Christmas is my favorite holiday. I couldn't think of a better way to start off the break than with a trip to several European Christmas Markets.
"A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during advent, mainly the four weeks preceding Christmas Day. These markets originated in Germany and Austria but are now being held in many other countries. The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German speaking part of Europe." from Wikipedia
The first market we went to was here in Clermont-Ferrand. There is a huge Ferris Wheel and lots of vendors selling gifts and food. Here in France, vin chaud, or hot red wine is sold to help warm chilly bodies. For the children, hot cocoa is sold. We also enjoyed the truffade, a potato and cheese dish that is served hot and is very filling. The children enjoyed churros and cotton candy, although they are not exactly French food. The lights were beautiful and the atmosphere was festive.
Next up was a road trip to Strasbourg, France; Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland for 3 very different styles of Christmas Markets.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Our Worst Christmas Tree Ever!
My children HATE our Christmas tree. I am not exaggerating! Words like "horrible", "jankie" (rhymes with yankie, means hotmess), "ugly", "worst-tree-ever" have all been used to describe our 1st French Christmas tree. I guess it all started to go down hill when we only paid 27 euros ($35) for a live tree. In the states, a live tree this size costs about $75, so this was a bargain! Of course they sell more expensive trees here in France, but why pay more?
When we first brought it home, it leaned a little, so we just rotated it in the base, secured it with the screws and it was fine. We added water to the base and 1 string of lights to the tree. One string! Yes, only one string. At 25-55 euros per string, one is really all you need. And unfortunately, we couldn't bring our lights from home since the bulbs and the voltage here is different from the US. Why didn't we buy a pre-lit tree you ask? Well, they are very expensive and besides, a live tree seemed more "French". I also wanted to add a bit of "snow" to the tree since it snows here and the look is very popular. I bought 3 cans of snow spray and sprayed away. 15 minutes and 2 open windows later, I was done applying fake snow to our real tree. The problem was that the tree did not look snowy, it just looked ashy and gray. The fake snow that was so light when first applied was quickly soaked up by our dry tree. Oh well, that's nothing a few ornaments can't fix. My children were not so optimistic.
The theme for this French Tree was Christmas Around the World. In my mind, I wanted to start a collection of ornaments from our travels around Europe that we would cherish for years. So I didn't bring any ornaments from the states. In reality that meant that until I bought new ornaments, we had a tall, ashy, dimly lit tree. I managed to purchase 14 ornaments from a sale at a local store to get us started. I decided that I wanted a multi-colored tree only decorated with balls, a departure from our usual red and gold tree with black angels theme. Now the description, "crazy peacock", was added to the list of names for the tree.
But I was not discouraged! I had a plan. On our upcoming trip to Christmas markets in France and Germany, I would purchase the most beautiful ornaments to save my tree! Well I did purchase many ornaments, from France, Germany and Switzerland. I even had a set of glassballs hand-painted with each of our names on them. The children also gave me ornaments for Christmas to help save our tree, but we all forgot one important thing. We left for 5 days to visit Christmas Markets and we did not leave water in the tree base. When we returned, needles were everywhere! If we just touched one branch, all the needles would fall off that branch! My tall, ashy, dimly lit, sparsely decorated tree, was falling apart. I finally surrendered. It was Christmas Eve and nothing could save that tree. At least I have a good start on my ornment collection!
When we first brought it home, it leaned a little, so we just rotated it in the base, secured it with the screws and it was fine. We added water to the base and 1 string of lights to the tree. One string! Yes, only one string. At 25-55 euros per string, one is really all you need. And unfortunately, we couldn't bring our lights from home since the bulbs and the voltage here is different from the US. Why didn't we buy a pre-lit tree you ask? Well, they are very expensive and besides, a live tree seemed more "French". I also wanted to add a bit of "snow" to the tree since it snows here and the look is very popular. I bought 3 cans of snow spray and sprayed away. 15 minutes and 2 open windows later, I was done applying fake snow to our real tree. The problem was that the tree did not look snowy, it just looked ashy and gray. The fake snow that was so light when first applied was quickly soaked up by our dry tree. Oh well, that's nothing a few ornaments can't fix. My children were not so optimistic.
