Je t'aime France!

Our last day in France was very bittersweet.  I never in the world thought that I would hesitate to leave, but I did.  I am so very excited to see my family and friends back home, especially my very pregnant best friend!  It has been close to 9 months since she found out she was pregnant, and of course, it happened right as I had arrived in France.  I can't wait to see her and soon greet her son into the world. There is definitely something to be said about a best friend who does not allow distance to minimize a friendship.

While I am excited to see my family and friends, I still can't shake a feeling of having to part with something that can only be experienced for yourself.
However, here is a list of my top 10 things I will miss about France:

1)The French "privacy" of maintaining good boundaries (I.e; people not getting into your business.  Many people give the French a hard time in saying that they are too curt, but counseling is my day job and the last thing I want to do is have a session with my waitress or postman.)

2)The genuineness of French emotions

(For example; people not forcing smiles when they don't mean it, people only laughing when things are really funny, not just because it's what the other person wants).

3)The Quiet.  My God can the French enjoy the silence!  (Example; A typical flight from Nice/Paris/Biarritz were some of the most quiet flights I've ever taken.  Even in restaurants, the French use their "inside voices" instead of trying to bolster attention in a room with a loud voice/conversation.)

4)To be able to walk to everything, including the grocery, and not have to drive. (Example; I could go to the grocery under our apartment and then if I forgot something, run back down.  No big deal. No gas. No car.)

5)The shaming of the plastic bag. (For example; when you go to the grocery in France, you must pay for bags.  They encourage you to bring your own reusable bags or if you must buy, they have paper bags for purchase.)

6)The active and healthy lifestyle including the amazing healthcare.

(For example; French person are pretty slim.  Perhaps it is the diet.  Perhaps it is the fact that they walk everywhere for the most part.  Maybe it's a bit if both.  Whatever it is, it's working.  Also, French doctors have given Alex and myself great care with carry over plans fr the States. The doctors were even sympathetic to the US' problem with high cost Rx and allowed us to fill 4 months worth of meds in France to take back with us! Super cheap and we get reimbursed for most of it).

7)The amazing FOOD!

(For example; for the most part, France does not allow GMOs and therefore, their fruits and veggies are some of the tastiest stuff on Earth. When they want sweets, they go for Gold with pure cane and not high fructose corn syrup.) the pastries, the cheese.....I will miss you!!

8)The reduction of major crime/violence.

(For example; France's violent crime and sexual assault rate is far less than the US.  It's just something that has to be felt to understand, but I will miss not having to look over my shoulder when walking downtown.)

9)The wonderful sense of a work/life balance and the importance of having a real lunch break. (For Example; in the States, as a LPC or even at the high school, you were lucky to get a lunch break.  In France, most places close from 12-2pm in order to have a proper lunch and rest.  Students even come home from school to have lunch at home.)

10)I will miss all of the international friends that Alex and I made while he was attending his MBA program.  It could have been anywhere in the world, but France made it that much more special and enjoyable.  

And now to be fair.....the Top 10 things I am looking forward to doing when I get "home:"

1)Seeing my wonderful family/friends

2)Rolling around in my in-law's land and pond (Yes, I discovered that I am definitely NOT a city girl!).

3)Eat some good ol' fashioned BBQ!

4)Eat at my favorite Japanese restaurant in the world, UMI (and see the wonderful Miyazaki family).

5)Get my favorite brands back (Burt's Bees and Ole Henriksen....oh how I have missed you!)

6)Saturday Night Steak Night....sponsored by the Master Chef, Dennis Gaines (AKA Big O) and Mawmaw Winkles.

7)Having a world full of possiblilities when it comes to pursuing the next step in my career.

8)Stand Up Paddleboarding 

9)Joining some form of MMA or Muay Thai gym again

10)Being able to watch the season finale of Game of Thrones on the night it airs!

A Goodbye from Biarritz/Pays Basque

For our last month in France, we decided to get a better feel for Biarritz (the little surf town we had visited in October).  We flew from Nice to Lyon to Biarritz and even Ruckus was pretty chill about it. We had some awesome friends drive us to the airport and come wish us well (Ray, Patrick, Alexis and Tats).  We are so lucky to have met such great people.  

When we landed in Biarritz, we were reminded of the magical beauty of the place.  Our cab driver got confused over the address and Eventhough he dropped us off in the middle of town, we manage to find another who got us to our resting place.  The apartment we rented was great (and huge for what we had been used to in Nice!).  It had a rustic charm but modern appliances (and even a dryer and dishwasher!!! Omg).  

