Le 25 Septembre 2008
I have arrived! Thank heavens, Malika found me at the station! I slept pretty much the entire train ride. I managed to get all of my suitcases off of the train and Malika found me before I had even decided what to do next. She took me home to her family, fed me, and put me up in her daughter’s room. While Malika speaks English, her husband, Pierre, and son, Valentin, do not. So, I must speak French around them. It is difficult at times, but it is getting easier already. In fact, Malika and I slip in between French and English so often that sometimes I forget which one we are speaking. Malika’s home is everything that a house should be. Made of stone with teal shutters on the windows, surrounded by vineyards…I love it. She has two cats Paquerette ( a type of flower that blooms at Easter) and Plume (feather)….they call him Plumo because he is so fat. A third cat, Pistache (pistachio) lives with her mother. I should have known that Malika would be a cat person. I love her family! They also have a huge dog, Pongo. I think tomorrow, that I shall take a walk with Pongo through the vineyards. Today, Malika took me to the lycee (high school) and the college (middle school…I know it’s confusing…bear with me). Everyone is so nice! At the college, one of the English teacher, Claire, is particularly amiable. I hope I am able to make some good friends. It looks like I’ll be living in an apartment at the school…God must be looking out for me because it is perfect! It has 3 bedrooms (I don’t need three bedrooms!), a kitchen, a dining room, bathroom…it’s huge! It’s on the deuxieme etage…which is the second story in France but the third story in America. It’s kind of a winding staircase that reminds me of a tower. In fact, the whole apartment reminds me of a castle tower…it even has a balcony. Plus it is located at the school so I don’t have to pay extra transportation to get to work! And here’s the best part…it’s FREE! Can you say wow? It’s the only thing I could say. It even has a washing machine so no having to haul my laundry on a bus across town to a Laundromat. C’est incroyable! To see some pics I posted on Facebook...follow this link here...http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029604&l=11db6&id=64300928
Hmm…what else did I do today? On the way home from the school, Malika stopped at the beach. She lives on the Ile D’oleron…an island just off the coast of Bourcefranc. It was beautiful. Much different than a California beach, even though it was still the west coast…of France. It reminded me of beaches in Oregon. Lots of grasses and dunes. When we got home, I taught Valentin how to play Uno. He’s only 11, but he caught on so quickly. Fact of the matter is…he skunked me. But I beat him in the end. Malika made crepes for dinner and afterwards Paquerette cuddled in my lap. I have so many snags in my jeans from where she’s been kneading! Of course, I’ve been made to drink wine already. It’s difficult to refuse when you are staying in someone’s home. My first night here, they had me try Pineau…it’s the wine made on the island. It was a sweet white wine, but I just can’t stand how it burns! Last night, we had cider with dinner. Cider in France is alcoholic, not sweet, and carbonated. Think gross Martinelli’s. Oh well. Maybe I’ll develop a taste for it. Maybe. A Demain!
I have arrived! Thank heavens, Malika found me at the station! I slept pretty much the entire train ride. I managed to get all of my suitcases off of the train and Malika found me before I had even decided what to do next. She took me home to her family, fed me, and put me up in her daughter’s room. While Malika speaks English, her husband, Pierre, and son, Valentin, do not. So, I must speak French around them. It is difficult at times, but it is getting easier already. In fact, Malika and I slip in between French and English so often that sometimes I forget which one we are speaking. Malika’s home is everything that a house should be. Made of stone with teal shutters on the windows, surrounded by vineyards…I love it. She has two cats Paquerette ( a type of flower that blooms at Easter) and Plume (feather)….they call him Plumo because he is so fat. A third cat, Pistache (pistachio) lives with her mother. I should have known that Malika would be a cat person. I love her family! They also have a huge dog, Pongo. I think tomorrow, that I shall take a walk with Pongo through the vineyards. Today, Malika took me to the lycee (high school) and the college (middle school…I know it’s confusing…bear with me). Everyone is so nice! At the college, one of the English teacher, Claire, is particularly amiable. I hope I am able to make some good friends. It looks like I’ll be living in an apartment at the school…God must be looking out for me because it is perfect! It has 3 bedrooms (I don’t need three bedrooms!), a kitchen, a dining room, bathroom…it’s huge! It’s on the deuxieme etage…which is the second story in France but the third story in America. It’s kind of a winding staircase that reminds me of a tower. In fact, the whole apartment reminds me of a castle tower…it even has a balcony. Plus it is located at the school so I don’t have to pay extra transportation to get to work! And here’s the best part…it’s FREE! Can you say wow? It’s the only thing I could say. It even has a washing machine so no having to haul my laundry on a bus across town to a Laundromat. C’est incroyable! To see some pics I posted on Facebook...follow this link here...http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029604&l=11db6&id=64300928
Hmm…what else did I do today? On the way home from the school, Malika stopped at the beach. She lives on the Ile D’oleron…an island just off the coast of Bourcefranc. It was beautiful. Much different than a California beach, even though it was still the west coast…of France. It reminded me of beaches in Oregon. Lots of grasses and dunes. When we got home, I taught Valentin how to play Uno. He’s only 11, but he caught on so quickly. Fact of the matter is…he skunked me. But I beat him in the end. Malika made crepes for dinner and afterwards Paquerette cuddled in my lap. I have so many snags in my jeans from where she’s been kneading! Of course, I’ve been made to drink wine already. It’s difficult to refuse when you are staying in someone’s home. My first night here, they had me try Pineau…it’s the wine made on the island. It was a sweet white wine, but I just can’t stand how it burns! Last night, we had cider with dinner. Cider in France is alcoholic, not sweet, and carbonated. Think gross Martinelli’s. Oh well. Maybe I’ll develop a taste for it. Maybe. A Demain!
1 comment:
Wow, that's really, really, really nice on the housing. Sounds like things worked out pretty nice after arriving, heh. Now to go start a mini adventure of my own at the La Brea Tar Pits today!
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