Eating: A Cultural Experience

Bonsoir! I am sitting in my room, cross-legged on my bed, listening to the clock tick on into the new morning. Nothing new today, just boring lectures all day in a language I still don't comprend(understand). The metro chugged me back and forth across town all day. First, in the morning, I left early (before the sun rose) for orientation. It took me an hour to get there on the metro. Then, we had lunch at the conference center, and it was very gourmet. First course, we had an appetizer of asparagus and a pastry, then we had le poule avec des pommes de terre (chicken and potatoes) for an entree, next we had chocolate covered orange and a cream cake for dessert, then a small espresso to end. The lunch was provided by IES. That was probably the second best part of the day. The best part was my rendez-vous avec ma famille d'acceuil (meeting with my host family) for dinner. I guess I like to eat.

At least in Paris, eating is a very elegant event. I am always scared that I am not practicing the right etiquette, and my plate always has lots of silverware around it for dinner (I never know which one to use!). We had some broccoli something or other to start with tomato sauce over it. This is the second dish they served with tomato sauce. Then, for course two, we had an italian dish kind of like lasagna. Then of course we had fromage du chevre (goat cheese) on bread with wine. Then after, we had a cheese that comes in a yogurt container, but tastes like whip cream for dessert. I learned some new dinner etiquette today at orientation. You are always supposed to have both hands on the table (not one in your lap) and bread should never be on the plate. If you have a roll, it should sit on the table by the plate, because apparently it is considered disgusting to put bread on a plate touching the rest of your food.

The dinner conversation was pleasant as always. I found out that my family's ancestors made swords and that the swords were on display in a museum across town. I also found out that my host brother, Charles-Henry, will be moving into his own place for the first time in April. I thought that was strange because he is 27, but his parents were as sad as parents leaving their kid at college for the first time. I also told them that my brother was studying nuclear astro physics, but i couldn't say that in French, so i said he is studying "la physique des etoiles" (the physics of the stars). I thought that was a nice way to put it. Other dinner conversation that we have talked about for all our dinners is that their car is broken and in the shop. I think the oil is leaking; they mentioned oil. I told them that my dad knew a lot about cars, and they were very impressed! "C'est magnifique" they said.

After dinner we retired to our rooms, and now I am off to bed. I don't have to wake up early tomorrow, so I will "fait la gras matinnee" (sleep in) in the morning.

Adieu,

Leah