, but I kept falling asleep. I must not have gotten enough sleep the night before. Anyway I would recommend it! It was Vincent’s birthday that night, so two friends came to Paris to surprise him, so I hung out with them and Nico until Vincent got home. And then we were just eating a drinking till more people started showing up.

The apéro in France is just great. Basically a pre-game, but here you eat food along with drinking. I feel like Americans need to pick this up. We snacked on paté and bread, which I have grown to like. At first, I didn’t like it, but now I do! We also had bread with goat cheese and jelly… a weird, but good combination.  It was just so fancy compared to the American way, which usually doesn’t involve food, and if it does, it is chips or something. We did have Pringles along with this light and creamy cheese, kiri, SO GOOD AND YUMMY! Then they kept popping pizzas in the microwave oven for people to snack on.

After the apéro, we went to Memphis, which we have been to like 3 weeks in a row. I don’t mind bc it is always a good time, but I would like to explore other clubs and bars! I live in Paris, and I don’t know a lot about the night life. Anyway it was a lot of fun. The downstairs has oldy French music, which I don’t really know. But upstairs has electronic/rap music, so I asked if we could go up there at one point too, and we had a lot of fun up there dancing!

Well I just received a message from the seller from Amazon. I can get a refund, but not for the shipping, which was 22 pounds, like $40. But now I will have to ship it back to them, so I guess that will be another $40. So I am not really saving money. But I already bought a game from ebay, so I just dug myself a whole. Oh well L

On Sunday didn’t do a whole lot as usual. We went to the reptile store that I went to months ago with Vincent and Jerome, but we wanted to show the others. It was cool though seeing animals. We also then saw The Impossible, a movie about the tsunami in Thailand a few years back during Christmas. It was a very intense movie and very good as well. It was funny because Nico was crying the whole time; I got teary eyed once, but French men are much more emotional than Americans haha!

Today I stayed home. After taking the kids, I slept until noon and then did laundry all day, made grilled cheese, watched Teen Mom, wrote a French paper that I didn’t know was not due tomorrow but Friday, and then had the whole Amazon fiasco. Monday was hectic driving the kids, but it is all done now.

I asked the mom about my end date using the excuse of booking flights home, but it is a plausible question anyway. She said the latest would be July 26, but the grandma takes them for a week during July, so I could be done July 19. But I am wondering, if she takes them for another week in July, do I get a week of vaca? Bc I would totes be fine with that too!

Woe is Me-- Not Really... Maybe a a Little ;)

Bah I get annoyed telling myself I must write on here… I just feel like I have nothing interesting to say anymore. I am so pissed bc I can’t download anything! I have watched all my TV shows, so I am effing bored right now. I don’t know what is wrong like if the dad made it to where I can’t download. He is a computer whiz, so he would know how to do it. I am just so confused. I should be working on grad school applications, but I haven’t started, and I don’t feel like it. What graduating does to you…

Yesterday was cool because I got the whole afternoon off. The fam left at 1pm for the circus, and I took the 1:30 train to Paris and met up with the new Nico. The weather was pretty cold and rainy, but we went to the Champs for the Christmas markets. We drank vin chaud, and went to the Disney store, and later on took shelter at a brasserie for some really good hot chocolate, and then headed home for a bit before I went to take my train. It was fun! And a good way to get to know each other, some one on one time.

Today, I met up with Clare and Kendall and we went to the other campus of our language school to inquire about classes there. I really wanted to go there bc it is a lot closer to my train station, but the openings for the classes I need just don’t fit with my schedule. Very unfortunate. I think Clare and Kendall are gonna go there next sem, which makes me sad, but I will make new friends I know, and still be able to seem them.

Clare and I had a sushi lunch date nearby too, so yummy! I love sushi. It is different here though. They don’t really have special rolls, no buy on get one either. They have meat on a stick here too, like mini-kabobs, so weird. I want Sushi Nine!! Ahh omg a delicious sushi place 5 mins from my house in Raleigh.

My mom’s care package arrived today. Full of kettle corn, normal popcorn, mascara, floss, Bert’s Bees, peanut butter, and Velveeta. Good stuff!! Thank you, Mom!! The popcorn here just sucks, so this American stuff is much needed. No flavor here at all bleh!

