Only in France

I learned two great things yesterday. First, a ripped stomach is called a "tablet de chocolat"...yes a chocolate bar. (Though only in America...or Germany...would such a ripped stomach be a "6-pack"...) And in giving a lesson on degrees of temperature: hot, warm, cool, cold, frigid...my student made a shocked face when I said "frigid." "You use this frequently?" he demanded. Yes, of course. He laughed...and said, cautioning that it was awkward for him to explain to a woman, that "frigid" in French is a "maladie," a true illness. It's a woman who does not take pleasure "in this life." Read between the lines. Must have chocolate and pleasure. Welcome to France.

(Image: Miss.tic. Artist and poet who puts her stenciled images and messages all over Paris!)

Back in the USA

I met Leah in the Chicago airport, we shared a glass of wine, ran to our plane, and thus started our California adventure. We call it World Tour. Back in 1999 in the sweaty town of Triangle, Zimbabwe, Leah, Stephanie, and I took an evening walk while the sun was setting over the low-veld. We vowed that, as we got older, we wouldn't stop travelling together. We wanted to see the world together. And two years later we made it to New Zealand...then had a bit of a hiatus until last year we were all in Paris together. This year it was California. Steph lives in Altadena (in the foothills of the San Gabriels just north of Pasadena), so it was the perfect destination, and the perfect opportunity to spend time with her daughter Auden--Leah and my god-daughter. Auden is amazing, and is sure to grow up a rock star...whether its in music or politics! We completely took advantage of the LA area--beach, hiking, farmer's market, flea market at Rose Bowl stadium, great home-made dinners and nights out over jerk pork and sangria or mediterranian goodness. We also road-tripped up the coast, camping our way along! Bougie campers, we laughed...showing up at ranger stations in Steph's Volvo, wearing skirts and hoop earings...eating our brie, fresh bread, and chicken sausages. And it couldn't have been better to sleep in a tent every night, either listening to the ocean crash or the stream trickle through the redwood forest in which we stayed two nights in Big Sur. We lunched and picniced and drank wine at night over marvelous dinners...cooked over the fire once, talked sex and politics over the fire the other nights. We sat in hot springs, soaked in the stars, marvelled at the beauty around us, walked on deserted beaches in the morning and found quirky breakfast cafés. We broke open a water spicket, created a geysur, protected a seal, ran from overly-friendly squirls, discovered that beer nuts are gross, that rosé lasts without a cork for nearly 24 hours, and that we could set up and break-down a tent with record speed. Ah, World Tour 2007 California was super.

Then it was on to Wisconsin. In just over a week, I think we packed in just as much if not more than we had when I was home for several weeks last summer! My brothers and I were together with my dad for father's day--church, golfing and hanging out at Crystal Lake, an amazing dinner and bonfire, joined by my friend John. We hiked with mom in Terry Andre park, followed by the Brewer's game. My grandma turned 98 years, so I got to see most of the cousins and aunts and uncles on the Gentine side. My mom and I got to do a post-mother's day--a full mother/daughter day of pampering and picnicing in Milwaukee...I got to just hang out at my dad's pool and at the lake...went to dad's softball game and bonfire...sat on mom's beautiful screened-in porch and made strawberry jam and hung out with Josh in Milwaukee. It was a whirlwind, but couldn't have been better!

Backing it up...

I've been a blog deserter! I'll be surprised if anybody is still checking this...considering how long I wait. But I draw inspiration from my friend Jenna, an equally sporadic blogger whose page I still look at. And when I do, I'm always glad I haven't given up on her blogging. I'm hoping you give me the same leeway!
To take it in reverse, an awful lot has happened since my mom and Paul were here. For starters, Josh came for a week. He got stuck mostly just with me! Nearly all of my friends were out of town...but it afforded us countless hours of discussion (not to mention the seemingly endless amount of time we waited for a pot of tea in our first-ever tea-house experience!). Hence this photo. And...we were idiots and only took THIS ONE photo. Not even one together. Guess we were too busy talking and walking to stop and capture US in any particular moment.
Then Henderson arrived. We did all kinds of great stuff, as well as everyday stuff together. From drinks to the gym to finding a tanning salon, going to see his friend dressed in drag, hanging out at the café, computer time and getting out navigo metro passes....you name it! But no, we didn't take any photos either (though I specifically remember us talking about doing so!). In the meantime, Aunt Pat and Uncle Steve arrived. This was their first time in Paris, and they couldn't have been more excited...or more open to just experiencing and trying and exploring! Steve marvelled at the small cars, the self-cleaning public toilets, the public system of transportation. He kept saying, "They've really got some things figured out over here!" It was exceptional to spend that time with them! And in that meantime, my cousin Jeff and his wife Michele arrived. We went out for dinner to the Moroccan restaurant...then ended up in the North-African-inspired bar next door. Without expecting it, we were there until after 1:30 am, just talking and telling stories and enjoying the American disco music. Somewhere in there, Leah's sister Mari and her girlfriend arrived...so that was another night of Moroccan fun...and an opportunity to meet another NY friend of hers who freelances and happens to be enjoying 2 months in Paris. So Laura--the GQ, Maxim, Stuff columnist--and I have met up numerous times for dinner, drinks, park time, etc.

And, I most certainly cannot forget two incredible events: My surprise birthday party and the Justin Timberlake concert! First things first, the girls arranged a surprise luao-themed party for me. I arrived to all of them in grass skirts, tropical clothes, and flower lais...the Beach boys were playing and Molly's apartment was full of balloons and paper palm trees; the lamps and stairs were covered with colorful fringe, and skewers of chicken, beef, and vegetables were cooking. Later we indulged in a full-on American (ie--Duncan Hines from the box!) chocolate cake...followed by card games and the inevitable tequilla shots! And yes...then in the beginning of June we all went to see the Justin Timberlake concert. He was incredible!! I don't even know what more to say...except that we had a blast...tried to track he and Timberland down after the concert (Edith was on a mission...and she was dressed the part!). Managed to see Timberland leaving in his car...had no luck, but still found our way to a club afterwards.

One last bit, I also started working in May for a language school. All of our clients are large businesses, and we work directly in their offices to teach (mainly one-on-one) English. I have some great clients, fun young people for the most part. It's fun to be teaching again, meeting new people...and most certainly collecting a paycheck! This also enables me to (for free!) enter the French social security system...meaning that I won't pay another medical bill (or even a perscription medicine!) as long as I'm living here! Somewhere between all of that going on in May, I also tracked down two African literature/postcolonial literature professors--one at Paris III, one at Paris 13. (In France you have to find a prof to direct your thesis before you even apply to a masters program!) Both schools have excellent comparative literature programs with courses enabling me to focus on African literature (written in French and English). I visited the schools, took numerous language exams necessary for entrance in the French system, completed applications and effectively applied to both masters programs. Now I have to wait and see...

And then I left for the United States. To be continued...