Week of 4 Mars, 2024
Lundi
Neither Todd nor I are learning French as quickly as we’d like, so we agreed it’s time to start taking lessons. Today we walked over to a little language school, where we met with a friendly French woman named Marie who asked us various questions en francais, and we were challenged to converse fully in French. It’s something I still haven’t done a lot of since arriving, so it was intimidating yet fun and even a bit surprising — I could say a lot more than I thought I could. However, she said we’re both still at the A1 (beginner) level, and will need a few weeks of tutoring to fill in some gaps and get us to the next level, when we can begin group classes. I’m excited to add that structure to our days and start making some real progress. I could feel my confidence grow even just from that brief meeting with Marie, and when we stopped at a cafe on the way to school pickup, I took the lead ordering our coffee rather than hiding behind Todd.
Mardi
We’ve started to seriously look for a new housing situation. Our apartment is great, but I can’t help but think we’d be a little happier and more comfortable in a house with a bit of outdoor space. We’re putting together our dossier to apply for a place around the corner, which has a nice little yard, a big kitchen, and a studio apartment in the basement that would be perfect for visitors. We’re also looking at another spot that isn’t as well located, but it has a pool! I’m trying not to get my hopes up for either, because it’s notoriously difficult for expats to rent here — we’re lacking most of the documents that landlords require of applications. But it never hurts to try.
Mercredi
Oliver had his first guitar lesson today with an Icelandic teacher who won him over by suggesting that they begin by learning Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Afterward, we went to view a potential house to rent. It’s an échoppe, which is a single-story limestone house that’s unique to Bordeaux. You can find these cute little houses throughout the city, making it very possible to have a modest home with a garden even in the center. This particular place was kind of on the outskirts, in a quiet residential area well-served by wide bike lanes. The house had some big pros (pool, garage, natural light) and some cons (really ugly furniture, not the cutest neighborhood). Really, I think it’ll come down to whether or not we’re willing to sacrifice our current central location to have more space. Now that we’re starting to meet more of our neighbors and the weather is improving, I suspect we would regret moving away from the center.
Jeudi
Today Oliver’s school held a little Carnaval parade for the students and their families. We weren’t really sure what to expect, but we were told it involved costumes and cake, so we were pumped. Luckily, we’d packed one of Oli’s old Halloween costumes from the U.S., because apparently it’s pretty hard to find a decent costume in France this time of year. We arrived at school about an hour before dismissal, and all of the kids filed out in their little costumes. They proceeded to walk to the Capucins market, over to the basilica, then back to school. We trailed behind with the other parents, taking photos and just enjoying the cuteness of it all. Afterward, we were all invited into the little schoolyard, where L’APEL (the PTA) had set up a few tables of homemade cookies, tarts, and cakes. It was so fun to see Oli in his element, playing “touche-touche” (tag) with his new friends. I was struck by what a cozy, familial feeling the school has — there are less than 100 kids ranging from ages 3 to 11, and they all seemed to be getting along splendidly. That’s one thing Oli has said more than once: he may not always understand everyone at school, but everyone is kind. Oh, and one more thing that amused me about the parade: the amount of kids carrying toy weapons, including guns. That would never fly in the U.S.!
Vendredi
It’s been three months since we moved to Bordeaux, and I think we’re all starting to want an answer to the question of whether we’re moving home at the end of the year or staying longer. It’s not a question of whether we’re loving our time here in France — we really are, all three of us. It’s more just needing and wanting some clarity about our future. Surprisingly, I’ve been the one encouraging us to wait and wing it, while Todd is eager to start planning one way or the other. Unsurprisingly, my extroverted husband continues to thrive here and is confidently prepared to go all-in with a permanent move, while my introverted, anxious, over-analyzing self is still uncertain. I still miss home, despite all of its problems, and I doubt that France will ever feel that way to me. Still, I love the lifestyle that we’ve adopted here, Oli’s wonderful school, and the feeling of safety we have in France. It’s quite difficult, because Todd and I are usually on the same page about everything, but sometimes it feels like we’re on completely different chapters. I guess this is why I keep asking if we can just wait it out, because it’s much easier to set aside these big questions and just enjoy this incredible experience that we’re having. But I know that Decision Day will have to come sooner rather than later.
Samedi
It was a sunny afternoon, so we met our new American friends in the park after a lazy morning at home. Minutes after arriving, it started to downpour and all the kids hid under the pirate ship on the playground while the parents huddled under umbrellas. Five minutes after that, the sun was shining again. I’ve been told these erratic, extreme rainstorms are called giboulées, and they’re quite common this time of year. If I’ve learned one lesson here in France, it’s to never trust a blue sky — you could be soaked through five minutes later. After the rain, our group was approached by a Frenchman wearing an American flag shirt who seemed very excited to show off his profanity-laced English skills. He seemed shocked that we had all willingly moved to France, and recommended that we move back as soon as possible because “France is bool-sheet!” He then insisted on getting everyone’s Instagram accounts. I told him I didn’t have one.
Dimanche
The rain was more steady today, but we were determined to do something besides sit in the apartment all day, so we donned our rain gear and walked to the tram stop. I didn’t expect it to be busy on a Sunday afternoon, but people were packed on the tram like soaking wet sardines. We managed to wedge ourselves in, which I absolutely hate doing, and rode about 10 minutes to the Cite du Vin stop. I was in a pretty foul mood by the time we walked into the Halles de Bacalan, a food hall on the industrial outskirts of town. Again, everyone seemed to have the same idea we had — the place was crammed with people, and for the first time I found myself cursing the French habit of lingering at a table long after their meal is done. We did a few laps around the expansive space with our trays before finally giving up and finding a damp table outside where we ate our food quickly, shivering. Normally this is one of my favorite places in the city — there really is an incredible selection of good food and drinks, and usually it has a very relaxed, fun vibe. But mark my words, I will never go back there on a rainy day.