Closing Time

Well, this semester in France is almost to an end. I’m both happy and sad about this. I’ve had a great time exploring France, and a wonderful opportunity to reflect on my life and my future plans. Time away from friends, family, and life as I know it has really made me appreciate everything I have and made me grateful for the freedom life as a United States citizen gives me.  

After class last Wednesday I headed to Agde to prepare for the Assistants’ Christmas dinner. I stayed with my wonderful host from Thanksgiving – Natalie. On Thursday I went to Montpellier to visit my friend Kait and her French boyfriend Mathieu.  Although it was raining, we still had a wonderful visit. We chatted in a French café over coffee, then went to Mathieu’s house to make pasta for lunch.  Kait and Mathieu had just their PACS (civil solidarity pact), which comes with partnership rights and responsibilities, but not as much as a marriage would. After lunch, I walked around the Montpellier Christmas market and had some hot chocolate. 

On Friday Natalie and I started prepping for the party on Saturday – peeling sweet potatoes, stocking up on wine and baguettes, and listening to Christmas music…and then Natalie’s boyfriend texted her about the tragic shooting. We were shocked and immediately went online to read about it. Being so far from the United States makes news like that seem somewhat unreal. It’s horrifying, and yet life goes on. We spent the rest of the evening in a completely different mood, waiting for the news sites to post updates. One thing my French students always ask me about is gun control in the US. They don’t understand the way of thinking in the US, and how intrinsic the 2^nd amendment is to our history.  Personally, I believe in stronger gun control, but how to achieve that in a way which does not cause a civil war – I do not know.  I do know that an event like this makes us all think about what we can do to help. My own response is just to try to be kind and patient with everyone I encounter – to try to do as much good and put forth positive energy into the world as I can. 

Friday turned into Saturday, the day of our Christmas dinner. There were 12 of us in all, meeting at Sophie’s apartment for the celebration. We had an amazing potluck dinner, with roast chicken, roasted potatoes, candied parsnips, marshmallow sweet potatoes, broccoli, mashed potatoes, salad, baguettes, wine, chocolate, cake, and cookies. We also opened our Secret Santa gifts. I received a pair of super soft gloves. After, we played Charades, and let me tell you – this group was amazing! Some of the titles guessed from the abstruse clues were incredible. It was a lot of fun, and a great way to celebrate life and enjoy the world even through the damper of the tragedy. 

Assistants' Christmas dinner

Natalie and Gwen with the pile of Secret Santa gifts

This is my last week of work before the holiday. I taught today, I teach tomorrow and Wednesday, and then Thursday morning I head to Paris to meet my cousin and a friend for a few days before hopping a plane back to Arkansas. I am incredibly thankful for my wonderful family, friends, and this amazing semester I’ve had in France. I have been so lucky and God has given me so much, my life sometimes seems like a dream!

Me and my cousin, who I get to see on Thursday!

Week-end in Bordeaux

I spent this last weekend in Bordeaux, visiting the family of a friend who lives in Arkansas.  The train from Mende left Wednesday at 3pm and I arrived in Bordeaux a little after midnight. Clothilde and Luc picked me up and we drove to their house, which is actually about 20 minutes outside of Bordeaux. They chose that location because it’s only 20 minutes to the city and 30 minutes to the real countryside. Their house is beautiful and rustic. They have a nice wood stove, which reminds me of my parents’ house in Arkansas.

When I awoke the following morning, Luc and Guilleume (Clothilde and Luc’s 14 year old son) had already left for work/school. Clothilde didn’t have to be in until 11am, so we went into the city together, and she told me to meet her back at her office around 4 or 5 pm. That gave me about 5 hours to explore the city. I was in luck – Bordeaux already has a Christmas market set up! I perused the market, sipping on a cup of delicious vin chaud. Next I explored the rue St. Catherine, which Clothilde told me is the longest pedestrian shopping street in France. I refrained from buying anything – my bags back to the States are already pretty full! But I sure did enjoy window-shopping. 

Christmas market

After I met Clothilde back at her office, we picked up Guilleume from school and then headed to the countryside near their house. We went down a long scenic winding road and arrived at a vineyard, where we bought snails from a woman who prepares them – a necessary process before cooking which takes several days. At home, Guilleume and I got to help Clothilde prepare a sauce and cook them! They weren’t my favorite food, but I felt authentically French! Clothilde asked me what they reminded me of, and I think they have close to the same texture and flavor as calamari.

Clothilde with the snails!

Me, cutting marinated red peppers for the sauce!

Guilleume - supposed to be stirring the sauce - playing with a snail (on his finger)!

The next day Clothilde took off work, and we went into the city to do her Christmas shopping. It’s nice how the French have individual shops for everything –  we made purchases at the small, independent toy store and the book shop – where I could have spent hours looking at the French cookbooks! That evening we drove by a huge Chateau vineyard. Of course, this is really the wrong time of year to be visiting vineyards, but it’s still interesting. 

The Chateau

Vineyard where we bought the escargots

Drink wine and live joyfully!

Saturday was a beautiful, clear day, so Luc, Clothilde, and I headed to the ocean for a picnic of fresh oysters, white wine, and foie gras on French baguettes. (Guilleume had a friend’s rugby game to go to.) After our picnic, we headed to the dunes. I thought we would never reach the top! 

Oysters at the Ocean!

Luc and me trudging up the dunes!

Clothilde found this lying on the beach!

That evening, we went to a neighbor’s house for a dinner party. There were 5-6 couples present, each with approximately 2 children…it was a large dinner party! I thought they had a really good idea – each couple brought about two appetizers and a bottle of wine or champagne, and we ate and ate and drank and ate! The hosts started with three bottles of wine covered in foil, and had a contest to see if anyone in the party could guess the region the wine came from…they didn’t do very well! But everyone had so much fun guessing! 

The adults, holding up their raw crabs for me to take a picture! I tried one - didn't have a second!

I had a wonderful time in Bordeaux. I think it’s probably my second favorite French city (after Annecy). However, my train ride home was NOT pleasant. On my first train (Bordeaux – Beziers), I sat across from a woman holding a sick toddler who alternatively threw up and cried. My second train (Beziers – Marvejols) was filled with middle and high school students heading back to boarding schools…extremely noisy with paperwads being thrown all over.  My third train (Marvejols – Mende) was a bit calmer, but arrived late. Although I don’t like driving, I will certainly appreciate not having to deal with issues like this when I’m back in Arkansas!

Today I returned to class! Less than two weeks until Christmas break – woo hoo!