February 6, 2013

Well, it’s time to catch up on my past month in France.  I’ve actually been putting off writing because I’ve been in a funk and didn’t know what to say.  I try very hard to find the fun in most things but occasionally it all gets to me.  I think the dreary weather must play a part in it and although today it’s somewhat clear out, it has been rainy and cold most days. I am ready for some sunshine!

One big highlight in life is our Skype sessions with family. We kind of have a schedule with Lindsay and Calum which works nicely and occasionally the unexpected call which is a bonus.  Lindsay and I really could use them every couple days but time zones do not allow for that. Then our ones with Katie and Liam are the best.  We usually miss Tristan as he is at work when the call can be done around Liam’s naps etc.  I never thought Ross and I would play a game of “Where’s your eyes or belly” over Skype….but when Liam wants to play them with us, we turn into those grandparents! We love that he points to us and calls us by name……Katie tries to pull up his high chair and feed him so his attention stays, otherwise, he’s up and down and off exploring. Ross has too look away laughing when Liam gets into mischief…..it wasn’t so funny when our kids did it, but when Liam is bad it’s hysterical!  Yesterday we even laughed as he started grunting after eating and his face got red…..we all knew what he was doing.  Then after Katie gagged, we were glad Skype isn’t smell-o-vision!!

 Even amidst the normal daily life there are little quirks worth mentioning.

First January is the “sale” time in France, every store is getting rid of inventory and there are good sales everywhere……but oh what is this self- proclaimed shop-a-holic to do when she is too tall and too big for almost anything they sell? ARGH……seriously 70% off now and I can barely find even a shoe big enough to fit.  I have found three stores that have very small “grande-tailles” sections, one of them H & M, which we had in the Mall of Georgia. I know it sounds silly, but they are a small people in general and the sizes are different and their XL is too small for me. Even if I found one to fit okay, it’s too short.  Then you go by shirt or pant sizes like 46, 48, 50, etc…..oh I don’t like that!  Even for Liam, I know the size is one too small, for example, if it says 18 months, it will fit like a US 12 month outfit.  So, the famous five weeks of sale are pretty useless for me.  I did get Ross socks! Well….I did find a FEW things for Liam….but for me….pretty much a waste.  I really don’t need any clothes or shoes, but still…….and yes, their 70% off brings it to a normal price like I’d find in the US…..normally I think clothing and shoes here are way too expensive.  I still enjoy looking though!

One funny thing happened in Tours last week.  As I was walking the main shopping street “Rue National” there outside one store was tied….A GOAT…..okay, people tie their dogs up all the time, but a goat???  I wasn’t the only weirdo taking photos this time!

 

I also met a man coming out of the ladies room at a store….no it wasn’t a unisex bathroom, and yes there was a men’s room!  It’s pretty sad when I don’t even flinch anymore at men and women sharing bathrooms or shudder at a pretty gross toilet.  I’m just thankful for them and excited when there is a seat.  Oh my, how my perspective has changed.  I think once you’ve been at a sink washing your hands and could just reach out and touch a guy’s back at the urinal, it takes away a bit of the modesty.  So, now it has to be really bad to freak me out like the street ones-which I don’t use because I’m afraid I’ll either be locked in and not get out or the door will randomly open with me in there….plus they’re really bad, no seats involved and they’re always wet since cold  water sprays from the ceiling after each use to “sanitize”. Yeah right.  So, small, cramped, not so nice, have to be a contortionist to use….I’m in!

Last week Ross had a three day intensive French session in Angouleme, so we got to go visit Jacques and Claire.  Well, we only saw Jacques for an evening as he left for a job in Ghana the night we arrived.  So, with Ross at school, the boys at school or work and Jacques gone, Claire and I had some time to visit and kind of de-brief our stays in France.  She’d been in the US for 16 years, so her adjustment was tough too….sure the language isn’t an issue, but lots of things have changed.  We also went around to the shops…sure we could find great deals for her “small”, “normal” sized family!!!!  So, I just bought more stuff for Liam!

 We visited a chocolatier one day called LeTuffe.  It was fabulous.  All hand done candies and when you stop in for a tour, one person just leaves their job and takes you station to station in the kitchen and explains the processes.  No hairnets for us, gloves, booties….nothing.  We walked right up to each counter and the person would explain what they do and show us and then give us a taste. I explained that in the US we’d need to view this behind glass if anyone does things by hand even and they laughed!! So, a private tour for two and it was really fun.  I did buy a few goodies in their shop afterwards.

One afternoon with Jean Samuel and Claire at a shop, we saw a guy in a wheelchair, lift himself onto a motorcycle with a side car.  He had no use of his legs and did it all with his arms.  He then lifted the wheelchair and strapped it into the sidecar and went on his way.  I was impressed!!

One night Claire brought out her crepe maker and we did savory crepes for dinner…..oh so yummy.  She has a nice electric maker, but I bought a pan for the stove since I am trying to limit my electrical purchases here.  So, this week I’m trying them with her recipe.

