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

Paris, la deuxieme fois

Salut! I'm sitting here in a comfortable hotel bed, and guess what?. . .i have internet 24 hours a day for the next 2 days. i'm also watching french TELEVISION!!! i love tv, and living without it for so long has made me realize that i never want to be without it again. haha. erica and suzanne got into paris thursday night, and i came on a train yesterday afternoon after my classes let out. i sat on the train next to a young french boy (12-13 yo), and i think he was very suspicious of me at first. however, through the course of the train ride, we ended up sharing gummy worms, and he helped me a little with my homework. i think he was just disgruntled, because his parents had gotten a divorce, and he was going to paris for weekend visitation. speaking french with any native is always a good experience. plus, kids are funny. he was obsessed with my blackberry, so we traded cell phones for a little bit.

suzanne has a friend named erin that lives in paris, so we met up with her for dinner last night. i fell down in the street on the way to get her from the metro. paris is really dirty, and most of the streets are covered with a slimey film. and as you all know, i may be the clumsiest person that ever existed. i now have 2 strawberries on my knees. . .and yes, i wish they were in a tart.

i could never ever ever ever live in paris. i feel very mad and violent when i'm here, because there are TONS of cat calls circulating, and people on the streets selling stuff always grab my arm. . or try to tie a string to my wrist (then they call it a bracelet and make you buy it). i miss being in the states and being able to smile at people without it being a come-on, and i miss being able to voice my frustration if someone is violating me. most of the time if they are mad at you for not looking at them or talking to them, they will start cussing at you in english. that's when things turn ugly. I DON'T PUT UP WITH THAT. i'm not scared of french people really at all, but it's just annoying. suzanne and erica have both considered living in big cities semi long-term. i think dallas or austin is the biggest it will ever get for me. if you could all see caen, you would realize how great and small and quaint and friendly. . .and any other adjective that goes along with cute, medium-size towns. . .it is.

BUT, paris is absolutely beautiful. the people are so chic, and life here just seems glamorous. the type of glamour that i would love to experience everyday. i seriously feel like every time i get off the train in paris, i've stepped into "french vogue". today we are going to visit some cemeteries. it's "all saint's day". i don't think we celebrate it in the states. . .maybe catholics do. who knows? i will go pay my respects to jean-paul sartre and simone de beauvoir. . .and definitely post some pictures.

i'll post again later, if i survive the cold of the french winter.