Bisou Bisou

Hello Loves! I miss you all and I know it has been a while since I have written :) I think the last time was on Monday so let me start off there. After the kids left in the morning I got ready and made it to J's mom's at like 1:30 I think. So we hung out there for awhile and then we went to the Louvre...I saw the Mona Lisa and some other famous paintings (I am not brushed up on my art history) but the Mona Lisa is actually really small. Soon I will load some pictures and there is one of me and the Mona Lisa. We had a lot of fun and J navigated the entire trip which was nice. She is very good with maps and very intelligent in every area. This year she skipped a grade so that says something! We had a lot of fun and then we went to a cafe that is across from the famous comedy theater in Paris and I forget what it is called...I think I need to begin some exercises to improve my memory!! But then we went back to the house and I helped J and her mom prepare dinner and we made a quiche. So yummy and not that difficult to make!
I met her husband when he got home from work and they are some of the nicest people ever! They helped me look up a train ticket to Germany and we had some good conversation.
after dinner I took a cab home that they payed for and then I went to bed because it was late! In the morning I had a message from J's mom seeing if I wanted to go to the park and roller blade with them and I absolutely said YES!
I had a meeting at the bank at 3pm and got my account set up which is awesome because the bank exists in the US too it is HSBC bank and so when I am done here I can have all of my money transferred to dollars or just keep it in Euros, I don't know why I would do that though.
They picked me up at the bank and then we went to the park....I realized I am not that good at roller blades and that there is a reason that I am very particular about where I go roller blading....My requirements are: 1. It must be completely paved and smooth in the area in which I roller blade 2. There must not be any hills and if there are there must be a lot of room in front of me to slow down after the end of the hill and 3. I do not go where there are too many people!
Ok so my day of roller blading was definitely against all 3 of my rules and it was funny and I thought I was going to die...It really made me realize that I am not a professional nor am I an intermediate...haha Well since I am going on Friday night all over Paris this should be funny :)
After we went roller blading I was dropped off at home and G came home from his trip that night. I made dinner with rice and salmon with a good sauce on it that had sugar, soy sauce, and honey which was really really good. I also had a salad! I think I am getting into this whole cooking thing but that is a very basic level....
Then I watched Gone Baby Gone which is a really good movie! Today, I had to go take care of a lot of paperwork with G and I bought my tickets to go see Twig in Germany next week! YAY!!!! We had to stand in line for 3 hours to find out we didn't need to be there....we thought we had to file a lot of paperwork for social security but it turns out that was wrong and there is a new system now and we still are not sure if we have to do anything :) oh the joys!
I went on a run today outside...it was nice...and quick....very quick....It made me realize how out of shape I am and how badly I need to keep working out because I want to get back into shape fo sho!!!
I am now going to clean and take a shower and start to cook dinner again! It is only frozen lasagna but hey it's sort of cooking!!! :)
I love you all and miss you tons!
Talk soon
Bisou

Oui Oui

Hey my peeps!! How is everyone doing? I am great and really getting into the swing of the French life :) I have not written for a few days...I have a feeling it may be longer between my blogs since I will be getting busier. On Friday night I stayed in and watched Taken....not the happiest of movies but I finally watched it! It was good and sad but not the best movie I had ever seen. On Saturday, I went to the sports store with G because I wanted to buy some roller blades. I love roller blading and as I mentioned before I am going with G's brother on Friday nights with thousands of other people around Paris. Sounds so fun!!! I got some roller blades and wrist guards because I might fall haha...I am excited to so that and I will probably try to go roller blading at parks around here during the day or weekend. After that G and I went to his apartment in Paris where he had a meeting because he is renovating it and it seems pretty cool. While we were out we went into Louis Vuitton and Dior...of course it would be nice to afford something from one of those stores but I definitely don't make millions.....G thinks it is important to go in and try things on and just be familiar with the store and that most of the fun lies in the temptation and wanting of the object. I can see where this is true...I almost tried on some shoes at Louis Vuitton but the largest size they had in that store was too small for me. I did not want to try on a pair at Dior because I was in love with them and I don't know if they would have fit but if so that would have been trouble. We went to a cute little Caribbean restaurant for lunch and it was called "Le Rhumerie" Or The Rumery...we ate these little platters with fish, guacamole, crab, and this other thing that I really did not even want to taste. It was good but the tastes were different than I was used to...I had a pina colada and G had some straight rum that is a local drink or something...The one item on my plate that I was afraid to try was this dark sausage looking thing...G wouldn't tell me what it was until I at least tried it and so I did and I didn't like it....well then he told me and I almost threw up right then....it is blood and intestine ground up and stuffed into a sausage skin thing....OMG I almost threw up just typing that!! I forget what it is called but its soooo gross!!!
After I was with G at about 4:30 I went to the St. Michel Fountain to meet Flo, a guy that taught Kaylie's french class in college. He is so nice and awesome! He helped me with some french and then we went to a small pub to watch the OSU game....Good game!
While we were at the bar called Wide Open Spaces, there were not many people but we ran into 2 people who were there to watch the OSU game!! It was sweet and of course we took an O-H-I-O picture...how could we resist? Once the game was over G's brother picked me up to go to a birthday party of his friend's who turned 30. It was really fun and everyone was so nice!!! There was dancing and music and food and champagne! Ok so I had already drank some beer at the bar and then the rest of the night was champagne...that is not a very good combination and champagne is not the best thing to drink large amounts of...After the party we could not find the car for a while but then finally did and got to go home...I was falling asleep because I was so tired!!!! I got home and then realized we gained an hour that night so it was really nice!!
In the morning, G and I went to IKEA and bought a rug for the shower, a desk, a chair, and a hamper. We tried to put the desk together last night but we were not successful in finishing it..that IKEA furniture is something else I tell you what...
After IKEA we picked up G's sister's children from their dad at the train station. Their dad is American and he was awesome! We talked and sat and had a drink at the station...It was great to meet him and I was offered an opportunity to go to Switzerland and visit for a few days with them. I would absolutely love to do that! We came home with the kids and Gs brother came over to hang out for a little bit. We ate pasta with meat sauce and it was really good! I found a huge black spider crawling across the floor in my room as G and I were putting the desk together...he would not kill it so I had to brave up and do it myself...sooooooo nasty!!!! I hate spiders sooo much and I think there are a lot down there :( I will have to become accustomed to killing them myself. I did laundry for the first time with G's help last night too....Now I think I understand the machine pretty well ;)
I am sitting with the kids now as we watch Chicken Run on DVD...we are waiting for their grandmother to pick them up.
Once they go I will get ready to go to the Louvre with J and her mom! I am planning my trip to Germany for the weekend of Nov. 7th so that will be exciting! Unfortunately I will not be able to watch the bball game because it is 4 hours away but I will get to chill in Germany and I will go back a different time to see a game. I am excited to go and I am trying to find a good cheap ticket to go there!!
I am going to say Bonne Journee for now!!! Love you all talk to you soon :)

Donc...

