I've been in France for over six months now and have yet to give you the scoop (no pun intended) on French food. Personally, I have taken a xenocentric approach to this and feel after months of reflection that the French eat well, really well. Not only that, but they know when to eat and when to stop. Yeah, call them the masters of portion control. Their food is rich and many would say it's hard on your stomach, because it's so heavy with milk, cream, butter, etc. I have to counter that. The French have mastered the art of enjoying food to the extent that being in good company and eating a good meal go hand in hand. And perhaps that counts for something. The French are among the least obese in the world, exercise well, and socialize very well. All of these make for healthy people that have higher longevity than the average American.
Going back to how I ate in America, I think I ate too much of poor quality food that it just made things a bit miserable. I think returning to American food is bound to disappoint me in some ways. In France, I've learned the mannerisms of eating at a French table from where to put things while setting the table to putting my wrists on the edge of the table to using a fork and knife for EVERYTHING and using the left hand to maneuver the fork. I've learned to savor food and to stop at the point where I can no longer enjoy the food. Also, I've learned how to not force food just to become full. These habits I will carry back to America, and I will likely not be eating in the same way as before when I return.
Now to the actual plates themselves: It's best to start with the bread. French use their bread for everything from toast in the morning to sandwiching rillettes (or meat spread) to creating cheese sandwiches with the finest cheeses around (goat cheese, camembert, brie, etc.) They even use their bread to scoop up the remaining sauce and other remains on plates to "savor the last drop" of the food and create a clean plate. Your mother would be proud. (and no, I'm not trying to create a pitch for Maxwell House Coffee) I love French bread, because it's a little slice of the French culture that prides itself on things such as the baguette, pain au chocolat, etc.
Another aspect of French alimentation (food) that is great is the salad. Very, very simple. Just green leaf lettuce and a dab of vinaigrette and you're good to go. That's another aspect of French cooking I enjoy: the simplicity with elegance. The salad can be paired with multiple things. But it remains as it is, a salad without too much fanfare or overkill on the ingredients.
Other things that I have enjoyed while living with my host family: the boudin (pig's blood), which I've mentioned before, saucisson (very finely cut sausages that are delicious and that can be savored with the aperitif), pasta with vegetables, quiche, lasagne, galettes with eggs and jambon (ham), crepes (of course), cidre (which is typical for meals in Bretagne).
Many French things will be easily imported into the United States, but they will cost more there, unfortunately. However, I must say that the kinds of eating habits that I have picked up here can be carried with me as I return. And I am eager to use them, even if people think they are prudish and unnecessary. For the French, food is one of the many joys in life. Enjoying a home-cooked meal can be even more meaningful than going out to a fine restaurant. The sentimental value of food made in a home, to me, has meant so much more than any restaurant could. Food in France comes from the heart. That's such a beautiful thing to think about.
09 April 2011
08 April 2011
Nothing but happiness
Today is my 23rd birthday, which comes at the right time, at the end of my adventure as I prepare to leave the French Republic. It's been a great time to continue to reflect on my incredible experience and journey. I have to say, I'm just really blessed. It's not luck; it's rather the blessing that the Lord has given me everyday to thrive and flourish in a country that is not my own. I've enjoyed a tremendous amount of freedom and independence that I didn't even know before. And today marks the end of a year in my life that has been nothing but happiness.
Things went okay at the middle school. All of my students were excited and jumping up and down as I told them I would be playing violin for them, a lesson on American folk music, adapted from the high school version. The second group especially went crazy over it, and they were slamming their desks, stomping their feet, even some were attempting to dance. As much as I would have wanted them to be quiet and attentive, it didn't happen. And... I'm okay with it. It was euphoric to just let everything go the last lesson. And I didn't want to ruin it. Even as the energy from my wickedly strong espresso seemed to evaporate from my veins into thin air, it felt good to end on a positive note. And right before the obnoxious bell, it was the sound of "Pirates of the Caribbean." The kids shouted "Joyeux Anniversaire, Jared!" It was a good feeling, knowing that I'm appreciated by everyone at the middle school. All the kids are crazy about me. And I like leaving the middle school, feeling that even if I haven't accomplished anything else, I've earned the respect and praise of French middle schoolers. Quite a feat in the midst of adolescent attitudes.
Tonight, I took the aperitif with Nathy and will redo it tomorrow when Pascal returns from Paris with the collegiens. It's been an enjoyable day. Now on to a busy but relaxing weekend.