In our first days, I managed to find a relatively cheap used surfboard rather than rent a board due to the high cost.  The surf was 100 yards away and it was the most beautiful break I have ever seen/surfed.  

Alex's parents came to stay with us for 2 weeks and the sky opened up the entire time they were here.  There were only 2 days we were able to lay out on the beach, but that was ok because we were able to explore Spain and the amazing Basque region.  

We visited Arcachon and La Dune du Pyla again to take the parents (who loved it!), ate at a really neat pizza place, visited a bird park, drive around the Basque Pyrenees region where we ran into sheep, cows, goats, and horses, went into the grottos of the Basque region where some of the very first men were recorded to have lived, went through San Sebastián and Bilbao, Spain, and even walked through some medieval villages and citadels.  Needless to say we also ate our way through the Basque region with some wonderful food.

One of my most favorite days was when I taught Wink how to surf!  She did absolutely wonderful and I hope I will be able to get her back out in the surf when we return to the states.

Right after Wink and Dennis left, Alex's classmates (Teru, Tats, and Patrick) drive from Nice to Biarritz to surf and have some fun.  We had some amazing times in the ocean with Teru learning how to surf and the rest of the guys surfing for the GoPro camera I mounted on my board.  At night time, the fun never stopped as the guys dance their way through the streets and we played stupid games like "would you rather."  It was the perfect send off with such special people.  

(Below is a link to a short video of some fun we had in Biarritz)

http://youtu.be/R0YCFPwE7mU

Anarchy in the UK

The weekend after my family returned to California, Alex and I traveled to London to visit his Uncles Dan and Mario.  Alex had been to London when he was very young and could barely remember any of it, but it was my first time, and I had no clue what to expect.

Our flight started off being delayed by nearly 2 hours and then when we finally reached London, we had to take the Gatwick Express into Fitzrovia.  By the time that happened, it was around 1am, but Dan was very sweet to wait on us as at the station and we got a big hug from Mario and lots of licks from Dumela the brilliant Lab upon arriving at the flat.

The next few days were filled with tours of London (the London and Tower bridges, the Tower of London, the Ee of London, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, and my ultimate favorite....Camden!).

Dan and Mario were very good hosts and took us to some amazing places to eat.  I even branched out and tried some new food!  Wink was thoughtful and picked up the tab for some of the most wonderful Indian food I have ever eaten, right down the street from the Happy Go Lucky Funeral Parlour. 

We even stopped in to eat dinner with the Creek family, after John Creek had helped Alex compile a sponsor package when he was soliciting sponsors for Grand-Am.  They were do kind to have us in their home, cook for us, and allow us to keep them up until midnight sharing stories.

Camden was my favorite place though.  Sure, it's a little grungy, dirty, what have you, but I am blown away by the creative spirit that town has!  Not only did they have a marketplace with foods from all over the world, they had some of the best shops and art around.  I think Alex's favorite part of the trip wa the glow in the dark rave shop we found in Camden.  There are no words to describe it!

All in all, we had great fun with Fan and Mario and London followed through with surprising me, in a good way.  If it weren't for the rain, we would be tempted to live in the UK for sure.

Family, Friends, & Farewells

To kick off Spring's first warmth in Nice, my Grandmother, Carol, came to visit us. This was her first time ever traveling abroad and she had to apply for a passport in the month leading up to her trip.  Traveling outside of the US had been something that nobody had done in my family until my initial trip to France back in 2012.  My Grandmother told me that it was her father's dream to visit China after he had befriended a local owner of a Chinese restaurant.  He was determined to go, but my Great Grandfather never made it.  Even my Grandmother had dreams of going to the birthplace of our Farquharson heritage, Scotland, but did not have a passport until we invited her to France.

It was wonderful to show my Grandmother a whole new world.  We visited St. Tropez, Cannes, Eze, and Monaco.  She really enjoyed Nice life and the French culture.  Even though I could not bring her to Scotland, I think she was happy to visit a place where she never even ha dreamed of going and being surprised by what she found.

Needless to say, since my Grandmother's return, she struggles to find a croissant or pastry that can suffice (Sorry for the headache Grandpa Dan!)