Hey yo out there! :) hehe I had a pretty eventful day in Paris today :) I woke up around 8:30 and went to class at 10:30...I have been getting a lot of walking in around here so for now that is my form of exercise...let's hope it works :)
Class was good but today I was not in the mood to listen and pay attention to everything...I tried and it was fine.
After class I went to the administration office and got a letter for proof of registration and a receipt of payment. Then I went to a Halloween store with a girl in my class and it was near Le Grand Avenue I think or something like that...I really do not remember things and places a lot :) I kind of just go where I go...that is probably why I am horrible with directions.
So I am such a dork and have a GIANT map of Paris that I carry around and, yes, I am guilty of stopping to open it up and look at it...in public too! It is horrible I know, but I get really sick of getting lost!
Today, Sarah (the girl from class) and I got out in the right area from the metro and then went to stand by a tree and opened up my map. We were looking for our road with the Halloween store on it and of course we looked like tourists and this really nice man came up and helped us find our street and it was the nicest thing that has happened to me out of the blue so far :)
We find the store very quickly...luckily it was right near the metro and on our way to the store we got something to eat...of course I got a sandwich because that seems to be what I always eat for lunch and Sarah got a chocolate eclair...yum! After we ate we were walking to the store and you will never guess what I saw....A Subway!! How crazy is that...don't worry I got a picture with it to prove it :)
Oh and I have been meaning to tell you guys that I always go to La Defense, it is huge there, and inside there is a Mcdonald's but right next to it is a Mccafe....it's own separate entity lol...it has breakfast pastries and coffee drinks and smoothies and such...I just thought it was strange that they were 2 separate places but right next to each other.
After we walked around for awhile we headed back home and I had to buy some nail polish remover so I did that at one of the metro stations...
Now, those of you who take the subway or metro can back me on this that there are some very strange people on there....some of which I would prefer not to acknowledge...lol I know it sounds mean but protection is important! haha
Today there was a man, whom I believe to be homeless, and he was shouting random things the entire time I was headed back to La Defense and usually in America people do not even understand what the heck these people are talking about...but in France...imagine what that was like...I was trying not to look at him because I swear underneath those dark shades his glance was directed at me a lot....I felt bad for the guy but I was also kind of worried for my life..not gonna lie :)
So there are always homeless people along the streets and everywhere and so many of them have dogs on a leash...I think it is so true that when animals are homeless with the person it makes people more sad...at least it makes me more sad because these little animals are so helpless :(....Well anyway I happened to see a homeless man with a cat on a leash hahahahahaha it really made me laugh...not that being homeless with a cat is a laughing matter....just that cats on leashes make me giggle...and he had a cat carrier on wheels for it...that's what I never understand...these homeless people with animals have such neat contraptions for their pets and it looks so cool and I don't know anyone else with such things...
Once I made it back to La Defense my next destination was the bank because I had to go set up my account...I thought everything was supposed to be taken care of and all I had to do was take my passport and some documents that Germain gave me, so I was prepared to say some things in French when I got there but hoping they would know English. I found the bank...another nice little stroll through Colombes this time...
Which by the way...I can never tell what the weather will be like and for me I walk so much and usually quickly that I get really hot and I sweat and it is just gross...i know you were all interested to know that....but it is like if i'm cold in the morning I should just tough it out because I hate getting all hot with a coat on and walking and sweating..you know what i mean?
So anyways I got to the bank and I was not sure about how to get in...once again...haha every door around here has a button...but at the bank I think it is for safety because there are 2 doors and you have to have the first door close all the way before the second will be unlocked...it is very complex and it reminds me of a time when Kaylie and I went to Diamond jewelers or somewhere looking for a graduation ring and we had no idea what to do....and we felt like idiots hahahaha remember boo? but yea so it was like that plus a little more difficult because they did not speak English. I must look very innocent because the lady at the front desk allowed me in without questions and probably realized I would not rob the bank because I didn't even know how to get into the bank...but I say that because a man behind me came in and he was questioned...i dont know what was asked though :)
So I asked her if she knew English and she said no but then I got excited because I could try to put together some sentences stating what I needed and I had to do in French to help me practice! Eventually, a man came out who spoke some English and he even apologized for his English and I was like WOAH....monsieur pardon me for my French...you know? Because I am at a bank, in France, where they do speak French...I don't think he should have been apologizing to me :)
So we got to the point and he told me that I had to come back for an appointment next Tuesday at 3 PM...so I still do not have a bank account or money....
On my way back to the house I went into Monoprix...a marketplace which is the equivalent to something like Walmart but not as big. It is the biggest market here though I believe. They have clothing and pharmacy products and food and school supplies...and so on you know what I mean....I wanted to buy a hair straightener and so I went to look for that but I could not find it for a while and I found the beauty aisle but it was not down there so I picked up some mouth wash which was good...but anyway I really do not know how to say "hair straightener" in French so I was planning on asking someone by saying something like "Avez-vous quelque chose que fait le cheveux pas frise, ici?" Which I think translates to "do you have something that makes your hair not curly, here?" haha which is obviously not very correct but you do what you gotta do...luckily I found it in the back so that was good....The only thing was it was 24,99 euros...ok does not sound too bad and then you realize it is $40 american....well not the best price on a hair straightener but what can you do....and I do not have many euros left so I used my American credit card for my bank which means it will charge me more to do the conversions and all of that good stuff. BUT I don't care bc I really needed one!
So while we are on the topic of buying things, my friend Heath in Chicago was telling me he wants to send some money here and have me buy something for him to send back...what a great idea!!! Heath is always a smart one...he is the one who helped Kaylie and I (our poor souls) when we thought that the John Hancock building was the Sears tower not to long ago in the great windy city hahahaha....oh man the things that we do.....but anyways just to let you know, Heath...I don't think I will have such problems here in France....so far I do know the difference between the Eiffel Tower and L'Arc de Triumph...but if I need any help in the future you are definitely the first person I will ask ;)
So thanks to Heath I thought if any of you would like me to do the same please let me know because it would be really easy!
Tonight I am going out with Germain's brother and friends and i hope it is fun...it will be I just hope I can talk to people....but i do need to keep hanging out with French people...that is why I am here.
I was talking to the other Au Pair in my class, Sarah, today about that and she hangs out with a lot of other Au Pairs whom are not French and she really wants to start meeting French people...I am lucky that I already have some good contacts here in Paris with people who are French and I can hang out with to learn more about the culture and be forced to speak the language!
I think I previously mentioned my intentions of joining a cooking class and/or roller blading every Friday night with Germain's brother around Paris...how cool would that be! I love roller blading but if we will be going through the streets of the city I will require that someone be near me at all times to grab on to in case I fall or cannot stop....I usually only roller blade in secluded areas like parks such as Antrim or on the bike path by campus...areas where there is even, smooth ground...and im not sure it is quite so nice throughout the city!
I am planning on going shopping soon with a girl from class...she is from Australia and she lives out more toward Versailles in the country area...she said it is beautiful and I plan to go visit out there soon because I can imagine the seclusion and peacefulness that the city cannot provide.
the city is a great place to meet people, engage in many activities, and really explore...however, it is also nice to have some peace and quiet and explore more desolate destinations!
I am also thinking about looking into joining a gym because I really love to work out and I cannot run outside in the cold...I hate it! That would always keep me busy and in shape which I love!
Lat night Jean-Francois came over and hung out for a bit and he was here when we ate dinner....so you might want to know what I ate for dinner...actually I know that you want to know....ok...we had rice and scallops....and you are thinking yea scallops are pretty common back home....but these scallops were interesting with an orange thing coming off of one end....I did not think I was supposed to eat it but they told me it was the best part so I ate it and they were not lying! It was really good...like the taste of the scallop but sweeter and really delicious....they waited until after I tried it to tell me what it was...the genitals of the scallop!!! WHAT!!! I just ate scallop pee pee??? haha but I was over it because I had already tasted it and it was good...They said we don't have that in the states because since it is the best part they keep it for themselves....Something has happened to me since I have moved here...I am not afraid to try to eat many things that I typically would have gagged at the sight of....I think it is good because I cannot fully understand the delicacies of the culture and food if I do not have an open mind....Now, I would NEVER go on that show that is on the travel channel with that bald guy...exotic foods or something? I can assure you that you will never see this face on there..hahaha
After dinner I skyped with Amy, Kaylie, and Sara and they all got to meet Germain..it was funny! I miss you guys!!!
I was trying to think of some good meals to make for the family that are completely American and I was thinking meat loaf or something haha...French food is much more elegant than our hunk of meat in a clump..but I happen to love meat loaf and it is very comforting!!! If anyone has any ideas please let me know and try to send me a fool proof recipe since I am not the best cook around ;)
I am currently sitting here writing this blog and about to paint my nails so I am going to go because I need to get ready for tonight...I will let you know how it goes...
A Bientot!
Jess