The theme for this French Tree was Christmas Around the World. In my mind, I wanted to start a collection of ornaments from our travels around Europe that we would cherish for years. So I didn't bring any ornaments from the states. In reality that meant that until I bought new ornaments, we had a tall, ashy, dimly lit tree. I managed to purchase 14 ornaments from a sale at a local store to get us started. I decided that I wanted a multi-colored tree only decorated with balls, a departure from our usual red and gold tree with black angels theme. Now the description, "crazy peacock", was added to the list of names for the tree.
But I was not discouraged! I had a plan. On our upcoming trip to Christmas markets in France and Germany, I would purchase the most beautiful ornaments to save my tree! Well I did purchase many ornaments, from France, Germany and Switzerland. I even had a set of glassballs hand-painted with each of our names on them. The children also gave me ornaments for Christmas to help save our tree, but we all forgot one important thing. We left for 5 days to visit Christmas Markets and we did not leave water in the tree base. When we returned, needles were everywhere! If we just touched one branch, all the needles would fall off that branch! My tall, ashy, dimly lit, sparsely decorated tree, was falling apart. I finally surrendered. It was Christmas Eve and nothing could save that tree. At least I have a good start on my ornment collection!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
C'est Noel!
"C'est Noel, It's Christmas Time..."
It is the middle of December, exactly one week until Christmas and Clermont is ready for the holidays! There is a huge Christmas tree in the city center as well as a Ferris Wheel. A few blocks away, there is a christmas market with gifts, crafts, food, hot wine and music. All of the city christmas lights have been on since the first week in December. But this past sunday was the icing on the cake. It snowed! And snowed and snowed. Now being a Mississippi girl, I prefer to enjoy the beauty of the snow while staying nice and warm, so all of my pics are from the apartment windows!
Of course there are no snow days here. The children had to go to school and Preston had to go to work on Monday. Thankfully, we were prepared with snow boots, wool socks, gloves and hats. Two weeks ago we went to rent ski gear for the season at Super Besse. This is about 1 hr from where we live. We purchased snow wear then, thinking we would only need them when skiing. Well, I have worn snow boots everyday this week. I have purchased long underwear and I am drinking a lot of hot tea. Some how thinking warm thoughts is just not enough.
It is the middle of December, exactly one week until Christmas and Clermont is ready for the holidays! There is a huge Christmas tree in the city center as well as a Ferris Wheel. A few blocks away, there is a christmas market with gifts, crafts, food, hot wine and music. All of the city christmas lights have been on since the first week in December. But this past sunday was the icing on the cake. It snowed! And snowed and snowed. Now being a Mississippi girl, I prefer to enjoy the beauty of the snow while staying nice and warm, so all of my pics are from the apartment windows!
Of course there are no snow days here. The children had to go to school and Preston had to go to work on Monday. Thankfully, we were prepared with snow boots, wool socks, gloves and hats. Two weeks ago we went to rent ski gear for the season at Super Besse. This is about 1 hr from where we live. We purchased snow wear then, thinking we would only need them when skiing. Well, I have worn snow boots everyday this week. I have purchased long underwear and I am drinking a lot of hot tea. Some how thinking warm thoughts is just not enough.
Friday, December 5, 2008
The Real Housewives of Clermont-Ferrand
We are from America, France, Poland, Ireland, India, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand.
We have lived in 6 of the 7 continents of the world.
We are Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Teachers, Engineers, Artists, Business women.
We are Wives, Sisters, Mothers, Daughters, Friends, Aunts.
We are lovers of books, cooking, art, shopping, fashion, food, good wine, sports, sewing, antiques.
We are the REAL housewives of Clermont-Ferrand!
Ok, that was a bit dramatic, but it is an accurate description of the ladies that are apart of a weekly chit-chat group that I attend. (I guess I have been watching too much RHA on the internet!) The purpose of the group is to help us improve our conversational French and English by chatting about different topics each week. For those of us that speak english, we are to speak in french and those that speak french are supposed to speak in english. We help each other with vocabulary and grammar, teaching each other as we learn. I must admit that my french is not great (yet!) and sometimes things go over my head, but I learn something every time I go.
Some of the topics have included sharing our favorite past times, earliest childhood memories, playing games and discussing the different political systems of our home countries. We have also discussed famous artist and their artwork and women in the workplace in our home countries. We share our personal experiences as well as our cultural practices. The conversations are always lively, as we all express our opinions on the various topics. This past week we shared our different Christmas traditions and celebrated with an international lunch and gift exchange.