After my Grandmother left to return to the States, my good friend Shannon Blankenship and her boyfriend, Cliff, came to enjoy a Spring Break in Paris and Nice.  It was completely impressive that Cliff drove all the way from Paris to Nice (an 8 hour ride after a 12-13 hour flight from the States!). What a pro.  

We quickly gave Cliff an impromptu Frenh lesson so that he could charm the locals into getting his food quickly and getting what he wants.  We made several trips.  From Monaco (drove the Grand Prix track) to Eze, to rally car racing the rental call up through the French/Italian mountains and almost running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.  We had a blast! The time was much too short though, and we hope to be able to have many more adventures with them both very soon.

Right after Shannon and Cliff left for Charlotte, my Stepmother, Father, and younger Brother came to visit.  I was very anxious to see them, as I had not seen them for quite some time.  They flew all the way from California, which is an additional 5 hours tacked onto the 10-13 it takes to get from Charlotte to France.  Just like the others, we took them everywhere; St Tropez, Monaco, Cannes, Eze, and hiked around Nice.  They got to experience a bike ride on the Velo Bleus on the Promenade des Anglais and many nights of amazing French cuisine.  However, I believe Kathy and Josh's favorite food was the macaroons while my father's was the sorbet.  Everyone's favorite restaurant hands down was La Rossetterie where you can order almost any type of roasted meat and side dish with an amazing dessert.

The last night my family was in town, Alex had his school's farewell dinner.  It was only then did he realize that he was really finished with his MBA and our time in France was limited.  It's amazing how the time has flown by! (Nice bra Alexis!)

In Tunisia....in a Galaxy Far Far Away!

On Alex's Dpring Break from school, we decided to take a short trip to Djerba which is a small island off the coast of Tunisia, a 2 hour flight from Nice, France. Tunisia and the small island of Djerba are famous for Star Wars having been filmed there.  It is also on the map more recently for having been the birthplace of the Arab Spring.  

The airport in Djerba is very small.  When we wet through customs, the only uncomfortable moment we had was when the customs agents smirked at us when they saw our American passports.  Outside the resort, there was clear evidence of a recen revolution. There were obvious signs of bomb blasts in the buildings having never been fixed, and a proper litter disposal was lacking to say the least.  I asked a local about the litter and he denied that Djerba had a problem and instead, blamed the litter issue on the ocean.  After inspecting several pieces of trash, all which was in Arabic, I would say that the island has a litter problem for sure.

On the resort, you would never know that the island had gone trough any recent turmoil, it was a sparkling palace.  Every staff member could speak at least 3-5 languages, which was very impressive!  Most of the staff members were from Djerba or mainland Tunisia.  The hotel was very impressive and very inexpensive.  

The first night at the hotel, Alex had been struggling with good poisoning from a new place we had tried in Nice, France and finally succumbed to the sickness.  We were able to relax that night in our room and rest up for the days to come.  The next morning, he felt much better and finally ate something.  We laid under the palapas on the beach and made plans to go horseback riding the next day.  I managed to find the island cats who seemed to have made our hotel their hang out.  That night we ate at one of the resort's restaurants and listened to some live music.

The next day we rode horses on the beach and through the sand dunes.  It was amazing and it felt good to be on a horse again!  The last time Alex or I had been on a horse was before we were teens. Our guide was really funny, spoke very good English, and kept us entertained with all his stories about his family and the island.

Midway through the ride, I had to switch horses with Alex because the horse I rode was the guide's favorite and therefore was very rebellious because he allowed him to get away with a lot more than the other horses.  His rebellion towards me consisted of taking multiple side tours to eat grass and whatever else he wanted.  When we switched, he seemed to mind Alex much better! 

The next day we enjoyed the spa at the hotel where we were able to get massages and swim in the saltwater pool and sweat everything out in the huge hammam.  Sometimes it is nice to just have everything quiet.

The day before we left, we took advantage of one last massage at the spa, more swimming, and more beach time, and Alex even worked on some school projects.  We enjoyed some local music that night, and watched the sunset from our balcony.  It was a great relaxing trip in a new foreign country.  The people were nice, intelligent, and the flight time from Nice was not bad at all.  In general, Djerba was a cool place to see and I hope that it can grow and learn green, sustainable practices.

A weekend in Paris

With break coming to an end, our last weekend before returning to school would be spent in Paris for a meeting with the Director of the Family Business Center and the EDHEC Job Fair. This weekend couldn't have come at a better time as we had recently come back from Rome and had taken other small adventures around the Nice area.  We had just taken a train to Ventimiglia, Italy a few days before with our friends from Brasil (Henrique and Gabriela) to check out the large outdoor market and have lunch.  We were ready for another adventure!

