Sunday: Joe and I got ourselves up with just enough time to cram our bags (no one cared about "packing" at this point) and check out of our room. Chantalle, Selene, and Allie all caught the early morning train to Pau but Roshanna stayed behind; she was really ill at this point. So the three of us checked out (I helped carry Rosie's things downstairs) and then we went out to find food before the train ride. It wasn't really breakfast time anymore and we could have cared less: there was a Kebab shop just across the way. Joe and I got Kebabs stuffed with meat, sauce, and veggies but Roshanna wasn't interested and walked across the street to get coffee and a pastry/croissant type of thing. We didn't have time to finish our food there so we headed to the train station after that. We got in line with Kebabs in hand and bought tickets for 12:30p, or something like that. The guy at the counter greeted us with a [sarcastic] "bon appétit" when we walked up. Which was probably the polite way of saying, "you fat Americans are always eating on the go and we sit down when we eat in France. Get out of line you pigs!" =) But I won him back when I insulted us directly: we all chuckled after he wished us good eating and then it went silent so I said (in French), "well, we're Americans so this can't be that strange." He laughed, and certainly agreed, and helped us get the tickets we needed. After that, the simplest phase of the trip: enjoy the gorgeous countryside from Toulouse to Pau for two hours, eat a Kebab and entertain yourself with reading, writing, or something else. It was a piece of cake. The entire half-hour view from Lourdes to Pau is breathtaking and enchanting, so I had no problem enjoying the end of the train ride. My kebab was delicious so that easily got me through the first part. I was able to close my eyes for a little bit, and then, we were there...
It was raining lightly when we got to Pau- a welcome sign from this city. Joe and Roshanna headed right off to the bus and I stayed behind to wait for Christine. She pulled up soon after that and then the two of us headed home. When we got to the house, she very kindly offered to make me a recuperating snack: half a crab salad sandwich on white bread (not Lionel's), an orange, and a cup of chicorée. It was perfect. After that I headed right up to my room to plug my camera into my laptop. Lord knows that thing performed like a champ this past week and was going to need at least a year to upload all of my pictures to my computer. So I let that be while I unpacked. After that, the rest of the afternoon was a haze. I don't remember what I did after unpacking but at some point we ate dinner. At least I can remember that. After all, it was, in a way, unforgettable: oysters. Yayyyyyyyy. -_- Part of me was excited to try the oysters, but I had just been traveling like a mad person- I was in serious need of a good quiche or some crêpes! :) Christine, Lionel, and I each had a plate of 6, huge raw oysters (and they each had more after) while Guilhem and Emma (who was visiting for a view days) enjoyed the bucket of steamed oysters. How I wished I could be them. I've had raw oysters once before (thanks entirely to Phil and Joan Rutschow) but those were small enough to swallow whole and just experience the taste of the oysters. But these suckers, wow. I realized with horror, as I put the first one in my mouth that they were far too big to swallow whole. The terrifying reality hit with the slimy, sloppy oyster sitting on my tongue: I was going to have to chew it. I had no choice- it was already in my mouth. What was I going to do, spit it out? No, I had to do it. So, I did. And while the first bite triggered my gag reflexes, I got through it. I still don't yet understand how people can make a meal out of nothing but raw oysters, bread, butter, and wine but I don't find them 100% repulsive anymore. Eventually, I was able to try the cooked oysters. They were very simple; I don't think they had any seasoning on them. But they had a ton of flavor and I liked them a lot. Finally, Guilhem, Emma, and I were allowed to enjoy the best part: a pot of very hot, melted fondue and cubes of Lionel's bread. It was Heaven! There was a strong wine taste to the fondue and I think that heavy wine concentration is what kept the cheese so super soft and gloppy. It was amazing. :)
After dinner, I talked to my family for a little bit to let them know I was safe and sound. On skype, I was able to watch my sister open the birthday gift I had sent her just before my trip. It was very touching; almost like I was there with her! After that, they all tasted the various foods and treats I had sent and right then and there, my mom started some hot water for her and my dad to have cups of chicorée just like I do here. They all tried some chocolates and it was the coolest thing. They were doing the exact same thing that I do here on the afternoons with Lionel and Christine and I got to be there to watch them enjoy it. I loved it! After a good long talk, we said bye and I crashed very early. I am so happy to be "home"!
Monday: I definitely slept in today, enjoyed the breakfast I had missed so much, and then I got myself clean and ready for my one class of the day. I sent a quick shout out to my sister on facebook- today is her birthday (2/28). :) For lunch, we had fried hamburger patties with mustard; a pile of noodles dressed with olive oil, pesto, and seasonings; fruit; and the afternoon coffee. I somehow made it to Business in the EU but I have no idea what happened during class- I almost have no memory of this afternoon. For dinner: more raw oysters. Ugh. I was served 6 more and got through it once again. It was easier this time because I knew what to expect but I still didn't love it. I feel like there was another part to this dinner but unfortunately, I can't remember what. For dessert, though, I know that we had a banana, pineapple, and kiwi salad. This was very tasty but I have a problem with kiwi: I've developed an allergy to it where the back of my throat itches really badly when I eat it. So I left all of the kiwis and gave them to Guilhem when I was done. My throat was a little itchy from the juice but not as bad as it would have been if I'd have eaten the fruit directly. I went to bed tonight feeling slightly back into the swing of things.
