A Few Things I've Learned

Well I've been lazy and let Paul do all the writing. So figured it was time to speak up with a few things I've learned since we arrive about 6 weeks ago. We wanted to undertake this adventure to sharpen our edges -- lift us out of our comfortable lives in sweet Los Osos and challenge us to be flexible, open, reflective, and expressive in Europe, the ancestral home for many of us. I think most of us lineage-wise came from Western Europe. It's not the wilds of Africa or the exotic Asia but it is different. As Paul and I have expressed to each other many times, "we're not in Kansas anymore."

So here goes a few lessons and/or reflections.

1. Not all French women are skinny -- only those in Paris, I think. In the South it's much more relaxed both for body size and shape and attire. I'm really happy about that.

2. French people are LOUD and they laugh a lot -- I thought it was only in Italy that people yelled when they talked but no…it's here too. When they greet each other it's a big deal of kissing all around. And every place has its special number of bisous (kisses) on both cheeks. In Montpellier it is 3 and one has to know which side of the face to start on. It's really fun!

2a. Jazz and blues are everywhere. It's been a big surprise that there is so much jazz and blues here -- for free. And swing dancing. Lots of small bars have trios and quartets playing. I haven't listened to this much jazz since I was 30. Count Basie, Louie Armstrong, Chicago Blues. Maybe I missed something back in CA.

3. Not many Americans or expats in Montpellier right now -- maybe it's the strikes, maybe the threat of attacks. There are some Brits and other GB folk (aka Irish) but mostly it's French people speaking French. Boy am I glad Paul is a fluent speaker -- he doesn't think is he but.. he is. I fumble around with my one word questions and point a lot. People smile and sometimes laugh. I wish I had spent more time learning a few more phrases and verbs.

4. Like any place there is so much more to see and do here than we could ever partake in the rest of our lifetime. I didn't really think of this European adventure as moving to a new place, not knowing anyone, starting all over. Duh… why didn't someone explain this to me?

5. Not all baguettes are equal -- same with the wine. I would never have thought I'd be able to distinguish different quality of bread -- but I can! And now we have moved to a near but different neighborhood and it's a search all over again. We have the shop we like for the best baguette, the place for our favorite poulet roti, vegetables, pain au chocolat, pizza. Speaking of wine -- we have sampled our share and I have a new love -- rosé from Cote de Roussillon. It is not sweet but refreshing for the afternoon.

6. Plan carefully for food on Sunday and Monday. We have a small refrigerator but that's ok since we shop either every day or every other. However I keep forgetting that almost all stores and many restaurants are closed on Sunday and many on Monday -- even the big big giant mall type stores. No TJs here. We've had to make do with bread, cheese, tomatoes and wine sometimes..oh well. Sunday is a day off and the French want and need their days off -- I think they have 42 holidays a year and 6 weeks of vacation. This is part of what the strikes are about -- a push back for proposed changes in the labor laws and not wanting to "be more productive".

7. I love orange! We moved to a new apartment last week. Our first one was really nice but had a spiral staircase that was potentially a leg breaker -- like looking down a well. So we got in gear fast and found another one. This is nearby -- maybe a 10 minute walk. Rather than a vacation rental it is Carole's apartment that she rents out from time to time. She is a Buddhist and her apartment looks like our home. Statues everywhere, Buddha watching over us as we sleep, books in French by authors I recognize, photos of mantras, plants, and orange and red motif throughout, even down to the orange sheets. I think I'm getting enlightened in my sleep.

8. Crème fraiche makes everything taste great. ok so I didn't ever use this at home. It seemed all creamy and high fat or something. But here in France with the dairy tasting so great and cheese being incredible (I even love goat cheese here -- I know you don't believe it but it's true) I started to use it in everything. We cook mostly at home -- and interestingly French cuisine uses a lot of meat that we don't eat-- beef, pork, veal, lamb, mouton, goat not to mention the organs of many of these, so we have adapted to a limited but expanding list of meal options. The cuisine in the south is a mixture of Italian, Turkish, Spanish, Catalan, and French cooking. Chicken and fish are prevalent -- turkey not so much (a new-world meat). So I make soups like potato leek, chicken vegetable, and stew like ratatouille. Favorite salads-Greek, Mozzarella Italian, and Niçoise. And the boulangeries (bakeries) have great quiches with salmon. We get our poulet roti every week and use it many times as stir fry or with pasta and pesto. We do eat out occasionally and there are great lunch "plat du jour" like the one we had with a pave du salmon (brick of salmon about 6 oz) with rice and salad for 8.90 Euros. Wow!

9. Do we miss "home"? Yes of course but it's really a BE HERE NOW kind of thing. California is a long ways away -- it's fun to explain to new friends what it's like and even show photos. We are part of two language exchange groups and being the real deal -- as in native speakers and not British English-people want to talk with us. Being from California helps to elevate the mystique. We have been to a few dinner parties and look forward to more but it doesn't replace friends and family. We love to hear what you are up to. Stay in contact -- we love it.

Bisous from the South of France!

           Paula and Paul