Day 16

Today was a surprisingly productive day, though I really didn't intend for it to be that way!

I woke up, had a simple breakfast of fresh baguette with more of that delicious homemade strawberry jam & hot tea. I brushed my teeth before heading to my room to pick out my outfit for today, which included my new H&M sweater that I got yesterday. After I finished getting ready, I set out to find the big bank of the arrondissement, where I've (almost fully) opened an account. I forgot to take my passport with me, so I'll have to take that back for the final validation.

It was rainy this morning, but the sun decided to show its face today, so I came back for a quick lunch of gnocchi w/ pesto, followed by a baguette slice with goat cheese & honey for dessert. I pulled up my e-mail, and found a message from the French language school I had tested at last week; one of the students had dropped her reservation! I was going to go to a different school & take a placement test, but this e-mail gave me a better outlook on the afternoon. I have to pay tomorrow, and then I can start on Monday!

After my happy discovery, I grabbed my camera & headed back towards the bank. I had passed a huge, beautiful fountain on my way earlier, and the light hitting the water proved irresistible to photograph!

Too pretty!

The bank was located on a street with some very well-known brands, and so I went a little camera-happy & started photographing store-front signs. (To see all of them, check here. The store-front pictures start about 3/4 of the way into the album, but do take your time to enjoy all of my photos thus far!) Before I knew it, I had to turn around & get back to the apartment to put together a snack for the kids.

Today was relatively calm, and the kids behaved well. I think it was the sunshine that helped. They played at the park without a problem, and no old ladies tried to take the kid's scooters, which probably won't happen again, but I won't ever forget that event. At the park, I met up with an au pair girl I'd been introduced to the first weekend I was here, so we chatted while the kids played. Dinner was nothing remarkable, though I need to start finding something other than pasta to feed to the kids...I think they're getting tired of it. (Personally, I really enjoy pasta, so it's not a problem, but I don't want the kids to get bored). The mother of the family arrived first tonight, and she paid me a great compliment by saying that she enjoyed the fact that she walks in to a calm environment with the kids every night; she says it's a sign that I'm good for & good with the kids. What a great way to end a night.

Day 15

This morning, there was no fire alarm alarm clock, which was quite pleasant. Also a pleasant surprise was some home-baked bread in the kitchen, and a jar of strawberry jam that the mother's mother made. Talk about a delicious breakfast!

After my late, light breakfast, the Canadian came by the apartment b/c she left some coats here before she moved out, and afterward, we went to have lunch at a cafe around the corner. Now, the Canadian is gluten intolerant, so she wound up ordering a good looking salad, while I ordered roasted lamb with a mix of roasted tomatoes & eggplant that was wonderful. I've got to find more adjectives to use to describe what I'm eating...there's only so many ways to say something tastes really good, though.

After lunch, the Canadian & I wandered towards my favorite Parisian gelato shop, Amorino. I first discovered this place on my study abroad two years ago, and today it was warm enough to merit a stop so that I could pick up my favorite flavor combination- raspberry, chocolate, & coffee. My gelato disappeared quickly, and soon, this is all that was left:

Mmm...so delicious.

After our ice cream stop, the Canadian & I wandered into the nearby H & M, which just happens to be one of my favorite stores in Atlanta, and it's no different here. Somehow, my shopping buddy walked out without buying anything, though I bought a shawl-necked long sleeve sweater that ties at the waist. My words can't do justice to how cute it is.

The Canadian had to head back to her place, so I wandered back to the apartment, when I noticed this detail on a building I pass every time I head to the metro:

It's hard to tell, but I think it's a man riding either the wind or a wave. I still don't know.

Also along the way, I've passed by a plaque on the outside of a building several times, so I finally took the time to read it, and was pleasantly surprised.

Basically, it says that Gertrude Stein lived there with her brother, Leo Stein, and hosted other writers & artists from 1903-1938.

I got back to the apartment with enough time to actually take a nap, so I seized the opportunity, since there are few times when this apartment is really, truly quiet. I woke up, received the kids from their father, and then we went to the Garden.

I had seated myself, and the kids had gone off to play. Not five minutes after we had gotten there, an old French lady with her granddaughters walked by, and tried to say that the scooter that Eldest had brought with him actually belonged to her granddaughter. Now, my spoken French is still not good, but at that moment, Eldest happened to walk up, and answered the old lady's question about how he got the scooter (as it turns out, it was a birthday present). Up until he answered that question, she was not about to let me keep the scooter that I was in charge of keeping track of. It was all very weird, and confrontation just isn't my thing, so I was a little unsettled, but I was fine after 5 minutes of being weirded out by the situation.

After returning to the apartment, the kids & I played a few rounds of hide & seek (though they call it cache cache), and then I set about making dinner. Tonight, it was sauteed zucchini & tomato with 4 cheese ravioli. There was a small incident when I put Eldest's plate in the microwave & started it before he was out of his seat. He cried, then just stared at his plate for a good 10 minutes, letting everything get cold again. Finally, he started eating, and then the rest of the evening went smoothly. It's funny what makes kids tick, isn't it?

Just for the road, here's one more shot, on the unintentional theme of this post: looking upwards. The stairs going up to the apartment door have this amazing plant life going on...take a look!

Cool, isn't it?

Day 14

When your alarm clock one morning is a fire alarm test, that doesn't really make for a good start to the day. The father of the family came by the apartment as soon as it started to let me know what was going on, so that calmed my fears. I was just glad that the building wasn't burning down, or something like that.