Hey Everyone!!!

So I just got back and all I did was walk around Paris and purposely got lost but then got annoyed because I just felt like knowing where I was again....I have been talking to a lot of people that I have met in Paris but we have not been able to hang out yet! I am very glad that I am home because it was pointless for me to go in to Paris since I did absolutely nothing. Although, I did listen to some people talking and I took a picture of L'Arc de Triumph...Again....but the interesting thing while I was taking this picture is that a man came to me and I think he was going to try and "Take" me like the movie....he was speaking in French and I had no clue what was going on but he thought I was a tourist and I am pretty sure he wanted me to go with him somewhere and he kept standing by me and I was like "mmmmk" like you should obviously get the hint to walk away from me now...but no he did not and he began to walk with me and then I turned and it was really weird....I was not scared but I was just like why the face is this guy bothering me...haha But other than that I did not do anything at all....
Great Blog I know...I will write again before bed :)
Love J

Salut!

Hey guys I have not yet left the house...I am being such a hermit...but don't worry I will have to leave tomorrow because I have class...but also I am going into Paris today because I need to stop by my school but I need to hurry because I am not sure how late they are open....I really need a boost and a kick in the butt to get out of this house!!! I will be in touch and I just wanted to let you know that :)
Talk soon
Love J

BONJOUR!!!

Well hello loves! It is a chilly 50 degrees here in the city of love and it is quite cloudy but not raining! I just showered and I need to get moving..I need to get out and about in the city and try to buy some post cards and not be a little hermit in the house :) I was shaving my legs today, and Yes I do shave my legs still no matter what these little frenchies do hahaha.... But anyways I cut myself and I think the water is different because usually at home it would bleed for a while once I got out of the shower but here...nothing! It was so weird....I love it though :) So last night I got my Blackberry number and everything but I still have not set up my e-mail because I switched the phone into English but when you go to set up the e-mail it connects to a website which is in French so tonight I am going to ask Germain to help me!
I am not sure what is exactly included in my package for my Blackberry...I know for sure I have unlimited MSN messages and E-mail...I am not sure but probably for texting too...I think BBM is a separate program that you may have to pay extra for and it might not be in my package...if anyone know please let me know!
I don't have too many minutes per month but when people call me it is free...so all I will do is send messages to people and be like "call me now" haha good idea!
I am currently listening to the ABBA album! I am obsessed...ok so Ihave defintiely heard of ABBA and listened to their songs before...BUT I forgot how amazing it is!!!! Last night Germain and I watched Mama Mia! It was soooooo good! I could watch it over and over again. It just made me want to go to Greece and make a musical haha.
For dinner last night we ate some pasta with mushrooms...I forget what kind of mushrooms but Germain said they have a lot of different mushrooms in France. I was asking him about American food and he said it is not bad but French food is way better...I might agree but I am missing my comfort foods like meatloaf, chili, and a GIANT hamburger! Oh well...I am going to make some chili soon because I told him he would like it. I LOOOOVE chili and its the perfect weather for it.
I should also make some cornbread...i need to make them eat like an American every once in awhile :)
My day yesterday was pretty uneventful because I stayed in like a hermit...oh well maybe today I will have some better stories for you!
I just wanted to let you guys know that if you have MSN messenger then you can talk to me no matter where I am bc I have that on my Blackberry and if you don't have MSN GET IT! haha
It is just like texting sort of so that would be sweet...
I am going to eat some breakfast...toast I imagine haha...I have a bank meeting on Friday (tomorrow) at 5...I think i mentioned yesterday that it was yesterday...nope not yet.
On Friday, I am going out with Germain's brother and his friends so they can show me a good time in Paris and hopefully I will meet a lot of people! I am excited and then on Saturday I can't wait because hopefully the OSU game will be on here!!!
I am going to go get ready for the day but I miss you all!
Love you
Talk to you soon!!!
Jess

Salut!

