Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Just a few more oddities I’ve picked up this week.  First, in English we just refer to “you”, that’s it, all encompassing.  Here they have “tu” and “vous” both meaning you.  The difference is the person you are speaking to.  We use “tu” for family and close friends and “vous” for respect and people we meet or encounter during the day.  The hard part is that the verb changes based on the start.  Where I would normally say “You are”, here I either must say “Tu es or Vous etes”.  BUT….as you get to know someone, it can change, for example there are two expressions you can use to find out…..you can ask someone “tutoyer or vouvoyer” and they let you know if it’s okay to go with the more casual “tu”.  So, after three weeks of daily interaction and conversation and coffee time, I finally asked the plumber and he agreed we’re at “tutoyer”.  ARGH…..my little language lesson for the day.

I went yesterday for my first haircut and color and I was very nervous.  My hair isn’t something I want messed up by lack of communication!  So, thank you Google translator, I typed my main points and then took the printed paper to her.  She understood most of it-Google isn’t perfect L then I could explain the rest.  The two ladies who run the shop speak no English, so this was a true test for me.  A little old man came in to get his hair done too and all of the sudden as he heard me talk he called out “American?” Yes, another French person fascinated by Americans.  We ended up the four of us having a pretty good conversation during the time and even though I stumbled a bit and had to ask for help with some words, we did just fine.    I found out the one lady actually lives on my street so it’s a good thing I was nice!  Plus, my hair turned out exactly like I wanted it, she understood my fine, straight hair!  No strange color although while it is on your head they use this thing that looks like a sit under hair dryer but it’s like a steamer.  It gets warm and you see the steam (then it becomes a facial too).  She explained that it opens up the hair follicles and helps the color set better.  Whatever, it worked and I have booked my next appointment. Phew, one more big milestone for me…..these things are so easy in the US and even then I hate moving and finding new places to do things like this. 

Then I was home for a bit before going to the massage therapist.  I had tried the kinesiologist which I explained earlier, but I need more.  My muscles have been so bad with the damp weather and my arthritis.  I was at the point of struggling to get up and down.  Anyway, this guy is right here in Luynes, a mile or so away.  He actually runs a massage school for several types of massage, some eastern ones I’ve never heard of.  I emailed him first explaining and then took along another Google document as well as a chart I did of the body with all my artificial parts –that sounds bad, but they’re all medical and joint related!!  So, again, SOOOOOO different here, he expected me to strip right in front of him.  Okay, so not taking my bra off in front of him……so I lay down on the table and took it off once I was face down; Yes, I kept my undies on. (TMI-so sorry, I just know some of you were wondering?!)   He had draping and was very discreet and professional; it’s just the stripping thing I can’t get around.  Again, no English, so we managed to convey what we needed.  He then got me a towel for the boobers when I flipped, even though the sheet was there.  I explained in my broken French that only my husband and doctor get to see themJ  He laughed and said it was fine, but women here don’t have a problem with it.  But, phew, he did mostly what I needed although we talked afterwards and for next time will change a couple things.  He was gracious and left me to get dressed which was not his normal!!!  The only weird part was near the end when he did my stomach…..that was new for me (fortunately, the towel covered you know where!!!!  But then, he had his eyes closed with one hand on my head and one on my stomach then lifted them on and off.  He opened his eyes and caught my look (Yes- I know you can know exactly what I’m thinking by my facial expressions) so he explained something about balance and magnetism, I think.    It wasn’t uncomfortable but just different. So, yes another milestone for me and I liked him so I booked another rendez-vous.   If I go regularly I don’t tighten up and my gait is better and my muscles don’t ache. 

This must be my week.  Can you tell Ross is away and I have the car?  Got a notice in the mailbox yesterday that my Amazon package was not able to fit the box.  Here they don’t send it UPS, just regular post.  So, this morning I had to go to the post office, show my legal ID and got my package.  Good thing it was in my name, I couldn’t get it if it was for Ross.  It was an oven rack I found on amazon that was adjustable but small enough for here. So, hallelujah, now I have two oven racks!!!  Sure, they’re super small, but at least I can do two things at once!