Today was a good au pair day too. I did a real full-out English lesson, I have been slacking lately, and just played an English game with the kids, but it really is fun. And the boy actually talks to me when we play games, which is nice. Then the kids and I watched funny animal youtube videos for a bit, so I am satisfied with me being an au pair right now, but in all honesty, I am burned out.

I can’t imagine another 7 months of this. Maybe I just need that Xmas break, but I feel like I need more. I am just always having to think about my trains, getting there on time, tip-toing around the family to be a good au pair, and it is a little exhausting. I can’t be me per say…just a weird, wound up version of me. I am just glad I can vent to my au pair friends all about this because they actually understand. No one reading this does really because you can’t until you’re in my shoes, just like with everyone else. But I know people out there have a false perception of this au pair business because I had it too. Anyways, I don’t know. I just have to deal with a lot, just like everyone else, I am not crying for attention and oh boo-hoo to me, it is just a lot of different things to worry about than I have ever had to previously, and all I have to compare it to is what I had before. I am rambling… and I say I have nothing to write about. This blog is really therapy, for my sake, and y’all get to sift through it… my apologies. I am talking as if a lot of people read this too haha.

Magic

So my chair is magically fixed. When I got home Sunday, I sat on it to avoid the one broken side and discovered it wasn’t broken anymore. I am most curious how this came to be, but I have not asked about it because I don’t want to admit I broke it. Here’s to not sitting awkwardly for eight months!

I had class today… not too exciting. At one point, I had really dazed off into my thoughts and realized everyone was drawing something on their paper and had to ask what the heck was going on to Clare. It is easy to daydream because I have to consciously make an effort to hear and comprehend the French whereas with English, I can multitask, and it isn’t hard to understand without physically trying.  This whole language thing has really opened my eyes to languages; it is hard to explain, but I just feel like I understand life so much more by half knowing this new language.

For instance, one day I told Jerome that Welcome and Bienvenue are the same exact word, and his mind was totally blown, but I was right. “Bien” means “well” and “venue” is the past participle of “Venir” (to come), so in other words “venu” means “came.” I just think that is so cool. Also the word “right” means “right as opposed to left” and someone’s actual “rights,” and the word “droite” in French has the same exact meanings! Ok I am done being a nerd…these examples are hard to think of, but I am so excited when I think of a new one because English and French have a lot of similar words. Even if you don’t speak French at all, you could catch a lot of words because they are essentially the same.

On Monday, I went to la Défense and had lunch with Nico because I didn’t see him during the weekend. I also went back to the Christmas markets to get a present for my host parents, but of all the booths that were open, the one I needed was closed. Go figure. I will go back again soon.

Sunday I slept in as usual, and I don’t think we made it out of the house until like 4pm when went to a nearby zoo! Oh fyi, I met the new roommate, Nico, who is super cool, funny, and nice! From what I heard, I knew he would be, but I am happy all the same. So Nico was along with me, Jerome, and Vincent. The zoo had a lot of owls for some reason, but they were pretty. They had a lot of panthers, and we watched them eat dead rabbits; a little morbid. My favorite was the wallabies because they were so cute! Then we headed towards a cinema for a movie, but it was way too crowded. That seems to be an issue here. I feel like we have an abundant number of cinemas, so over-crowding is never an issue. If you really want to see a movie here, you have to arrive like 30-45 mins early and wait in line. In America you only do that for like a midnight premiere pretty much. So then we went to KFC for dinner.

KFC here was a disappointment! No biscuits OR mashed potatoes ahh! KFC without those??  Doesn’t make sense. The food was good regardless of this monstrosity. Then we went back to the apartment, and I packed my bags to make the 7:45pm train, but when I arrived at my train station, the 8:45pm was the next available one. Damn strikes! My phone was dead so I was freaking out for a bit wondering how to contact my host fam, but eventually I found a pay phone that took change, and it all worked out. When I got home, the dad showed me the site where you can check the strike train sched, so on Monday and Tuesday, I have used this site to not get screwed over!

Tomorrow the kids are going to the circus, so that means I am off around 1pm. The whole fam is going, and I asked the dad when they would come back, and he said around 7pm, so I get the day off! I hope to go to Paris and hang out with the new roommate Nico because he doesn’t have a job yet. Idk how familiar he is with Paris, so maybe we can just be touristy and go to the Eiffel Tower etc. I am excited for a day off essentially. Although earlier tonight, the dad said he was gonna take my car to take the kids to meet the mom at work and leave from there (his car is old, so it couldn’t go such a long distance), but the mom told me this morning that she was coming back to the house to get the kids, so I really hope that is the plan bc that’d be shitty to just leave me here all day without a car. The mom is the boss though, so I think what she said will be right. Her words this morning were blah blah and “then you can go,” so I interpret this as yes, you can go to Paris!

