Moving on...

So I am moving to Béziers on Monday! I have discovered, as did my Scottish friend who was also an au pair until yesterday, that being an au pair is really not what its cracked up to be. At first it is great, no doubt... but then it seems that the families, regardless of how nice they are, begin to take advantage of your presence there. For instance, in our contract it says that we will be working 30 hours a week for 75 euros/week. Alright so not a lot of money obviously but for the experience it is worth it. However I have been expected to work 40+ hours per week ... but still for only 75 euros. Same story for my friend. She finally got fed up with the kids and the parents who expected perfection and were just plain mean. She flew home yesterday. Me I'm not flying home yet, but I am leaving the family. Actually they told me a week or so ago that they couldnt keep me here because I cant drive standard and am too nice with their son (??) ... so I was sad but then decided that actually I was being set FREE, and started looking for work in Béziers. And then three days later the family said that actually I could stay if I wanted. But I was already too happy to be leaving. So I am going to be living in the city (small one but it beats the countryside), where my french teacher has offered me a studio in the school free of rent and I am still looking for work. It's not how I had expected the summer to go but I am really happy. It will be a different experience buying my own groceries here, etc. Et voila, that's that. Ciao!

BABY!

Le bébé Leon Mazet was born yesterday! Gorgeous little baby boy, I got to go and see him this afternoon. So crazy to see such a small baby... only a day old! If you scroll down, I've put some larger pictures of the baby... seriously so adorable! Mom and baby come home on Sunday... and the grand opening of the restaurant here is... Thursday. Ridiculously crazy. I will keep you all updated on the craziness as it plays out. In the meantime check out the photos!

Things are picking up... excitement!

So yesterday was quite the day! In the morning I went to Béziers for my first day of French lessons. The class is pretty good... a lot of talking (yay!) and we're actually learning les mots argots (slang or regional language) which is exactly what I need/want. And super plus, I'm not the only one in the class... there is one other girl who is also an au pair here. She's from Scotland (I now see how very welsh I am... she has the same crazy pale skin as me!) and although we both speak english, neither of us wants to speak it while we're here so after the class we went to the marché de vendredi (Friday market - clothes, food, EVERYTHING!) and we only spoke in French. I feel much happier here now that I have someone my age to hang out with. Yay!

Also yesterday, Basile learned how to pedal on his little tricycle/tractor! I was actually surprised how proud I was of him... I have been trying to get him to use the pedals (normally he just pushes himself around using his feet) since I got here. Tout à coup he just started to do it! That's kids I guess... they do things in their own time. He is starting to talk a lot more than when I first arrived and he listens to me so much more than he used to. Today before he went to eat lunch (meaning I get an hour of freedom while he eats lol), he came and gave me a hug and a little bisou... so cute!

So everything here is good... I am starting tennis lessons soon... I bought my racquet now I just have to learn how to use it! Things are starting to move along. I already know that I'm going to be really sad to leave!

Addy

For all of you who are DYING to send me a letter (ps: I LOVE letters lol), here is my address here in France:

"Les Bruyeres" Chemin de coussergues
Servian, France
34290

Ciao!

Maudite journée

So... today seemed like it was going to be an amazing day. I was going to go on my first 'adventure' by taking the bus to Pézenas (about 15 mins away - 5 by car... we know how that goes lol) to meet with a lady about signing up for a French course (God knows I've taken enough French courses but it'll be helpful and I really want to meet some people my age), so that would be for the afternooon and then I would be free to do what I want either here or in Pézenas until 6pm when I would be looking after Basile. I was actually really excited about it all because normally I have to look after Basile earlier. So ya, good day ahead. So I'm walking to the bus and I realize that I'm going to be late if I dont hurry up because I left a bit late. So I start running but I couldnt go very fast because I was wearing flip-flops so I said screw it, I'm a country girl, the shoes are coming off. So I was running pieds nus to make it to the bus on time. At one point I tripped a little bit but caught myself before I fell and then kept on running. And then I looked down at my feet (prolly why I tripped in the first place) and my toe was bleeding and there was a huge gash in it. At first I figured whatever, I've dealt with worse, this is nothing (visions of knives and thumbs come to mind...)I'll just keep going and clean it up when I get to Pézenas. Ya that was NOT going to happen... a few more steps and there was blood all around my toes. So I turned back and walked to the house but the gate was locked and I didn't have a key. I tried the buzzer a few times but there was no response. Super. So I walked with my gashed-up toe to the golf course that is about 10 mins up the road where they gave me a bandaid and let me use their phone. I got back to the house at just the time I was supposed to have met the lady in Pézenas so I had to call her and tell her what had happened and reschedule. And then I slept. So that was today's 'adventure'... not exactly what I had expected... hopefully tomorrow will be better. Ciao

Marc was right...

So I spent my first full day in France "touring" Béziers (my house here is in Servian, which is about 5-10 minutes en voiture from Béziers). My "tour" consisted of finding a map of Béziers and walking and walking and walking... and getting lost (what?! me?! NEVER!!), feeling like a putz who can't speak French (or figure out how cafés work...), and, the point of this blog, getting smooth-talked by some gars from Paris who gave me his number and bought me a Coca. All I can say I have already said above... Marc was right. Smooth little buggers. Not sure if I'm going to call the guy or not (I'm still typical me even in France) but his name is Nabil, he's not bad looking and it wouldnt exactly be horrible to have someone to hang out with. But we will see...

Toto, on n'est plus à Kansas

Je suis en France!! After a ridiculously long journey (and no sleep because even I (me who can sleep pretty much anywhere) couldnt get much sleep on those planes!) I finally made it to Montpellier. My host family (Laure, Jacques et le petit Basile) met me with hugs at the aéroport Montpellier méditerranée. Basile was being super shy at first but once we got into the car for the half hour drive to Servian he began to play and talk (still baby talk but occasionally it is actually understandable) and is being quite the show-off (coquin) which drives Jacques and Laure kinda crazy!

Everything here is super beautiful! I'll post pictures later since I'm going to Béziers this afternoon so I'll take lots of pictures there to add to the ones I have of Montpellier.

French-wise I am obviously having to speak it (yay!) but I have more than enough room for improvement. I LOVE Laure and Jacque's accents so I'm really hoping to pick that up! I get confused between "C'est bon" et "c'est bien" ... I never know which one to use when (DLS people... help!!) but I am learning as I go so hopefully after the first week things should start to get easier and I will be speaking better!