So I always tell everyone to be friendly to everyone b/c you never know when that person might be able to help you or has a house in Figi or something like that. Well that could not be more true for this week for me. About 10 years ago my great-aunt had a foreign exchange student. Maelle, was from France and is my age. Well my cousin and her hit it off pretty well and continued to talk and kinda date over the course of the last 10 years or so. Even though my cousin is now married, Maelle has kept in touch with our family some, which helpe me immensely. I booked my flight back through Paris since it was cheaper and Maelle insisted I stay with her & her family. I had no clue just how great of an offer that was! I arrived Saturday evening...she,her boyfriend and his friend picked me up at the airport, which i later find out is really far away for them to drive! We arrive at her house and i freshen up some and then she's like ok you help me cook...she acts like it will just be something not good that she throws together but then we end up with this fabulous meal! Endives wrapped in ham covered in this delcious creamy cheese sauce! I knew then that I was smack dab in the middle of living a French life!!!! Her Brother was also there, Guillaume (aka William in English) w/ a few friends. He's 21 and at first i thought immature until i got to know him! That night we went out with Maelle's boyfriend and 2 of his friends...unfortunately none of them spoke English (except Maelle speaks great English!) besides a few words. So it was really just me listening and taking in the scene of Notre Dame & them talking in French. Now i do know some french but not enought to put their sentences all together! Seriously though since I've been here my mind's been going 90 to nothing trying to figure out what they are saying! I must say though that I'm suprised how much I remember. I discovered I do very well at reading though. I love reading all the signs/advertisments!
Sunday, we slept late & Maelle went to the pastery shop & got some DELICIOUS croissants,etc. Had the best breakfast! Then we took the Metro to Champs D' Elysese (sp?) which is one of the most famous streets in Paris. Big shopping, lots of famous name brand stores! We went in a few, mostly window shopping and then went to lunch @ 3 (ha!) to this place that's famous for their macaroons...not like our macaroons at all! This lunch was amazing, i mean like amazing, everything we ate from the rolls, to the sandwich to the fries to the macaroons were fabulous! I was so content after that meal! next, we intended to walk to the top of the Arc de Triump but Maelle was too tired so i said I'd go another day! Then we went to a park & sat in these amazing reclining chairs! Finally we got home and for dinner made eggplants, zuchinni sauteed with colorful salad. All the meals are so healthy and tastey here for some reason, although they always have dessert of some type at the end. That night we watched Ratatouille, Maelle's favorite movie, which is based in Paris, so it was very appropriate! :)
The next day, MY BIRTHDAY, I slept late. Then got up & started getting ready. Guillaume came in & asked me my plans for the day I told him going around to the sites,etc. He said well maybe I take you on my bike wherever you want to go. I was like umm...ok. Then he went and got me, him and his friend Marshall (very cute boy) Chinese food. He was so cute about making sure he knew everything I liked! Maelle came home sick that day, which I was glad to get her approval to ride around town with her brother! She gave him a good mom speech about taking care of me! ha! So it was so cute...I put on this huge helmet, hopped on the back of his scooter/motorcyle and off we went! This is where a soundtrack for the day begins to play...we stop to get gas and he brings me some cany out from the store! haha! Such a sweet gesture. Also, keep in mind he doesn't speak english a lot so for him to make the effor to talk to me about all the things we see and where we go is huge. I could never imagine doing that in America for someone. Every corner we went around I'd catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower and ask myself...is this really happening? Then I'd squeeze him a little tighter as he weaved through traffic! haha! We went to Sacre la Coeur, which is gorgeous white church on top of a hill, we went inside and he explained a lot of stuff to me about history. I began to realize he knows a lot about everything! Literally, the BEST tour guide i could've ask for!!! We walked around some and he showed me the best school in Paris to go to & told me about how you can't grow wine in this certain area,etc...Then we hopped back on the bike and he took me by the Moulin Rouge and that sketchy district, telling me little facts a long the way! Then we stopped at the store where he works part time...kinda reminds me of AtHome in Homewood or some decorating store like that, which I never would picture him working at. (i'm continuing to grow a huge crush at this time! ha!) then we went to a cafe nearby for some red wine and just talked. His girlfriend had just broken up with him so we talked about that and i tried to give my best "older woman" advice! He said he wants to be young when he gets married so he can be young and fun for his kids...I was like oh my please come to America with me, every girl will love you! haha!
Next we stopped at a Pastery shop where he said had the best pasteries in the world, they always win the big contest that are world wide. So we boxed up those, bought a baguette, which i had to put in my purse. I felt so European at this moment, I could've died! :) He took me to the Louvre, which i wanted to visit inside but forgot about that & just followed his plans. We went to this gorgeous square in the middle of the Louvre and shared our pastries. Of course, he also worked at a hotel that makes pasteries so he told me all about each one and the process of making them,etc... I mean for a 21 year old he amazes me at how much knowledge and experiences he's had! Oh and we also stopped by the Ritz, the one where Princess Diana was last seen leaving before her crash. And across from there is a area full of expensive jewlery. He took me to each shop and told me which jeweler was the best quality,etc. The only thing that could've made that complete is if he'd walked in the store and bought me one of the diamonds! haha! After our pastry debauchary, we went to this garden area where he said is the place that is the best in Paris to come think. He said "if you have problem or someone breaks up with you or you lose your job this is the best place to come think about it all" So we sat and we thought! :)
Finally we made it home, I wish I could put into words how great the day had already been...what I've written above doesn't do it justice at all!!! So then the birthday just keeps getting better. I come home to 56 facebook notifications of b'day wishes! YAY!!!! Then Guillaume & Maelle make me a birthday dinner. Did I mention that Guillaume is the best cook ever!!! He made this chicken curry with rice that was amazing! A tomato & mozeralla salad with great homemade dressing. And then the big finale....a chocolate molten cake. You know the kinda that's cake and then gooey in the middle!!! I mean seriously one of the most heavenly things I've put in my mouth!!!! Oh & by this point in the night they had about 4 other friends join us and one brough me a bottle of yummy wine! These people were all so great and they'd never met me and barely speak my language! So they put 4 candles on the corner ofthe cake and a sparkler in the middle!!! it was sooooo cute!!!! The more friends came and brought some wine and we all just hung out and talked. Some of the friends that came spoke better English so that helped me too! they were all just so great to this birthday girl! Oh and they even signed a birthday card for me!!! :)
If I had to be thousands of miles away from my family and friends on my birthday I'm so blessed that I was with such great people and events to make it ok! Ok time to go shop for a few items and visit inside Notre Dame! And in case you haven't heard yet...yes, I'm going back to Greece to work for the summer! Oh and yes, I'll write more about Greece when I can! Sorry!! sooo many stories!!! Love and miss you all!!!
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