British or American?

When I applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in France, my main goal was to learn more of and improve my knowledge of the French language; a goal in which I feel like I have attained. However, I never expected to learn so much about my native language of English! As I have lived the past seven months with Amy, a British university student, I have learned that how the British speak is miles different from how Americans speak. I find it only fitting to finally post my list of differences between British and American English today, as I just said a final (and tear-filled) goodbye to my British flatmate this morning. So, here goes!

**Note: this was a list compiled over the course of our living together. It is from our personal realizations of differences between our nation's vernaculars and is not at all complete.**

American	British
Fries	Chips
Chips	Crisps
Flashlight	Torch
Sweater	Jumper
Garbage/Trash	Rubbish
Vacation	Holiday/s
Hot plate	Hob
Sneakers	Trainers
Sweatpants	Track suit bottoms
Panties	Knickers
Movie	Film
Candy	Sweets
Math	Maths
Pimples	Spots
Dinner/Supper	Tea
Fall	Autumn
Saran wrap	Cling Film
Wallet	Purse
Garbage can	Bin
Coupons/Gift cards	Vouchers
Check-out	Till
Mocking you/Making fun of you	Taking the piss out of you
Hard cookies	Biscuits
Movie theatre	Cinema
Lucky	Jammy
Sledding	Sledging
Pajamas	Jimmies
Wrinkles	Creases
Santa Clause	Father Christmas
Crock Pot	Slow cooker
Pants	Trousers
Eraser	Rubber
I don’t care	I’m not bothered
Round Trip	Return
Little things	Bits and bobs
Apartment	Flat
Roommate	Flat mate
Thumb tacks	Pins
Mardi Gras	Pancake Day
Closed	Shut
My house/your house/her house	Mine/your’s/her’s
Go to bed	Tuck in
Lay out	Sunbathe
Dessert	Pudding
Braid	Plait
Hair tie	Hair bauble
Take	Pick
It does what it says on the label	It does what it says on the tin
Line	Queue
Bill	Note
Grades	Marks
Canker sores	Ulcers
2:30	Half two
What do you want to do?	What do you fancy?
Drive stick	Drive with gears
Bachelorette Party	Hen night
Expenses	Outgoings
In a wedding	Going to be a bridesmaid/groomsmen
Cup of tea	Cuppa

All the vocabulary differences aside, I could not have imagined spending seven months with a greater person. Living in Apt is hard - it is one of those things that is difficult to explain to people that have not experienced the assistantship like we have. Through good times and bad, we got each other through this experience and I can not be more grateful to have gained another great friend, British or not. Although she will be across the pond, I hope we will stay in contact for years to come, with reunions in England, America or elsewhere. To Amy, wishing you a last two great weeks in Provence, and best of luck in your adventures this summer and beyond! Tu vas me manquer!* xxx**

*Look, I finally figured out how to order it!
**Your British ways are rubbing off on me... :)

Home Improvement

The past four days have been a lovely long weekend here in Provence. I am sitting in my kitchen looking out onto the sun setting over the hills. Although the blue skies and sunshine never seem to fade, there are some autumn traces starting to show, with the gusting chilly wind and the colors of the foliage starting to yellow.

View from my kitchen window this evening.

On Friday, Amy and I ventured into Avignon to try and figure out our phone situation. Originally, we had planned to just keep our pay as you go phones, as it seemed the cheapest option. However, rates changed and it made more sense for us to go to a different store and sign up for a monthly plan. When we got there though, we were told that we would have to buy a new phone entirely to take full advantage of the internet that comes with the plan. Not expecting the prices of the phones to be so high, and while re budgeting my entire month's allowance in my head, the salesperson ran back in telling us he had a solution: the Telib. Now, the velibs are quite popular here in France: they are public bikes you can pick up from their various stations along the street, after it reads your credit card of course. You can ride the bike around town as much as you please, just as long as you put it back in a marked velib spot once you are done. If you don't return it, that is when you get fined and your card gets charged. Besides this, it is entirely free!

Virgin has taken this idea and applied it to phones: for 20 euro a month, I will get unlimited calls, texts, and 10 Go of internet on a smartphone with all apps provided. And the best part, I am in essence borrowing the phone, so I don't pay for it! When I am done using it at the end of this school year, all I have to do is return it to the store. Pretty awesome, right? Not so awesome: they were out of these phones when we were there, so we are returning Wednesday afternoon to officially get this plan.*

After the visit to the phone shop, Amy and I indulged a bit and went to IKEA. As I had never been to one before, it was quite overwhelming! But I was happy to get many things to make the apartment feel more like home. After sprucing this place up, I do have to say that it feels much better to spend time here.

New bedding, rug and blanket. And yes, the color theme was on purpose. Not pictured but also part of the home improvements: a new lamp, cinnamon candle and a new shower caddy!

Saturday morning was another typical day of wandering around the market. I happened to notice the amount of stares I was getting though - as since it was a beautiful day, I was wearing a t-shirt, jeans and sandals. Passing by a vendor visibly shivering while bundled in a winter coat and scarf, hiding his hands underneath his legs for extra warmth, I thought only one thing - you think this is cold?! Come to Michigan, man! That morning we also spent some time at our favorite Bar l'Aptois, where I checked off another thing from my bucket list here: I tried a cafe au lait. I wouldn't say I liked the first sip, but as I kept drinking it, I did learn to enjoy the taste quite a bit.

