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.