In the US, you’ll offend people if you label someone an alien (legal or not). In France, they have no reservations whatsoever about calling you an alien, which we are!
Yes, that’s pretty campy, but it made me laugh! Go get’em, Captain James T. Kirk!
Bonjour from the Hexagon, France’s nickname (because of its shape)! In the four days that we’ve been here, I have enough material to write 20 blogs. But not to worry, I’ll pare and spare!
Thursday, October 26 – we arrived, jet-lagged, eager, eyes wide open. The terrain around the airport area and our accommodations set a pretty low bar. Let’s call it a discouraging day. Yes, we even seriously wondered, “WHAAAAT HAVE WE DONE!” ‘Nuff said.
Friday, we went FIRST THING with Gaetan, our local relocation professional, to see an apartment that had just come on the market the day we left Greenville. You probably know we didn’t get our original 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices. Bummer. NOT! GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE THAT WAIT! This apartment is so absolutely amazing, I can hardly describe it. No fooling around this time, straight to the realtor’s office to sign the papers! No “let’s see what else there is,” no “think about it until Monday….” BAM! Thank you, God! Manna from heaven! (and thank you, Randy, for praying about it specifically!) (to see the online posting of the apartment, click here)
Even though papers are signed, we are still holding our breath until we get keys around the 15th-20th of November (having been burned once already….). Our storage container should arrive about that time as well, so good on all fronts! INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH – in the historical district, movers often use a CRANE to lift the household furniture and goods in through the windows. Isn’t that bizarre? The elevator will accommodate precisely 1.25 slender people, the stairs are narrow and circular with no handrails, and if you want your furniture on the top (5th) floor, which we do….up, up, and away! Can’t wait to take pictures of THAT!
The birthday weekend was wonderful. I got to Viber text-and-video with you and see your smiling faces! Tanner and I walked a gazillion miles, saw much of the town, took the tram, bought our first baguette and pastries. We had beer in an outdoor cafe, bought a French international phone, and a coin purse for all of the Euro coins. (There are no paper bills less than 5 Euros — so the 2 Euro and 1 Euro [think dollar] have no bills, only coins.) Pretty much stayed OUT of our truckstop temporary apartment to the utmost of our ability. 😉
We found a gorgeous large park with a lake and swans, Jardin LeCoq, close to the Universite de Clermont Avergne. Lots of young people everywhere – 20s and 30s. Small FiFi dogs inside restaurants. Most men wore skinny pants, very pointy shoes, and scarves. Even male toddlers had on men-scarves. Women looked ‘normal’ to me (so far) — shoes meant for cobblestones, not the high-heeled Parisiennes from the magazines I expected!
Did I mention about the walking? Oh yeah, I did. Even with the right footwear, the rough sidewalks will punish you [ cobblestones = 2 Aleve]. Don’t say I didn’t tell you! You’ve been warned!
So Tanner’s Day One is today — we woke up early, he dressed nicely, tie and all. Then he hoofed the mile to Michelin, in 38 degree weather, in the dark, in dress shoes, to work. I turned on my phone and voila — the time said 6:15 am!!!! My watch said 7:15 am!!!! WHO KNEW THAT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDED IN FRANCE YESTERDAY!!!!! He hustled back when no one was even at the security gate, we laughed, had more coffee, and out the door he went – again! Hoping he has a great ‘first day of school.’ Pretty weird when you’ve been with a team in the US for 6+ years and know everyone there. Hard to be the new kid in town!
As for me? I’m headed to the grocery around the corner to buy only-what-I-can-carry for today. It’s all in the attitude. I can feel alone, in a foreign country, and all that comes with that — but I refuse! Attitude is everything!
Happy birthday, Randy! Happy birthday, Jordana!
BTW — download Viber on your phone (go to your playstore and enter “Viber.” We can talk and text and video chat for free! There is a 6 hour difference between France and the East Coast. If you need us urgently, the new French mobile phone number to dial from the US is 011-33-767-48-15-19.
I’ll upload pictures soon. No wifi (“wee fee,” in French) here. Gotta find a Starbucks and connect!
xoxox to you all,
Mindy
Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Here’s an overlay with a map of France placed on top of the continental US. France is slightly smaller than two Colorados (and smaller than Texas). The population of Paris is just a little larger than that of Houston, our 4th largest city in the US.
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