We are also a support for one another. Most of us are living here in Clermont because of our husband's jobs. This is my first big move, but many of the ladies have been out of their home countries for several years and they have lived in many countries. We often discuss our struggles to adjust. It is fascinating that although we have differences in language and culture, we are still more alike than different. We don't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is as we "Chit-chat", we are not only learning French and English, but about the lives of women from all over the world.
We have lived in 6 of the 7 continents of the world.
We are Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Teachers, Engineers, Artists, Business women.
We are Wives, Sisters, Mothers, Daughters, Friends, Aunts.
We are lovers of books, cooking, art, shopping, fashion, food, good wine, sports, sewing, antiques.
We are the REAL housewives of Clermont-Ferrand!
Ok, that was a bit dramatic, but it is an accurate description of the ladies that are apart of a weekly chit-chat group that I attend. (I guess I have been watching too much RHA on the internet!) The purpose of the group is to help us improve our conversational French and English by chatting about different topics each week. For those of us that speak english, we are to speak in french and those that speak french are supposed to speak in english. We help each other with vocabulary and grammar, teaching each other as we learn. I must admit that my french is not great (yet!) and sometimes things go over my head, but I learn something every time I go.
Some of the topics have included sharing our favorite past times, earliest childhood memories, playing games and discussing the different political systems of our home countries. We have also discussed famous artist and their artwork and women in the workplace in our home countries. We share our personal experiences as well as our cultural practices. The conversations are always lively, as we all express our opinions on the various topics. This past week we shared our different Christmas traditions and celebrated with an international lunch and gift exchange.
We are also a support for one another. Most of us are living here in Clermont because of our husband's jobs. This is my first big move, but many of the ladies have been out of their home countries for several years and they have lived in many countries. We often discuss our struggles to adjust. It is fascinating that although we have differences in language and culture, we are still more alike than different. We don't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is as we "Chit-chat", we are not only learning French and English, but about the lives of women from all over the world.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Lauren is 10!!!!!
Today is a great day! LAUREN IMAN GRAY IS 10!!!!!! Yesterday we had a party for her during the 2 hour lunch break at home. She invited 5 friends from school. I love that she attends an international school because she has friends from all over the world including France, US, England and New Zealand. John brought one friend home for lunch so he wouldn't be the only boy!
As far as what a traditional French birthday party is like for children, I still don't know. We opted for the sweet and simple approach, a party at home. This is another good thing about the 2 hour lunch break. The parents didn't have to drop off the children and the whole party was over in 2 hours!
So far we have attended about 4 parties ranging from sleepovers, to mini horse riding lessons to a Chuck-E-Cheese type place called Kizou (think giant squirrel) to parties a home. Like I said before, the children have international friends, so the parties are not necessarily French, but they are always fun!
As far as what a traditional French birthday party is like for children, I still don't know. We opted for the sweet and simple approach, a party at home. This is another good thing about the 2 hour lunch break. The parents didn't have to drop off the children and the whole party was over in 2 hours!
So far we have attended about 4 parties ranging from sleepovers, to mini horse riding lessons to a Chuck-E-Cheese type place called Kizou (think giant squirrel) to parties a home. Like I said before, the children have international friends, so the parties are not necessarily French, but they are always fun!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Things I am thankful for
Christ Church of Auvergne
The church that we attend here in France, Christ Church of Auvergne, held a Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. There was the traditional turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and green beans...and it was really good! This is France, so of course we had french bread! Each family brought a dessert to share. The time together with other Americans doing something so American was refreshing. We even went bowling afterwards since there was no football games to watch. I realized that I had too much to thank God for to allow such a day to go by without celebration. Thanksgiving is a fitting way to start the wonderful Christmas season, a time when the world pauses to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving came early for us this year in another way as well. On Thursday, November 20th, John became a Christian. I am so thankful to God for answering that prayer. Moving to a different country is not just about experiencing different languages, historical places and food. It also exposes you to differences in customs, beliefs and world views. My hearts desire is for my children to appreciate all cultures, but to never lose their own in the process.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Centreville, Clermont
Here are a few pictures that we have taken over the past 3 months here in France. Wow!!! has it been 3 months already! Many of the places are becoming familiar and favorite sites for us as we settle into our new apartment and routine. Our neighborhood is considered in Centre-ville or the center of town. We can walk and access everything we need. Preston walks to work, the children walk to school and I can walk to... french classes, the mall, the bakery, the tabac (newstand!), the movies, etc. We are located across the street from a lovely park, Jardin Lecoq, and about 10 minutes from Place Jaude, where the mall and a movie theater is located. In the center of town is the Cathedral. It is large and black because it is made out of volcanic rock from this region. Rue du Port is a cute little street with many shops including a dollhouse store, boutiques, antique shops and bakeries. I have a lot of fun just walking around town, window shopping. I can't wait to take you all on tour when you visit, hint, hint!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Road Trippin'
Our First European Road Trip
Day 1: On the Road...