After I had collected myself & had breakfast, the former au pair for the family (the Canadian) invited me to have lunch at her place since our first attempt at lunch didn't work out very well. I took the approximately 20 minute walk to her apartment, and she prepared a nice lunch of sauteed carrots & zucchini, fish, and a wild rice pilaf. After the meal, there was cheese & crackers, then an apple, and then coffee. I wish we could've talked longer, but she had to go to work, so I came back to the apartment & took a nap, which I hardly ever do.

I woke up in time to have a cup of tea before I picked up the kids from school. There's another au pair girl who picks up her kids from the same school as mine, and she's from Louisiana. As usual, I got Youngest first, we waited for Eldest, came by the apartment, dropped off his lunchbag & bookbag, and then headed to the park. Cue meltdown.

I've mentioned that Eldest is into Pokemon cards. We were already on our way to the park, when he decided that it was a huge deal that he bring his cards with him. I said no, because we were already out of the apartment, and at first he just pouted. Then, when he realized that I had said no, he returned inside, though just in the entryway of the building. He kept asking, I kept saying no (deciding to stick to my guns). His father was passing through on church business, & Eldest tried to convince his father to let him go get his cards. Thankfully, the father asked me what I had said, and again, he backed me up, agreeing with how I responded. The father went back upstairs, and then soon, Eldest went upstairs as well, and sat crying at the doorstep. He finally came downstairs with me (the kind secretary offered to keep an eye on Youngest while I went to sort things out w/ Eldest), and we all went to the park, though he was crying all the way.

Once we got to the park, he was still angry, but did get up & move around. Several times, he tried to snatch a snack from the bag I take to the park, but I wasn't about to let that happen. Manners always come first. That's how I was raised, and I'm not about to let up on that. The third time he approached, I think he realized why he didn't get a snack before, and asked politely, though still mad. After that, his evening got much better, and everything went pretty smoothly.

Dinner for the kids was ham tortellini, salad, tomato slices, & yogurt. I just had a salad, but that was because I attended the young adult pizza night that the American Church hosts every other Tuesday. I'm glad I went, because I met two students (one from Illinois, one from Hong Kong/London) who were in the small group I joined, and who happen to live nearby. I got to pizza night late, but it was still a pleasant time, and I'm looking forward to the next one in two weeks.

After pizza night was finished, my two new friends & I walked to the nearby metro stop. Before we parted ways, the one from Illinois mentioned something about the "nuit blanche," which is evidently an all-night art/museum crawl around Paris the first Saturday of October. We all agreed to meet at Les Invalides, and then see what the night has in store. So the Illinoisian (?) hopped on the metro, and Asian/British girl & I walked on, and we eventually both wound up back in our respective apartments.

Day 13

I guess I've got to get used to this whole colder weather thing. It's not easy, coming from the South, where it's still really warm (and sunshiney too, but I'm not going there), to here, where the high today was 59. I'm a mild weather person; not cold (I'm terrible at layering), not hot (though my thin-blooded Southern-ness has allowed me to adapt to the heat).

Language school #1 was full for my French level, so I spent today researching other options here in the city. I've got a short list of about 4 schools, though they're all pretty far out from the apartment. Is that a price I have to pay? Well, yes. Do I want to pay that price? If I want to stay in Paris, I sure do; otherwise, not really. On the bright side, the reduced-hour au pair programs run a lot cheaper per term than their normal x-hours-per-week courses, and the hours are in the morning, which leaves afternoons/evenings free for au pair duties.

Eldest has joined what I've gathered is some sort of chess club at his school, so I picked up Youngest from her class, and we went to the Gardens, even though it was pretty chilly, so that she could play for a bit before we went to pick up her brother. Eldest was slightly sad that he didn't have time to play in the park, but this chess thing is just once a week, so he'll get plenty of playtime the rest of the week.

I mentioned earlier that Eldest is into collecting Pokemon cards. Today, he gave me two more: Ponyta & Dark Raichu. So now, I've got those two, and a Kingler. He's given these to me because they're in English- problem is, I can't decide if he's trying to maintain the purity of his French card collection, or if he's just being genuinely sweet. I find myself hoping that it's the second, though part of me knows that in reality, it's probably the first.

Dinner tonight for the kids was left0ver pasta (w/ ketchup & cheese for Eldest, just cheese for Youngest), more blanched zucchini (still can't figure that one out), & tomato slices, and I had ham tortellini & tomato slices since there wasn't enough leftover pasta for me too. Dessert was vanilla applesauce, and then the kids had cheese as a final course.

Day 12

Another Sunday, another church. Today, it was the American Church in Paris.

I woke up to a quiet apartment, which was, in a way, relaxing. I had breakfast (more pain d'epices & tea), then got ready to head to church. The church is right along the Seine river, which made for a pleasant walk from the metro stop nearby. I got off the metro, and this is what I saw:

Les Invalides: Famous for containing Dead Napoleon Bonaparte, among other things

Now, the weather's not helping this picture any, but this is Les Invalides, a home for war veterans, the French military museum, and a burial ground for some old, dead dudes, one of which happens to be Napoleon Bonaparte.

Before the bottom really dropped out, I scurried on to the church. I walked in, and was welcomed in both French and English, separately. Now, being a preacher's kid (& grandkid, for that matter), churches are no new thing to me, but usually I'm attending with family. Walking into the ACP, I felt a little nervous, but once worship started, I began to feel more comfortable. There was one moment of hesitation (for me) when the pastor asked all the first time visitors to stand up, but I gathered myself and joined the few that were standing.

