Comme ils sont discrets, les Français!

I came home from school at around quarter to 4. I was home for about 10 minutes when two people came in to repair something. I think that's why Catherine, my host mother, asked me when I'd be home.

Our clock is now sounding the hour of 10:00. It is 9:23. I love this clock.

After checking my e-mails and taking a short nap, I returned to school for a meeting with my advisor concerning my classes for the first semester. At Reid Hall (classes with just Smith students and then some with other students studying abroad), I've got Literary Methodology, French Phonetics, and the European Union. At the Sorbonne, it's Spanish and French Romanticism Art History.

I came back after that and got some homework done. When Elise and Dominique came back, I asked them what the flowers (des roses, des tourne-sols) in the kitchen were from. Dominique told me straight that it was Catherine's birthday. He saw the "Ka-WHAT?" look on my face, and he said something like, "C'est comme ça, ouais". The impression I got was that the French don't really celebrate all-out and prefer to be more discreet. I still felt like crap that I hadn't remembered during one of our first dinners when Elise mentioned her birthday.

I hadn't seen her all day, so I felt better, having not said anything to her. I made her a cute little card. When she came home, I got a knock on my door from Elise, saying that we were going to give her mom gifts. I was glad that I had made her a card. Elise hid around the corner with me and said, "Mama, today is a special day, isn't it? Then you should enjoy it!" Elise had made her a beautiful card and gave her a huge book on Spain that she said the bookseller recommended. From her dad, roses and a brooch of a fancy red cat.

We just finished dinner, which wasn't much, since Catherine got back late from teaching. If we had eaten earlier, I would've gone with a group of girls going to see a Fellini film. I'm not upset to not go, though. I think I could pretty easily go to sleep now. Actually, I think I'll do my laundry, finish my reading, have a little piece of CREME BRULEE FILLED CHOCOLATE!!!! and then go to sleep. Also, I'm watching the original Parent Trap. I love youtube.

Things about my family that I don't want to forget, lest they never reveal them again:
- Dominique and Catherine are about the same age as my parents
- Dominique has 5 brothers and one sister
- Catherine has 1 brother and 1 sister
- Elise has 17 cousins, all but one of whom are older than her

I might also write some postcards. If you want one, let me know! But chances are yours are already on their way.

Bonne soirée à tous!