Updates!

Sorry I haven't been writing posts recently, but not much has really been happening here. The usual mornings and afternoons to myself, then get Cleo from school at 4:30, play time, bath time, and dinner time by 7:30. Then I'm free. Friday though, while riding the bike of doom to get Cleo, I think I hit a curb and broke something. While I walked the bike through the skinny sidewalks, the tires kept locking up and I couldn't even push the darn thing! Thankfully the future nanny of the future baby here was walking past and noticed I needed some help. She's SO nice, but doesn't know a single word of English, so it was a bit difficult to assess the bike situation. We ended up having to carry the bike (Cleo chariot with it) the rest of the way to the school (about 2 min walking). After I got Cleo, the nanny talked to the school director about my bike. He fiddled with it but even he couldn't figure it out. He unhooked the back tire break and then the bike worked! But I only have the front brake working. Yikes! 

So Cleo and I continued on home until about halfway when the tires started to lock up again. So the rest if the walk home I pushed and dragged the bike while Cleo walked along side me, remaining occupied by all the snails and seriously huge slugs in the dewy grass. 

Fréd and I will try to fix the bike before the weekend is over, but his Dad has been in town visiting all weekend so the bike is still broken. 

Friday night we all enjoyed a nice dinner together where I basically sat and listened to conversations between Fréd and his dad (both huge tennis fans) talk about American and French tennis players, French football, and other topics I didn't quite understand. Overall, I'd definitely say I'm improving in my understanding of the language!

Saturday afternoon I met up with two couch surfers, both fairly new to Lille, like me. One girl from just outside Paris who moved here last week to attend University, and one guy from Barcelona who is here to work. They were so nice and so much fun to go out with!! We walked around Lille a bit, went to the art museum because it was free for the weekend, and then finished off the day with some beers at a small bar. We mostly spoke English because the guy needed to improve for his job. He told us that his boss wanted him to improve his English more so needless to say I was thrilled to speak English. It's much easier for me to be myself when I speak English with new friends. With French I can't really express myself much thus making it harder for me to introduce myself and get to know others. The girl speaks English, Spanish, and French. The guy speaks Catalan, French, and English. It was so impressive to listen to them rotate between all 3 languages if they couldn't find the right word in one language. It inspires me to really work on my French and perhaps one day learn Spanish too! But one language at a time here...

The 3 of us have already talked about going to Belgium for a day, traveling together, etc. I think (and hope) we will all become some great friends here. 

It's been very dreary and rainy here all week. And chilly too! Fall has definitely arrived. I miss Chicago autumns though. They are much nicer, dryer, and prettier. 

Today (Sunday) I will probably meet up with my friend from Lebanon for lunch just to get out of the house today. I always feel a bit weird just staying in my room when the family is home so I try to get out as much as possible: rain it shine. 

I'll keep you all posted on the bike situation. OH! And I start my French class tomorrow, 9am-noon. First day jitters! Hopefully I'll find the right classroom. This university is the worst about posting room numbers and where to go. They literally just put up pieces of paper around the buildings the day of class saying "if you're taking this course - it's in this room number".... Awful. 

Culture shock is really starting to hit me and I've been a bit homesick, but that's nothing a little Christmas music can't fix for me!! I know I know...Christmas music, Claire? Really? Already? 

Oui. 

Loads of bisous!!

Xoxo

Claire

This week...

This week was the return of classes for all the students of France. However, Cléo was not too thrilled about the earlier bed time and earlier morning starts, as any child would.  Let me explain how I get Cléo to and from school with a visual. 

What is this picture you ask?

 Why it's Cleo's chariot and my certain end of existence. 

This is what I transport Cléo to and from school in. If I don't die by the end of the school year then I might as well be an Olympic athlete with the amount if coordination and strength it takes to use this; literally, uphill both ways. I dread the days of rain and snow...

Cléo and I leave about 8am so I have time to wheeze and die on our way to school as my lungs shrivel up into raisins. I dump Cléo at school at 8:30, and then I make the trek back home; avoiding small cars, cafés that take up the entire sidewalk, and small children. Then, I finally make it home to sit in the shower, holding myself, as I cry rocking back and forth. I will certainly lose 10 years off my life. 

After, I have the afternoon off to go to the little fruit and vegetable stand just across the street, lounge in the sun, or meet friends in Lille. 