The service was quite nice, with a familiar feel, and with songs that I actually recognized (which meant more to me than I expected it to!). Also, the interior of the church is beautiful, which never hurts (though it's not a requirement):

They were setting up for a contemporary service, thus the screen

After worship, there was a social time with coffee, so I ventured into the crowd and picked up a cup. I sipped it, soaking in the environment & the people around me, and then got a refill. I was almost done with it when a group of 3 girls came up to me & introduced themselves. One lived in California a while back, came here as an au pair, then got married & has lived outside of Paris for 3 years now (don't worry...I'm not getting any ideas). The other two were Austrailian; one was an au pair, like me, and the other was assisting a man in a wheelchair. We conversed for a while, but breakfast didn't hold me very long, and everyone already had plans, though we agreed to meet next week after the service, so I returned home & had the yummy pizza leftovers.

After lunch, I went to my room and tried to nap but the coffee didn't do me any favors, so I settled on reading some more Sherlock Holmes. The ACP hosts a free concert every Sunday at 5, so I headed out to hear some music after my reading time. The program was good, and included two of my favorite composers, Vivaldi & Handel. When I returned from the concert, the family had all returned, and dinner was in progress, so I greeted everyone, changed out of my Sunday clothes, and joined them for dinner. Tonight, it was veggie soup (carrots, tomatoes, and zucchini) & pasta (with pesto, for me). Dessert was a pear, along with some real brie (the mother brought it back from her visit with the kids to her mom's house), which was absolutely delicious.

Fall is coming, in all its glorious colors :]

Day 11

So, the family's out of town for the weekend. I woke up to a quiet apartment, which was actually very nice. Before I left Macon, I got used to waking up to an empty house, so it was almost a return to normalcy. I had toasted pain d'epices (it's a dense, sweet, spiced cake-like bread sweetened with honey) with cherry jam for breakfast, along with a nice cup of hot tea. I made another cup of tea, then returned to my room to begin researching a place to go for lunch.

My original destination was a restaurant called Le Petit Saint Benoît, a small, affordable, but well-established bistro that happened to be in my arrondissement. I set out on my walk, beginning to enjoy the cooler weather. I finally got to the restaurant, though, and saw that the prices were out of my range, though the fare was classic French food. I regrouped, turned around, and walked back to the main street I had turned off of, Boulevard Saint-Germain.

The Saint-Germain-des-Pres area is named for the former Abbey in the 6th arr., and has long been noted for its bohemian atmosphere. Two of Paris' most well known restaurants are no more than 100 yards from each other in this area- the Café de Flore & Les Deux Magots.



I wound up choosing Les Deux Magots, and overall I had a decent experience. The place was obviously crowded, so I didn't have extremely high expectations for the service.

The table setting was nothing special, but I liked it enough to take a picture & share :)


I ordered a smoked salmon sandwich, and it was actually really good, if still a bit expensive for me. I did have to remove the cucumbers, but that wasn't such a bad deal. The salmon was still really tasty, either way.


And after that picture, my camera died. I wandered down Boulevard Saint-Germain a bit, but it started to rain, and I didn't have an umbrella, so I figured it was probably time to head back to the apartment. On the way, I grabbed a pastry as a late dessert- another croissant-like creation with custard and chocolate chips. So yummy. Just before I returned to the apartment, I stopped in at the little grocery store across the street and got myself some chicken soup to have for dinner. I've been wanting some since I got here, so I finally indulged myself. And it's definitely soup weather outside, so it works.

I returned to the apartment, dropped off my soup in the kitchen, and made myself another cup of tea, and retreated to my room. I think today, the gray weather actually helped. I called home, and mamma remarked that I sounded very relaxed, which I then realized was true. I'm a creature of calm & quiet, and today has been very restorative. With a belly full of chicken soup, I'm off to knit for a bit, then go to sleep. Tomorrow- the American Church in Paris awaits.


ps- discovered this video while rambling through this blog this afternoon. Do please watch. It actually made my day.

Day 10

Today, I ventured out into the big (albeit rather chilly) city, in search of a French language course to enroll in. I had the address for one place, so I set out on my adventure for the day. Soon after I had started, someone had actually stopped to as me directions to a different street. I was surprised, and actually kind of complimented! Thankfully, an old man overheard her request & helped her, so I headed on my way and made it successfully to my target. I took a placement test, but they didn't have any openings for the level I placed in, so I'm back to the drawing board, but with several other locations to try on Monday. It wasn't a total loss, though, b/c on the way back to the metro station, I somehow overshot it, and eventually wound up staring at the signage outside of a concert venue. None other than the head Parrot himself, Jimmy Buffett, is playing tonight here in Paris! That's going to be a fun concert :)

I turned myself around, got on the metro, switched lines, and got off at the stop for one of Paris' few HUGE stores, BHV (short for Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville, which makes sense, given that it's right across the street from, well, the Hôtel de Ville, which is like Paris' city hall). It's like someone took a Bed, Bath & Beyond, stacked a Best Buy on top of it, with a make-up section beneath that would take up an entire department store on the first floor. My description doesn't do it any justice...the place is friggin ginormous. (That's right. I maybe just made up a word.) The alarm clock I purchased yesterday needed batteries, and anywhere you go in Paris, batteries are going to be ridiculously expensive, but at least at BHV, I'd be able to get a slightly better deal than if I'd have bought just 4 for about the same price that I got 15 (I think) today. I did well to find the batteries, then wandered aimlessly around the store for what felt like an eternity, but in reality was only about 2 hours. Needless to say, I'll be going back there to explore more.

