Well hello again, and happy new year! I have so much to talk about since I last wrote. I had quite a few reservations about staying in France for the holidays, but I am relieved and a little surprised to say that it was wonderful; certainly different than I have ever experienced before, but wonderful no less. Most of my vacation was spent inside, watching American television, reading a little, and just thinking about life, much of which was spurred by NBC's show Parenthood. I shamelessly admit that I am more than a little bit obsessed with it, so if you have never seen it before, do yourself a favor and start from the beginning, and then proceed to watch every single episode (don't worry, the dishes can wait, believe me). I haphazardly discovered it when I was living with my two dear friends in a lovely apartment in the U district our senior year of college (oh how that feels so long ago!), and have always taken to it since. It really makes me think about life's challenges and joys in such a realistic way, and I find myself relating to every single character's struggles. It's the perfect blend of escapism into someone else's life and problems, and realism, with a relevance that draws you in and engages you in your own life and relationships at the same time. In order to avoid sounding like those annoying reviewers whose excerpts are always tediously vague and similar to all the others you read when trying to find a good movie, I will stop, but really everyone should watch this show. Seriously.
Ahh, anyway, vacation was relaxing and restful. The week before Christmas it snowed for the first time here, and that was by far the most real reminder that I am living in the Alps of France. Just to be able to listen to Christmas music and wake up to light snowfall was such a simple reminder of the season. The first night of vacation, I agreed to help Claire with an English carol and Christmas reading service at an old church in Aix by reading a passage from Luke. It was nice to get to use my English as a gift for something outside of teaching, and to be able to read a part of the Christmas story in particular, was kind of neat. It caught my attention, however, that everything seemed quite antiquated, sort of lacking the spunk and variety normally a part of Christmas services in the States. I can't figure out if it was because the evening was planned and primarily attended by old people more familiar with "traditional" versions of carols and Bible verses, or if it was simply to try and capture the idea of a longstanding, historical holiday. Either way, it didn't really feel very alive to me, which was a bit sad. I missed the energy and excitement of a similar type service back home, where the air is full of anticipation and celebration.
That night, we had dinner for Claire and Jean-Luc's daughter, Blandine, who was turning 31, so it was fun to eat with them for that. I found it more enjoyable than the first time I had dinner with them all because I know them better now, plus I was able to follow the conversation much better, and from time to time, actually add a small comment. I am so so glad that I live with a French family and not on my own, primarily because it allows me to know someone, and also because it gives me the chance to use my French, learn from someone who actually knows what they're talking about in their own language, and be a part of deeper immersion. Sometimes I wish I had my own space entirely, or wish I could just blast my music at all hours, but those are far outweighed by the benefits of our daily exchanges. Christmas for example, would not have been at all as wonderful as it was, without them. Claire graciously invited me to go with their family to Christmas Eve dinner in a town nearby, as well as to go with them to Jean-Luc's brother's house in the middle of France for Christmas day. I of course accepted both, partly because I had no clue what else I would be doing, but obviously because I didn't want to pass up the chance to experience a real French Christmas. Before I delve into the details, let me just say that the French know how to eat. It was divine, even despite the very unfortunate timing of a cold that limited almost entirely, my ability to taste food. The first night we arrived, and soon after, began the arduous task of eating for about 5 hours (seriously it is a talent I cannot explain), with champagne and appetizers. Then, thanks to their five year old nephew's excitement, we opened presents (or rather, he opened presents and the rest of the family exchanged one or two gifts). He was so cute, but I definitely outdid his excitement level at his age :). I think his favorite was probably the huge Lego police station set he got. He began to build it immediately, and worked on it with such a singular sense of focus that he didn't really eat much dinner at all, or feel the need to talk to anyone the rest of the night. I loved watching him, and in a way it really took the tension out of being with a family I had never met before. Kids are quite good at that I think. We had foie gras with toasts, and then beef Wellington accompanied by potato and asparagus gratin. It was so wonderful, but that is of course, not all. Next came the cheese plate, then the dessert (which I helped make with Claire, super fun but nerve racking too!), and finally tea and coffee. The dessert was a bûche de Noël, aka the Christmas logs you see in those Martha Stewart magazines, but I don't think I quite matched Martha's decorating prowess. Came darn close though-- just kidding. It was good, and people seemed to like it, much to my relief. Anyway, it was a great night, and I enjoyed the people as well as the food despite my sniffles.
The next morning we had to leave at 9 for our three hour drive through the country, so I woke up early and opened the presents my mom sent me for Christmas. It was so sweet of her to think of me, and I have to say, it felt really wonderful to have a few packages to rip open on Christmas morning. On our way to the relatives, the car full with Jean-Luc and Claire, Bertrand (their son), and Blandine (their daughter) plus me, Claire decided that the best way to pass the time was to listen to and sing along to the entire Elvis Presley Christmas album. I think we were all about ready to jump out of the car, but I was secretly giddy with amusement. She really was hilarious. Of all the Christmas music, why she chose Elvis was sort of beyond me, but she told me she was in the States when he died, so she has a special attachment to him haha. I stupidly took a motion sickness pill before we left, so when we got there I was so drowsy I could barely keep my eyes open. Oops. It made things a tad more difficult to understand with twelve people yammering away in French, but I somehow made it without falling asleep in my plate. Some of Bertrand and Blandine's cousins are married and have kids, so it was so sweet to see more little ones playing with their toys. One of the girls got "play-doh" which I shamelessly played with, but she didn't really reciprocate the interest so I put it away. The grandparents were precious, and probably the coolest thing that day was getting a book with a note inside and everyone's signatures below. They made me feel so welcome in their home, and I was just so humbled by their willingness to let a complete stranger spend Christmas with their family. People really are just people no matter where you go in the world, and despite linguistic, cultural and geographical differences, their family made me feel valued and appreciated even though they had never met me before. It was definitely a Christmas to remember. Plus, later, some of us took a walk, and one of the families had a black lab puppy that I got to play with. It was almost like having my own French chien (dog) for second.
The drive home was long, and I was thoroughly exhausted from a good 12 hours of nonstop French, but I felt so lucky to have gotten the chance to be a part of that. I found a really cool quote from a French-American cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, who said that "when you learn something from people, or from a culture, you accept it as a gift, and it is your lifelong commitment to preserve it and build on it". I was privileged to learn a new way of celebrating during Christmas, and my time in France is a gift in the same sense that I am getting to see how children learn, families function, and people live in a different language and place. My challenge to myself during the remaining months in France is to soak up as much as I can, especially as things begin to appear commonplace, so that when I get home I can extend to others and build, for myself, the value of living and viewing the world in another way. Here's to the next four months!
A bientôt mes chéries,
Amy
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