My dear Americans! haha I miss everyone and I that will never stop so I will probably say it every single day :) I am sitting in the family room just chillin because I slept in today since I do not have any of the girls to take care of. The cleaning lady is coming today and I will be here when she come so I will try and talk to her but she is from either Brazil or Portuguese and does not speak really good French i don't think. But it will be fun and Germain said she is really really nice so that is a plus! Today it is gloomy outside and it usually isn't sunny so I guess it's nothing new...but it is raining today :(I was not planning to leave the house all day but then Germain called and I have to go to the bank for a meeting because I will have my bank account set up! That will be good because Germain will give me a credit card thing or I guess it would be like a debit card so that I can use that all of the time and not worry about cash unless I need some and then I can get it out of the machine...same as in America.
Germain told me that I need to stop chatting online in English and just start reading some books and listening to French movies...movies I already know in English so that I will be able to follow and understand. For me, I need to hear it and see it written because it is really difficult to catch the accent and the quickness of their speech. I really think I have improved a lot!
Today marks the one week milestone of my stay in Paris so far. I can't say that I feel it has even been an entire week. Last Wednesday (Mercredi) I arrived here around 930...that is crazy to think about.
Last night I was talking to a friend about how they do not have top sheets here so it seems a little strange and he lives in Germany and said the same thing. Also, I am planning on going to to Germany soon to visit him (tweeg) hahaha I cannot wait because it will be great to see a familiar face and just chill out. I also think Germany would be really cool to see.
I have been talking a lot to Kaylie's old French teacher from college which I think I previously mentioned and he is sooo helpful...definitely a teacher and we are going to meet up soon and probably hang out for the OSU game this Saturday if it is showing in Paris at some Canadian pub I think..I am excited!!! i have been deprived of REAL football and I miss the whole thing :(
So the cleaning lady just got here and I cannot understand a lot because it is fast and I just don't know it all but I do not feel stupid at all I just feel bad for her because I cannot communicate with here lol
On Sunday morning I think we are going to IKEA to get a desk and some things for my room and then Germain's brother-in-law from Switzerland is coming and bringing 2 of his kids. I don't know if you remembered Emile the little that I met on my first day of arrival because he was at his grandparents house. He speaks English and French and that will be so great because I will actually be able to hang out with little kids who can understand me! His little sister is coming to and so she knows English as well and the father is American so it will be nice to see what he has to say about everything :)
The kids will be sleeping here on Sunday night and I will be watching them on Monday until Germain's grandmother comes to pick them up. I love Emile he is so cute so I am sure his sister is just the same.
Germain told me that the cleaning lade (i feel bad not remembering her name) always just puts things everywhere and if it is out she will find a place for it and it is funny because sometimes he does not want things washed but she will find the things if they are not put away and wash them and she is awesome!
I don't really know if she will touch my stuff but if she does I don't mind because I could use a little help with my organizational abilities...some of you are already aware of this problem of mine :).
After this blog I think I will begin reading some things in French and see what happens with that! I think I will be good at French in the next 2 weeks or so.
On Thanksgiving we are going to a huge show that is outside...Zorro...I am not sure how it really works or anything or what it is for but Germain said it is a really big celebration. I was relieved because although I would love to have a Thanksgiving dinner and feel like I am at home...I cannot cook and would not want to be in charge of that at all.
Germain is determined to get me to know how to cook and I am just not sure that is something I want to do haha. I guess it will get me to be more cultured but I think I am fine without trying to burn down the kitchen. :)
We have my birthday on the calendar so I hope to do something fun and special! I mean what is a birthday without all of my friends and family? Although this is my new second family so I think it will be fine!
Or you know if any of you happen to wander over this way for my birthday I would not complain at all...haha
So tomorrow I will have to pick Jeanne up from school with her violin and take her to her mother's house and wait with her until her mother gets home! Other than that...I will be doing nothing all day again unless I ask some people to go do something with me.
There is still a lot to see and do and I have a lot of options available to me!
I am going to say TTFN (ta ta for now) but I will be back!
Love you, you are all in my prayers.
Jess

C'est Bon!

Allo!!! I am happy to say that today is a new day and my attitude is no longer negative! I know yesterday I had a rough time and lost a little hope for myself but with the help of many of you and a new day I am much better! I am currently sitting in the kitchen while 2 men are working on the furnace to fix it because I only have a small space heater in my room at the moment and it is quite chilly but I do get cold very easily and some people (Kaylie) think I have some issues with that...haha
Today I went to my class and it was sooo wonderful!!! We had to leave the house very early this morning because Germain had a meeting that he had to get to early so Jeanne and I were dropped off at a small cafe on the corner of Rue Monceau where Jeanne's school is. We sat and drank some chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) and of course I ate a croissant! It was amazing...soooooo amazing!!! At about 823 (lol) I walked Jeanne to school and began my journey back over to the registration office of my school. Today, however, I went there with a very positive attitude and a smile on my face. I walked in with confidence and had no problems at all! A woman was very nice and helped me with what I needed and explained to me what to do for class. I still had about 2.5 hours as I wandered over to the other building of the school where my classes are held and I went to the lower level to the computers free of charge.
I was so happy that I could get online and check my e-mail and send messages...until I started to type and realized the keyboard was ridiculously not like the traditional American keyboard for a computer....the M was next to the L, the W was in place of the Z, the A was up higher and I was sooo annoyed!!! I was typing like a 3 year old so slowly and alllll I wanted to do was type my messages quickly! But I figured it out and dealt with it and it was alright.
The good news is coming just keep reading!!!!
Soooo....i was sitting upstairs waiting for my class to begin at 10:30 in room 15 and as I was sitting in the waiting area a girl tried to ask me where the computers were and if you could access them for free....of course I knew the answer but I did not know what the heck she said :) She tried to explain slowly and I finally understood I think haha
As we discussed we figured out that we both live in Colombes and decided to meet up after class so we could go back together :)
I went into my class and I was so relieved!!! There were not too many people in it but most of them probably knew less French than me! I felt good about that and more confident with what I do know. The teacher is so nice and I have already exchanged information with a few girls from class and it is a really good thing!!
After class I waited for the girl that I talked to before and the funny thing about her is that she is Russian...Ok so she is Russian and can speak French because she studied french as her first language in college and English as her second language in college but she does not know english really at all....it was good for me because i need to practice french and she will help me...also, she wants me to help her with English...that is alright but I really dont want to be speaking in English all of the time :)
So now I have this new so called "friend" right, and after class we go to meet her other friend whom she claims knows English and can help us discuss things....
Yea she kind of knows English and she studied it for like 15 years but she never used it so it was difficult for her to speak...i was cool with that bc i wanted her to just speak in French and I could try to understand but instead she spoke in English and it was getting really annoying because she did not know it and I think i can understand French more quickly than she spoke English hahaha
So here I am with 2 Russian girls who speak French and a little bit of English (I forgot to mention that the other girl is Russian too) and they are the nicest people but I cannot really understand everything that is going on. They wanted me to go back to Colombes with them so I wanted to so we could talk more and just get to know each other....
I first had to purchase some more passes for the metro and I got a group of 10 and they helped me with that...then I had to go on 2 different metros and a bus so I already used 3 tickets...why the face..haha only certain people will get that and if you want to know more please ask me! :)
But anyways so they took me all over but first they did take me to a book store and helped me buy the books I need for my class which was awesome!!! I cannot tell you how to do that again but at least I got it done...
So, usually what I will do is walk to the metro station that is near my classes and takes about 5-10 minutes to walk...it is line 1 and that drops me off in La Defense...remember that is the large business area outside of Paris. Yesterday I walked from the station at La Defense near the modern arch and everything and that maybe took like 20 minutes or so....
I never want to go the same way as these girls again because A). I had to use THREE tickets B). I had to wait forever on the bus before it took off, and then it took a million years to get to where I needed to be AND C). I'm a person who has feelings, and all I have to do is do what I wanna do and all I want to do is (not go on a bus and not listen to anyone else)... modified quote from on of the greatest movies!!!! If you already know without looking you rock my world! haha
Ok so I am a fan of walking, walking is good it keeps you healthy AND you can get places without depending on other people such as bus drivers to cart you around....I just enjoy going by foot because things are easier.
Anyway, I have decided not to go on the bus at all :)
But so the first girl i met lives one street away from me and she walked me home which was so nice and then she went home. They asked me to meet them this evening for a drink around here but I am not sure if I am going to go. I kind of think Germain is strict and I am not sure what he wants me to do...i am not sure that i really want to go either because it can be exhausting not know a darn thing that people are saying...
So I got home and I was starving because all I ate was a croissant in the morning and i got home at like 320ish i think. I had this salad thing from the store and ate that and they bought these little like seafood stick things that are AMAZING...it looks like string cheese or something but trust me it is good...I know i have been eating some weird things but I think you would all find it delicious...maybe...haha
I had to wait for these men to come fix the heaters and i let them in and tried to speak in French but that never works out for me too well but it was alright. Germain got back before they left bc he had to pay them and that is what he is doing at this exact moment lol
I forgot to tell you that yesterday I was able to talk to the other american au pair that works for Germain's friend and she seems cool...she and I may meet up soon and I also met some peeps in my class like I said...so I have some peeps i can chill with now. I also have been talking to Kaylie's professor from college who taught French and lives in Paris...we might go to watch the OSU game in Paris together if it is showing and he is willing to hang out with me and help me with french which is AWESOME!!!!
I am going to go but a video of the tour of my house is uploading on facebook right now so hopefully you all love it!!!
Talk to you all soon
Love you!!
J

