It's amazing how it only takes one person to ruin your morning. One little thing, one little comment, and suddenly you've gone from kicking along to feeling like crap. I was headed back from campus, another day without class, (The university is "open" but all the buildings have been barricaded from the inside now, so they still can't hold class) and I figured I should probably get around to paying my November rent. For the record, I tried to pay last week but the office was closed in the morning for "special circumstances". The lady behind the counter promptly informed me that I never paid my September rent and that I would have to pay that as well. Oh no, I paid, I assured her. She printed me a copy of my account and said, If you can prove that you've paid from your bank account, fine, if not, you need come back and pay, it's very rare that there is a mistake. No I've paid, I insisted, plus, I couldn't help but add in my frustration, you've already made a mistake with my room. At which point she started yelling about how she could and has explained in detail that it had been my fault because it was me that moved to the wrong room. And that if I hadn't moved to the wrong room then there wouldn't have been a problem. I cut her off and told her glumly that I just wanted to pay for November and I'd figure out the September bill later. She stomped across the office to the credit card reader and on the way her desk mate mutters, disgust dripping from her voice, Another American? Xenophobia rocks, I really can't describe that warm snuggly feeling it leaves down in your tummy and I was peeved already as I don't take well to be casually accused of defaulting for an entire months rent when I know I've paid. When I came back to explain the records to her, (it showed it right on the sheet when you looked at it closely), she just stared at me blankly and said, ah yes I see. My September payment was made at the beginning of October since I thought I had to wait until my French bank account was opened to pay. And did she apologize for blatantly attacking my integrity? I don't think so.

Some Things I Am Loving Right Now:

Swimming: My knee has been starting to bother me again, so I took some good advice and started swimming again. Not much, but every couple days I make the long trek down to the new public pool at Antigone. It's really nice, if a little crowed sometimes, but man, there is nothing like that totally cleaned out, adrenaline high feeling you getting after flipping laps in a pleasantly cool pool for forty minutes. It's a great time to contemplate life, or in my case what to make for dinner, as you stare at the tiles on the bottom of the pool.

Beaujolais Nouveau: This is a special Holiday wine that is sold almost as soon as it's bottled. It comes from the French Alps and traditionally goes on sale the Third Thursday of November at midnight. One wine critic I heard said it's like a spicy grape juice that is almost gulpable and not worth the hype. Phish, it's fun and it's festive and in my opinion, tasty. So what if it's not incredible wine.


Raclettes: Another French Winter tradition, which I like to think of as The Reverse Fondue. Raclette is a specific cheese that suddenly becomes ten times more abundant in the grocery store sometime in November. It is from the Emmental (Swiss), Gruyère, semi-firm, cow milk sort of cheese genre, but it's a little more salty and nutty in flavor and melts like a dream. Traditionally you use a Raclette grill, which constitutes little round cast iron dishes with handles that are heated on the grill. You place your chunks of Raclette in the dishes and wait impatiently for the cheese to start oozing, as the bottom edges turn crispy and fried. You then dump out the now gooey pile of cheese on top of hot steamed veggies, bits of sausage, toast, or whatever else you enjoy with cheese! I've found that though Raclette grills are cute and fun, my frying pan over low heat works pretty darn well too. Cold winter chill beware! And guess what I had for lunch today... dumped over boiled taters, steamed baby Brussels sprouts and crunchy whole grain toasts....


The Mediterranean Winter: When the Mistral (the North Wind) starts blowing, even though the temperature only drop about 10 degrees, it is bitterly cold here, as this wind will cut through anything! However, most days it's really pleasant out. For example, it's 65° and sunny at the moment. With a light jacket and a scarf, you're good to go. It's a little chilly at night sometimes, but not snot-freezing unbearable and forget dancing across an ice slick just to get from your car to the front door. Still, nothing beats an Oregon winter and I miss the green and the rain. Yup, Oregonian to the bone.... :)

Ohhhh Duh Moments: In class last night we were discussing French holidays and holiday traditions and how they differ from those in the States. These are the sort of sujects I love because it's the part the language and my cultural education I find the most interesting. Certainly more interesting than the Plus-Que-Parfait. My Civilization teacher noted that the Advent Calendar (which I love) is quite popular in the United States as well. Advant... (means before).... Avant le Noël, the "Before Christmas Calendar". Obviously. It's not like I started speaking French yesterday, but it's just one of those things you never stop to consider. Like le Toussaint, the French version of All-Saints day, which is celebrated instead of Halloween. Look closer though because it's le Jour de Tous Saint, or the Day of All Saints, literally translated. I didn't get this one until the middle of November. Sometimes I feel a little dumb, but it's fun to realized that there's a little more there than you thought. It's like the world is a big puzzle and I get to figure it out one thing at a time. Plus it also points out the difference between memorization and comprehension learning... but I'll just leave it there.