I ate a late lunch today, grabbing a bagel-sandwich from a shop in my arrondissement called Bagels & Brownies. They've got all sorts of bagel-sandwich options named after well-known American cities, though there's seemingly no relation between the city the sandwich was named after & the contents of said sandwich. (I think the Atlanta had pastrami on it...) I wound up ordering the Las Vegas- two thick layers of cream cheese, tuna salad, tomato slices & cheddar cheese. It was actually really good, and I might wind up going back there again for a different bagel-sandwich.

After my sandwich, I almost took a nap, but instead wandered the streets around the apartment a bit before picking up the kiddos from school. Before I headed out, the secretary downstairs handed me a letter from one of my church members back home. It was a sweet note, and reminded me that though I might feel alone over here, I've got so much support coming from my home church.

It was cloudy again today, and it decided to rain, but (thankfully) only while I was inside eating my sandwich. This did make the temperature drop, however, so I made sure the kids had their jackets before we went to Luxembourg Gardens again today. I think I'm finally starting to get into the swing of things (at least when it comes to the kids), and that's helping a lot. Eldest collects Pokemon cards, and today he gave me one that was in English, a gesture I didn't expect, but really appreciated. I think we're starting to get along better & figure each other out. Though, I don't know quite yet what I'm going to do when the Garden's hours change, because it'll be closed before the kids get out from school...that's going to take some serious creativity on my part. That should get interesting, to say the very least.

The mother of the family came home early today, and even made dinner, which was delicious. It was homemade pizza! One part had pesto, cherry tomatoes, & mozzarella, one part had red sauce, sliced roma tomatoes, mozzarella, & black olives, and the other part had red sauce, feta cheese, & more black olives. I used to dislike olives, but lately I've come around to them. It's been a slow process, though. And again, there was music during dinner, because someone had rented the sanctuary to hold a concert. Tonight, it was piano & a female singer. Still, very beautiful music.

Day 9

It's funny how the weather influences my mood. Today was gray & cloudy, and while I felt well-rested, the gray skies outside didn't do me any favors.

I finally got fed up with not having a proper alarm clock, so I ventured out to Forum Les Halles, which is a big shopping mall that happens to have a metro stop attached to it. There's a bunch of stores there, but I had an agenda. My goal was a store called Habitat, which is, based on my own observation, the British answer to IKEA. The store itself is pretty neat, and I found a decent clock at a price that still feels like a lot of money. I think part of me won't ever let go of the exchange rate...

After purchasing my clock, I wandered into an H&M. Now, I love me some H&M, but at this moment, I'm trying to hold onto all the cash I've got. There were a few things in the store that I absolutely loved, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy anything today. I blame the weather. The last store I wandered into before departing from Les Halles was a store called Nature & Découvertes that my mom & I wound up visiting last time we were here. This store is an interesting collection of eco-friendly stuff, ranging from camping gear to kids toys to tea & teapots to diffusers (for essential oils) to travel pillows. One of the neat things I saw in the store was a travel neck pillow that was filled with cherry pits, which is certainly something I've never seen before.

I returned to the apartment to make myself a late lunch, and then before I knew what had happened, I was waking up from a nap (luckily with plenty of time to prepare to pick up the kids). I grabbed a few things for the kids to snack on while we were out at the park, and then went to go get them from school. As always, I picked up Youngest first, and then we waited outside for about 10 minutes until Eldest was released. We returned to the apartment, the kids got their scooters, I got the snack bag, and we all headed to the park, where they played until 6.

We returned to the apartment, they got cleaned up, and then it was dinnertime. Tonight was a meal that came together more quickly than I expected...galettes (savory buckwheat crepes) with ham & cheese (chicken instead of ham for me), a small salad, cherry tomatoes, and yogurt w/ Nesquick mixed in for dessert. By the time I finished cleaning up dinner, the kids were playing & already in their pajamas, so I used a phone the family has that has free calling to US landlines, and caught up w/ daddy (although he was at work), which was nice, since I haven't been able to talk to him on skype lately. The call was short because he was still in the middle of his workday, but shortly after I finished with him, the mother came home, and I was relieved of my duties for the day.

So, as I said before, not much happened today, but I still blame the clouds.

Day 8

Wednesdays are going to be good, too. Even though the kids aren't in school on Wednesdays, I don't have to work until 4:30, just like any normal day, which is quite a good deal.

So today was kind of a lazy day, though I got up at the reasonable time of 9:20. I had Special K for breakfast (I got some the other day, but I wasn't expecting to find it here!), along with my morning cup of tea, and then went back to my room to research directions to the Shakespeare & Company bookstore, which I've been meaning to go to since I've arrived. After researching & writing down the directions, I set out on my journey. I made the first two parts of my trip just fine, but turned the wrong way down Blvd Saint-Germain, and was heading south, away from the Seine (which was, essentially, my final destination). I realized my mistake, turned around, and then finally found where I was aiming for.

Isn't it so cute & quaint?

The Shakespeare & Co. bookstore is a lovely little treasure in Paris, & a haven for an English speaker, like me. The moment you walk in, the smell of books (dusty, kind of dry, slightly sweet) immediately envelops you. You then wander around the small store, amazed that the store can fit so many books into such a small space. There's a general comforting presence about the store, and then you notice the soft sounds of music (I think it was jazz, of the American type), and the faint smell of lavender wafting throughout the store. Go upstairs, and you'll find an array of children's books, as well as a collection of books that are there to be read in the store, not for sale. There's even a tiny little booth with a typewriter & a chair in it, waiting for someone to pop in a piece of paper & start a masterpiece.