Rescue Me!!

Hey guys! Omg so today I did not feel like I had a good start and I really almost cried...I know that is very childish but I just feel like dummy Mcdummerson...So...when we took Jeanne to school this morning I left from there and walked to my school which did not take too long....I realize that I am not always the brightest bulb in the bunch but Europe can be so confusing! So i made it to 14 Rue Leonarde de Vinci or however you spell it in French...that is where my school is well apparently there are 3 different entrances w 14....but i would not know that because that is not normal....So anyway i walked in to the first building labeled 14 and there were 2 set of glass sliding doors...well i got into the first set and i did not see any signs for France Langue (the name of my school) so I thought it was a little strange and then I tried to proceed through the 2nd set of glass doors and....no such luck....I felt like an idiot and no one was around to help me...hahahaha This reminds me of something shown to me at work on Youtube...You remember Pete? Where the man could not figure out how to get out of the door so he just ran through and broke the glass? HAHAHA Well that is what i was about to do! I am not kidding...so I called the number to the school and luckily the woman spoke some English and she laughed at me and hung up and I thought she said wait but I really did not know....sooo I wasn't sure if it was an accidental hang up or if she meant to so I didn't know what to do...should I call back? Should I stand here like a random freak-a-zoid? I just decided to stand there and about 1 minute later a woman is looking at me through the outside of the first set of glass doors...ok good she found me but I still could not get out....She really got a laugh out of me and it definitely showed....but if I can make someone's day full of laughter by being a complete DUMB ASS then I am willing to provide that person with some joy :)
Ok so she showed me that there are 2 entrances marked 14....well that is BS in my book because it is so confusing....but there was a sign outside of the other building that read "France Langue"...ok maybe she had me on that one but in my defense it is Paris and it is foreign to me so I did not know if they put signs outside of everywhere...and because I did not pass both I stopped at the first one I saw...
So anyway...she did not speak fluent English and in my mind at a school for people who are learning French the people should know some other languages besides French since they are working with people who do not really know French...or so I thought....
I happened to be in the wrong place and had to use a map given to me by the woman to find my way to the other building where I had to register.
Unbenounced (is that a word? i really think it is but spell check does not agree) to me I had to take a placement test ...which absolutely makes sense....and everyone was speaking to me in fluent, fast French. WHAT THE HECK! Ok so I was under the impression that there would be a lot of English speaking people who could fluently talk to me in English so that I would know exactly what to do and feel very comfortable...oh that would just be too easy I guess...
I went into a room and had to take a test which was really embarrassing because I do not know much French and I am alright with conjugating most verbs in the present and that is it...not the future, not the past, not the imperfect...in fact I need to go over those terms again in English because I forget what a lot of them mean.
So I get done with my test and this French man who works there tries to talk to me and I am just like oui, non, like an idiot! Like I do not know how to talk...anyways he sees that I am horrible at French and I think he kind of laughs and the expression on his face leads me to believe his thoughts are "what the hell is this stupid girl doing...we do not even have a placement for this kind of ignorance in any of our classes"....haha so it makes me want to cry because while I am in the room there are also a lot of other people taking the test and they all seem to speak very well in French and then I start to wonder...am I supposed to know more?
I was specifically informed before I arrived here that it was alright that I did not know much French because I would learn from everything here and take classes and such.
I do not think that is the case now but I might just have to cry and get over it. It's not like I cannot learn...because I will...but I just feel like a dummy because everyone else knows it.
Once the man going over my test realized I was here to be an Au Pair then he took me to a different room and a woman was trying to talk to me in French.
My 2-year-old answers were enough to make her direct me to another woman...she set me up with the class and spoke English but I don't think she wanted to because she probably thought I was an imbecile...oh well so I got that taken care of! Phew
My classes are Tuesday-Friday 1030 to 1245 and then a class about French movies on Mondays at 1030-12 I believe.
Mind you the classes started in October on the 1st which means I will be a month behind :( I already have a lot to catch up on but now I just need to get into gear.
I want to ask that all my french peeps out there talk to me in French or give me some verbs to learn because I am struggling!
I then left the school and started to walk to the metro with map in hand----obvious tourist----haha and then i realized that I needed to get some passport pictures taken....Paris is so expensive by the way....So i was walking along a road where there were a lot of shops and I stopped at a wine shop and asked a nice woman where I could find a place to get my pictures and she told me and I felt successful even though my language was broken...but I DID IT!
So i sound the photo shop place and got 8 passport pictures for 10 Euros....that is ridiculous its like 15 buck but oh well...
So I got those, found the metro, got home, and now I am happy that I have all of that done!
I just need to make it back to Paris by 6 to pick up Jeanne and meet Germain and then we are going to the market to get some food :)
My classes begin tomorrow and now I am sooo scared! There are people from all over and in my room there were a lot of Brazilians when I was taking the test. The classes are all in French and I am scared to get called on or anything...I really don't think I will make any friends because no one wants to be friends with a dummy...haha ok I am definitely taking out some aggression on this blog but it's so frustrating!
The girl that I called...the other au pair that Germain's friend has...yea definitely has not called me back or answered because I called again today :( I think I will try to call her again shortly because this is really annoying...
I love everyone and I miss everyone...I am starting to think that I should have just come to Paris for a few weeks to visit hahaha I know that I will be fine and once I can speak fluent French it will be completely worth my stay.
I need to find a personal tutor to follow me everywhere I go....maybe a man will come along...haha probably not and until then i must study study study!!!
Love you, Miss you
J

WHAT UP!