We left Clermont-Ferrand at 12 pm (4 hours later than planned) and arrived in Lyon, France for lunch at Subway. We then drove to Torino, Italy for dinner and a good nights rest. The weather and the drive both were great! We were able to see the French Alps before it got too dark.
Day 2: Venice, Italy!!!!!!!
We arrived in Venice about 3pm. We took the waterbus to our apartment. The waterbus is the equivalent of a city bus because there are no cars or motor street vehicles on the island. In fact, Venice is made of over 100 small islands that are connected by footbridges. The only mode of transportation is by boat and walking! You can read more about this magnificent city at the following link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice.
When you approach Venice, it looks like the entire city is floating! It is amazing that these buildings are still standing after several hundred years. Now Venice is known for lots of thing, but it is most famous for the Gondolas. So of course the 1st thing we had to do was take a Gondola ride. $$$$ Even with 4 children, it was very romantic! We were able to ride at night and travel through small canals. It reminded the children of the Pirates of the Carribean ride in Disney, except this was the real thing!
Day 3: Walking Tour, Carnival Play and Artists
Venice is city made for walking so we took a 2 hour walking tour. $ It was conducted in English by a native of Venice. The tour included the Palace of Doges, St. Mark's Basilica (were the apostle Mark's remains are) , Piazza San Marco, Marco Polo's childhood home, and the Rialto Bridge. We learned that every time you cross a bridge, you are on another "island" and each island has a church on it. So that means that although Venice is not a large city, there are over 100 churches there.
After lunch, we wondered around the city. The streets are very narrow, more like alleys. As we explored, we stumbled upon an artist making glass beads in his shop. He invited us in and we were able to watch him make several beads. He was very generous and allowed each one of the children to take a bead free of charge. He even gave me a necklace as a gift. We purchased a few other jewelry pieces as well. Here is a link to his website, http://muranero.blogspot.com/2008/08/africa.html
On another street, we met another artist hand-painting carnival masks...more souvenirs! $$$ We ended the evening by attending a play on the history of Venice.$$$$$$
Day 4: Everyday Venice and Murano Island
We rented an apartment that was located right near a bakery, cafe, fruit stand, grocery store and several restaurants. It was fascinating to see how everyday life is. Garbage is collected daily and put on barges. Everything is by boat. Ambulance, store deliveries, everything has to done via the water ways.
On our last day, we took a waterbus to Murano, the part of Venice where the glass is made. We were able to tour a factory were they make the most beautiful hand-made vases that I have ever seen. A lot of people spoke English in Venice, including the factory owner. He explained to us that the business is family run and that it takes 18 to 20 years to perfect the craft. Most of the men begin apprenticing as young as 8 years old.
Day 5: On the road again
We left Venice via Private Water Taxi. $$ This was like a limo on water! We had a great time, but it was time to go! Venice is a beautiful, expensive city! Just add up all the $ signs in my blog so far! We returned to the garage where our car was parked for 4 days and continued our road trip. We drove along the Italian and French Riviera to St. Maxime, France for the remainder of our vacation. We rented a coxy condo near the beach.
Day 6: Rest
We took a much needed day off to stay inside and sleep, eat and be merry. No tours or expensive restaurants!
Day 7: Driving tour
Today we drove along the scenic route to Nice, Cannes, and Monaco. I was again surprised by the landscape. The French Riviera is very rocky right up to the water. We where driving along mountains right next to the sea. Sand is brought into some of the beach areas designed for swimming.
