a little bit of culture, some firsts

I mentioned some immediate concerns for living in France in the last post, but there are also very many wonderful things so far. One of them is that everyone is very nice, or at least everyone I've come across.

My host father and mother always take time out to talk with me and even though I can't always understand them (my host father talks incredibly fast) it's nice to know that they're trying to make me feel welcome. They always keep their door open and told me that I'm welcome to come in and talk to them or ask them anything.

For a gift I brought them a framed photo of my house that I took a few weeks ago. Instead of putting it somewhere in their room, my host father made some sort of stand so that when I'm at my desk I can look at home (which I am doing right now and which I find very comforting).

My old fashioned keys.

And though I only get one meal (repas) per week (and by this I mean one dinner, I always get breakfast), the one I've had so far was quite delicious. We had Ratatouillee over pasta, bread and cheese and then galette for dessert. Everything was delicious. The galette itself is called "king's cake" because hidden inside the cake is a little trinket. Whoever gets the piece with the trinket inside it is crowned the king (roi) or the queen (reine). As I was the newest person at the meal (there were two other students from UNH both of whom have been here since October, one who lives with another family and one who lives above my host family's apartment) so I chose who got each piece. I picked myself last because I thought it would be most polite and so I was very surprised to cut into the cake (which has a puff-pastry base) to find a trinket. Traditionally it's a baby Jesus, but mine was a small Toy Story 3 ceramic piece.

Aside from my host family, the other students I've met through Elsa (our sort-of-tutor who I mentioned earlier and who is a student at the University) have all been very nice. Everyone is very patient when we stumble over our words and they are all very nice when correcting us with our grammar. It's very encouraging and a good environment in which to ameliorate my French. I'm quite grateful for it.

Inside the crypt of the Saint Benigne's Cathedral.
Some more information about it on flickr.

Last night in particular, Elsa invited us new students out to a bar with her and her friends. Yesterday was the last day of their exams and so they were out celebrating. We drank crème de cassis mixed with white wine, a specialty of Burgundy. The students alternated between buying pitchers and we all had small glasses. It was very social and relaxed. I know I enjoyed myself and I'm pretty sure everyone else did as well, something I was very happy about as it was my first time in a bar (only being 20). When Elsa came back to the table at one point with many shots, it was also my first time for those. Upon finishing it (and after learning that it was my first) the entire table broke out in cheers and proceeded to sing a local song.

All in all the atmosphere was a welcome contrast from some of my recent worries.

Some other minor little tidbits I wanted to write down so that I wouldn't forget:

1. The hot chocolate (grand chocolat) here is amazing. It will never ever get old.
2. I still have not had a croissant!
3. The French name for Twilight is "Fascination" which I find incredibly amusing and all too fitting.