Hey guys! It is about 645 in the morning right now and I got up so that I can get ready because we have to leave by 730 or 745 ish to take Jeanne to school. The traffic is really bad at this time and it takes a long time to get her there. She has to be there by 820 and so you can see it can take a while. When I start driving her I will have to leave even earlier because Germain does some illegal things like driving in the bus lane and things I will not be able to do because I would not want to risk losing my license. It is early but it would not be bad if I didn't stay up so late. Last night I got to Skype with Kaylie and Amy and then Andy! It was fun but I stayed up way to late and I am very tired :) I will have to work on that but it is so easy to get caught up talking to everyone!
Today I am going to brave the Metro and it should not be too bad but Germain printed a map of La Defense for me which is the area where all of the big businesses are and right near the buildings is a pedestrian area so only people walking can be on that level because the cars are below. It is confusing how to get off at the stop and then walk to the house after getting off in La Defense so he wanted to make sure I had the map. I think I can do it but I usually think I can do these kinds of things and I always get lost haha oh well it only makes me stronger I suppose.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how it is so nice to be able to experience this entirely different culture and just really challenge myself. I am so happy that I have taken this step in my life and I want to thank everyone because you have all been so supportive! I know in the other blog I asked for some prayers to be able to remain patient and really let my guard down to be able to learn better and not be too proud....well thank you because I have felt your prayers working and things are becoming easier for me to at least open up more and not worry about everything as far as being wrong and not having to look "stupid" or anything :)
I must go get ready for my day but I wanted to give you an update!
I have to go to my school and register for classes and then get my picture taken like for a passport....I can't wait to try and get that done haha!
Ok well wish me luck I will be in touch shortly!
Love
J

SALUT!

Bonjour mes amis! I am sitting here right now with the husband of Germain's aunt which I think would make him the uncle but I am not sure if it is his real uncle or not. His aunt is a writer and she just published a book about paintings around Europe and the focus was on fathers and their babies because most of the time artwork has mothers and their children or fathers and their children who seem angry and are not looking at each other. It is very interesting and I will not be able to read it until I become very fluent in french because it is very difficult and advanced. I will hopefully one day reach that point where I can read things in French because I would like to continue speaking and studying the French language even after my year here.
I hope to one day teach my children French and Spanish as they grow up because I think it is extremely important to know more than one language! It really allows you to become more well versed and very educated about the world. I think it is something I hope to accomplish in many languages but right now I am just worried about focusing on french of course :)
I am learning a lot with the girls and I was playing with Colyne just a bit ago and she was a wizard and I was turning into a frog, a butterfly, a tiger, a cat, a monkey, and a dog. It took a while to understand all of these things but I knew some of them and I am getting better. The girls are very patient with me but I think that it is frustrating for them as well because they do not want to always have to teach which I completely understand.
I cannot wait for the day where I can just speak to them in complete French and then teach them the English because once I know French I will say the French and English every time so they get used to hearing the language and put the two meanings together.
For lunch we ate chicken and rice and had some cheese and bread as well. Then I ate this really good chocolate thing and I forget what it is called but it looks like a chocolate volcano from one of those restaurants!
I am going to go but I will write more later :)
Love J

Holla

What's goin' on my peeps!!! I have time to write again so I will just so you can follow me that much more closely :) I am watching Star Wars V with Jeanne and it is in French with English subtitles...I am enjoying it :) I am really getting overwhelmed with learning the language and even if I know it is all so quick that I cannot catch everything! I just need a structured learning tool to follow that will be very organized because then I will easily catch on!
I know that once classes begin I will be able to focus more on the content instead of the little things that I do not understand.
My Blackberry came today but we did not receive the pin to activate it yet and it should come on Monday in the mail. Germain just sent me the information of the other Au Pair that is working for his friend and I am going to call her tomorrow! Hopefully she is cool and we can get along...that would be amazing for me because I really need to meet someone who has been here longer than me and can help me with the language and to know everything I need to know.
On my Blackberry I will be able to check e-mail and use MSN messenger which I have but NEVER use haha but I am not sure about getting online yet because then I can update my blog and facebook more often which would be fun!! :)
I never thought I would be a blogger but I have done a lot of things in my life that I thought I would never do....It just goes to show you can't ever say never because you should always be open to try new things and really give yourself freedom to step out of your comfort zone. This is something I am struggling with right now as far as speaking the language and I know in my head that if I just open up more and put myself out there and really try at every moment to speak and be open to criticism then I will definitely learn faster and better....as of right now there is something holding me back and I do not know what and I cannot come to terms with humility like I said I would. I hope you guys can pray for me in that area because that is something that I am really struggling with and I know with all of your prayers it will definitely make everything better :)
Tomorrow I am not sure what we are going to do but I hope it is something fun...Like maybe magically learning French! haha no I know this is hard work and I am really up for the challenge but I am just having problems putting myself out there. Germain and I were talking about how classical music helps a lot when you are trying to learn something and if you listen to it from a young age "they" say that you will be smarter and really good in math. You bet that I will be listening to classical music as much as I can now! haha
On Monday morning I am going early with Jeanne to be dropped off because Germain has a meeting at 9 and must get there in time so I will walk Jeanne to her school and then I have no clue what I will do...Definitely NOT walk around Paris all day again haha
Germain was shocked at how far I walked and how much I did in the day. I was too....haha
He has been showing me areas on the map that I need to go to and one is similar to Hollywood or something because a lot of the writers and people live there...and when famous people from USA come to Paris they live there or stay there...OF COURSE! haha it is a really really rich area but I cannot think of the name of it at the moment.
I am adding some pictures on facebook as soon as I am done with this blog! I hope you enjoy them...I don't think I took enough pictures of the Eiffel Tower...let me know what you think. Also, I tried to get myself in some of the pictures and it did not turn out as well as I hoped but I think there is a lot more time for that....only if I make friends hahaha I feel like such a dorky loser that will have no friends...but I am used to having the MOST AMAZING FRIENDS EVER!!!! so I guess it would be a change....I love you all and I will talk to you soon!
Love
J

Hello!!!