The only-for-reading book room has a gorgeous mirror topped table...I couldn't resist taking a picture!

There were so many books to choose from, but I wound up settling on "The Adventures and Memories of Sherlock Holmes," by Arthur Conan Doyle. There was no real reason to this decision, just the fact that I knew the general premise of any Sherlock Holmes story is to find a case, investigate, and solve it. So, serious reading? Not really, but well-written enough to keep my attention, even with the small font. I normally would've reached for Jane Austen, but they didn't have my favorite book, so I decided to look for something else & venture out a bit.

After reading the first of these short stories, I walked past a small park, and had lunch at a restaurant right across the Seine from the Notre Dame. Lunch was nothing special (a huge slice of ham quiche with a salad, bread, & water), but I think I got my money's worth from the view alone. After lunch, I went back to the small park, sat on the ground leaning against a tree in dappled shade and read some more about the adventures of Mr. Holmes & Dr. Watson. Before I knew it, several hours had passed, and I began to head back to the apartment.

The view from my reading tree :]

I had a quick nap, and then it was time for me to take care of the kids. As usual, we went to the park, and they played for about an hour & a half. The kids would come find me for their snack, and then run back off to continue playing. After their time at the park, we came back home, and Eldest had to do his homework. (I should correct an earlier statement about homework- I think they check it on Mondays & Thursdays, since the kids have a day off in the middle of the week.) While he was doing his homework, Youngest & I played a matching game, and then when Eldest was done, I attempted to play chess for the first time in oh, I don't know, ten years? Needless to say, I lost, but that gave me an excuse to start dinner. Tonight, it was pappardelle pasta (with pesto for me, with ketchup for Eldest, & with cheese for Youngest), salad w/ balsamic vinaigrette, some nice, chewy bakery bread, and some cheese afterwards.

The mother came home a bit early today because there's a close family friend that is staying the night, so the kids & I were eating when she & her guest arrived. Somehow, she managed to find smooth peanut butter (my favorite!) here in Paris, and so she got some for me, which is a gesture, as with the Oreos, that goes a long way. I now have the makings for a potential midnight snack, if I so desired! :]

Day 7

What a difference a good night's rest can make. I don't think I moved from the position I fell asleep in (I toss & turn all night, usually).

I think the mother of the family knew (somehow) that I had a kind of sad day yesterday, and I awoke this morning to find a box of Oreos waiting on the steps up to my room. Her simple gesture turned out to be the good beginning to a day that I needed (especially after yesterday). Breakfast was hot tea, & rounds of baguette spread with just a bit of Nutella (which also helps start a day right). I came upstairs, changed, and skyped w/ mom & dad for a bit, and was supposed to have lunch with this family's former au pair, but she got called in to work, so I grabbed a chicken sandwich from a pastry shop, & headed towards Gare du Nord to meet my study abroad friend. Sadly, I think we missed each other, but I think we both forgot how big that station is. Gare du Nord is one of Paris' 3 big stations, with trains leaving for destinations all over the country. I feel terrible that I missed her, but I hope to go & visit her in Chaumont some weekend to make up for it. On the upside, while I was waiting, I did meet a Canadian who's living in London now, but visiting his brother here. I was just surprised that I wound up sitting next to another English speaker.

After returning from the train station, I found an e-mail sent by the father here explaining the French lessons hours requirement for the au pair visa. See, my visa says "student", so I need to get a temporary work permit so that I won't be violating any international laws. Thankfully, the father called the person here in Paris responsible for au pair contracts, and he said that 10 hours/week for the duration of my stay would suffice. I'm just relieved that I don't have to take 15 hours of language lessons! The 10 hour requirement is comprised of 6 hours in a classroom & 4 hours of homework. It's just a 5 hour difference, but what a difference indeed!

After reading through this e-mail, it was time to get the kids from school. As usual, I picked up Youngest first from her classroom, then we waited outside the big doorway next to her building to pick up Eldest. Lunchboxes are the bane of any child's existence, but as soon as he saw me waiting, I think he remembered to go and pick up his lunchbox from (I think) the front office. Eldest, since he is allergic to soy products, has to eat his lunch separately from everyone else, so he takes his lunch to school (which I guess isn't a normal thing in France?). Anyways, the kids & I came back to the apartment momentarily so that Eldest could drop off his school bags & so that I could grab the bag that contains their afternoon snacks. Then off to the park we went, where everyone played nicely, and the weather couldn't have been better. I was in such a different state of mind that I even wrote a silly poem in my journal (sorry, not going to share...not worth the digital space)!

After we returned from the park, the kids even played together (with minimal sibling bickering!) while I prepared dinner. I wasn't feeling very creative, so it was leftover veggie soup, toast, carrot sticks, cheese & yogurt for dessert. Still, it was a very pleasant meal, and the kids really behaved well, which I definitely needed after yesterday.

So, all in all, today was a wonderful, beautiful, very good, very nice day* :]

*see what I did there? As a kid, I loved "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," so I decided to throw that in there, just for kicks ^_^

Day 6

I don't like Mondays. They come too soon after the weekend.

That said, today's been a pretty good day, all in all. I meant to make it to the Shakespeare & Company bookstore yesterday, and then today, but inertia got the better of me. I've heard that jet lag recovery should be approximately one day for every hour's difference. If that's the case, then I should be ok by now, but I don't really feel any more well adjusted. Part of this may be due to the fact that I'm finally coming to the realization that I'll be here for a long time. Those of you who know me know that I'm very close with my family, probably closer than most. Being alone in a foreign country where I don't speak the language very well isn't a good feeling; add to this the fact that the kids speak so quickly (Eldest especially), and it makes for a very unnerving situation.