Monaco is a small country of just 19 city blocks and a population of 1000 people. And it is gorgeous! We hope to return when the weather is warmer.
Day 1: On the Road...
We left Clermont-Ferrand at 12 pm (4 hours later than planned) and arrived in Lyon, France for lunch at Subway. We then drove to Torino, Italy for dinner and a good nights rest. The weather and the drive both were great! We were able to see the French Alps before it got too dark.
Day 2: Venice, Italy!!!!!!!
We arrived in Venice about 3pm. We took the waterbus to our apartment. The waterbus is the equivalent of a city bus because there are no cars or motor street vehicles on the island. In fact, Venice is made of over 100 small islands that are connected by footbridges. The only mode of transportation is by boat and walking! You can read more about this magnificent city at the following link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice.
When you approach Venice, it looks like the entire city is floating! It is amazing that these buildings are still standing after several hundred years. Now Venice is known for lots of thing, but it is most famous for the Gondolas. So of course the 1st thing we had to do was take a Gondola ride. $$$$ Even with 4 children, it was very romantic! We were able to ride at night and travel through small canals. It reminded the children of the Pirates of the Carribean ride in Disney, except this was the real thing!
Day 3: Walking Tour, Carnival Play and Artists
Venice is city made for walking so we took a 2 hour walking tour. $ It was conducted in English by a native of Venice. The tour included the Palace of Doges, St. Mark's Basilica (were the apostle Mark's remains are) , Piazza San Marco, Marco Polo's childhood home, and the Rialto Bridge. We learned that every time you cross a bridge, you are on another "island" and each island has a church on it. So that means that although Venice is not a large city, there are over 100 churches there.
After lunch, we wondered around the city. The streets are very narrow, more like alleys. As we explored, we stumbled upon an artist making glass beads in his shop. He invited us in and we were able to watch him make several beads. He was very generous and allowed each one of the children to take a bead free of charge. He even gave me a necklace as a gift. We purchased a few other jewelry pieces as well. Here is a link to his website, http://muranero.blogspot.com/2008/08/africa.html
On another street, we met another artist hand-painting carnival masks...more souvenirs! $$$ We ended the evening by attending a play on the history of Venice.$$$$$$
Day 4: Everyday Venice and Murano Island
We rented an apartment that was located right near a bakery, cafe, fruit stand, grocery store and several restaurants. It was fascinating to see how everyday life is. Garbage is collected daily and put on barges. Everything is by boat. Ambulance, store deliveries, everything has to done via the water ways.
On our last day, we took a waterbus to Murano, the part of Venice where the glass is made. We were able to tour a factory were they make the most beautiful hand-made vases that I have ever seen. A lot of people spoke English in Venice, including the factory owner. He explained to us that the business is family run and that it takes 18 to 20 years to perfect the craft. Most of the men begin apprenticing as young as 8 years old.
Day 5: On the road again
We left Venice via Private Water Taxi. $$ This was like a limo on water! We had a great time, but it was time to go! Venice is a beautiful, expensive city! Just add up all the $ signs in my blog so far! We returned to the garage where our car was parked for 4 days and continued our road trip. We drove along the Italian and French Riviera to St. Maxime, France for the remainder of our vacation. We rented a coxy condo near the beach.
Day 6: Rest
We took a much needed day off to stay inside and sleep, eat and be merry. No tours or expensive restaurants!
Day 7: Driving tour
Today we drove along the scenic route to Nice, Cannes, and Monaco. I was again surprised by the landscape. The French Riviera is very rocky right up to the water. We where driving along mountains right next to the sea. Sand is brought into some of the beach areas designed for swimming.
Monaco is a small country of just 19 city blocks and a population of 1000 people. And it is gorgeous! We hope to return when the weather is warmer.
Day 8: Home please!!
As much fun as we had on our trip, it was time to go home! We missed our dog Prince and we needed to sleep in our own beds! I am already planning the next trip!