Things went okay at the middle school. All of my students were excited and jumping up and down as I told them I would be playing violin for them, a lesson on American folk music, adapted from the high school version. The second group especially went crazy over it, and they were slamming their desks, stomping their feet, even some were attempting to dance. As much as I would have wanted them to be quiet and attentive, it didn't happen. And... I'm okay with it. It was euphoric to just let everything go the last lesson. And I didn't want to ruin it. Even as the energy from my wickedly strong espresso seemed to evaporate from my veins into thin air, it felt good to end on a positive note. And right before the obnoxious bell, it was the sound of "Pirates of the Caribbean." The kids shouted "Joyeux Anniversaire, Jared!" It was a good feeling, knowing that I'm appreciated by everyone at the middle school. All the kids are crazy about me. And I like leaving the middle school, feeling that even if I haven't accomplished anything else, I've earned the respect and praise of French middle schoolers. Quite a feat in the midst of adolescent attitudes.
Tonight, I took the aperitif with Nathy and will redo it tomorrow when Pascal returns from Paris with the collegiens. It's been an enjoyable day. Now on to a busy but relaxing weekend.
06 April 2011
A good weekend, good beginning to the week
My weekend turned out to be enjoyable even without a stay in Paris. On Saturday, I played with the chamber orchestra for the departmental exams of the music department for four piano students. All got mention: tres bien, which means they will be advancing from their "amateur studies" into a more professional "formation." Whatever that's supposed to mean... Anyway, the concert was good. We played some Bach and Vivaldi, pretty easy as far as accompaniment goes, but also enjoyable. For the rest of Saturday, I did pretty much nothing whatever. Did some relaxing and walking through Mayenne. The sun shone through the weekend.
As for Sunday, I had the privilege of attending the Jewish Easter celebration in which we had a community gathering of the Protestant churches of the Mayenne (quite a number of people). Afterwards, we had a Jewish meal, which was much more ceremonial than it was Jewish. Yes, we had lamb, yes we had Matzah. But we had to sit and listen to a nearly two hour breakdown of the meaning of every single part of the meal. Yes, it was boring and tiring. I had heard most of this before in English. It wasn't quite as authentic as the Jewish meal I once had at the synagogue near Brainerd Road several years ago. It was all worth it, however, to see friends from the Pentecostal church that I had not seen in several months.
I got to see Philip. I asked him when he thought we would be able to do something together. And he asked me if I wanted to go see a movie at the cinema. So, I accepted and went along with him. We went to see "Suckerpunch," an overbearingly action/comicbook drama that was original and creative. But they overdid the action sequences to make it seem like the Matrix. To be honest the entire plot could have been done in about twenty minutes but it was drawn out to an hour and a half. It was pretty entertaining, nonetheless. I was glad to have spent some time with Philip after the three month hiatus. We will plan on getting together sometime in the near future. Then, I'll play violin for his family.
As for the week, it's the middle of the road. I've had some good lessons with the Terminales. We're actually going to throw a karaoke party next week with food and drink. It's a good way of celebrating the end. Looking forward to that. It's definitely a good way to end the assistantship. Just have to get through those days with the middle school and I'll be golden, just like when I have a cup of strong, black coffee.
As for Sunday, I had the privilege of attending the Jewish Easter celebration in which we had a community gathering of the Protestant churches of the Mayenne (quite a number of people). Afterwards, we had a Jewish meal, which was much more ceremonial than it was Jewish. Yes, we had lamb, yes we had Matzah. But we had to sit and listen to a nearly two hour breakdown of the meaning of every single part of the meal. Yes, it was boring and tiring. I had heard most of this before in English. It wasn't quite as authentic as the Jewish meal I once had at the synagogue near Brainerd Road several years ago. It was all worth it, however, to see friends from the Pentecostal church that I had not seen in several months.
I got to see Philip. I asked him when he thought we would be able to do something together. And he asked me if I wanted to go see a movie at the cinema. So, I accepted and went along with him. We went to see "Suckerpunch," an overbearingly action/comicbook drama that was original and creative. But they overdid the action sequences to make it seem like the Matrix. To be honest the entire plot could have been done in about twenty minutes but it was drawn out to an hour and a half. It was pretty entertaining, nonetheless. I was glad to have spent some time with Philip after the three month hiatus. We will plan on getting together sometime in the near future. Then, I'll play violin for his family.