One of the requirements for the au pair visa was that I enroll in French courses for some number of hours a week. The problem is, no one source says how many hours are required for this au pair visa. French lessons are very expensive here, but some of the universities (in Paris, at least) offer courses in French language for foreign students at a decent rate, given the circumstances. Today, the father & I sat down to talk about the various options for my French lessons, and I think we came to a decision that I will take one semester (15 hours!) of French courses to fill that requirement. Sadly, this means my free time will be shortened. On the bright side, however, it means that I'll have springtime free to really enjoy the city. Still, 15 hours a week is a lot of time. But maybe being on a schedule will help. I like schedules, but that might be because I also like structure. The one thing that bothers me a bit is that I worry that I won't have much time to spend with each of my parents when they come to visit (1 in October & 1 in November).

After lunch, I spent some time reflecting in my room, inertia still hanging around. Although I felt sad & homesick, I think that by working through the sadness will help me heal, in the long run. Before I knew it, it was time to pick up the kids from school. I put on a happy face for the kids, and kept it on until my time with the kids was finished today. I picked up both kids from school, and we went to the park, where they played for about an hour & 15 minutes. After arriving back at the apartment, it took several attempts to make Eldest do his homework (what kid wants to do homework on one of the days they're allowed to read comic books?), but he finally took the 5 minutes it took, & did his homework easily. While Eldest was entertaining himself, Youngest helped me prepare dinner (tortellini, blanched zucchini, applesauce, & cheese). I can't say that I've ever blanched zucchini before, but I think it turned out ok...the kids seemed to like it.

Shower time for the kids is another point that I'll have to work on. Youngest likes to have someone in the bathroom with her, in case she needs help, while Eldest wants you to leave him very much alone. Soon I'll get a handle on these kids. I hope.

On a final bright note, tomorrow I get to see one of my good friends from my study abroad two years back. I can't wait to have someone else here in the country (yes, the entire country) that I know in some shape or form. I can't wait to see her & catch up.


*edit- Here's a completely gratuitous & unrelated picture of Luxembourg Gardens, because I felt like adding some color to the page :)

Click to see the big picture!

Day 5

New York on Sunday,/Big City taking a nap!/Slow down, it's Sunday!/Life's a ball, let it fall in your lap!/If you've got troubles,/Just take them out for a walk./They'll burst like bubbles/In the fun of a Sunday In New York!/You can spend time without spending a dime,/Watching people watch people pass!

So, Paris isn't exactly New York, but you get the picture. They're both big cities, right? That makes it count! (By the way, this song is a favorite. I guess I'm just an old soul?)

This Sunday was actually quite nice. I woke up before the family, which threw me off a bit, but it was ok, I just stayed in my room until I heard movement elsewhere within the apartment. Breakfast was a roll with Nutella (try it, seriously. It's sold at Walmart, for pete's sake!) & some Earl Gray tea. I love Earl Gray tea, but I like it very strong, and when the family makes tea, it's a bit weaker than what I prefer, but I'll get used to it. I retreated to my room to prepare for church. I haven't quite gotten a grasp on the weather here, so I dressed a bit warmer than I would've wanted, but at least I layered. Today, it was gray herringbone slacks, my blue Polo oxford button-down, black blazer, pink scarf, and black suede high-heeled loafers.

The father was preaching this Sunday, so he rode ahead on his bicycle and then I rode with the mother & children to the church, which used to be a Catholic church. I don't know the history behind it yet, but I do know that all the stained glass windows were replaced with clear glass, which greatly brightens the interior of the church, which is all freshly cleaned limestone. The ceiling was beautifully vaulted, making for a nice space for worship.

The worship was actually very nice, though it was all in French. The flow of the service pretty much matched the flow of my home church, which made being a stranger a little less unnerving. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Apostle's Creed & the Lord's Prayer in this service were pretty much a word-for-word translation of the English version I know & love. Funny thing is, while they were saying both of these in French, I couldn't say out loud (or even think to myself) the version I know. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't saying the same thing as everyone else around me. Another pleasant surprise was that one of the hymns the congregation sang is one that I know I've sung before (though it bothers me that I can't remember it). The service was a pleasant one, and they even served communion today, which made me a little homesick, because I missed the service two weeks ago when they served communion. The biggest difference w/ communion here is that they use real wine, not just grape juice (although I like grape juice just fine, too!), and instead of everyone processing to the front for intinction, or staying seated and waiting for the servers to pass around the trays, everyone stood up, moved to the walls, and the congregation made a big oval, where plates were passed by the worshipers.

After the service, there was a meal with the congregation, which was actually quite pleasant. Before the meal, the mother introduced me to her uncle and sister, since they were both at worship. Also, there was a member I was introduced to who was Scottish! I didn't expect that, and was glad to speak a little English to a native speaker. Anyways, on with lunch. There were many things to choose from, but the ham quiche disappeared quickly, so I had a macaroni pasta salad, some variant of potato salad but with potatoes, eggs, & olive oil, some couscous with tomatoes, cilantro & mint, and some bread with olives & ham chunks. After this, bread & cheese were passed around, and then dessert was served. Dessert was what appeared to be coffee ice cream & bits of biscotti pressed into a loaf mold & frozen, then sliced, served with grapes. Overall, a very pleasant meal.

