(Chocolate Shelf is seriously a full shelf and a half of nice chocolates meant to be consumed on a daily basis, right
next to the fridge and more accessible than the eggs or grains. I love it.)
Nothing wrong with gaining weight, but buying a new wardrobe is simply not an option on an au pair stipend, knomsaying? But hey, as long as I don't outgrow my clothes I am DOWN for this rich new diet. An afternoon espresso with chocolate is my new favorite ritual. Dessert cheese is heavenly. Fresh bread is dope. I am so buying myself a raclette when I get back home, because everyone deserves to have one in their life (I feel the same way about kotatsu). And I don't miss protein shakes, oatmeal, or energy bars...although I do miss Mexican food with a passion.
One thing that surprises me is how much time we spend at the table. Meals are more stretched out than what I'm used to. Well, breakfast is virtually nothing, but lunch can be the equivalent of an American family dinner, and dinner can be drinks at 6, main course at 8, dessert at 9, coffee at 10, and talking around the table late into the night. I'm used to stuffing my face and leaving the table as quickly as possible, so it's taking some adjustment to go slow and focus on the conversation as much as the food. My parents did a good job of encouraging that at our family table, but it's even more exaggerated here. We brought my host sister home from school for lunch, and she was with us for so long I started to wonder if she had the afternoon off, but it turns out that elementary school lunches are like 2 hours long.
VOYAGE FRANCE week 2 was good! Jet lag is gone, the routine is becoming more natural for me and definitely for the kids. I've driven a little more and that gets easier and easier.
We went into Annecy and that city is
breathtaking. I saw a FNAC in the flesh for the first time. :P
Dude so okay. This is just the community pool. Not a millionaire's
infinity pool. That breathtaking view of the Alps? So commonplace it's
not even commented on. I think people are getting tired of hearing me say, "It's so pretty here!" and "I can't believe this view!"
Til next time! Ciao~
Haha, that's the cool thing about living in France, the truth is that everyone think like you, but no one say it! (every morning when I walk to my school, I take the time to watch everything around me <3<3)
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie :)
ReplyDeleteBack in the spring i stumbled upon your DeviantArt page, and specifically the Grace Under Fire Wonder Woman drawing, I liked it so much I did a tribute fan art of it, anywho I was checking up on your Deviant page to see what was new and saw this blog comic and read the "au pair"..which is funny becuase I've never heard of that word/phrase until I recently watched an old episode of The League TV show and a character hired an au pair for his kid. Long winded, but crazy connection to you and au pairness! That's so cool that your in France, so are you there for a whole year?
P.S. I found your sketch movie reviews! You do so much! Have some fresh bread with home made butter for me! Jeaouls!
~Mikey
(a fan from the suburbs of Chicago land :P )
...also is that the Eco Bottle recycled Pen on the table with your coffee and post cards? I almost bought that the other day wondering how it writes!
ReplyDeleteHi Mikey,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for following my work! I stay busy, so keep checking back in for more. :)
As to the pen, nice eye! It is indeed the "Bottle 2 Pen" by Pilot. I like it a lot; it's my favorite ballpoint pen right now.
Take care in Chicago land~
Thanks for the pen tip! You're welcome for the following, I need my art inspiration from somewhere ;)
DeleteThat looks like a big cool looking suspension bridge! in the back ground of the picture of you in the coat next to a river perhaps.
And I'm working out a new comic book idea in my head that deals with Wonder Woman,the 1940's, time travel, and your loving of horses from your movie review of "Brave" So its like..Wonder Woman meets Katniss Everdeen! Maybe when I get better at figure sketching I can show you story boards :)
-Mikey
Well, I 'll say that you're lucky to be in the Alps.
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in Annecy area, but know I live in the moselle department, and here it's hard to find a nice landscape :)
Enjoy your time here !
Thank you! I'll make the most of it :D
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