Then this afternoon I had booked a pedicure.  Boy did I need that and finally it’s getting warm so sandal season might soon be here.  Well they don’t seem to have nail salons everywhere like I’m used to, so here you go to a special pedicure/podiologist.  She does pedicures and warts and feet things.  I went but it was more a medical pedicure and not at all pampering.  Again, no English so it has been a week of really testing my abilities.  I went through my standard questions as did she…….found out she has a 6 year old and then 4 year old triplets…..bless her heart; and all boys, phew!   Even though I liked her, I’m still on the hunt for more a salon atmosphere.  PLUS, they don’t do nail polish; in fact she’s anti-polish for toes.  I told her there is no way I’m having naked toes, that I even keep them polished in the winter when I wear socks every day and I’m the only one who sees them.  Tomorrow I go to the esthetician for polish. Too crazy, there have to be nails salons in Tours and I’m going to find one!!!

Another language oddity.  For I am you say “Je suis” ( je swee) and for I don’t know you say “Je ne sais pas” ( je nuh say paas) okay, got it!!!! BUT instead sometimes I’ve been hearing SHWEE  and SHAYPAAAS ……that’s when they speak so fast to say those phrases and they’ve become slang for them….ARGH……just what I need.

When he knew I was going for a hair appointment, my plumber did tell me a funny French I guess you’d call it a folk tale.  So, it was too funny not to pass on:

If a man has all grey hair, it means his wife is older than him but wants to look younger. So, each night while he sleeps, she pulls out the dark hairs leaving him with only grey so he looks older.  If a man has all dark hair and no grey, it means his wife is younger and wants him to look young too, so she pulls out all the grey hairs while he sleeps. And if a man is bald it means his wife is older but his girlfriend is younger.

It just made me laugh!!!

Today we finally have sun and warmer temperatures.  It’s 22 Celsius in the house with the doors and windows open and about the same outside.  That’s about 71 Fahrenheit which is so welcome here. It’s been so cold and rainy and damp, I’m ready for warmer temperatures.  So this morning I hung my laundry out on the line and sat at the table doing my French homework.  It was so weird and felt like a flashback to the 70’s. But I do love the crisp clean air here without the pollen and the clothes smell so good.

Found out today that the gardener FINALLY was let go.  I had tried everything and finally wrote my landlord in Flowery Branch and said I didn’t know what else to do.  He doesn’t listen or even try to understand me.  He doesn’t do what is asked and doesn’t seem to care.  So, they’ve hired the plumber/handyman…….yea! I like him, he understands some English and Ross and I have established a relationship with him and I trust him.  He had been in contact with the landlord as well because of the bathroom, so they talked and he will do what is needed. YEA…..we pay extra on our rent for it and I hated to have the other guy jerking me around.  Like I’ve said before, I’d have fired his butt ages ago!!!  I was trying so hard to be nice, even practicing gardening words and scenarios one day at language school, so I know he understood. The yard could be so pretty, right now I have several things blooming, but it’s all a jumble.  We have irises, roses, rhododendron, snowball, peony and a few more I don’t know.  I love flowers so it’s nice watching them bloom, even in the chaos of a yard that needed pruning very badly last fall.

Tomorrow I have class all afternoon.  It’s right up the road from Ikea which is nice since I need a couple things from there.  Then Friday Ross arrives home by lunch so that will be nice.

I think Monday next week (YES-another holiday and day off work, but only a three day weekend this time J) we are meeting Anne-Rachel and Paco and kids at a chateau  located halfway between us for a picnic and tour. Then normal work weeks for a few (well except the two days Ross is taking off when Dyane and Todd come Before we know it the time will be here for our trip home.  WOW, we’ve been here full time since January and it feels like home, so our visit “home” is kind of surreal.

I‘m off again to go get the laundry off the line…..I’m so stinkin domestic I can’t stand it!