As much fun as we had on our trip, it was time to go home! We missed our dog Prince and we needed to sleep in our own beds! I am already planning the next trip!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Mont-Dore and Puy de Sancy
France offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. I love the area that we live in because within a 15 minute drive, you can be in the mountains, really volcanoes. When we first arrived 8 weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit the small village of Mont-Dore. It is about 30 minutes from Clermont and at the base of Puy de Sancy. The idea was to walk part of the walking trail. During the winter, the area is a ski resort, but in late summer, it is a quiet area. We made a lovely picnic lunch and packed up the kids and the dog for a nice Sunday afternoon picnic and walk. Now we are not the most active family, but hey, when in France, do like the French!
Lunch was great! Preston planned and cooked a delicious Southern/French menu of fried pork chops (Southern), baguettes (French) and a light rose' wine (really French!). After lunch we walked through a few shops and the children bought candy. Then it was time for the short ride to the beginning of the walking trail at the base of the volcano. Now our first clue to the level of difficulty for the walk should have been all of the people with hiking boots, walking sticks and backpacks!
Needless to say, we didn't make it to the top, but we did climb the first part maybe 400m. It was a manageable, but steep hill. Here are some of the pictures we took. Notice how much the children enjoyed the "walk."
Lunch was great! Preston planned and cooked a delicious Southern/French menu of fried pork chops (Southern), baguettes (French) and a light rose' wine (really French!). After lunch we walked through a few shops and the children bought candy. Then it was time for the short ride to the beginning of the walking trail at the base of the volcano. Now our first clue to the level of difficulty for the walk should have been all of the people with hiking boots, walking sticks and backpacks!
Needless to say, we didn't make it to the top, but we did climb the first part maybe 400m. It was a manageable, but steep hill. Here are some of the pictures we took. Notice how much the children enjoyed the "walk."
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Just an Average Wednesday!
Today is what I hope a typical Wednesday will be like. First of all, I was able to sleep this morning! Daniele and Maya have school for half of the day on Wednesday and they are old enough to walk themselves to school. Lauren and John are out of school all day Wednesday, so they slept in a well. I woke up in time to have coffee with Preston before he went to work.
Everyone was home for lunch, including Preston. When he is in town, he works close enough to walk home for lunch. After lunch, the children have Tennis Lessons. It is a short 10 min drive from home. I was able to complete some of my French homework while they practiced.
Now it is 3pm and we are done for the day. It is very nice to have a little break in the middle of the week. Right now I am sitting by the window in my kitchen sipping tea. There is a nice breeze outside and it is perfect fall weather. It had been cold the past few weeks, but this week has been very nice.
Of course, I could wash another load of clothes or unpack another box. But for now I am enjoying a little time for myself. During this transition, there have been many ups and downs, but I am grateful for this experience. One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This "thing" that we are doing, moving to and living in France, is not easy. But I know that Christ has strenghthen us and gives us grace and just average wednesdays!!!!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Life in temporary housing
Many have been wondering about our day to day life in France. Posted are some pictures of our temporary house and other activities we have enjoyed in Romagnat, a suburb of Clermont-Ferrand. Romagnat is about 15 minutes driving from the center of the main city, Clermont. It takes about 25 minutes to get to the center riding on the city bus. We are in a neighborhood of several townhouses and it is very quiet (except for the dogs, one of them being ours!) We like living out here because it is close enough for us to walk to the market each Sunday in Aubiere (about 15-20 walking) and we have a yard. The downside is that we have to drive or take the bus to school and work daily. So we are going to move into an apartment in Clermont this week!
The temporary house is actually quite comfortable. We have 3 bedrooms, a living-dining area, a full kitchen, garage and storage room. The most challenging part has been having one shower. Fortunately there are 2 additional half baths. The house was equipped with linens and dishes, pots, small appliances, etc. But it has really been hard living out of our suitcases without our other things. But that will change this week!
One of the things I like about living outside of Clermont, for now, is how close we are to Auchun and other large Walmart type stores like it. Unlike stores in Clermont, Auchun is open from 8 am until 9:30 pm. Most grocery stores close at 7:30pm. Also in the Auchun shopping center, there are other retailers that stay open during lunch from 12 to 2pm. Other independent stores in Clermont and around shut down from 12 to 2 for lunch. Clothing stores, car dealerships, furniture stores, utilities, Michelin, you name it, they are not available between 12 and 2pm daily.
