Life is good and keeps getting better

The start to my new year was a little rough... my last few posts sum it up if you're not up to date. But what a difference a few weeks make; I am loving life. I've had a great week - here's why:

-Due to mental breakdowns and the flu, my last class was cancelled each day this week. I was also told that I wouldn't have my afternoon classes next Tuesday, which means I only have two classes and will finish at 11h15. 

-I booked my train ticket to Paris for the beginning of my vacation, which is less than three weeks away. My travel companion hasn't booked his tickets, so I haven't booked my flights yet, but vacation is in sight! Book 'em Danno! I mean, Jesse... I  just heard back from my friend in London so my trip will officially be to Paris, Edinburgh, and London! Two weeks of vacation, here I come! Not to mention, it'll be great to see a familiar face from home and to make it even better, I have accommodations provided through friends in both Edinburgh and London. Score! Can't wait to get out of Lille for a bit! It's really a shame that I haven't travelled around France at all since I've been here! That's all going to change, though! 

-Ali moved in on Monday and so far as I can tell, is an awesome roommate! We have literally spent hours talking since she moved in! I was so happy to hear the other night that living here, she was finally reminded of what it's like to be excited to come home. She's only here on a seven-month contract, so she'll be leaving sometime in April - bummer! But I know that we're going to have a great time living together while she's around! Between my addiction to fruits and vegetables and her vegan diet, I don't think Séb has ever been around so many fruits and vegetables! 

-The week started out with temperatures below zero degrees but Thursday afternoon was 14C and sunny. I wouldn't say it was warm but it reminded me of the beginning of spring and it got me all excited! In contrast with being utterly frozen on Monday, I was quite the happy camper! Today is nasty and the wind is howling... but I'm looking forward to springtime in France! Who wouldn't?

I hope your week has been as good as mine! And now, I'm off to enjoy my weekend! 

Bisous!

-kelse

Good Riddance!

He left without so much as a goodbye. In fact, he walked right past me, slammed the door, and texted Séb to tell him he left his keys in the mailbox. It's quite all right as he'd already said enough and now he's gone! Two nights ago, Cody came in and interrupted me as I was about to wash my face before going to bed. He said he wanted to "clear the air" and make sure that he was "leaving on a good note." Hmmm... you know what he also said? "Kelsey, I realized that I don't have a drinking problem. In fact, my problem these last few months was 'my situation', it was you and Séb. Some days I would just think, Kelsey and Séb annoy me... So you don't have to worry about me because I don't have a problem with drinking..." This fact was repeated multiple times, as well as the fact that he wanted to leave on a positive note. I honestly don't know how Séb and I could have been such a bother to him, since if Cody was at home, he was shut up in his room with youtube and a glass bottles of wine.  

I haven't been so transparent with everything that's gone on in the last few months as a way to maintain this blog as a positive space to share my experiences. I also didn't want to worry anyone else. But I would like to just give an overview of major themes and events that led to us asking Cody to move. Starting my first month here, there was a lot of tension between Cody and I as we were trying to figure out how to live with each other. Let's just say that the person I got to know over the summer and decided to live with was far different from the person who picked me up at the airport. After a major blow-out in Sweden, I saw Cody's true colors and we "mended" things for a while. Really, I just wanted a manageable relationship that could last the duration of our work contracts. Through the end of December, things seemed fine, although there was heavy, heavy alcohol consumption, wine stains in the hallways, and broken wine glasses galore. 

The three of us were well and ready to have a little space for Christmas vacation, though upon returning, things just got worse. By that I mean terrible. On New Year's Eve a drunken, manipulative, and authority-craving monster reared his head and started not only many verbal fights with his visiting best friend but provoked a nasty physical fight with him as well. I tried to intervene but was terrified for my safety and locked myself in my room. When the fight was over, a bloodied and raging Cody came after me, invading my room and honestly scaring the shit out of me. When I got him out of my room, I locked my room for the night and wasn't at all surprised to find out in the morning that Cody had absolutely no recollection of the night's events. Shallow apologies followed but I didn't buy it for a minute. From that moment, I was done. A week later, he swore he wasn't drinking and that he'd only taken a sleeping pill, a relaxing game night with friends was repeatedly disrupted by his antics. That was the last straw. Once our safety was compromised, we had enough reason to ask for him to leave. Mutual friends were surprised - but not that we'd done it - surprised that we'd taken so long. But he's gone now and Ali arrives tomorrow! Séb and I are so excited for our new roommate that I hope we don't smother her! ;)

On a lighter note, I got to Skype with two of my favorite people last night, which made my night!! 

My handsome dad, Jim, and god-dad, Bruce. I love and miss you guys more than you know. 

Bisous, 

-kelse

King for a day

In France, there is a long-standing tradition to eat une galette des Rois on or around le 6 janvier or the first Sunday of the year (apparently the tradition dates back to the 14th century). The galette des Rois is a flaky puff pastry filled traditionally with frangipane (an almond pastry cream) but also commonly available with apple filling. Baked into the cake is a little trinket called la fève. Traditionally, the cake is cut so that everybody has a slice, leaving an extra slice for the first person who comes to visit. The youngest person present gets underneath the table and decides blindly who gets which piece of the cake; this is to ensure fairness. The person who finds la fève in their dessert is crowned as King for the day! 

This weekend, Séb brought some friends back to the apartment along with a store-bought, apple filled, Toy Story 3-themed galette des Rois. Though Ali was the youngest (finally it wasn't me), Ashley kindly demonstrated how she should get under the table to divvy out the cake. It was funny to watch her wriggle her way under the tiny table. Ali gave it a shot but we decided to skip that part of the tradition (it's no fun using the dining room table, I guess). Séb was very fittingly crowned King for the night after finding the figurine in his slice. I thought the galette was delicious - flaky, buttery, with apple filling? How could you go wrong? I bet it'd be delicious with French vanilla ice cream! 

Not the easiest fit, is it, Ashley? 

La galette des Rois

Séb le Roi! 

Despite some very disrupting shenanigans from our other roommate, we spent the night teaching Séb the wonders of Apples to Apples, which Ashley brought back for him after Christmas. It was funny to explain to him what some of the cards meant. Rush Limbaugh? Chunky? Beanie Babies? The game wasn't nearly as loud and competitive as my family gets when we play it but it was fun. (I love playing with Aunt Tracy and her outbursts of why her card is the clear choice.) It ended up to be a late and interesting night but tasty, as well! 

Regarding the shenanigans, there have been some issues at the apartment that I haven't divulged because I want to keep this a positive place and don't want to worry friends and family at home. There will soon be a major change at the apartment, at which point, I'll explain a few details. 

Bisous, 

-kelse

Une galette des Rois- King's cake

Le 6 janvier - January 6th

La fève - charm or bean (the original baked-in surprise was a bean)

Late to work...

I woke up yesterday morning dreading the idea of getting out of bed. Of course, since I had to get to work, I forced myself into the shower. Just before leaving, I noticed the rooftops of the buildings behind our apartment were frosted over. Moving over to the window, I realized that they were in fact couvert de neige! As was everything else - this rapidly changed my attitude! I quickly threw on an extra pair of socks and grabbed a mismatched scarf and flew out the door. It was a lovely fifteen minute walk to the tram; my street is pretty when covered in snow!  

La neige just outside my apartment and on Avenue Foch

In my excitement over the snow, I didn't even think that there could be interruptions on the bus lines until the tramway dropped me off at Euroteleport and noticed a larger-than-normal crowd waiting at my stop. The automated tracker thing said the bus would be five minutes but that later changed to 15 minutes and then one of the destinations dropped off the list... Eventually the bus showed up and we piled on. Unfortunately, tardiness wasn't my only issue with the bus yesterday morning... After a few stops, the conducteur pulled off onto a side street and declared "Terminus! Terminus!", thus signaling that we all needed to get off and start hoofing it... And I was several stops away from my destination. (At this point, I decided I should have just stayed in bed.) My cell phone was out of credits, so I needed to find an open tabac to buy a phone card in. After walking for half an hour, the fourth tabac was open and was able to call the school to explain my predicament. Ten minutes later I finally arrived. I was actually quite lucky to have found my way, since usually I have my nose in my book each bus ride and don't look up until just before my stop; there were a few minutes where I didn't recognize any of the buildings I walked past... Oh, and did I mention that other bus drivers on the same line didn't stop? Two buses passed me while I was in between stops... but it was far too cold to stand and wait for another to possibly pass...

Yes, those are leopard hand-cuffs, snorkels, and squirt guns... and yes, they are temporary

Today, I've been too cold to leave the apartment. Sébastien's work gave him their old artificial Christmas tree, which we spent the afternoon decorating. I introduced him to my favorite Christmas cd (Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas") and finally felt in Christmas spirit! It's a work in progress (he's going to try to grab a few other decorations from work tomorrow). I contributed all of the paper flocons de neige! It's not your conventional tree but it works, for now. I'm just hoping that tomorrow doesn't present the same difficulties in getting to work!

Bisous,

-kelse

Couvert de neige - covered in snow

Le conducteur / la conductrice - the driver 

Terminus! - end of the line or terminus (is that really and English word?)

Un flocon de neige - snowflake 

Apartment tour

In the past few days, I've gotten more settled in and feel much more comfortable in my apartment, in Marcq-en-Baroeul, and in Lille. In the last few days I've met a few of the other assistants and some French men (all gay, none for me - yet!). I've started speaking more French and have told Sébastien to try not to respond to me if I speak to him in English. Last night we had a little dinner party and Cody cooked up some traditional Southern fried chicken and mashed potatoes - delicious but far to rich for me!! I'm starting to get to know my roommates a lot better ; I found out last night that Sébastien knows the choreography to the Spice Girls song "Stop Right Now", which he performed with a pink feather boa. :D 

I'm trying to turn myself into a runner, or at least a jogger. It's a lofty goal which I started working on today. Let's just say that I jogged and did a lot of fast walking.... but it allowed me to explore the beautiful town of Marc-en-Baroeul. I haven't yet taken a photo tour of it but rest assured that one will be up soon! Until then, I'll share with you a few images of our lovely flat. 

ma chambre

For now, and probably for the most part, my room is just my bed (futon) and a night stand. I don't really see the point in adding much else to it unless I plan to bring it back home to the States. As it is, I'm going to have to figure out what to do with these when I leave, so why bother with much more?

la salle de bain

la salle à manger

le salon

la vue (c'est l'hôtel de ville)

le garde-manger et la buanderie

la cuisine

It's still a work in progress and I'm sure there'll be decorations added as we go. Obviously there are some areas unphotographed... Cody and Sébastien each have their own rooms, Cody and I have two closets each in the hallway, the toilet is in the water closet... It's a nice place. The building is secure and you can ring your guests in from the apartment. We're on the third floor (which is more like fourth) and are in a very wealthy neighborhood. If you want my address to send me a care package, I'm happy to oblige! 

; ) Just kidding. 

So, what's going on at home? I need updates! I'm already out of the loop!

Bisous, 

kelse 

ma chambre - my bedroom 

la salle de bain - the bathroom (toilets are in the WC or les toilettes)

la salle à manger  - the dining room 

le salon - the living room/lounge

la vue - the view

l'hôtel de ville - the town hall

le garde-manger - the pantry

la buanderie - the laundry room (ours has only a washer, no dryer)

la cuisine - the kitchen (yes, the stovetop is on the counter and we have a toaster oven for an oven, no dishwasher but we survive)