My birthday and Valence
I had two birthday parties, one with some friends in Angers and the other with some friends in Nantes. I kind of feel like I have two homes bases, thanks to my wonderful friends in Nantes. They are always so welcoming to me that I really feel as comfortable there as I do in
Angers. Well, anyway, my first party, part one (for there were two parts to part one!) was with my host family. We had Bretonne Galettes, which are crêpes made with buckwheat flour and then with a myriad of different fillings, really whatever you want. We made them with ham, cheese and an egg (of course mine was without ham…yes, I am still batting for the veggie team). I made a delicious cake, well what I hoped would be delicious because I had been obliged to make it in the microwave. Who has ever heard of making a cake in the microwave? I mean, I know that you can make meatloaf and bread in the microwave (according to crazy home economics people, but really, a cake (and those other things as well; I was always a little wary)? Well, it seemed as if I had been right for my cake, even after 55 minutes in the microwave was not all the way cooked, so I improvised and made something entirely different. Throwing some fudge on the top and some cinnamon mousse on the side, I thought it was a success. The second part of the first party, I dressed up as an Indian and went to a housewarming party. Strange combination, right? Well, the costume was for a welcome party for the first year students and everyone had to dress up as someone from their country. It was great to celebrate another housewarming party, with crêpes and disco music. 
Angers. Well, anyway, my first party, part one (for there were two parts to part one!) was with my host family. We had Bretonne Galettes, which are crêpes made with buckwheat flour and then with a myriad of different fillings, really whatever you want. We made them with ham, cheese and an egg (of course mine was without ham…yes, I am still batting for the veggie team). I made a delicious cake, well what I hoped would be delicious because I had been obliged to make it in the microwave. Who has ever heard of making a cake in the microwave? I mean, I know that you can make meatloaf and bread in the microwave (according to crazy home economics people, but really, a cake (and those other things as well; I was always a little wary)? Well, it seemed as if I had been right for my cake, even after 55 minutes in the microwave was not all the way cooked, so I improvised and made something entirely different. Throwing some fudge on the top and some cinnamon mousse on the side, I thought it was a success. The second part of the first party, I dressed up as an Indian and went to a housewarming party. Strange combination, right? Well, the costume was for a welcome party for the first year students and everyone had to dress up as someone from their country. It was great to celebrate another housewarming party, with crêpes and disco music. 
The second party in Nantes took place at a crêperie – yes, it is true that the French love their crêpes and me too, so all is well – that was themed in a pirate motif, which I found very funny. I enjoyed my crêpes but most of all the company, even though I did not follow all that was happening as they spoke of many people and things regarding their school, etc. But whatever, that is how you learn. And learning I am.
The next step of this very special and unique weekend, one where I just lived the lives of others, well, maybe it would be better to say that I participated in the lives of a very special couple called the Thomassets. They are the parents of my good friend who took me out to dinner for my birthday and who invited me to spend a weekend with her parents if that interested me. Of course that interested me for several reasons: one, I love to meet the parents of my good friends because I always learn something about my friends and really become closer to them; two, I enjoy taking part
in the lives of other people, especially when their lives are taking place elsewhere than where I am living, it gives me a little taste for what is going on in other parts of the world; and three, I was looking forward to the opportunity to spend a whole weekend speaking French with new people. Valence, where they live, is not a large town by any means nor is there anything extraordinary there. It is about the same size as Angers, which makes about 60,000 maybe more inhabitants. What makes the city unique is its geographical location in France. It is a town built around the Rhône River and surrounded by mountains (about an hour and 15 minutes away) and the Ardeches, which in fact is the department to which Valence belongs (I love this department because it makes one of my favorite French things, Chestnut Cream!)
