Summer Review Part 2

After the first 3 weeks at Madame & Monsieur’s house, we (the 6 of us) moved into Virginie’s grandfather’s house (Grandpere du Pyla). He lives about 5-10 minutes away in an older house that’s further from the beach. There are so many family members that vacation here, so one must accommodate by moving into different houses. We finished the last 2 weeks of vacation staying at Grandpere’s house. He is about 90 years old, and very nice. He doesn’t speak any English, but loves the Americans. He enjoys listening to me speak English to the children and translating in French. He likes that the kids will know English as they grow up. The daily routine at Grandpere’s house was similar, but a bit more relaxed and flexible (which I did like). I could sleep in a little bit longer and just wake up with the children, then shower after breakfast. I no longer had Janeta (the other au pair) to share a room with, which was nice because I had more privacy, but also more quiet and less entertaining. However Virginie brought my laptop back from Bougival about halfway through the vacation, so I was able to watch movies on my laptop, listen to my music and upload all my pictures. I continued to go to Arcachon on my days off to use the internet café and shop a little. One day I impulsively stopped at “la coiffure” and got my hair cut. I got really lucky with a funky girl that did an amazing job cutting my hair. When she washed it she even massaged my head for at least 5 minutes. And the technique she had when cutting my hair was so different than I’m used to in the States. It was exciting just observing her! Haha. My hair is edgier and different than I’m used to, but I do like it. The guy that worked at the internet café spoke English, was very cute and very friendly and remembered me every time I came in. He had lived in Los Angeles at one point, so we talked about California. Jerome returned to the city about once a week for work, so he was going back and forth between work and vacation. I was completely alone with the kids (without their parents but with the rest of the family) for just one week, and it went well, surprisingly. The kids and I started to form more of a bond and friendship in about the 3rd week of vacation. Matthieu had many “potty” accidents in the beginning, but I created a method of reward for him, and it caught on quickly. The kids LOVE to draw pictures, so I made a poster for Matthieu that said “Matthieu’s a big boy” and I drew stars on it each time he went potty in the toilet or told us he had to go to the bathroom, instead of going in his pants. Every 5 stars Matthieu got a “bon bon” (candy) as the reward. His sisters and cousins caught onto it as well and encouraged him to work for the stars. Eventually I switched to small toys as the reward and bought him a small water gun to use at the beach. He loved that. So…he has gone 2 weeks now without having an accident! The girls are really starting to like me, which makes my job easier. They come to me to show me things or tell me something, or ask for help. We sing songs, both in French and English. I like to teach them American songs, and Jerome and Virginie get a kick out of it. Ines had her 6th birthday, and she got an inner tube as a gift which I think was also partially for me because they knew I would like it. I showed Ines and Jerome how to ride it and how to ride the wake behind the boat. So we had a lot of fun playing on the “buoyee” in the water. And when I ride it, and get thrown off by the huge ocean waves, Tiphaine cries! She gets scared for me when I fall off and thinks I won’t be able to swim or that the boats will hit me or that I’ll get lost in the water. It’s sort of funny, but really cute that she is showing that she cares about me. I reassure her each time that I can swim and show her I’m okay. My French improves each day and every day I’m more comfortable with using it and having more conversations. Virginie and Jerome are very helpful when I am unsure how to say something, or which verb tense to use. We correct each other, as they are improving on their English also. At first I was nervous to have conversations with the family members, especially Virginie’s parents because they barely know English. I was intimidated, but now I’m not very afraid to join in the conversation. And they appreciate that I start a conversation, and if I make errors they can almost always comprehend the point I try to make. Brigitte even started to ask me how to say something in English, which she didn’t do at first. I think they are starting to see my improvement. And Virginie told me recently that my French has progressed a lot in the last 5 weeks. She is also happy with the English I speak with the children, as the last au pair did not speak enough English with them. I am confident that by January I will be very fluent in the language, especially since I’ll be enrolled in a French class.

My relationship with the family grew quickly. When I first arrived I was nervous and so unfamiliar that it affected me. About 2 weeks into our stay at the beach I was really feeling comfortable with the family, not just the 5 of them but their WHOLE family. Each day was better than the one before. Once I knew the routine for working and helping out with the kids (like how to prepare their meals, where the dishes went, where to put their belongings and at what time to do each thing)…all those elements, as simple as they sound, knowing what I was doing made life much easier and happier. I saw the grandparents respecting me more each day as they saw me working hard with the kids and doing my best to “pick everything up” quickly with the culture and language. I even formed a bond with Brigitte, Virginie’s mother. At first we did not exactly ‘click’ and I felt frustrated because I did not want any confrontations during my first month of work. However within about 10 days things sort of did a 180 and now Brigitte and I get along and enjoy each other’s company. Let me tell you, that alone made my life much easier.

By staying busy with the family, I became less ‘homesick’ and kept my thoughts from being lonely or missing people often. I do miss talking to my friends every day. I don’t get any text messages, although I can if anyone wants to get international texting on their cells. I miss that…just a quick way to communicate. I don’t get calls from my friends really, just family…so that is also difficult (not hearing from friends on the phone). I’m better when I’m so busy that by night time I’m too tired to think of the people I miss, and just want to sleep instead. (I guess this is a hint…I hope my best and closest friends will call sometime or try sending a text). I do enjoy the calls from my family. It’s fun re-capping all my French adventures to them and stories. My mom calls every night, so it’s something fun to look forward to. I’ve also received about 3 packages in the last 5 weeks. I LOVE THEM and the kids get really excited to bring the mail to me. Thanks to Mom, Dad, and Carolyn for my packages! And thanks to my sister and brothers and Grandmpa for the cards and postcards. They are so much fun. And now I have about 16 fiction novels to keep me busy for the year. Carolyn sent me 13 novels in one package! Wahoo!!! I also have enough chewing gum to last me through December I think. But keep sending the gum! It’s a lot of fun to open the mail. And the gossip columns from newspapers and magazines are always fun too. I was so secluded this summer that I had NO IDEA what all the celebrities have been up to…that was torture. But thanks to my mom, I know that Nicole Richie is pregnant, SJP has a new fragrance coming out, Mel B. aka Scary Spice is sewing Eddie Murphey, and Whoopie Goldberg is replacing Rosie on The View, etc. This is all important for me to know. Once I return to my studio apartment on Sunday I will be connected daily with the world again, thank God! I’m anxious to have internet access daily, a calling card and home phone to use along w/my cell phones, a car, my own apartment to decorate and organize, and the many sites of Paris!! I will miss the beach and the big family meals at sunset, but I am also ready to return to the modern society and start learning a new routine for life in the city. I plan to take my French class twice a week and aerobics twice a week (both starting in October).

Well, Jerome drove his new Porsche here last week, so we will return to Paris on Sunday with both cars…therefore, I’m planning on requesting to ride with him in the Porsche for an hour on the drive back to Paris. Obviously, I want to experience the car on the country roads of France!!

A bientot!