Tuesday: It was certainly a struggle getting to school at 8a this morning, but I did it. We were so happy to have our two hour lunch break back that my friend Erin and I walked across the street after lunch to a nearby bakery and treated ourselves to pastries. I got another one of those soft, twisted bread things that is covered in chocolate chips for like a euro. It was just dandy. ;)
We had another round of the same dinner tonight: raw oysters. I thought I would be adjusting to them by now but tonight's batch actually grossed me out more. As soon as I smelled the salt water my stomach turned. At least tonight we switched things up a little bit and had bread with butter and small glasses of white wine. This might not sound very special, but we never have butter on our bread at dinner; that is just a breakfast thing. And I also learned tonight why we were consuming so many gosh darned oysters: a friend of Lionel's had somehow received three crates of excess oysters and a bottle of white wine that he was not going to use. So, he gave it all to Lionel. One day I'll probably reflect back on this and be insanely jealous of him. One day.....
Again, I can't be sure what the other part to dinner was if there was one. Certainly there was a salad (probably a spinach one) but I would think I would have been given more food than this as well. Oh well; I can only remember the oysters.
Wednesday: For dinner tonight, we [thankfully] were given a break from the oysters and had a fantastic homemade cheese and spinach lasagna. There were small pieces of herbed sausage mixed in as well but the focal point was definitely the spinach, cheese, and tomato sauce. Oh man, this was a good lasagna. Christine had baked it so that the cheese that was sprinkled on top hardened like a flaky cheese crust. The rest was insanely soft and warm. It was so good and so hot that I tried to devour it too quickly and burned my mouth. Oops. With this we had a salad and the usual dessert. I've been trying to mix up my choice of confiture with my yogurt lately. Typically (as you well know) I go for the raspberry or mixed raspberry that's available (the two mixes I've seen so far are raspberry and pear or raspberry and red currant), but there are a lot of other great homemade choices as well: black currant, red currant, blueberry, fig, etc. So I'm playing with options right now. ;) But raspberry is still the best.
Thursday: Thankfully, tonight was the end of the oyster escapades. My mouth and stomach truly couldn't handle anymore but I asked for three to be polite. Lionel gladly took my extra three. With this I was given the rest of the lasagna that was leftover, and I was very happy. :)
Friday: Two exciting things happened today: 1) a temporary house-guest named Kathy arrived for a two week stay with us, 2) I went out to pizza with a group of friends. Kathy is 39, was born and raised in China (she flew direct from Taiwan to Paris to get to us), is a top manager of L'Oréal, and is going to be working at the Paris branch for the next two years starting this summer. Kathy left her husband and her family to come and stay with us for two weeks as part of a month-long French emersion program to get her familiarized with the language. She speaks English fairly well but doesn't know much more than a handful of words in French. And I thought I had it tough showing up to Pau after a three-year-long hiatus from French! Thankfully, Kathy made a great impression on all four of us today- she is very sweet, friendly, and seems ready and rearing to take on French. I'm excited to get to know her a little better (and to be able to speak English with her for a few days!)
As I said before, tonight's dinner was pizza! A group of different friends and I met up in front of the château around 8p and walked to that great pizza place I went to with Joe and Rosie to pig out. I had another pizza with crème fraîche but this time it also came with onions and kebab meat. It was interesting but was very good. To finish, we all ordered dessert: I got a simple crêpe sucré (crêpe with sugar), and you know it was good. It was a great meal and it was fun to hang out with different friends for a little while.
My pizza
My dessert
My friend Aleca with her dessert: a crêpe topped with banana slices, warm chocolate sauce, ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles. I included this picture because I got to eat some of this monster- Aleca needed help finishing it :)
Unfortunately, when we left the restaurant Joe and I ended up at the back of the line together so it followed naturally that we walked together to where we were each headed. I say "unfortunately" because Joe was a perfect example this evening of the much-parodied male problem of NOT CONSULTING A MAP! For whatever reason, I took his word for it when he said things like "yea yea, I know exactly where we are" when we were on dark streets I had never seen before. We ended up walking around downtown Pau, in the dark, with me in heels the whole way for 45 minutes before we found the bus stop we each needed. Phew! When we parted ways to walk to our correct line, I saw that I had just missed the last bus for my line for the night. >:( So I walked back over to where Joe was and he offered to split a cab with me (he felt like it was his fault that I had missed my bus). It was going to be the quickest, shortest, and surest way home so I agreed. It was cheap, my feet hadn't started bleeding, and we had certainly had a great meal. I wasn't going to get upset about this minor hitch in the end of the evening. I finally made it into my room around 12a and got right into bed. After all, I needed sleep for tomorrow:
another field trip with USAC- to French Basque Country!!!
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