After changing clothes, I went out on a jaunt to find a yarn store/tea salon that my mom had told me about. I was nervous going on the metro alone, but Paris is really a pretty safe city. I used the first of my metro tickets, and safely got on the first train of my stay. My "metro legs" came back to me, but I discovered that my "metro face" is woefully out of practice. Let me explain: the Metro is Paris' underground subway system, and as such, can be pretty crowded. At no time should one passenger make eye contact with another, unless you know them personally. Eye contact is taken very seriously (at least in France), so a "metro face" should be adopted. A "metro face" is usually an expressionless stare into space (in my case, usually my shoes), made better if you're listening to an iPod (you get Metro points for that). It's not a serious thing, but it ensures that you're left alone on the (sometimes) crowded train. Back to the yarn store though. I had read about this place, L'OisiveThé, online, so I finally stopped just looking at it on Google Maps and went to see it in person. What I found was a cozy tea salon that served American-style cookies & cakes and nice tea. Even though it was pleasant outside, I ordered some tea & a chocolate chip cookie, which was perfect...it was chewy, soft, & just a tad crunchy. After I had placed my order, an old French man walked in, said something about ordering a coffee, and the sat down in the open chair opposite me at my table. The waitress told him that this wouldn't do, because I was a young girl & was alone, and it would be socially not right, so he finally moved. (I think that's what she said...it was all in French, though I caught some of it).

I finished my tea & cookie, then headed back to the apartment. I had a good walk, and am starting to figure out my way around the arrondissement, which is a good thing. Anyways, it's been a nice, mostly calm Sunday. Next week will probably be the Church of Scotland, I think.

Day 4

I have a feeling I'm going to really like Saturdays around here. My weekend consists of Saturday & Sunday, but tomorrow I'm going to go to church with the mother & kids to hear the father preach. Next Sunday, I'm going to try to find the American Church in Paris, and then the weekend after that, I'm going to give the Church of Scotland a try, seeing as Presbyterianism got its start in Scotland :)

But enough about tomorrow...let me talk about today. I slept in this morning, again (this has got to stop!), though the sound of children running up & down the hallway was hard to ignore. After I got up, however, I had a small breakfast (tea & a roll), skyped w/ my dad & mom for a while, then was about to walk out the door when I saw that the mother had left a note saying that she had cooked some chicken for me & left it in the oven. So, for the first time since I'd arrived, I had protein! (I should mention here that the mother is a vegetarian, though she doesn't mind preparing meat). The chicken was very good, and she had some peas & carrots on the stove for me, which reminded me of childhood meals. Given that I've been a bit snuffly (stuffy nose), the warm chicken w/ carrots & peas was comforting; kind of like a deconstructed soup, minus the broth.

After my late lunch, I went out for a bit to take some pictures in the nearby park, which just happens to be Luxembourg Gardens. The park is gorgeous, and while the sun was out today, it was actually warm, which felt very nice, and almost like the brief fall weather at home. Fall here has already started, as the weather is definitely cooler right now than back in GA. Some of the trees have already started to turn colors, but the flowers at the Garden are still in bloom, see:

So vibrant!

Anyways, after I returned from my jaunt through the park, the mother, children, & I went out in search of several things, including a metro card (Navigo), a sim card for my cell phone (I've got a pay-as-you-go plan now, but not clear on services to US), and paperwork for a bank account. Everything's starting to get official! Oh, I also had my first pastry today, but I didn't have my camera to take a picture of it. It was a sheet of pastry dough folded in half, w/ pastry creme & chocolate chips inside. So yummy :)

After arriving back, I checked the scores for some of the finished football games today (UGA lost & GT won...what a great game day!), then went back downstairs for dinner with the family, which was actually quite delicious, and very entertaining! The menu tonight was a pureed veggie soup (very good!), then a salad w/ balsamic vinaigrette & toast & melted goat cheese, topped w/ herbes de provence (always a winner, in my book), and then some buttered gnocci, which were very good! Dessert was simply a pear, but it was good to have a familiar fruit.

By the way, I envision this blog as a dumping ground for my events each day. The details may be boring, but at least I can look back and remember what happened when. It's helpful for me, and I hope you enjoy the posts as well :)

Day 3

Today was a slow day. I woke up at 11 again, and realized that I probably needed to find an alarm clock. After a good-morning Skype call with my dad, I ventured out a bit and made it to the nearest Monoprix (a grocery store). This Monop', as it's called, was pretty small compared to American grocery stores, and while I managed to find some shampoo that I like, my search for an alarm clock wasn't fruitful. I returned to the apartment, I had lunch, knitted just a little bit, and then left to pick up the kids from school.

Today was the same schedule as yesterday, but Eldest tried to convince me that his mom said it was ok for him to take his Nintendo DS to the park. Now, neither his mother or father had said much about the DS, so I told him that I hadn't heard that it was ok for the DS to leave the apartment, and a tantrum ensued. He cried, he stomped around, he pouted. Then, he went to his father's office, and explained the situation. Fortunately, his father told Eldest (and me) that I was right to say no. Each child gets 20 minutes of play on the DS during the week, and an hour on weekends, so Eldest used his 20 minutes after we returned from the park.