The rest of Saturday and Sunday was spent at home, reading, relaxing, cleaning** and watching movies. During these past few days, I have also been trying to plan many trips, which I will reveal later on. But there is one trip that I can't hold in, because I am so excited about it! I am so grateful that as my Christmas present this year, my family has helped me a buy a ticket back home for the holidays! Though I was not planning on going back to the States until next May, I cannot say how thrilled I am to be able to see family and friends, especially during the holiday season! I am enjoying my life here in France and traveling around Europe, but there is nothing like being home for the holidays.

Also part of the home improvement. Can you tell I am excited for Christmas??

Today, Amy and I decided to make a little hike to a nearby town called Gargas. After walking for an hour, we stopped for refreshment and a bit of discount shopping and then, having realized we didn't really know where we had to proceed to get to the town, we turned back to Apt. Either way, it was a nice way to get out of the apartment, enjoy the beautiful weather and exercise a bit. And we decided to practice our French on the way back, something we are going to try to push ourselves to do more often when we are around the apartment.

Tomorrow ends our long weekend of relaxation, with classes once again. I quite enjoy going back to teaching after the week end though - it gives me something extra to busy myself with. Until then, enjoying this lovely evening here in the South of France.

*Typical day here in France: don't ever expect for things to be done the same day you go out to take care of a certain task. You will almost always have to return.
**I see your face reading that, Mom. Yes, I know - it is hard to believe.

Lazy Weekend in Apt

Bon soir from Apt! After the crazy week of traveling and orientations, Amy and I decided to stay in this weekend, having a nice relaxing weekend in this small, quaint town.

Yesterday, we explored the market together as well as did some shopping at the Intermarche, the closest grocery store* we have here. I finally made a necessary purchase that every woman who lives in a provincial town needs: a straw basket. I feel oh so français now, carrying around my food purchases in this bag. And we had a lovely French conversation with the vendor at this tent, full of advice of when the market is best and parted with him saying "à bientôt!"(translation: see you soon!) We spent Saturday afternoon planning out trips for coming weekends - next weekend, Cannes for Amy's birthday and for our first two week vacation that begins on October 19... well I guess you will just have to wait and see what that one will be, won't you?**

pain au chocolat et amandes - basically an almond and chocolate croissant. delicious!

Last night, we decided to try and cook our first full real meal on this hot plate business we've been given. Though this apartment is nice, I have to say it is quite annoying that we don't have a kitchen. Or even an oven. Or even a functioning hot plate. Our's is constantly making weird popping noises and sparking. Not fun. Even with this, we managed to make delicious poached salmon with green beans, served with fresh baguette topped with olive tapenade from the market, rosé wine, and mini desserts from one of our favorite patisseries in town.

Wine straight from the Luberon, plus a view of our new tablecloth!

After dinner, we decided to go to a movie. There happens to be a small cinema in town here, with three theaters and an incredibly musky smell inviting you to walk through its doors. We saw Diana, the movie which depicts the life of Princess Diana. Considering I was very young when she died, I did not know very much about her or her life, so I quite enjoyed it. Amy had a different perspective, as she is from England and has been brought up seeing the change in the royal family. It is really interesting to hear the different points of view, and to know the story from the lens of someone else's eyes. Not to mention that I am learning so much about the differences in what Americans call things versus what English people call them. For example, what do they call a flashlight? A torch. How awesome is that? Pulling a torch out of your bag to see where you are going... I would be so excited to use one if it was called that!

Sunday, we decided to get a bit of fresh air and exercise. So, we packed a pique-nique and headed on the nearest walking trail which lead to the nearby village of Saignon. The sign said only 3km of a walk. Not bad, eh? What it left out is that the walk itself is quite a steep climb, leaving us out of breath and quite hot on our little Sunday stroll. Once we reached the top though, the views of Apt from Saignon left me breathless from its pure beauty.*** We enjoyed our lovely lunch of salad, baguette and tapenade, wine and tarte au miel et amandes, followed by an afternoon of reading, cat-napping and soaking up sun on the hill.

Trail was marked by these lines on trees, rocks, etc.

Hidden vineyard along the hike.

See that group of beige-ish colored specks in the middle? That is Apt. Pretty beautiful, right?

Our pique-nique

Honey almond tarts!

Such a peaceful end to a wonderful weekend leads me to potentially dread this week. Tomorrow, I start my mandatory week of observation of the classes I will be assisting. I still have yet to receive a schedule of what times my classes are though... so I am not entirely sure when or where I have to be tomorrow, if I even work tomorrow. Oh well, for now I will enjoy the bits of weekend I have left, as time seems to be slipping through my fingertips already.

*Really, what I mean when I say grocery store is not what we would even consider to be a Meijer or Walmart. The place I go to sort of resembles like a Hardings or Family Fare back home, but cheaper prices.
**I know the suspense is killing you.
***Or maybe it was all the walking.