Hello everyone! As you know today is the weekend and we stayed home and it was fun. Germain's cousin and her husband and two children came to have lunch and we ate sushi and it was delicious! I actually ate sushimi and the raw flat slices of fish too...I know crazy but it was not bad! We had a fun time except for the fact that I cannot speak French and they spoke in French a lot but they also knew English pretty well. I am really wanting to learn ASAP!!!
The other kids who came were two girls as well and they were almost 5 and 3! They were really cute but I hadn't the darndest clue what they were saying hahaha.
So I crack my knuckles right...well Germain does not like it and he keeps telling me to stop and I just can't help it. I have heard the theory about how it makes your knuckles bigger and gives you arthritis and I think those are both false BUT.....Germain and Fred (his cousin's husband) told me that when you crack it is the air bubbles and if you keep doing it it makes room for more and more bubbles so that when you are old it will crack very easily and when you walk and stuff you will just be a bunch of cracks walking down the hall haha
Today we sat down and talked about all of the paper work I will have to finish in order to stay in France and I have to get some passport pictures taken and go to my school to enroll for sure since I am here now....I am excited to see what happens after that. I need to get my social security number and carte du jour which I am not sure what that is but I will let you know once I find out! It is necessary to provide a copy of my birth certificate and passport in order to continue the process. There is sooooo much paperwork and ridiculousness that goes on with these kinds of things because for those of you who know....I have already done a million things before I left but it continues here in Paree!
I SUCK at reading and pronouncing French just in case you wondered and I am always intimidated to try around Germain because I don't want to feel stupid but I guess I have to in order to really become good at it. I need to swallow this pride and allow myself to act like a fool up in here!! hahaha
Sometimes I feel like an alien watching people and listening to the talk because I just sit there and have no idea what it going on. Mostly I really need to work on the accent and the vocabulary and getting used to the fast speech...oh wait that is EVERYTHING so I have a lot of work haha but it is ok because Germain is very helpful and patient but I hope I am not frustrating him with my lack of knowledge...I am definitely frustrating myself and I wish there was a magic wand that I could wave and know everything about France there is to know....however, let's not kid ourselves that was the sole reason to come live here for a year :)
Jeanne is a great teacher and helps me understand things and helps me work on my pronunciation of words because that is very difficult. Without understanding the pronunciation it is nearly impossible to understand what people are saying :(
The girls are bathing now so I just took some time to write this blog and see what is going on in the US of A but I will probably be leaving soon to go watch a movie and eat dinner.
I miss everyone and I hope that you are all doing very well!
Love Jess

YO!

Bonjour! It has been another good day in Paris!!! I have had a very very lonnnngggg day!!! But it is not a bad thing. Ok so today, we woke up and took Jeanne to school and I got out at the school because I wanted to spend the day walking around Paris to see the sights. So......I first went to Les Champs Elysee and I went over to see L'Arc de Triumph where the forgotten soldier is buried and all of that. It took me awhile to figure out how to get over to the actual Arch and if you have seen the way that area is with the cars you would understand what I am talking about. In that area Germain told me there are no rules on how to drive and cars are going every direction in front of each other and it is just ridiculous. The insurance companies tell the people to not even bother anymore with reporting accidents in that area because they are so common that people just have to pay for their own damage!
So then I walked along Champs Elysee and saw a lot of very interesting things. Something you may have heard about in the news went on today and I took pictures of it and I didn't know what it was until Germain told me. It was a strike that no one knew was going to take place and it was for the people in agriculture because the price of milk is so low and they want money because they do not really even make a profit. The farms here are very small and only owned by one family not like the ones in US.
I kept walking and I can't remember the order but I saw Le Grand Palais (The Grand Palace) and Le Petit Palais (The Small Palace) and they are both very beautiful! I then saw the famous bridge Le Pont Alexandre III....it is beautiful and it leads the way to the Military Museum and the golden dome where Napoleon was buried. It was all really cool and I have a lot of pictures that I will be putting on facebook soon!
I ended up going to the Eiffel Tower next and let me tell you that is an amazing feeling standing there and seeing it for the first time up close. I think I might have taken enough pictures of that to last a lifetime :) But then I went and saw the Military school which is behind the Eiffel Tower if the river is behind you. It is confusing without a map so I will have to show you if you are interested.
I saw a lot of things today and I do not even remember everything but I saw the aquarium and some other stuff haha. BUT I forgot to go look at the Louvre which is all the way at the opposite end of Champs Elysee from L'Arc de Triumph which means I already almost made it over there but I saw the bridge first and I went there. By the time I realized that I forgot about seeing it I was nearly back to L'Arc de Triumph!!! What the heck so I had alll day and I am not kidding like from 8:30 in the morning until 6:30 when I met Germain and Jeanne at Jeanne's school. But anyways so I went to the Louvre and I was just taking it all in and it was sooo big and beautiful and I have to go back because I did not have many pictures left available on my camera and it is GIANT!
When I was at the Grand Palace I found this little garden thing and it was so cute and pretty and then i looked to my right and there was a person in a sleeping bag on a bench and it scared me and I felt bad but it looked kind of funny :) And then when I was near all of the touristy stuff I was approached by a gypsy who asked me if I spoke English and I got excited and said YES! and then I learned my lesson to pretend to be completely foreign to any language because they just want you to give them money :( I was not happy about them following me lol.
So today I finally got to meet Colyne which is Jeanne's sister :) She is the cutest little thing and very sweet and I know I will learn a lot of French from the girls because they speak it to each other and help me understand because we play a little bit of a game where we say it in French and English but it is not very rehearsed yet.
On my way back to Jeanne's school today I got lost and I had a map and I thought I followed it but I guess I didn't until I looked again and had to REALLY follow it the second time because I was going completely the wrong way and had to turn around. Today I probably walked a total of 9.5 hours NO JOKE! Not stopping and not slowing down. I took a lot of breaks on benches to look at the map and to eat a sandwich that I bought and I am proud of myself because I was nervous but I sounded like an idiot I just did it anyways. So maybe I only walked for 8.5 or 9 hours today but that is still pretty intense. I am hoping to walk a lot though because I need to get a work out in somehow :) But when I got lost I wanted to sit down and cry and not be in France because I was so sick of the city and not hearing English...BUT that was just because I was there for 10 hours today and did nothing else and when I got reunited with Germain and Jeanne everything was better and now I am happy again hahaha
Oh by the way they do not have Diet Coke here because later when I went to get one they did not speak English but I said Diet Coke because they have Coca Cola and they know what that is but all I got was a look of confusion and then the girl listed the choices...Coca Cola, Coke Zero, or Coke Light....Ok well it was Coke Light so if you ever need to know that now you do because I didn't haha
For dinner we ate real Italian pasta and it was really good. I really like the food we eat here it is tres bien!!! I had some really skinny carrots...well not skinny but they were sliced really really thin and they had some sauce on them but Germain did not know what it was and they were AMAZING!!!
It is really cold here now and I do not like it too much but oh well because I think Ohio is just the same. I don't think I mentioned this before but I have to take driving lessons before I can drive and then Germain is going to buy a car for me to use but the only problem with this scenario is that there is no such thing as getting your license for an automatic car in France it is all done in manual and that is ridiculous because I cannot drive a manual and I will have a heck of a time learning this way of driving in a car that I cannot drive! But I will do what I have to do...maybe it's easier than I think.
This weekend we are taking care of all of the things like paper work and whatever I might need like a desk and everything because I am not fully settled in but I think it is fine. I will be setting up a bank account as well and Germain is going to just put the money directly in the account so that I can have a bank card to use since it is much easier.
Yesterday we went to the train station to get some tickets for me to ride the train and the metro but I still have not done that because I am scared hahahaha I am such a baby but I would rather walk everywhere like I did today. But I know once I do it for the first time it will be easy because I will probably take the train into the city for my classes because traffic=bad, parking=bad, and paying for parking=bad so I will not want to drive.
I can't wait to start classes and hopefully meet some good peeps up in there! lol but I am going to sign off and I miss you all I hope it is going well back in the states and I am doing just fine!
Much Love
Jess

Hey!

