Day Off?

Yesterday when Padi and Didou dropped Marie-Césare off around 5,  she was so excited to see me.  She wanted to tell me everything and show me all kinds of things that she made with Didou over the weekend.  Didou even said she asked for me Friday and Saturday night....This is a completely new concept for me so I was elated to hear it!  When Franck got home he gave me a gift that he had brought back from Morocco.  It was this beautiful pair of black beaded traditional Moroccan slippers.  I wasn't expecting anything so it was a lovely surprise.  And so sweet of them to think of me.  

School was great today!  We played a word game with the entire class and I won! What a great way to start the day.  I met Laura, Isabel, Kaitlyn, and Emily for a "picnic" lunch in the 11th.  It was kind of rainy so we had to sit under a gazebo.  After lunch we wandered around a bit and decided to go the the Musée des Arts et Métiers.  We were all expecting a hands-on, science museum experience like most museums in the States.  It was pretty much ancient scientific methods and equipment that you couldn't touch or get close to.  The first few rooms were super boring, as it didn't explain much about each piece on the small plaque just beneath the item.  As we approached the end of our journey through the museum, things got a little more interesting.  I hate to say it, but modern day science interests us more than how the lightbulb works.  The first telescope, computers, phonographs, cameras, televisions...that kind of thing is interesting.  

Arts et Métiers Metro Station

The third Statue of Liberty! I have found them all!  

Chloé had called while I was there and said I didn't need to come to work today.  Didou was spending the afternoon with her class for a school party and was just going to watch her tonight.  I don't know what is up with all this time off....I'm expecting her to ask me to work a ton in March I suppose.  After we left the museum I was in Ashleigh's neighborhood so I decided to pop over until she had to pick up her kids.  I enjoyed just hanging out...without a purpose or mission like on the weekends. ha!  

Tonight I am writing to all my lovely followers who read this crazy blog.  Just wanted to thank you for reading because it keeps me motivated to keep seeing and doing new things to share!! Toni asked a few questions so I thought I would take the time to answer them here.  

"Maggie, all of your excursions into parts of France that ordinary tourists never get to -- oh, it makes me want to return to Paris so so bad. It's an incredible city, and you are seeing so much of it, little by little. Are you totally used to hearing French all day long now? Are you thinking in French? What language do you use when you are meeting with all your multi-national friends? And, you are forgetting to put up photos of food lately!!! My eyes are hungry for more food pictures.

Where will you go next? After Paris, I mean? Has this been so wonderful that you could see yourself doing it more than this year?"

I am use to hearing French all day long now.  It is such an exciting feeling to be able to understand what people are saying.  Don't get me wrong, I don't understand everything...and sometimes I have to ask them to repeat sentences, but its a much better stance now than when I began.  American-French and Parisian-French are two very different languages and I am just now getting use to the difference.  My friends and I speak in English, just because some of us are on different levels.  We of course ask each other words and phrases if we don't know, and say little things to each other which we all start hysterically laughing at.  For example, French women always say, "bien sûr."  Which means, "of course."  (Her husband left her?  Mais, bien sûr.  She's gained weight?  Bien sûr.  You would rather have the blue than the red?  Bien, sûr....I'm shocked you don't know me better than that?!)  It's just what they say.  It's always funny when we're having a serious conversation over lunch and I bust out with a "bien sûr!"

I definitely think in French sometimes especially if I'm tired, or hungry, or when I'm with Marie-Césare I always think in French.  In fact, my English is slipping a little bit.  I never thought that could be possible, and it may sound silly, but I find myself struggling for words sometimes when I Skype with my parents or friends.  It's a good thing that I blog and speak English with my friends here to keep me on track.  

I haven't forgotten to put up food pics...promise!! When I eat something good I always try and take a picture of it.  My budget doesn't allow me to eat fancy French food all the time (much less eat out at a restaurant), and there's only so many times you want to see me eating a crêpe or a croissant.  I will try my best to eat new things and keep you updated.  I do enjoy blogging about food and one of my favorite posts was writing about the falafel in Le Marais!  

I get asked if I will stay in Paris another year or not.....daily.  Therefore, I think about it.....daily.  It is a hugeeee decision that I have to make, but luckily I don't have to decide until May or June.  It will probably take me that long to figure things out.  I do have the option to renew my visa, and as of now I can stay at the Lachaize's if I'd like.  I have thought about going to different country for another year, but I am enjoying learning French so much!  If I could stay another year, take classes, and become fluent in the French language...that would be amazing.  I feel like that would help in my career path as well.  Not that I want to live in France forever, but a bilingual hospitality management grad could be used in loads of positions.  I love my family here, they have been wonderful so far...and that has a lot to do with my decision.  If they suddenly do a 180, then yes my probability in coming home or going somewhere else is a lot greater!  I also miss my family and friends back home so much, and not a day goes by that I don't think about everyone!  

J'ai beaucoup de réfléchir!!!