Farewell

H has finally decided to take a look at the blog and has taken extreme offense at what I have written over the past couple of years.

I should like to point out that while I may disagree with the point of view of my in-laws and perhaps that of many French people, I do appreciate the inside look into the French and quite enjoy the extreme cultural differences even if I do not agree with their outlook on things - life is all about learning, after all. I will also readily admit that some conversations and stories have been slightly exaggerated in order to provide a steady stream of laughs, but the H has failed to see the humor in this and believes that what I have written is cruel and insulting. This blog was originally intended to be a way to keep in touch with my friends overseas, and slowly became a (humorous, in my opinion!) outlook upon the cultural differences between France and America. Contrary to what the H may believe, I do not hate his family at all - I believe they are good people with good souls and hearts, and I am very sorry that he has taken this all in a negative light, despite the fact that I meant it to be comedic.

Therefore I will be taking a hiatus and I may or may not continue with this blog - the H will most likely not agree with anything else I may write about France and will probably moniter what I write - I do not believe that I will be happy not being able to express myself and I believe the H will take issue with everything I write, so perhaps the best solution may be to stop. I will have to ponder this issue in depth, so we'll see what will happen.

This has been quite an adventure and I have been grateful to have an outlet for my writing; indeed I have been grateful for everything I have experienced.

I know, it's been awhile!

Things have been busy, busy.

I went to Paris recently for the weekend for a wedding, which was fun while I was there but not so fun coming back, mostly because I had to go to work the next day. Surprisingly enough, I managed to hold up okay the next day.

The day I got to Paris, the in-laws had a big dinner planned for that evening, with the H's grandma, his grandma's best friend, and his godmother, who stayed for the weekend.
One of the funnier things that happened that weekend was that the godmother spent forever talking about the university in England (not Oxford nor Cambridge) where her 21 year old son is doing a study abroad.

Godmother (GM): There's a whole campus! It's like a community! Students live on campus!
MIL: Ah, bon?! (Really?!)
Me: DUH! I've mentioned it before! The vast majority of Anglophone higher education institutes have a campus!
GM: Oh, it's beautiful! It's all green grass and trees - it's a really huge complex, and students live in student housing right on campus!!!!!!
MIL: Really?! On the campus?
Me: DUH! EVERYONE does!
GM: Oh, goodness, and they have like, all these large buildings for the classes, and a computer building, and a cafeteria!!!!!
Me: DUH!!!! EVERY college has that!
GM: There is even like, a shuttlebus that students who live farther away on campus can take to their classes!!!!!
Me: DUH!!!!!!!!!
GM: And my son is one of the youngest students there!!! All the other students are way older because they've done all this crazy stuff, like traveling the world, or working in the real world for one or two years!!!!!!!!!
Me: Well, DUH!!!!!!!!! LOTS of people do that!!!!!!!!
MIL: (sniffing) Not in France, we do not. That would be crazy.
Me: Well, I think it's a good thing to do. It gives you more life experience than you'll ever get in a classroom.
GM: Well, my goodness, it was so wonderful, this whole "college experience" that they have in these Anglophone countries. It must be really great! It's like, a whole life!
Me: Well, yeah.
GM: I tell you, it really opened up my eyes. I had no idea that a college could be so nice and pleasant. It's really like, another planet compared to France. I had no idea!!!!
Me: Well, yeah.
MIL: (throwing up her hands) Well, that's all fine and dandy, but here in France, every single student has FREE ACCESS to higher education. It's all FREE. Everyone knows that in America no one can afford college.
Me: Yeah, well, you get what you pay for. That's why French colleges are all crappy with no cool computer room, dorms, or professor office hours.
MIL: Yes, but it's free.
Me: Yes, but an education is an investment.
MIL: Why pay so much money when you can get it for free?
Me: Because it's all about the quality.
MIL: You can get just as good quality for free.
Me: No you can't.
MIL: At least every student has the right to a free higher education in this country. No one in America can afford college and only the rich and elite have access to higher education.
Me: That's not true.
MIL: Oh yeah, well how do they pay for it?
Me: Um, it's called a scholarship. Or a student loan.
MIL: It's ridiculous to spend so much money on something. And for FOUR YEARS!
GM: Yes, well, I didn't have to pay that much. Only 3000 euros, because my son is on the Erasmus exchange program.
Me: (to myself) Yeah, aka the Party Program like in L'auberge espagnole. Whateva!
(out loud) I'm going to bed. I'm all jet lagged and tired.

The next few weeks might be busy with work and all, but in the meantime I leave you to peruse this hysterical SNL skit: