i think i'm almost french. . but nicer

ok. . .so i've had a lot of interesting experiences with french locals recently, so i though i'd share.

1) never in a million years did i think that france would like kylie lehman so much. i feel as though i'm very well received over here, and it's really fun. i'm a regular at nearly every place i go. yes, that means that i frequent a few places A LOT. i have a bakery, a fruit guy, one bar that i go to on the weekends, a chinese food place, and a kebab shop (2 of those maybe). we don't even have to order at the chinese food place anymore, the kebab shop understands our orders now without asking us to repeat it, and the other kebab shop guy told erica and i that he loved us. oh. . .we got an "i love you" from the old man at our italian restaurant also (i forgot to mention that as one of our regular restaurants). we go to "the glue pot" (our favorite bar) once a week or so. the bouncer has taken to giving us the traditional french double-cheek kiss and the bartender gives us bowls of candy. whoever said that the french don't like americans is wrong. . .MOSTLY (see next paragraph)

i went to versailles last weekend with erica. we took an extension of the metro (the rer) out to versailles and back. versailles was gorgeous. it is the site of my future destination wedding. if i don't get married ever, i'll just fly my loved ones out for a destination party. back to the rer--erica and i are sitting there and we are the ONLY 2 PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN. then enters this old lady. she looks like a grizzly bear, because she's dressed in a full-length fur coat. she growls something at erica about how she should take her feet of the chair (something that is none of her business). at this point she is really scaring us. then she stares at me for a good 2 minutes. i finally look in her direction and she asks if i am english. i tell her (stupidly). . "no, i'm american" and her eyes shot daggers at me. .for another 2 minutes. then, i guess she realizes that she needs my help. she starts yelling at me in french about which stop she needs to get off at. i go look at the map for her and tell her that it's the next one. this lady clearly could not see well, and she could barely stand up, so erica stood behind her, and i stood in front of her, and together, we got her to the train door. i thought to myself "this lady must get off", so i held her and escorted her towards the door. as the door opens she continues to hold my arm and screams "ne me laissez pas". . french for "don't leave me". now. .i really miss my dogs, but i really don't need a pet french bear lady. realizing that the situation is dire--you only have about 60 seconds to get off the train before the door closes and it takes off again--the lady starts screaming out the train door "tu m'as oublie"?. .french for "did you forget me". . then a guy comes and takes her from me. bullet dodged. . .but i was still traumatized.

i know this is crazy, but i was a good samaritan TWICE on this trip to versailles...

on our train back to paris a young, single dad with the most adorable daughter in the world (about 5 years old) came and sat across the aisle from erica and i. you have to compost your tickets in a box before you get on the train. he had failed to do this and was in a panic. the train was due to depart in 5 minutes, but i could see that he was stessed and he said "i can't leave my daughter" (in french of course), so i took his 2 tickets, and ran as fast as my cowboy boots would allow up to the very front of the train to compost his tickets. he was much more adorable than the bear lady, so i was happier to complete this task. he tried to give me money (weird, i know), and i barely made it back to the train on time, but everything turned out fine. it later occurred to erica and i that instead of me risking missing my train, i could have offered to watch the kid instead...however, i'm less scared of running than i am of strange children.

saturday night i went out with my french friend emilie, my friend sarah from aTm, and 3 other french girls (well, one of them was actually from romania, but she spoke perfect french). it was a really fun time, and i got to practice my french a lot. they were very patient. one of the girls is coming to study at aTm in january, so hopefully i can stay in touch with her while we're both in texas.

i am still a little ready to come home, but they have started to decorate caen for christmas time, and there is nothing i like more than cute towns and christmas lights.

miss you all

kylie