Strike

It is Saturday evening, and I have had a nice day so far. I met up with Meghan at the Gallery Lafayette to start off the day. I forgot y charger, and my phone was dying and she has run out of credit with her phone, so finding each other was a little bit difficult. I called her twice when I got there, and she answered the second time thank god. So we messed around in the nearby H&M, and I was bad and bought clothes. Just a black dress and some sparkly blue tights. I never buy clothes, so I deserve it. Paige met up with her friend Lisa at H&M, and then we went into the Gallery Lafayette, which is basically a mall type store with really nice/expensive brands. It was built inside an opera house, so it is really pretty at the center with this dome. There was also a Christmas tree in the dome, and I wanted to see that. They also had displays on the outside sponsored by Dior, Louis Viton, etc., and they were crazy! France is all about mechanical displays; there were animals doing all sorts of things. Penguins wearing sunglasses, upside down pandas, lemurs, and all of these were fake of course.

We then ventured to Printemps, similar to Gallery Lafayette, because Paige mentioned you could go to the top for a view of Paris, and there was a café up there. So we got some lunch and enjoyed the gorgeous views along with nice weather (sunny, no clouds, but cold). It was beautiful.

After we headed to La Défense for the Xmas markets, but Paige and Lisa continued home. Me and Meghan wandered around, and I showed her La Défense for the first time. I am there all the time, so I was surprised it was her first time. Anyways the markets were little cottages built in a square type deal with all sorts of venders. We got some vin chaud, hot wine, and wandered around looking at everything. Towards the end, we found a Xmas themed shop, and I found a little mini Xmas tree for eight euros, which I bought to put in Jérome’s apt. I also bought little, gold ball ornaments to go with it. We then went our separate ways.

I am back at Jerome’s now. I decorated the tree and wrote all of our names on the ornaments. Maybe a little cheesy, but I think it turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself. Vincent just came home, and I showed it to him, and he liked it, so that is good.

Tonight their good friend, Nico, is moving in for a few months. I look forward to meeting Nico tonight, and we will go out together afterwards. They say he is really nice and positive, so it should be nice!

Yesterday was somewhat of a fiasco. I was dropped off at the station for the 6:30pm train, which never showed up. I was so mad because I was like, this is REALLY happening again? Like last week. So I waited for the 7:30pm train, which didn’t show up either! It was literally 32 degrees, probably colder outside, and I was getting so upset. Meanwhile Jerome called me, and I told him my situation, and he wasn’t sympathetic, which made things worse. I then called my host dad to see my options, and he checked the trains saying there was a strike, but the 8:30pm would be there. He mentioned a bar across the street, so I headed there because I was so cold.

During all this, this crazy black man was motioning for me to follow him, and he just kept ranting in French when I told him French was my 2^nd language, so I asked some Indian guys for help and if they spoke English. They spoke a little, and told me the guy was mental. So I went back to sit down to continue waiting, and eventually one of the Indian guys came and asked if he could practice English, which I said yes, but he turned out creepy saying my friendship with him was very dear to him and asking if I was married.

Anyway fast forward to when I went to the bar, which was actually a pizza joint. I just bought a Fanta and sat myself down to enjoy not being in the cold. I luckily connected my phone to wifi and was texting Elizabeth complaining about my situation, but it made the time go by fast. Eventually it was 8:30pm, and the train came, and I arrived to Paris.

I went to Jerome’s, but the boys were gone seeing a friend, so I hung out until Clare was ready to meet up with me with her friends. I met them at le Marais, and had a drink at a bar, and then went home because Jerome was back, and I didn’t want to get back while he was sleeping. It was somewhat late, so we went to sleep soon after.

On Thursday when I saw him, he told me we will speak in French from now on with each other, and that is what we have been doing. It is frustrating sometimes, but I know it is good, and I do like it. And we have talked 95% French and 5% English since Thursday. So hopefully I will progress a little faster than I have been.

Well… that is everything for now!