As for the week, it's the middle of the road. I've had some good lessons with the Terminales. We're actually going to throw a karaoke party next week with food and drink. It's a good way of celebrating the end. Looking forward to that. It's definitely a good way to end the assistantship. Just have to get through those days with the middle school and I'll be golden, just like when I have a cup of strong, black coffee.
01 April 2011
The Three Assistants of Mayenne
From left to right: Salome (assistante d'allemand), Jared (assistant d'anglais), and Angelle (assistante d'espagnol).
The beginning of the end or the end of the beginning
Earlier, I wrote a passionate post about my experience as a language assistant. I think I had enjoyed the experience so much then that I was bursting with joy and reaping the benefits from my stay here. That's all great. I've arrived at April, hoisting the souvenirs and learning experiences of this program and ready to fly back. Today, I made the executive decision to return home at the beginning of May, much to the comfort of my family. The time has come to talk of many things, of shoes and ships and ceiling wax... and saying goodbye.
There have been so many amazing opportunities that I have taken up with spontaneity, patience, and endurance. My experience in France has given me a renewed sense of hope and confidence in Christ, knowing full well the direction of my future vocation in language pedagogy and literary research. The year has taught me a number of things that I should mention in list form:
(1) Trust in the Lord at all times, pray unceasingly for guidance and support. I do this as often as necessary, but many times at the college/middle school.
(2) Relax. This one has been a hard one for me, since I am often uptight and serious. Letting go is something I plan to do as often as possible.
(3) Use a sense of humor, taking appropriate risks, to capture the attention and imagination of the audience (my students). This is where my theatre background returns in full force.
(4) Establish rules early on and stick to them so that students will know their limits and will respect my authority (This is one I continue to work on at the college/middle school and one that may not be fully developed).
(5) Have patience with students and restate in simple terms my sentences to promote understanding of the foreign language.
At this point, I've reached a time, where I am ready to wrap up my lessons in two weeks and provide a strong ending to my assistantship in France. Perhaps, I should provide something unforgettable, but again, stress should not be a variable in the equation. I just want to be able to definitively say, it's the end and say my goodbyes to the students at both the lycee and college. This weekend, I plan on reflecting on the possible lessons that could be great. I'm excited about planning ahead for the next steps, having secured my housing situation in Providence, RI.
One great thing prepares to make the transition to another wonderful thing. The symphony of life has multiple movements, and now, I prepare to conclude the present movement with grace and beauty. Pause. And the beginning of a wonderful,long movement follows...
There have been so many amazing opportunities that I have taken up with spontaneity, patience, and endurance. My experience in France has given me a renewed sense of hope and confidence in Christ, knowing full well the direction of my future vocation in language pedagogy and literary research. The year has taught me a number of things that I should mention in list form:
(1) Trust in the Lord at all times, pray unceasingly for guidance and support. I do this as often as necessary, but many times at the college/middle school.
(2) Relax. This one has been a hard one for me, since I am often uptight and serious. Letting go is something I plan to do as often as possible.
(3) Use a sense of humor, taking appropriate risks, to capture the attention and imagination of the audience (my students). This is where my theatre background returns in full force.
(4) Establish rules early on and stick to them so that students will know their limits and will respect my authority (This is one I continue to work on at the college/middle school and one that may not be fully developed).
(5) Have patience with students and restate in simple terms my sentences to promote understanding of the foreign language.
At this point, I've reached a time, where I am ready to wrap up my lessons in two weeks and provide a strong ending to my assistantship in France. Perhaps, I should provide something unforgettable, but again, stress should not be a variable in the equation. I just want to be able to definitively say, it's the end and say my goodbyes to the students at both the lycee and college. This weekend, I plan on reflecting on the possible lessons that could be great. I'm excited about planning ahead for the next steps, having secured my housing situation in Providence, RI.
One great thing prepares to make the transition to another wonderful thing. The symphony of life has multiple movements, and now, I prepare to conclude the present movement with grace and beauty. Pause. And the beginning of a wonderful,long movement follows...
29 March 2011
Searching for some peace of mind
Still unsure about the next couple months. I'm hoping that I'll get to stay through the month of May. Signs seem to be promising, so I think I can have the peace of mind that it will work out. Paris doesn't seem to be on my radar screen this weekend. Knowing that my professor is booked makes things kind of awful. Plus, I have to pay him back for the play ticket I didn't even get to use... such is life. I'm not letting these situations bog me down. I have every reason to be happy, knowing where I'm going to be for the next six years. That, in itself, is a reason to rejoice in the Lord, seeing as I am a long-term planner who needs a definitive plan and direction.
Teaching continues to come with joys and challenges. Monday mornings are always the worst for me and this week, it didn't get any better than the last time. It was worse since the juniors (1eres) completely ignored my assignments and refused to work after telling me that they had lied about wanting to listen to Justin Bieber. Une blague! A joke. Well, of course, I was livid. This is my least favorite group of students to work with at the high school and they just had to put the cherry on top of a nice gotcha sundae and throw it in my face! Powerless, I just didn't know what to do. So, I asked them what they wanted to listen to. Dissenting opinion echoed in the chamber and I was forced to let them talk and head out the door without a lesson. Most of the time, with this group, they don't give a s*** so it kind of rubs off on me... I'm just going to show them a movie for the next three weeks before we go on the London trip. Maybe that will shut their little mouths up, especially since it's a suspense/psychological thriller that I have shown to my terminale students, "The Prestige."
As for the terminale students, it's always a good time. I talked about the issues of masculinity and femininity as they are depicted in popular culture starting with Disney movies. The students started by listing stereotypes of men and women in French culture and then we proceeded to watch (1) a video with Disney male characters and their stereotypical six-pack abs, strong, mighty heroes who objectify women, (2) a commercial showing the man as a beer drinking person who uses women to his own benefit, (3) a movie that talked about women and their role according to the media. Using the ideas about masculinity and femininity, we talked about two striking images that would help these kids to formulate ideas surrounding documents for their English oral exam. The first image showed a group of manly men looking at the reader with a message, "Are you man enough to be a nurse?" The students responded to the image. Next, we looked at an image of an over-muscular, almost steroid-taking looking woman and contrasting that with a man with his shirt off sunbathing and having a massage. From both of my groups of terminales, I got some good responses and it was encouraging.
Tonight, my secondes said goodbye to the Accompagnement Personnalise. Still trying to figure out what exactly the title of this course is supposed to mean... I assume it simply means an oral production class. Anyway, the activity today was almost 95 percent the students doing. I gave instructions and gave advice. The students plunged in and imagined their future lives in the year 2025. They created an imaginary profile. Then they each acted as journalists and documented interviews between each other asking each other questions. It was magnificent. A time-tested success story that was a good way to end our "oral production in English" or just English conversation class.
Tomorrow, I will have a chance to say goodbye to the German assistant as she's leaving this Friday. We're having a night for the assistants at the Creperie Saint Martin across the river. Looking forward to some fellowship and fun. The following night, Thursday, I will get to go to a church member's house for dinner and some more fellowship. This seems to be the week of these enjoyable soirees, anything to brighten my once dampened and dimmed spirits.
Teaching continues to come with joys and challenges. Monday mornings are always the worst for me and this week, it didn't get any better than the last time. It was worse since the juniors (1eres) completely ignored my assignments and refused to work after telling me that they had lied about wanting to listen to Justin Bieber. Une blague! A joke. Well, of course, I was livid. This is my least favorite group of students to work with at the high school and they just had to put the cherry on top of a nice gotcha sundae and throw it in my face! Powerless, I just didn't know what to do. So, I asked them what they wanted to listen to. Dissenting opinion echoed in the chamber and I was forced to let them talk and head out the door without a lesson. Most of the time, with this group, they don't give a s*** so it kind of rubs off on me... I'm just going to show them a movie for the next three weeks before we go on the London trip. Maybe that will shut their little mouths up, especially since it's a suspense/psychological thriller that I have shown to my terminale students, "The Prestige."
As for the terminale students, it's always a good time. I talked about the issues of masculinity and femininity as they are depicted in popular culture starting with Disney movies. The students started by listing stereotypes of men and women in French culture and then we proceeded to watch (1) a video with Disney male characters and their stereotypical six-pack abs, strong, mighty heroes who objectify women, (2) a commercial showing the man as a beer drinking person who uses women to his own benefit, (3) a movie that talked about women and their role according to the media. Using the ideas about masculinity and femininity, we talked about two striking images that would help these kids to formulate ideas surrounding documents for their English oral exam. The first image showed a group of manly men looking at the reader with a message, "Are you man enough to be a nurse?" The students responded to the image. Next, we looked at an image of an over-muscular, almost steroid-taking looking woman and contrasting that with a man with his shirt off sunbathing and having a massage. From both of my groups of terminales, I got some good responses and it was encouraging.