in the lives of other people, especially when their lives are taking place elsewhere than where I am living, it gives me a little taste for what is going on in other parts of the world; and three, I was looking forward to the opportunity to spend a whole weekend speaking French with new people. Valence, where they live, is not a large town by any means nor is there anything extraordinary there. It is about the same size as Angers, which makes about 60,000 maybe more inhabitants. What makes the city unique is its geographical location in France. It is a town built around the Rhône River and surrounded by mountains (about an hour and 15 minutes away) and the Ardeches, which in fact is the department to which Valence belongs (I love this department because it makes one of my favorite French things, Chestnut Cream!)I cannot say that we did anything too exciting, but we lived. I had just such a great time being with these people, people who had such an interesting outlook on life and such interesting things to share. They are simple people with big hearts and a hospitality that welcomed me without knowing many details and without posing many questions. We are complete opposites when comparing our lifestyles and our pasts. Me, I have traveled numerous times and love the adventure of the unknown, the voyages on planes to territories unfamiliar, but for them, my friend’s mother has never flown in an airplane, and her father’s first time was when he came to visit her in NYC after our studies in DC. Oh my goodness was I surprised, but for them, it was just okay and great that they had a daughter wanting to travel and be adventurous while they remained at home working diligently and living a calm type of life. I found that somehow refreshing; not that I could ever imagine living that way, but it was lovely to see a couple so content and so settled. I find that oppositions to my life really do me some good and help me to keep a good perspective on people and on life.
I spent a good time with the couple together but then also as individuals. On Saturday morning, I went running on a plateau that is the highest point in the city and which provided a view of the mountains on one side and
the Ardeches on the other. I saw many runners, and it was such a pleasant way to start the day. After having eaten breakfast and getting ready for the day, I went with my friend’s mom to the market in the center of the town. We took the opportunity to buy some cheese from the region and get some artisanal bread also a specialty of the region. It is a type of brioche with pralines covered in red sugar in the middle. They are called St. Genix (okay, I am adding a little commentary because I am feeling led to share something terribly ironic…I can remember the name of all the pastries I have eaten since coming to France but I cannot remember the names of the churches or the castles that I have visited nor the museums…isn’t that awful!) and really a treat. The market was beautiful like all markets are with the fresh veggies and fruits and beautiful flowers and cheese and meat venders who always have something interesting to explain regarding their products. That is what I love the most about markets, discussing with the vendors their products and getting a small glimpse into their lives and the way they connect with their products.
the Ardeches on the other. I saw many runners, and it was such a pleasant way to start the day. After having eaten breakfast and getting ready for the day, I went with my friend’s mom to the market in the center of the town. We took the opportunity to buy some cheese from the region and get some artisanal bread also a specialty of the region. It is a type of brioche with pralines covered in red sugar in the middle. They are called St. Genix (okay, I am adding a little commentary because I am feeling led to share something terribly ironic…I can remember the name of all the pastries I have eaten since coming to France but I cannot remember the names of the churches or the castles that I have visited nor the museums…isn’t that awful!) and really a treat. The market was beautiful like all markets are with the fresh veggies and fruits and beautiful flowers and cheese and meat venders who always have something interesting to explain regarding their products. That is what I love the most about markets, discussing with the vendors their products and getting a small glimpse into their lives and the way they connect with their products.I saw Valence, which was quickly done, and I liked it quite a lot for a small and quiet sort of town. We went to the pizzeria that my friend’s brother owns and ordered a veggie pizza just for me; he ragged on me for being a vegetarian, like everyone else and did not want to believe that I really do not eat meat. I kind of enjoyed being teased for being a vegetarian because it is a choice I made now what seems like a long time ago and it is something about which I feel strongly, so I do not mind being teased for it. It makes me different, and I like that. Anyway, we had a nice calm morning followed by a tour of a flower show and a visit with a friend of the family way up in the high hills of Romain, a city close to Valence, and a visit with my friend’s grandmother. For me, the visit with her grandmother was one of t
he highlights. First, I absolutely love old people and miss mine at the nursing home in Naperville, and second, this woman was just incredible. She recounted for me things from WWII that she remembered and showed me her apartment and marveled at the fact that a young American had come to visit her, recalling the time when the Americans had come and saved the area and had given her and her friends chocolate, coffee, and chewing gum. I just loved that. She is such a beautiful lady and what is more, she has lived through so much and has seen so many things, not things of the world, but things of the heart and things of the head, meaning things that affect one’s intellect.