We arrived in Paris very late on Wednesday night, so we decided to go straight to our hotel in e Latin Quarter of Paris which was next to the Jardin de Luxembourg.  Little did we know, our hotel was the same building where Sigmond Freud had lived for two years.  An interesting coincidence indeed!  She. We awoke the next morning, we went for a walk around he neighborhood and ended up eating at a small cafe outside of the Pantheon.  Eventhough I really enjoy the food in Nice, I had forgotten just how wonderful the food in Paris was......Amazing!  

(EDHEC in Paris)

Alex had to leave around lunchtime to attend the EDHEC Job Fair and a meeting with the Director of the Family Business Center (FBC), from which he hoped to obtain an internship.  With Alex gone, it left me time to wander and eventually end up in front of the TV watching BBC soaps and house hunters.....don't ask me how I ended up sucked into this, it just happened ok?!

Upon his return, Alex had wonderful news.  He had not received an internship opportunity, but instead a part time job with the FBC!  He was so excited and could not wait to tell me about what he would be doing.  Alex would be tasked with detailing a competitive analysis of the market of FBCs around the world.  From his analysis, EDHEC will be able to further develop their own FBC to make it the most cutting edge and renowned.  (After returning to Nice and meeting with human resources we would discover that not only will Alex be getting paid, he will be receiving full healthcare, a pension, and even meal tickets!) Vive la France!!

We celebrated that night by going to a restaurant that one of my clients had recommended, Le Procope.  This restaurant is one of the oldest in Paris and had frequent visitors from La Fontaine to Voltaire, Rousseau, Beaumarchais, Balzac, Hugo, Verlaine, and even the infamous Napoleon.  In the past, it was known as the spot for intellectuals, artists, and politicians (please notice how I separated intellectuals from politicians).  The food was wonderful.  Alex had a beef stew while I had a shrimp dish, of course.  The dessert was great too. Eventhough Tiramisu is Italian, my taste buds like the French version better.

The next day we had some very special events planned.  At noon we took the metro to the Cafe des Chats (Cat Cafe) where we were surrounded by cats of all kinds as we ate our lunch.  And because I am a crazy cat lady and can read cat behavior, I spotted a cat who looked to be very anxious.  I watched him from time to time wondering if he had just been dropped into this odd place.  My suspicions were confirmed when I witnessed him peeing under our table as we were up petting a kitten.  I told our waitress about the accident and she was embarrassed,but I asked her if the cat was new and she said that he had just been brought in that morning. Poor little guy!  Other than the accident, the place was a pretty neat experience.  The cats were really mellow and would sleep anywhere.  The food wasn't too bad either.  

After the Cat Cafe, we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower.  We had purchased tickets online so that we would not have to stand in the long lines (I recommend this very much as they will let you in the very front of the line when you buy online).  Since we arrived early for our tour, we went to find a padlock that we could write our names and wedding date on.  Traditionally, married couples will place their lock on a certain bridge on the Seine River and there is also another bridge for lovers, but we decided that we would be a little brave and lock ours onto the Eiffel Tower since the tower itself had meaning in our relationship (Alex proposed to me on November 23, 2005 on top of the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas).

The tower itself is a magnificent engineering feat.  When we rode the elevator up, we discovered that the elevator doesn't go precisely vertical.  It starts off at more of an angle, then goes vertical after the first floor.  Needless to say, it has an amazing view.  We saw for miles and it was neat to see the entirety of Paris, it was like a painting.  We decided to take the stairs back down to see the internal structure of the tower and to get a different perspective.  Going down the stairs wasn't nearly as exhausting as coming up would be!  

Seeing the big city must have been too much for my country husband.  The next day, we rented a car and drove into the countryside.  We took a very long tunnel to Versailles, visited a "horse town" which was beautiful, and drove into some very serene farmland in the middle of nowhere.  It was very nice to see this side, just outside the city limits of Paris.  We even saw a farm cat! We also came across one of the best sandwiches I had ever eaten (it had Rosemary, cheese, and lettuce).  It was a beautiful end to our quick trip to Paris.

(Versailles)

(Somewhere in between Paris and Versailles)

(Flying over the snow covered Alps, back to Nice)