Tonight, my secondes said goodbye to the Accompagnement Personnalise. Still trying to figure out what exactly the title of this course is supposed to mean... I assume it simply means an oral production class. Anyway, the activity today was almost 95 percent the students doing. I gave instructions and gave advice. The students plunged in and imagined their future lives in the year 2025. They created an imaginary profile. Then they each acted as journalists and documented interviews between each other asking each other questions. It was magnificent. A time-tested success story that was a good way to end our "oral production in English" or just English conversation class.
Tomorrow, I will have a chance to say goodbye to the German assistant as she's leaving this Friday. We're having a night for the assistants at the Creperie Saint Martin across the river. Looking forward to some fellowship and fun. The following night, Thursday, I will get to go to a church member's house for dinner and some more fellowship. This seems to be the week of these enjoyable soirees, anything to brighten my once dampened and dimmed spirits.
26 March 2011
A misfortune that deters my all my weekend plans
My time in France has not been without misfortune. From getting a 30 euro ticket for not composting the right way to being prevented from tutoring an adult student, I think I've become used to the fact that there are many ridiculous rules in France. Does it bother me? Yes, of course, but I can't let it consume me. Am I ticked off in these situations? Most definitely. But then again, I realize that in such situations, I am completely powerless and I might as well be a stoic about it and not let things outside of my control bother me.
Now, moving on to a situation that is both a misfortune and a disappointment. I had my parents lend me some money (my birthday is coming up, so I asked them at the right time) by depositing it into my account. I was unsure when I would get paid. And naturally, that date would fall after this coming weekend. So I played it safe. I tried to withdraw money from my account, but the machine ended up eating my card and saying "Carte capturee" or Card Confiscated. I had no idea what that meant. Just my luck, the Post Office had already closed. So I came back this morning. And the lady told me, "I'm sorry, but I don't have the right to give it back to you. It will be sent to the Carte Bleue headquarters and be promptly destroyed." I replied, "Yes, but it's an international card. What use would they have of it?" She said, "it makes no difference, I cannot give it back to you." So, here I am without my American bank account at my disposal, forced to act quickly and have my parents cancel the account and withdraw the remaining money. Powerless.
To make matters worse, I cannot go to Paris. I don't have enough money in my account. The depressingly low salary that we get as assistants is not sufficient to cover this weekend trip. I had to contact Alex. He is disappointed as well. So, here I am having to sulk in my own tears (maybe not literally) and deal with a dreadful disappointment. Trying to look on the bright side, though. I could have been in Paris and stranded without any means of covering expenses, which could have been far worse.
Anyway, I'm back home, a little shaken up by this affair, and hoping to get the situation worked out with my bank account today.
Now, moving on to a situation that is both a misfortune and a disappointment. I had my parents lend me some money (my birthday is coming up, so I asked them at the right time) by depositing it into my account. I was unsure when I would get paid. And naturally, that date would fall after this coming weekend. So I played it safe. I tried to withdraw money from my account, but the machine ended up eating my card and saying "Carte capturee" or Card Confiscated. I had no idea what that meant. Just my luck, the Post Office had already closed. So I came back this morning. And the lady told me, "I'm sorry, but I don't have the right to give it back to you. It will be sent to the Carte Bleue headquarters and be promptly destroyed." I replied, "Yes, but it's an international card. What use would they have of it?" She said, "it makes no difference, I cannot give it back to you." So, here I am without my American bank account at my disposal, forced to act quickly and have my parents cancel the account and withdraw the remaining money. Powerless.
To make matters worse, I cannot go to Paris. I don't have enough money in my account. The depressingly low salary that we get as assistants is not sufficient to cover this weekend trip. I had to contact Alex. He is disappointed as well. So, here I am having to sulk in my own tears (maybe not literally) and deal with a dreadful disappointment. Trying to look on the bright side, though. I could have been in Paris and stranded without any means of covering expenses, which could have been far worse.
Anyway, I'm back home, a little shaken up by this affair, and hoping to get the situation worked out with my bank account today.
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