J'ai de Français dans ma tete!

I had an experience today that I have never really had in America. I was walking down the street to my boulangerie. As I was headed towards the bakery, I heard someone calling "Charles, Charles, come here" (In French). He asked me if I would like a beer and would like to see his house. His house is a beautiful 60 year old farm house. He told me about how they used to raise pigs there and what it was like before he renovated it. After the beer, he asked me if I liked fish and salad and would like to stay for dinner. I said of course. Before I knew it, we had some fish, some cheese, some coffee, and a dessert alcohol. I spoke in French the whole night. I realized how much I will miss the challenge of speaking in French. When I arrived, I was terrified of speaking in French because I knew my French wasn't very good and I was afraid to sound too much like an American. So, I spent a lot of my time in France speaking in English with the other teachers and my Americans. And, I needed that because I am the type of person who needs a deeper conversation then the basic conversations I can have in French. However, its difficult to learn the language and to get over that hump of really simple conversatoins without trying. For the first time tonight, the words were coming to my mind in French. It is a great feeling. My professeur wanted to practice his English but once the conversatoin was flowing in French he just found it easier to speak in French. It was the same way at the bank the other day. I went to talk about closing my account and the lady said she could speak in English but my French was better than her English so we just spoke in French. I don't say that to sound arrogant but when I came I always tried to get them to speak in English because it was so much easier for me. But, now, I can converse well enough in French that I feel just as comfortable using my basic knowledge of French instead of contending wiht their basic knowledge of English. Also, a couple of my studnets found out I could speak in French during the week. They kept asking me if I could speak French and if I would show them, so because it was the last week I did. It was funny because their mouths dropped. They were kind of mad because they thought they could have been speaking French the whole time, but of course that would not have helped their English. Anyway, it was a great meal and one of those great things about living in France that I will certainly miss.

Il a fait beau... mais, il neige maintenant... c'est le même weekend?!

So, it has been a rather interesting weekend here in Paris. On Friday, I went to Bois de Boulogne (pictures to come later). It was abosolutely beautiful, 60 degrees and sunny. The leaves are coming back on the trees some of the early flowers are blooming. I had a tee shirt on and just took pictures, rode Vélib, and read.
For those who don't know, Vélib is the public bike service that was started last summer in Paris and is now my favorite mode of travel. I got a one day pass and ended up riding around all night with my friend Chris, after I left the park. For some reason my French bank card never worked at the Vélib station until yesterday and I was quite glad it finally started working. Chris and I just rode from station for probably two hours. We rode around the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs-Elysée, around the Place de Conorde, along the Seine, through the Ile de la Cité and around Bastille and République as well. It was great. I think it is the best way to see the city. The weather was nice, there was a beautiful sunset. It was terribly romantic. Any time I am wandering the streets and seeing the sights of Paris, I am just reminded of how romantic the city really is. It is too bad I have never been able to share it with a girl I am in love with, but I guess Chris will just have to do. I was actually thinking about how different St. Louis is. You aren't exactly overwhemed with romanticism when you walk along the muddy Mississippi watching the barges trudge through the half solid Mississippi. It is just a wee bit different then walking along the Seine.
Today, at 20:30 it started snowing. It is the 6th day of April and it is snowing in Paris, for only like the second time this year. It is a crazy world.

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