Bonjour! I am writing again to keep you all informed and give you something to do other than work :). I just came down to my room which is in the basement area of the home. There are four floors and I am in the basement, then there is the level with the front door and kitchen and family room, then the level with their rooms, and then the attic area with millions of dvds and cds, computers, and tv. It is a pretty good set up and I like having my own space. There is a cleaning lady who comes and changes the sheets and does laundry and cleans everything and I forget what day she comes. I think it will be different for me to have someone else do my laundry and it will seem strange to me. I picked Jeanne up from school today and walked her to her mother's apartment which is very close, so that she could go to her violin lesson. She meets her violin teacher at her mother's apartment and they practice for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Germain (the dad) dropped me off at her school so I could wait for her and I felt very intimidated because I do not know much French. Oh well I am going to learn...Germain says that we are speaking English now and in two weeks we will be speaking in French...I am not sure I agree...
Dad...you will be happy to know that I am really getting into the whole map thing and I don't love it but I don't hate it haha
So once the violin lesson was done, Germain picked us up and we went to the train station to get some tickets and show me what to do...yea I am still confused haha. Then we came home and Germain made dinner and we had some frozen Cantonese rice which was really good, some steak, and there were these strange snail things from the ocean that we ate...some big and some small...I never thought I would eat that but I did and it was not very bad.
After dinner, Germain and I tried some cheese with wine to show me what I need to learn about France. There were 3 kinds of cheese, one being blue cheese, and I did not hate them but I think it could take some getting used to. The blue cheese was good and Germain told me it was different than the kind in the US because it is not pasteurized like ours. I am a little hesitant to eat all of these things because I am not sure how well it will treat my stomach (Lol) but I am always going to try and if I do not like it will be alright...I hope...:)
German got me a sim card for an old phone to use for a week and then a Blackberry will be coming for me where I can e-mail and get SMS and talk on MSN on it....I am not sure if I can send messages to you guys internationally but I will find out because I would not want to make a huge bill or anything....
I am going to go to bed shortly because I am getting up early to go to school with Germain and Jeanne and I do not have to do anything all day until 615 or so which means I am going to attempt the city of Paris on my own for the first time :)
I am going to try and avoid having to speak to anyone and I hope nothing bad happens but if so, I will be able to call Germain!
I want to go to Les Champs Elysee because it is very close to Jeanne's school and I am going to also try and find my school where I will be taking classes! I cannot wait to do that because then I will definitely meet some people who will hopefully be my friend haha :)
I will let you know what else is going on and hopefully nothing too big or anything. Germain has a friend with an American au pair and he is going to give me her information so that we can meet up and hopefully hang out and she will be going to the same school as me!
Sorry if any of my information is repeating what I said before but I do not always remember what I write.
A Bientot!
Jess

Bonjour a Paris!

Well hello all my American friends!! I am in Paris now and it is very different from home. The first day of arrival I was greeted by the father of Germain (who is the father of the girls), Jean-Francois at the airport. He was holding a sign with my name on it and he recognized me right away! Surprisingly he knows English very well and he gave me a small tour in the car of the city. I love the history and the beauty of it all and it will take some time to soak it all in. We arrived at his house in downtown Paris in a very good location! His wife, Claire, was so nice and together the two of them made me feel very welcomed. Their grandson, Emile, was there as well and he is from Switzerland where Germain's sister lives. She is married to an American and has lived in the US for fifteen years or so I believe. She lived in San Fransisco and Philadelphia. Emile knows English as well because his father is teaching him and we will be going to visit them in Switzerland in February because we may go on a ski trip. I spent most of the day with Jean-Francois and Claire and they made lunch. It was very good :) I had some french fries (HAHAHA) and some chicken like roasted on the bones like we have. It was great and we had salad after that. I drank some wine with lunch and it was good and also we had some fruit after we ate. I did try some coffee which was very strong and in a tiny cup but it was not bad...I am not a huge coffee person but it was alright. Soon after we went to the Museum of Rodin. He is a famous sculptor and you may be most familiar with his "The Thinker" statue. It was beautiful in the garden area and Jean-Francois, Emile, and Claire sat at a small cafe while I explored the inside of the museum by myself. It was very interesting and Rodin has some amazing artwork.
Soon after we were back home, Germain came to pick me up and right away we went to get Jeanne, the oldest, at her horse riding place. She rides miniature ponies and it was very cute. Jeanne does not speak any English so we will have a difficult time for a while. I am not sure how well I will get through this but I just need to learn very quickly. Last evening, Germain had a meeting so Jeanne and I were home and I made ravioli which she loves because it is Italian and she loves pasta. We then played Monopoly on X-Box and it was not the easiest thing I have ever done. When she went to bed I was so tired so I fell asleep as well and then woke up this morning to go with Germain to take Jeanne to school. Her school is in Paris and we live outside of Paris so it is a bit of a drive especially with all of the traffic. I will be driving her to school and everything once I take some driving classes so that I can understand what to do. I am not looking forward to it :)
We dropped Jeanne off at school and came home and I took a long nap because I was still very tired. I started to unpack and just felt very sad that I do not know anyone with me and it is already a very big challenge. I will be alright I just feel like I am in major culture shock mode and also very frustrated that I do not know the language. I do not know how to make their food so for lunch I had a piece of toast and some berries with a banana. I hope I learn how to soon because I will probably starve.
Today I told Germain that my plan is to stay for one year because he needed to begin finalizing plans for vacation. I hope I want to stay that long, but I know once I learn the language I could stay here for a very long time!
On the plane ride over I met a cute old woman on the way to Chicago and she wants me to keep in touch, and then on the second flight to Paris I met a guy from Morocco who teaches at San Diego State....so he says... haha well anyway it was funny because I was with Germain at home and he asked if I had seen the movie Taken and I laughed and told him about how everyone said do not watch it. Germain is very awesome! He was telling me to watch out when I am in Paris because people take advantage of you and even if you go to the bar they will put things in your drink. I am not planning on going to the bar by the way because I am not a big fan of drinking alone haha.
I am really going to have to step it up and learn French quickly and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know I would really love it!
Au Revoir for now! A Bientot!