he highlights. First, I absolutely love old people and miss mine at the nursing home in Naperville, and second, this woman was just incredible. She recounted for me things from WWII that she remembered and showed me her apartment and marveled at the fact that a young American had come to visit her, recalling the time when the Americans had come and saved the area and had given her and her friends chocolate, coffee, and chewing gum. I just loved that. She is such a beautiful lady and what is more, she has lived through so much and has seen so many things, not things of the world, but things of the heart and things of the head, meaning things that affect one’s intellect.However, my absolutely favorite moment this weekend was the trip into the Ardeches. That was absolutely magical. I went with my friend’s dad in the car to one part of the Ardeches, at the bottom of which were beautifully aging vines, colored with the crispness of fall and showered in radiant colors. We started our ascent into the hills that are covered with trees and a ton of vegetation, the most significant and amusing of which is the chestnut tree. It turns o
ut that I do not like to eat chestnuts plain because they are too mushy inside and I do not know, I just do not like the flavor. However, I love to gather them up from the forest; that is full of enjoyment. The chestnut pod is very prickly, too prickly for a normal person to just pick it up, peel it off and take out the nuts. You have to kick it around with your foot or use some type of apparatus to open it and then carefully take out the beautifully brown nuts. Despite their unpleasant taste in my eyes, they are gloriously smooth and lovely from the outside.
ut that I do not like to eat chestnuts plain because they are too mushy inside and I do not know, I just do not like the flavor. However, I love to gather them up from the forest; that is full of enjoyment. The chestnut pod is very prickly, too prickly for a normal person to just pick it up, peel it off and take out the nuts. You have to kick it around with your foot or use some type of apparatus to open it and then carefully take out the beautifully brown nuts. Despite their unpleasant taste in my eyes, they are gloriously smooth and lovely from the outside.On the walk up the hill, I had a very interesting conversation with my friend’s dad. We were talking about dreams, and he was telling me about how he would love to have a small cabin up in the hills in a certain place, which he showed me, but that he never planned to actually do it. He said that it was only a dream, and if he realized all his dreams, he would have nothing left and would be very sad and disappointed in life. That seemed so strange because, for me, a dream is something I hope will happen in the future, and something towards which I can work and progress. If it is not realized it has nothing to do with the fact that I decided it would not be realized but the fact that life changes and one never knows what will happen. I do not know what God has for my life, but my dreams are my goals, and they are things which I am trying to make happen. For him, his dreams serve only as a divertissement, as a way to escape reality for a little while, but never things concrete or realistic. For him, his dreams are like a beautiful work of art, one that you can stare at and never get sick of contemplating, but something which you know is a picture and something that serves purely the purpose of giving you pleasure and nothing else. I have never looked at dreams like that, but maybe I should start or at least broaden my concept of what constitutes a dream.
Arriving back from the hike and the small chestnut harvest J we had lunch all together with their son and his girlfriend; course after course, but all such wonderful things, I could not help myself. Again, what a fun experience that I enjoyed of just being a part of a family with their particularities and their jokes, their memories and their certain ways of saying things. It was very amusing to learn various expressions during the weekend, most of which I have not retained, since they are impossible to translate literally and because they sound so abnormal, because expressions provided such an interesting dimension to a language as they allow us to use our limited vocabulary in a broader and fuller sense as we explore the world of imagery and sounds and shapes and colors which over time assume meaning and value. Unfortunately, they are also the most difficult to master and the most difficult to remember. Oh, well, that just gives me something to continue motivating me to learn more and more French (of course this is not the only thing but o
ne of many that is motivating me).
ne of many that is motivating me).When the weekend was finished and it was time to catch my night train (my comfortable reclining seat for which I paid almost nothing), my friend’s parents stood with me until my train arrived, all three of us reveling in the joy of being able to share in a unique experience, one that permits both parties to learn some things, to teach some things, but most of all to just live another day, thankful for all that God has given us and hoping to be able to continue to share those blessings in the future with others.
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