crazy day

Yesterday was all over the place...

We had our last History of Provence class and despite the fact that it's my least favorite class here, I really enjoyed it. The student presentation topic was Provencal cuisine so the presenters had brought a tarte and wine. As we were eating our Professor gave a really nice toast and then started telling us about the first time he had American food - when the American soldiers liberated his town after WWII. That was quite the experience to hear someone talk about firsthand.

I spent the afternoon stressing about finding a place to stay in Paris since there were no more single or dorm rooms available at the place we had just agreed on meaning I'd have to pay for three beds each of the nights I was there by myself... not happening. And in the middle of all of that, I got a reply from my HR person at work to my question about enrolling in the health insurance program saying I couldn't sign up until the open season meaning I wouldn't be insured from Aug - Jan! With Michelle's help and the recommendations of people here, I think we finally found a place to stay though I'm still waiting to get confirmation. And, from a slightly cryptic e-mail received today, I think I might be able to get insured in September when I start work.

In the evening we had our final ceremony. Before going, I was thinking of it as substituting for my graduation, even though I knew I was setting myself up for disappointment. It turned out to be really nice. Lots of speakers talking about the similarities and differences between the French and Americans. The academic director, whose main interest is translation, spoke about differences in various sayings.

American: I have a frog in my throat.
French: I have a cat in my throat.

American: green thumb
French: green hand

American: Please excuse me!
French: I excuse myself.

American: Pigs will fly.
French: Chickens will have teeth.

One of the students from the school gave a nice speech too on behalf of the student body. He started by talking about his first day when he met his host mom and instead of saying "Je suis enchante" (again - I don't know how to do lj accents!) he said "Je suis enceinte" (I am pregnant.). Later that night at dinner, when she asked if he wanted more to eat he replied, "Je suis plein." Word for word, it means I am full - but it's really another way of saying you're pregnant. hahaha!

They also gave out academic prizes and, unexpectedly, I received the prize for excellence in History studies - haha! I find this incredibly amusing. Oh, and the prize was a book on the Cold War from the Atlas of Wars series - translated into French from the original English version. :o )