While we are on the lunch thing, I must mention that it really takes 2 hrs to eat lunch in a restaurant. Your service is paced to take about an 1 and 1/2. The upside is that you can really enjoy the time with friends and in our case, Preston and I get mini dates once a week by going out to lunch. The school children also get 2 hours for lunch. This gives many of them enough time to go home for lunch. Mine, however, eat at school!
Dinner is usually served in the restuarants around 7:30pm. In fact many restaurants in town are not opened until 7pm. Some restuarants outside of the city serve 7hrs a day nonstop, but it is strange to go in at 6 pm because they will be completely empty, except for the Americans!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Paris
Well we did it! We took a one day trip to Paris. In my wildest dreams, I would not have thought I would live so close to one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful cities. We got up Saturday morning and took our Peugeot minivan on our first rode trip. It took about 2 hrs for us to get up and ready, but with 1 shower and 6 people, I think that was pretty good. We left at 9am and the drive was about 4 hours long.
Our main destination for this 1st trip was the Eiffel Tower. We plan on making many return trips in the future. The weather was great! We parked our car and walked about 4 blocks to the Eiffel Tower. It was beautiful and breathtaking and larger than life. We were not able to go up to the top this trip because we decided to bring Prince, our poodle along dogs are not allowed to go up. But that will certainly be something we do on the next trip.
The children were really impressed. They realized how blessed they were to be able to be there. This was John's first request when we told him we were moving to France. He wanted to see the Eiffel Tower first.
We had lunch at a café right across the street from the Eiffel Tower. They had really good French fries! We also had beignets (French doughnuts) and ice cream. Then we walked to the Arc de Triomphe and down the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The Arc was a grand site. But the kids were really impressed by seeing the designer stores, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Aston Martin etc. as we walked the boulevard. It was really a dream come true. We left about 6 pm and were home before 11pm. Can you believe it!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Driving in France
Here are some pics of the rental car that I have been driving. It is a 6 passenger vehicle, however the 5th and 6th seats are really popups in the trunk! That’s were John sits if needed. Last week, Preston went to Italy for 3 days on business, so I returned the 8 passenger bus they initially gave us for a smaller car I could drive and most importantly park! It is a standard shift diesel, the most popular combo here. Here's a shout out to my dad who made me learn to drive a standard shift before he would allow me to get my license. Gas mileage is great in the car, gas prices not so great. Fortunately, I have not had to fill the tank yet.
Some of the driving rules are different, so I am learning as I go along. I can drive in France because of an agreement SC has with France. Daniele thinks I need to go to driving school though!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
McDonald's Again
We are in Mickie D's again. One of the few places with Wi-Fi. Or as they say Wee-fee. We have also been doing a lot of walking and riding the bus. The transit system is actually really easy and convient to use here. My blogs will be short until we get internet at home. Here you have to have a bank account in order to get phone service or internet. Once you have a bank account, you have to have a blank check in order to get a new account with the phone company so they can automatically debit your account. Once you set that up, it takes about 3 weeks to get service! I will not complain about waiting for the cable guy from 8 to 12 any more.
Clarrette
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Whitewater Rafting
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
It's so hard to say goodbye
We have been very fortunate to live in Irmo, SC for the past 3.5 years. We have met some of the most wonderful people in the world here. I am not exaggerating when I say that we love our neighbors, our schools and our church. My children are very happy here and Preston is doing very with his job. In fact, his success is leading us to a new phase in our lives. We are moving to FRANCE!!!!!!
Now many of you know this already. That is the very reason why I have started this blog. I want to share with our friends and family our adventures overseas. We will be relocating to Clermont-Ferrand, France in mid-August. Many have wondered how they can keep in touch and see how we are doing. This blog site is the key. I will update the site periodically with pictures, videos, and stories. You can email us, or you can leave a comment that others will see. I am so grateful for the Internet and the advances that have been made in communications. It is my prayer that we can maintain many relationships while we are away.
Au revior,
Clarrette
Now many of you know this already. That is the very reason why I have started this blog. I want to share with our friends and family our adventures overseas. We will be relocating to Clermont-Ferrand, France in mid-August. Many have wondered how they can keep in touch and see how we are doing. This blog site is the key. I will update the site periodically with pictures, videos, and stories. You can email us, or you can leave a comment that others will see. I am so grateful for the Internet and the advances that have been made in communications. It is my prayer that we can maintain many relationships while we are away.
Au revior,
Clarrette
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