French Cowboys

So we went to this "Foire" in the local exposition area - it was a hybrid of a flea market/ local trade show (there is absolutely nothing to do on Sundays here and it was raining, so we were desperate for some action) - and we ran into something absolutely bizarre: a bunch of French cowboys line-dancing! I was stopped in my tracks - there was a stage set up and there were about 40 men and women, all dressed to the nines in their cowboy hats, cowboy boots, the whole ensemble, and all moving in synchronized dance - it was quite a sight, and one I never expected to find outside, say, Texas.

Apparently, the "West Country" is a huge group that organizes "Line-Dancing" events throughout France and in general celebrates what they see as the quintessential Western American culture. One flyer I picked up talk about the Harley motorcycles, horse parades, barrel racing, pole bending (?) and line dancing, as well as showcasing Indian villages, gold miner's camps and rodeo shows! According to their website (I could not resist) they organize "camps" where one can sample the Far West living - complete with re-creations of street duels (they rent you cowboy costumes, rifles and guns!)

Who knew there would be such an interest in France that organizations like this can exist and thrive? Ha, they like to look down on America as a culture vacuum on one hand, and on the other hand, line dancing and rodeos? I have to admit, the line dancing did look like a lot of fun!

Doctor in the House

PeeWee's office is officially inaugurated!

Actually he's been "official" since mid-January, but tonight was the party - lots of local doctors, lab technicians, medical sales people - in short, loads of fun.

No, really, it was great to see him with his colleagues in this esteemed profession and the kids had a good time playing with all the germ-laden toys in the waiting room while the adults mingled, gobbled up hors-d'oeuvres and champagne.

So here we are! Officially established!

Easter Bells!

I was pleasantly surprised to see in all the supermarkets that they sell chocolate eggs for Easter egg hunts. They are not very creative though - they don't sell empty plastic eggs so that you can stuff them with something other than chocolate - and thereby prevent ginormous sugar highs reminiscent of Halloween.

Anyway besides the eggs and the bunnies, all the supermarkets carried a huge selection of chocolate bells. Bells, you say? Yes, bells - les cloches. Nobody could explain to me why bells - though one friend did try, something about bells going to Rome and bringing back chocolate eggs. No, I don't think anything was lost in translation. Maybe I am provincial, growing up in mostly Jewish and Asian neighborhoods of NYC and all, but I have never heard of bells bringing Easter chocolates from Rome? (This does remind me of my freshman year at NYU when on one Spring day I kept on seeing people with ashes on their foreheads. After a while, I was convinced that a building had collapsed somewhere - only later that day did I learn that it was Ash Wednesday!)

Happy Easter!

Operation Looming

Manolee for some time has had trouble breathing through her nose - she has been breathing through her mouth so loud at times that she is at a severe disadvantage when playing hide and seek - her breathing immediately gives her away!

The ENT we saw today took one look in her nose and then another brief look into her mouth and declared that she needed to get her "amygdales" removed.  I had never heard the term before so I was alarmed - I mean, not that I am medically trained or anything but most words I can trace back to some sort of English words or a familiar root - but amygdales just stumped me and convinced me that he was proposing some very rare and complicated operation (I asked PeeWee in the consultation room but he just dismissed me as he continued his doctor talk with the ENT guy and said, oh I'll draw you a picture later - I know, helpful, right?)

I took her back to school and announced gravely to the teacher that she needed her amygdales removed. The teacher did not look alarmed, no gasps, no oh-la-la's, so it calmed me down somewhat. Then I got home and googled the term - ok so it's a tonsilitis. Tonsilitis are quite common, right? I remember when Marcia Brady got them and that was like in the 70s, and even then she came home just fine and ate lots of ice cream and anyway medical technology must have advanced quite a bit by now, right?

She will be going under general anesthesia and that part is somewhat nerve-wrecking... but hopefully this will put an end to her labored breathing/ disturbed sleeping/ coughing-till-throwing-up/ waking up grouchiness/ etc and etc.

Manolee has no idea what is to come... but we told Hana and she is not one to hold her tongue, so I guess I have to think up a toddler-appropriate explanation soon!

Celebrating Birthdays - French Style

This entry is not meant as a slight to any French parent, but rather observations gleamed from the past few months.

In a nutshell, what I am finding is that kids' birthday parties are not taken that seriously in France. I'm not being judgmental here - in many ways, I like and admire that lackadaisical casual attitude that most parents seem to adopt in celebrating their kids' birthdays here. But it is a sure departure from what we've known in NYC and London.

First of all, 99% of the parties are held in people's homes - contrast that with parties in NY and London where I would say 90% of parties are held somewhere else - OK apartments and houses tend to be smaller in NY and London, but still.

Secondly, everyone here bakes their own birthday cakes. Quite casually, I would say. No frosting, no icing, just a simple chocolate cake. I think back to the humoungous (and expensive) Barbie cake we had ordered for Hana's 7th birthday in London, and I feel quite sheepish.

Thirdly, party favors are almost unheard of. Hana attended three parties last month and only got favors at one - and it was loose gummy bears and one of those ballpoint pens they give out at conferences (with the name of a pharmaceutical company on it, no less), all in a plastic shopping bag. In another party, Hana came home with a few candy pieces in one of those white disposable cups. Manolee came home from a party with a book (nice!) but it was wrapped in leftover Xmas wrapping paper (the party was in March). Most moms do not prepare any favors whatsoever. Again, this is nice! One less thing to stress over, and again, quite unlike in NY and London. 

Fourth - there is just not a whole lot of advance notice on the parties. On a Monday, I would get an invitation for that following Wednesday. On Friday I would get an invitation for that Sunday. I do not know if the parents are just really disorganized or it is a clever ploy to limit the number of kids from coming.

Fifth - invitations are almost always handwritten, longhand. As in, "I invite you to my birthday party on Saturday etc etc. Please call my mom and let her know quickly whether you can come!". No cutting to the chase with only the must-know info, the when and where.

Lastly, moms can be quite strict at the parties. Hana told me that at one party she did not get any cake because she had not finished some snacks on her plate that were handed out beforehand. Can you imagine withholding birthday cake from a guest!? Well, again, it's quite liberating to know that you can discipline  or threaten another person's kid into behaving the way you them to.

Well, I'm not sure I am quite brave enough to adopt all these local customs, but it's nice to know that I can now set the bar a bit lower! Vive la France!