French Feasts, Part Deux: La Brulerie

One of the assistants who was in Le Puy last year said that she hung out at this coffee shop all the time. I think I might be doing the same. It's just gorgeous there and such a nice atmosphere.

Table Setting: SUGARS!!

Sugars in closeup

We really liked them :)

3 cups of hot chocolate for 3 friends (Steph had Caramel hot chocolate, Andres Orange Hot Chocolate, and I had plain hot chocolate)

Photo Finish!

Food.

**This post is dedicated to Liv, who can truly understand where I'm coming from here**

So, every time a class asks me what the differences are between France and the United States, I always say the food. And I can never think of any other differences. Also, when they ask me a few minutes later what my favorite part about France is, I also say "the food". Which has led me to look like/feel like a glutton. But! I'm willing to own my love of French food and pay homage to it with the first installation of what will hopefully be a rich photo series titled "French Feasts".

About a week ago, Andres, Steph and I went to the Super U (the big supermarket close by) and bought stuff for dinner. Num. First we bought a "pick-your-own" cheese sample bag.

Before:

The Carnage During:

Andres and Steph!

Also, we bought lemon tarts: (dear god, I love France--and this was just out of a supermarket's bakery, not a specialized patisserie!)

The first dinner I made for myself: (some kind of alaskan fish in a butter sauce with green beans)

And then the dinner I made for myself last night. Not bad, eh? The salad has feta, hard-boiled eggs, vinagrette dressing, and lettuce and olives that came from the open-air market which occurs on Saturday mornings. Quite proud of me, if I do say so myself. And that wheel of Camembert only cost me 2 euro or under (maybe a euro 50; I don't remember, but suffice it to say it wasn't that expensive).

Also, I'm becoming much stupider in English. For example: today in class, my teacher asked me what the English word is for someone who makes sculptures...what did I say?? Sculpturer. Yeah, no, that's not a word in English, Meghan. I realized my mistake about 10 minutes later, and told her after class that I was wrong, that it's sculptor. God. It's really really difficult to try to make your mind flexible enough so that you understand their rough English, but also to remember what English should sound like. You think it would be easy, but it's actually quite the gymnastic feat of the mind. That teacher really puts me on the spot, though. She's very fast, and happy and go-get-em, so in the middle of class she'll turn to me without warning and ask "C'est quoi, le mot en anglais pour les rênes?" when I don't even know what "rênes" are, but sometimes I can figure it out (rênes=reins...lordy). But I really like her a lot; she used to be an archaeologist, and she spent some time teaching in the States, and she loves the United States because she thinks we're so positive and up-beat and can-do. She's quite cool...and she's invited me to some of her History/Geography classes that are taught only in French, so I can sit in and listen. :) Which I think I will take her up on. She's teaching about the Cold War in one of her classes, so she advised that I should come then because it might be interesting to hear their perspective on American history. :) Love my job.

Anyway! Other fun things I've done:

-last night, I tried "la Vervaine" which is the name of a specific liqueur made only in Le Puy...it's bright green and tastes like licorice and mint together, very strong, but tasty. Steph and I shared a tiny glass of it, so we just tasted it a little. It's actually good to soak a sugar cube in it and then eat the sugar cube. :)

-one guy we've met really likes American rap, so last night, we both took an earbud of his iPod, and I translated Beyonce, Britney, Akon, 50 cent, David Guetta (who's HUGE here in France, and whose songs we have, but I've never heard him cited as the artist, since he's the DJ, not the singer of the songs), Sean Paul, and a million other artists into French...I also taught him that usually "that thing" refers to your butt (i.e. "Shake that thing...work that thing") Bahha, so that was fun

Um, I did my laundry by hand yesterday, which is always fun. I do like it, though, because while I'm just taking care of my own laundry, it's much less hassle than walking 10-15 minutes into town with my laundry bag to sit at a laundry mat for hours. :)

So, life's pretty good. Also, I'm reading "Julie and Julia" in French, and I can understand it! So, that's also quite exciting.

Okay, that's all for now, I think!

Bisous!! ("kisses" in French...a common sign-off. It's in reference to "faire la bises", which is the phrase for the kisses they give each other in greeting)

OHMYGOSH

Greetings from Le Puy!

(pronounced: luh PWEE)

hehe, I know this is hokey, but after I was done writing, I wanted to add this picture, and it just added it at the beginning of everything, so excuse the cheese ;)

Okay, so I have a LOT to fill you in on, but that seems SO daunting that I might just do some highlights for now and then more details later?

Let's see:

1. Moved into the apartment with Andres, the Spanish assistant in my high school, who is from Columbia. I now have a kitchen, living room, and spare half bedroom (I say half because it's not separated by a full wall from the living room--but it has a spare bed!).

2. Went to training in Clermont-Ferrand (the main city in my region) and met LOADS of new people

3. Met some French people

They were friends with the assistants last year and want to be our friends this year, so they're trying to get to know us, and they're SUPER nice :)

4. Started School

5? Lots of other little stuff

First thing:

On Sunday, Stephanie (oh my gosh, whom I haven't even told you about, WOW, it HAS been a long time), who is the English assistant at three junior highs here, Andres (roommate) and I went walking up to La Vièrge. There's a big statue of the Virgin Mary on the highest peak in Le Puy, and so we went urban hiking up there. It was the perfect day for it, just gorgeous, and you could see for forever. :)

Here's a pic inside the statue. It's graffittied all over with prayers for the virgin to answer:

The view from up in the statue WOW.

The Virgin herself with child, and this other statue in front is of some guy who made pilgrimage to see her, and the statue is eternally kneeling and praying to her. I think it's kind of clever, actually, as these statues weren't built at the same time (I don't think).

A view of the town from the walk up. That cathedral is also very religiously important. There's a stone in there, I think it's volcanic rock (looks like it and all the hills around are sleeping volcanoes), and the story goes that a woman back in maybe the 6 century?? was sick and came to this rock and she was healed, so MANY people come here to touch the rock and be healed. I touched it, so here's hopin'. :)

Another view of Le Puy from the hike up.

And again (I like this one).

So, I went grocery shopping today. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH BEAUTIFUL EGGS????? Well, and if you have, I'm sure these are like right up there in terms of beauty. Man. AND THERE'S EVEN A FEATHER ON THEM! CAN YOU SEE THAT!?! Goll-y.

Here's an update on "American TV shows dubbed in French that Meghan has seen":

• Desperate Housewives
• Malcolm in the Middle
• Bones
• Medium
• the old 50s zorro tv show
• Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman
• Gray's Anatomy
• Lost
• The Simpsons
• Flipper
• Prison Break
• NCIS
• Scrubs
• Hannah Montana
• Law and Order: SVU
• Cold Case
• Lassie
• 7th Heaven

Okay, that's all for now. I love you all and hope everything is going great for you!!!

Megs