After procrastinating for about 2 hours on Facebook trying to find some French people I have met here (and still couldn't find, sadly), I have decided to procrastinate a bit more and write to you all since I haven't given you a good post in a couple of days, though I'm not really sure how much I have to say...
If you want to see pictures from the châteaux, just click the link on the right and go to webshots. I stayed up last night until after 1am waiting for 255 pictures to upload so I'm not going to spend any more time uploading them anywhere else (including Facebook!). Agh. Such a pain, but I can't complain since I actually have internet at home! :) To be honest, I'm not sure many people are reading this blog anyway, so if I slack off in writing to you, just give up the fight...You aren't going to win, haha.
Hmm châteaux...Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, and Chambord. Azay-le-Rideau was very nice but very small, so it's weird that people actually consider it one...Chenonceau was beautiful. I thought it was really cool to build part of it over the river. The only thing I wonder about is what it was like if the river flooded (if that ever even happened). My favorite, as far as design, was by far Chambord but I was very disappointed that most of the rooms weren't furnished with either original furniture or replications to show how it would have looked during certain periods. At dinner I mentioned this to my host mother and she said it was for several reasons: when the families left the château, they usually took all their furniture with them, and since then most habited days, there have been wars, etc., so the furniture was destroyed or something. She seemed a little irritated that I found this very odd. I had told her about Biltmore Estate and how, even though it was just built in the 19th century, it was extraordinarily furnished. She said that because it's not very old, they of course still have most of the furnishings (which aren't old either). I told her that I wasn't so sure of that because the Vanderbilt's were extremely rich and probably imported a LOT of furniture, décor, etc., from Europe. I even mentioned that some of the décor could have been from any châteaux in France. Either way, I still think it was bizarre and I still think she was annoyed that I found it so. Whatever...I was just making an observation.
She was also quite shocked when I said that I hated America. She asked me why and I said, "Well all I can really remember is the 'reign of Bush,' so I don't have a very positive memory of America." She said that I couldn't base my opinion of my country solely on politics. I started to explain to her that, when you get to the heart of the matter, it really IS all about politics, but I decided just to let it go. Politics (aka the government) determine laws, etc., that guide a lot of the aspects of our lives - including education. It was no use trying to explain any of that to her. Whatever, I can think whatever the hell I want about my country, good and bad, and I can back it up with reasons why...maybe not very well in French, apparently, but I could if I am able to speak English.
Speaking of English and education, I forgot to post how extremely and incredibly DISTURBED I was by the fact that Barbie had read practically nothing in high school. She has never heard of the novels The Scarlet Letter or All Quiet on the Western Front. She said she thinks the last book she read in high school was The Great Gatsby. I am utterly astonished at this. Of Mice and Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Flies....???? Really?! The girl has absolutely NO concept of American literature or American films for that matter. I almost had a stroke. Madame tried to explain that because we were from different states, we obviously are educated differently and the access to resources are different. Sorry, but classic American literature is NOT something you miss during your secondary education. I'm beginning to realize just how naïve she really is. Wow...bad representation of an American high school graduate. (And I still cannot understand how she could have missed some of the best books EVER written, days later.)
Anyway, I still haven't decided what I want to do for Spring Break and I know I need to. If I don't, access to trains, planes, and hotels is going to be extremely limited. I just don't know because I don't want to end up spending too much money and screwing myself over in the end. It's really annoying, to be honest. Either way, I need to decide.
Also at some point, I need to go back to Paris. Both my sister and one of my brothers is requesting some crazy rare type of mustard. Mustard. Yes. Ridiculous. There's this off-the-wall store somewhere in Paris (haven't received details yet) that sells nothing but mustard and I have been dictated to go there and get a certain kind. It's so funny to me. Eric (the youngest older brother) wants a nice Merlot. That I can understand! Merlot is wine, and France is the land of wines, so it makes sense. But mustard? My family is so weird, but I still love them for some reason. Ha ha.
Okay, my dossier and other homework awaits me, so I miss bid you a very temporary "adieu." :)
♥
jh
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Hey there. The mustard store is Maille, located in Paris. See if you can find a hot, spicy, NOT sweet, small container of mustard. Also, Steve wants you to visit Mason le Trouffe. This store sells truffles and the black perigord sells for $3,000 a pound! Just see if they will let you taste it. He says that France is almost as well known for their mustard as they are for cheese and wine! Hope all is well. I've enjoyed reading about your journey. Hugs! ~Donna
ReplyDeleteso, you saying that it was bizzare, that was not an observation, but a judgment. we discussed this diff. in my core 400 class. you probably offended her because instead of just saying that it was different from what you are used to, you said it was weird. but i don't think its a big deal so no worries. anyways, i'm glad you liked the chateaux : they were so fun :)
ReplyDelete-ybs