At 4:00 though, I must be home to head out on the death trap and retrieve Mademoiselle Cléo from school with a small snack waiting for her in her chariot. At 4:30 the zoo lets out and Cléo and I head home, again, me, eyes bulging, lungs shriveling, life ending. 

Typically after school, Cléo plays outside til about 6, then after an ocean of tears from Cléo not wanting to come in, I get her to take a bath or shower while I cook her dinner. Dinner for Cléo is typically a microwave meal specially picked out by her mom. Easy for me, but I'm sure the lack of nutrition aids in this child's insane mood swings. Not so fun for me. 

Cléo typically cries a good hour all together every night. Between coming inside, to having to take a shower, and going to bed, the child cries at the drop of a hat. Tips on how to control the tear flow?? Accepting any and all advice now please!

That's a typical school day for me and Cléo. But today I was free because I had to go to the University near Lille to take my French placement exam. I did fine, found the class ok, and was able to meet the teacher. She looks a lot like a Native American hippy, with two, long, grey braids on either side of her head and wearing long dresses from probably 1996. She's super cool though!! I start my class the 16th, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Hopefully with this French class I will improve my French language skills and meet more people in the same boat as me. Results pending. 

Oh, and Scribbles says hello and sends bunny kisses to all! 

Bisous! (Kisses)

Claire

***Bisous is a typical way to say bye to friends and family. Kind of like "cheers!" Or "love!"

La braderie

This past weekend was the largest flea market that I have ever seen. Ever. It is what people from all over France, Europe, and even the world, come to see. The market is called "La Braderie" (which is essentially the word for flea market in French). It's famous for selling furniture, books, clothes, toiletries, and pretty much a bunch of junk. But man is it fun! If you've ever been to a Chinatown, canal street in NYC, or any other flea market in the USA selling fakes of name brand items direct from China, just multiply that size by 1000 and voila: La braderie.

 I decided to go on Sunday afternoon because that is when most if the families attend. Saturday and in the evenings the braderie has been known to have many occurrences of pick pockets, thefts, and a lot if drunken quarrels. Therefore, my Saturday night I stayed in for a quiet evening of French TV that I cannot understand. 

Sunday I met up with a friend to check out the market and try the northern european coastal delicacy of "des moules-frites" (mussels and fries). One cannot attend la braderie without having tried des moules frites! Many restaurants throughout Lille will save all the shells of the mussels and toss them on the streets to show off to their competitors just how many mussels they've sold. (See picture below) 

It was insane! There is supposedly a winner each year for the one restaurant who sold the most moules frites. I'm not sure whether they actually win a prize or if it's purely for bragging rights. 

After walking through the narrow, cobblestone streets of Old-Lille, my friend and I stopped for some seriously delicious mojitos. While we sat and conversed in French, he saw one of his friends from university. I forgot his friends name but he was very nice! He's from a small country in Africa so French is his second language. It was great for me because he spoke French very slowly so it was easy for me to understand him. He even attempted to speak a bit of English. It was very, very basic, but I give him some serious props for trying like he did. I know more French than he knows English, yet I am always so timid to speak. He, however, had no shame. I envy the Europeans and their thought process on new languages. They always seem to try any language regardless of skill level. I always fear someone will think I'm stupid for not being able to communicate efficiently, even though French is my second language. It seems like in the US, there is such an awful stigma placed on those who communicate slowly, with poor grammar, or that just don't quite understand something. In Lille, when someone communicates slowly or with poor grammar, a person will ask "where are you from?" out of curiosity and perhaps to help him or her in their native tongue if possible, rather than saying "are you stupid?" for not speaking perfect French. People here have MUCH more patience for others than back home. I love it. 

Anyway, the friend from Africa then left and my friend and I continued through la braderie. After a few hours of people watching and rummaging through everyone's junk we decided to try des moules frites!!! We stopped at a cafe in the Grand Place de Lille (the grand plaza of the city) and began our feast. One bucket of mussels, two orders of "french" fries, and two huge beers (called Blondes) and we were set.

 I must say, the mussels weren't that bad. Just the texture is sick. And the aesthetics of the mussels was a bit off putting. Regardless, like true northern Frenchies, we finished them. They tasted like the ocean! But never again. Okay, maybe once a year for la braderie...

Thus concluded my first trip to the great flea market of France! 

Bisous à tous!! (Kisses to everyone!)

Xoxo

Claire