I did take her a bottle of my homemade vanilla extract-thank you Pinterest-.  At first Ross was worried when he saw that I had purchased three bottles of vodka!!  Then he watched as I cut and put vanilla beans in each bottle.  I shake it weekly for two months and wham…pure vanilla extract.  I did have to get out my bottle of extract to prove that all it consists of is vanilla beans and alcohol!!! No, the dreary weather has not got me using vodka to cheer up!!!  It’s science!!!!  Claire was excited and is going to try it for gifts. 

Then back to school where I travel on a road called “11 Novembre 1918”, what a funny name for a road.  Beats the thousand Peachtree’s in Georgia I guess.  Then in the English class I learned two new words.  Many of the listening exercises are from England and the teachers use them a lot.  So one word was “tick”…which actually was used for a checkmark.  Where we’d say check the correct box, they’d say tick the box.  Then “link”…which was used for two dots that the kids draw a line to connect.  Where we’d say connect the dots, they’d say link the dots.  It’s bad if I was confused at first!!!

I am posting a few photos of some meals we’ve had out.  Not all mine, but also others at our table….one appetizer was pigs ear cut thinly…..okay…not appetizing looking or much meat.  The guy worked hard to get what meat he could.  He seemed to enjoy it but I wasn’t brave enough to try it.  I had the duck ravioli appetizer instead.  It’s scallop season and they’re my favorites, so that was my main meal….soooooo good!!

I’m also posting photos from the grocery store.  I know I’ve always gotten imported fruits and vegetables, but you know like California oranges and New York apples.  Here I thought it would be fun to show where we get some things from.  Distance wise it makes sense, but still it makes me smile.  I do pay attention, for example the clementines from Corsica were the best this year, but the strawberries from Spain are yummy.

 

I am starting the renewal process of my carte de sejour which is a lot of paperwork and Ross claiming he’ll support me again for another year.  I need notarized translations of our marriage certificate and my birth certificate. Here they make a big deal out of your maiden name and my US passport and driver’s license just use my married name….so it’s always a bit of a hassle.  I just know when I arrive Friday for that, there will be some random paper I don’t have and it will take another visit!  Nothing is fast at the prefecture, and you get in lines with numbers and wait. Plus you get told the fees, but can’t pay them in cash or check or bank card.  You have to go to a local bar or certain town offices to buy stamps to pay.  Like 87 euro in stamps…crazy.

My biggest news is that I am now at the limit and cannot drive on my US driver’s license after October.  Some states have a reciprocal exchange with France, of course Georgia isn’t one of them. Lots of US people here chance it and just drive on their US license, but our car insurance sent us a letter saying I have until October and after that, they will not cover me in an accident. Technically I am still a US resident too with a home there, and even though I spend over two months there a year, I need to get one here.  Ross has a company car which is leased by SKF and any approved  employees from all over the world can drive it….and they insure him so, he doesn’t have to worry about his license. SO….here is the part that has me upset…..I have to go to driving school.  If Georgia was reciprocal, I could just exchange it….but no…I have to pay a thousand euros, go to school, pass a times road codes test in French (that’s the hard part) and drive for an examiner.  I do not need the 20 hours with the instructor since I’ve been driving 33 years….but will need to prove to him I’m okay, then prove it to the examiner.  The examiner will speak French and give me commands and ask questions…..it’s a whole new set of vocabulary.  The written codes test on the computer is really hard.  It’s full of technical questions and answers that seem similar so if my vocabulary isn’t dead on, I’ll mess up. ARGH…..I get so many seconds per question and there are visuals to study for each question.  So just as I finally feel pretty confident speaking to people and can carry on more than nominal conversations….new vocabulary and then road rules….some of which I think are stupid like “priorite a droit” or basically put anyone from a right side street has the right of way even if I’m on the main road…unless there are one of two little signs to say otherwise.  Or that I have to give a person on a bicycle 1.5 meters as I pass, even if it means I have to go super slow behind them to wait for oncoming traffic to be gone. Or that you can’t make a left into a parking lot unless there is a specific break in the white lines on the road…even if there is an entrance there…..oh this is going to be a struggle!

I went today to get some photos for both my new carte de sejour and driver’s license. You need four passport like photos.  You can do them in a booth or at some shops.  Okay, you can’t smile, must look straight ahead, can’t wear glasses, hats or turtlenecks, you must tuck all your hair behind your ears and then brush all your bangs off your forehead( I wear bangs for a reason)…..so add in the dark circles I have under my eyes and the photos make me look like an angry terrorist woman.  I’m so embarrassed by them…..they make my US driver’s license pictures look like glamour shots….seriously!!! ?  So much for any self- esteem!!!!

The next few months seem busy with Ross traveling to China, Malaysia and Sweden and my trip to Georgia in March/April. Yes, that all sounds glamorous but really we just live normal lives here and I do dishes and housework and cook like always…..I’m sure people picture me sitting at café’s and relaxing but the reality is normal life-just in another language and culture.

So, I’m off again….more in the future…I’m always on the lookout for the unusual and strange….most of those things that were strange and odd seem kind of normal now…is that bad???  And Spring is coming….it’s no longer dark at 4:30 PM (oh excuse me at 16:30)….we’re slowly having more daylight hours which is wonderful…….I remember June last year where it was light until 10 PM (or 22:00). I’m ready!!