A few nights ago, Annie bought strawberries for dessert. She came back from her daily shopping excursion explaining that "they're the first strawberries of the spring". That evening, after clearing the dinner plates, I grabbed some bowls and we each served ourselves, adding a bit of sugar to bring out the sweetness. When Annie went to pour her sugar, she practically filled up her bowl halfway with sugar, completely covering all of the strawberries she had served herself. We started laughing about how much sugar she had poured, as one could practically have asked "do you want some strawberries to go with that sugar?" As I was sitting there laughing with her, I realized that I had yet to really explain my host situation here.
Simply put, I've gotten very lucky with host situations this year. It's most people's nightmare when coming abroad - being placed with someone mean, strict, rude, racist etc. It's a big move, especially when you'll be living with them for almost a year; and I think it turns some kids to not take advantage of the potential benefits. Because there are horror stories.
Fortunately, mine have been far from that. This summer, I was blessed with an incredible family in Aix-en-Provence: a family of three plus their dog, Lulu, and cat, Lili. I would normally say that six weeks is no where near long enough to really get to know a family, but they were so kind and welcoming that I felt like I was actually part of their family after less than two months. I spent many afternoons watching French reality television shows like Les Anges de Télérealité and Secret Story with my host sister Marion. Dinners were usually lively talks about our days; when my host father, Simon, was back from Paris on the weekends, we even delved into subjets like politics, religion, and immigration. I also got the chance to really get to know my host mother, Catherine, as she brought me shopping and walking, as well as offered to bring me to various places around Aix. The first weekend I was there, she actually brought me to the beach at Cassis. Not a bad start eh?
The situation was ideal for a number of reasons. My french got much better, and it definitely helped my confidence speaking and listening to french all the time. But better yet, it allowed me to see into the daily lives of French, and to also be accepted into their lives. My life started taking on their rhythms, their diet, their mannerisms. It also just made me more comfortable with the idea that I could live in an enriching environment through a host family situation.
Thus, I left Aix slightly better prepared to take on my Parisian homestay.
I won't say it's been a joy ride the WHOLE time. Annie and I certainly don't see eye to eye on the tidiness of my room (which is TINY, and I have A LOT of things, thus, obvious issues). She can sometimes be too much, especially when I'm trying to do work (BTW, French libraries should be open later than 10pm. Naht helpful). And she's very social - we have people over constantly. I don't think there has been a single week where we haven't had at least one person over for drinks or dinner. These last two aspects were a big deal last semester when I was stressed out of my mind and totally overwhelmed with work. It even led me to look into finding an alternate situation - either getting my own place or switching host families. Since getting my own apartment was out of the question (Thank you Middlebury rules), I went to meet a young woman who I could potentially move in with, starting in January. She was lovely, the apartment was great, but I realized I couldn't imagine leaving Annie.
The reality is that Annie is like a grandmother to me. Even at 81, she is energetic, passionate and hilarious. She has taken me in, introduced me to her friends and family, and made me part of her life. When I was starting to get my horrible stomach aches again, she took me shopping with her, in order to buy gluten free and soy products. She is actively interested in what I'm studying, where I'm traveling and who my friends are. She lovess to cook, and basically gets angry when I don't eat what she considers enough, or when I don't finish all the leftovers. We joke about the crazy stories her friends and family members tell. We talk about politics and the news. She tells me weekly about the new films she saw in the cinema. And I can't help but love this little lady, who is so animated about going out to shop everyday, who has known her butcher for 30 years, and who likes to casually stroll around Printemps and Galaries Lafayette (and then talk about all the Chinese, Russians and Arabs who are lining up at Chanel and Louis Vuitton). It's an experience all in itself - one that I think has truly defined my year here. I can't even imagine what this year would have been without her.
Yesterday, I wrote my last check to her for my monthly rent. It was a bit depressing; the last few weekends I've spent away from Paris, I've actually been sad not to be here with her. I know I will surely miss a lot of things about my life here once I leave; Annie will definitely be one of them. She is the kind of person who I would gladly come back to Paris just to visit.
Plus, her food is out of this world, as anyone who has been invited over for dinner can attest.
Simply put, I've gotten very lucky with host situations this year. It's most people's nightmare when coming abroad - being placed with someone mean, strict, rude, racist etc. It's a big move, especially when you'll be living with them for almost a year; and I think it turns some kids to not take advantage of the potential benefits. Because there are horror stories.
Fortunately, mine have been far from that. This summer, I was blessed with an incredible family in Aix-en-Provence: a family of three plus their dog, Lulu, and cat, Lili. I would normally say that six weeks is no where near long enough to really get to know a family, but they were so kind and welcoming that I felt like I was actually part of their family after less than two months. I spent many afternoons watching French reality television shows like Les Anges de Télérealité and Secret Story with my host sister Marion. Dinners were usually lively talks about our days; when my host father, Simon, was back from Paris on the weekends, we even delved into subjets like politics, religion, and immigration. I also got the chance to really get to know my host mother, Catherine, as she brought me shopping and walking, as well as offered to bring me to various places around Aix. The first weekend I was there, she actually brought me to the beach at Cassis. Not a bad start eh?
The situation was ideal for a number of reasons. My french got much better, and it definitely helped my confidence speaking and listening to french all the time. But better yet, it allowed me to see into the daily lives of French, and to also be accepted into their lives. My life started taking on their rhythms, their diet, their mannerisms. It also just made me more comfortable with the idea that I could live in an enriching environment through a host family situation.Thus, I left Aix slightly better prepared to take on my Parisian homestay.
The reality is that Annie is like a grandmother to me. Even at 81, she is energetic, passionate and hilarious. She has taken me in, introduced me to her friends and family, and made me part of her life. When I was starting to get my horrible stomach aches again, she took me shopping with her, in order to buy gluten free and soy products. She is actively interested in what I'm studying, where I'm traveling and who my friends are. She lovess to cook, and basically gets angry when I don't eat what she considers enough, or when I don't finish all the leftovers. We joke about the crazy stories her friends and family members tell. We talk about politics and the news. She tells me weekly about the new films she saw in the cinema. And I can't help but love this little lady, who is so animated about going out to shop everyday, who has known her butcher for 30 years, and who likes to casually stroll around Printemps and Galaries Lafayette (and then talk about all the Chinese, Russians and Arabs who are lining up at Chanel and Louis Vuitton). It's an experience all in itself - one that I think has truly defined my year here. I can't even imagine what this year would have been without her.Yesterday, I wrote my last check to her for my monthly rent. It was a bit depressing; the last few weekends I've spent away from Paris, I've actually been sad not to be here with her. I know I will surely miss a lot of things about my life here once I leave; Annie will definitely be one of them. She is the kind of person who I would gladly come back to Paris just to visit.
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