I turned twenty on Sunday! Some of the other Americans threw me a really nice party and their apartment. Kaylee, a short-haired girl who sews her own clothes, baked two cakes (one chocolate and one vanilla) with my name on them.
Everyone sang Bon Anniversaire to me and we split the cakes. There were plenty of Americans, but also several Frenchies and a German guy. It lasted pretty long, so I ended up spending the night on the couch. It was pretty awesome.
I did get a particular birthday gift: a small handle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey. I am Notably Appalachian among the Americans and this means I get associated with whiskey. Not that I mind. I think the whole story is pretty cool, especially the part about how it’s made in a dry county. You’re supposed to toast on your birthday in France, anyway.
Speaking of French birthday traditions, when I told my host mom that I was having my party the day before my actual birthday, she was flustered and urged me to change it. Turns out that it is extremely bad juju to have your party before your birthday, or more than two days after. She even knocked on wood when she explained it. I said that maybe I wouldn’t get cursed because I am American and it might not apply to me. She did not seem convinced.
There were even balloons and streamers. Kaylee and her roommate Jordan drew faces on a bunch of them, so Shrek and Spiderman and Spongebob were hanging out with us all night. In the morning, Jordan made eggs and bacon, a breakfast I have not had since coming here. It was nice.
I also got a care package from my parents which contains, among other things, teriyaki beef jerky, American cereal, candy that is not chocolate based, and a UT t-shirt. I am getting the subtle hint that I need to take pictures of myself in orange garb while I’m here.
I treated myself to a new book about French history. I figured it would help me pass my history class, because the professor rarely makes sense. I can understand what he’s saying just fine, but he doesn’t really keep on topic. Last week he spent over an hour talking about how impressed the French were with Obama. Seriously, an hour. He pulled up videos of his speeches and everything.
Well, now I must sew some pants for my hostmom. I’ve been putting it off and I need to get it off my to-do list. Also write a bunch of postcards. and probably… do homework. I guess.
I will leave you with a funny story from class today: Merve, from Turkey, told the class about how a blue crystal once fell from the sky into a small Turkish village, and people would lick and eat pieces of it because they thought it was a gift from the heavens. Scientists ran some lab tests and turns out it was a release from the lavatory of an airplane that crystallized it the atmosphere. Listening to that story, I wished I did not understand French.
Cordialement,
Allison
P.S.: Apple cider, though already delicious, is a hundred times better with a wedge of orange in it.
Flan in France 