[Side note: The building that I'm living in has an elevator, which is a rarity in Paris] The kids & I were waiting for the elevator after we had returned from the park. The door opens, and in the elevator is the former au pair girl, the Canadian. She stayed with this family for two years, so the kids were happy to see her. While I prepared dinner, she helped me by making sure the kids take their showers. She stayed for dinner, but had to leave soon after. It was great to meet her in person, and she was very nice, which is a good thing. :)

After the father came home, I ventured out & met up with another au pair girl, from Spain. She has a few American friends, so I met all of them while we hung out in the Spanish girl's apartment. One of her American friends is from DC, while the other two are from California. These girls were all very nice, but my interests don't really line up with theirs. I have no problem with people who smoke, but I don't. I have no problem with people who drink, but I don't really drink (yes, I did abide by the laws of the legal American age). These girls aren't bad people, but all they seemed to talk about was who they were going to hook up with, which, if you know me, is definitely not something I have any interest in. These aren't judgments, though. During the daytime, I'd definitely join them again. Then again, any friends I can make would be helpful.

Day 2

Today, I’m feeling much better. I slept for just over 12 hours, waking up at 11 am. Breakfast was simple- two pieces of toast with strawberry jam & a cup of earl gray tea. I got to Skype with my parents; it was nice to hear their voices this morning, so to speak.

Today I had lunch with the father, because he had a long lunch break. Lunch was a zucchini quiche, which was quite nice, but a bit heavy on the cumin, I think. (Each bite tasted like I had just walked past someone with really strong B.O., which isn’t pleasant when you’re trying to eat!)

After lunch, I attempted to take a shower. The bathroom is very large, but there is no shower curtain or glass or anything like that to prevent the handheld shower from spraying all over the bathroom. That’s going to have to be fixed. After my shower, I finished yesterday’s blog & got it posted, then the father came home and helped me prepare a snack for the children (Eldest is allergic to soy, so his parents are very careful to avoid soy products).

I went with the father today to pick up the children, but from this day forward, I’m on my own. To give you an idea, here’s what my schedule should roughly look like:

Youngest is released from class 10 minutes before her brother, so I pick her up, and then wait outside for her brother. I do have to remember to make sure Eldest has his lunchbox & jacket, but otherwise, the pickup is rather simple. From the school, we walk to the Luxembourg Gardens, and the children play for about an hour. Today, it started to rain, so we came home early, but luckily, the kids like to play matching games, so that helped pass the time. Eldest worked on his homework a bit, though it’s only checked on Tuesdays and Fridays. The kids shower every other day, so on the off days, they wash their face, neck, arms & hands. After this, it’s time for dinner. Tonight, it was pasta and more of the aforementioned quiche, with applesauce for dessert. After dinner, the kids brush their teeth, and read for a bit, and then the parents arrive, and I’m off duty.

So, that’s my day, in a nutshell.

Oh, & here’s a picture (panoramic, no less!) of my room! :]

Nice, isn't it?

Day 1

[Originally, this post was written as a stream-of-consciousness, so pardon the extensive past tense and bad grammar.]

What a day. Woke up at 7:30 (Ga time), finished packing, had a few sad moments, but everything made it to the car just fine. Daddy went and got some Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits as my American farewell breakfast, so I ate that in the car on the way up. Made it to Hartsfield Jackson quite easily, and to my surprise, both of my suitcases were just a few pounds under the weight limit! Before going through security, I had one last drink with my family at a very large, very popular coffee shop. Mamma & I both had an earl gray latte (n.b.- not that good), daddy I think had just some plain coffee, and William had a chai tea frappucino.

After the final sip, I said another teary farewell to my family. I couldn’t even tell them all “I love you.” That still hurts today, although I know that they know I was thinking it. The security guard teased me for having such a large carry-on, although my pillow was shoved in there, making it so puffy. Security check cleared w/ no problem, but lady in front of me left her cell phone. She came back to retrieve it, just as I was looking for her. I arrived at my gate with time to spare, but without internet. Solitaire quickly became a good friend. Boarded the plane, had an uneventful flight to Philadelphia. Once in Philly, I stopped and took time to have a real* Philly cheese steak, which wasn’t half bad. Once everyone had boarded the plane in Philly, and sat next to someone who was born in Naples, but spoke perfect English because her mother was American. The flight to Paris was rather short, actually, at about 6 hours. I tried to sleep on the plane, and actually did get a good amount of rest. I woke up in time for the airline’s excuse for breakfast, and about an hour later, we landed in Paris! By the way, here’s your picture, Heather:

Lots of moving walkways...

The plane arrived much earlier than was originally scheduled, but thankfully, the father & both children were there to welcome me with this sign:

Isn't that adorable? :]

We then loaded up their car with my luggage, and it took much longer than I thought it would to get from the airport to Paris. Next time, I’ll just take the RER straight there. The train systems here (RER & Metro) are both much faster, and much easier than driving.

Once we arrived at the apartment that will be my home for the next 10 months, I called home to let my family know that I made it safely to Paris and that none of my luggage had been lost. Afterwards, I had lunch with the father and children (let’s call them Eldest & Youngest), and then I began to unpack. At around 4 pm Paris time, the father & I took the children to play in Luxembourg Gardens, which is literally half a block from the apartment.

The children played for a while, then everyone came home, and the children played in their rooms for just a bit while I got my feet under me, so to speak. The children showered, and then the father prepared dinner that night, which was a soup of some kind (I couldn’t identify the flavors, which bothered me) carrot soup, and then the children were put to bed. The mother returned from work at around 8, so I got to talk with her about how things work in the apartment, and what the schedule for the children would be like. By the way, the mother speaks better English than the father, so I’ll definitely have to work on my French, although I speak only English to the children. Somehow, I managed to stay awake until my mom got home, so I was able to speak to her before I went to sleep at 10:45 pm, with only 4 hours of sleep on the plane.

* I use the term "real" rather loosely when talking about airport food. Authenticity is hard to come by in airports.