Andrea and I slept in this morning, thank goodness! The boys left to explore Barnes &Nobles while the moms went on a walk, and Andrea and I were left alone. I decided to show her a little bit more of Charlotte, so we walked in the hundred-degree heat to the Arboretum. I wanted her to see the store Tutti, but we passed a consignment store on the way to it and went in there instead. They were having the best sale! I found a $150 Lilly Pulitzer dress with the tags on for $40! Andrea got a really cute Ralph Lauren bathingsuit cover-up, too.
Afterwords, we went to Costco, one of my favorite stores in the entire world. We made the rounds to taste every single free sample they had-the smoothies were the best!
We finally departed for my uncle's lake house on lake Hartwell in South Carolina. We arrived late in the evening. After hanging around a bit and eating dinner, we all had super intense Wii Dance-offs! Even Franck and Nico joined in the awkwardness that comes with not-really dancing!
When everybody went to bed, Andrea, Nicolas, Taylor, and I all hung out downstairs. I think it really bothers Taylor that he can't understand a word that I say in French. I've gotten tired of translating everything word-for-word for him. He and the frenchies had fun exchanging cuss words, though. I'm just glad to be speaking French again! It's been too long!
Even after the boys hit the hay, Andrea and I sayed up talking and gossipping and laughing!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Summer Duck Farm
I cannot begin to express in words how excited I am to be able to speak French again! If I had it my way, Andrea and Nicolas would move in with me in Charlotte and I would never speak American ever again!
We made a pit stop on our way to The Farm. We paused at a Walmart in Albemarle to pick up Nico's prescription. Here, I introduced them to "the people of Walmart". I am not a Wally World snob by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, it was one of my most missed stores while I was in France. They were amazed by the vastness of it. (I, honestly, did not think it any more impressive than the Auchan in Henin-Beaumont.) The great thing about speaking French in small-town America is that no one understands anything. If, perchance, anyone has learned French, it is most likely classroom French in which case, there is only the slightest possibility he or she knows what any of us say. It totally bugged my brother, Taylor, that I would not translate everything for him.
We finally arrived at The Farm. After a traditional southern US meal of REAL BBQ, we spent the afternoon riding golf carts and ATVs, walking the grounds, lounging about, and just chatting. Even though Taylor has trouble understanding a lot of what goes on, I think he likes Nicolas, and I'm pretty sure he has a crush on Andrea (no suprise there).
Andrea and I beat the boys in a golf cart race. They got even by initating a water fight.
We made a pit stop on our way to The Farm. We paused at a Walmart in Albemarle to pick up Nico's prescription. Here, I introduced them to "the people of Walmart". I am not a Wally World snob by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, it was one of my most missed stores while I was in France. They were amazed by the vastness of it. (I, honestly, did not think it any more impressive than the Auchan in Henin-Beaumont.) The great thing about speaking French in small-town America is that no one understands anything. If, perchance, anyone has learned French, it is most likely classroom French in which case, there is only the slightest possibility he or she knows what any of us say. It totally bugged my brother, Taylor, that I would not translate everything for him.
We finally arrived at The Farm. After a traditional southern US meal of REAL BBQ, we spent the afternoon riding golf carts and ATVs, walking the grounds, lounging about, and just chatting. Even though Taylor has trouble understanding a lot of what goes on, I think he likes Nicolas, and I'm pretty sure he has a crush on Andrea (no suprise there).
Andrea and I beat the boys in a golf cart race. They got even by initating a water fight.
Ma Famille Ici!
To fill anyone in on what I have been doing since my return to the states from Frogland, suffice it to say that I have been exceedingly busy! I returned home on Thursday, June the ninth. On Saturday, June eleventh, I took one of my still unpacked suitcases and headed from Charlotte to Charlottesville. There, I have spent the past eight weeks in a classroom for seven and a half hours a day from Monday to Friday learning Italian. While I have no where near the fluency I have in French, I feel pretty confident that I know most all of the Italian grammar!
Ecco un corto metraggio che abbiamo fatto in classe e che ho messo su YouTube! Non vi preocupate-- è un film d'orrore e deve farvi paura!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y10emTu77E
Today is actually "Graduation Day", but I asked for special permission to leave early. For the past two weeks, my second host family, the Helous, have been touring the southeast states in the USofA. I did not actually think that I would be able to see them because they had planned to pass through Charlotte the first through the third of August. I begged them to come on a later date, because if I had missed even one day of classes, I would fail automatically.
I spent last night at my dad's house in Radford, VA. This morning at 7h45 my grandmother came to pick me up, and I drove three hours to Charlotte to meet my family! Both Andrea and Nicolas have ear infections, and without American insurance, the doctor's visit cost $150 per child and the prescription cost $138. Che peccato! After letting everyone know that, "Aux USA on se fait des câlins, pas les bises," we departed almost immediately for The Summer Duck Farm.
http://www.littleriverwines.com/OurStory.html
Ecco un corto metraggio che abbiamo fatto in classe e che ho messo su YouTube! Non vi preocupate-- è un film d'orrore e deve farvi paura!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y10emTu77E
Today is actually "Graduation Day", but I asked for special permission to leave early. For the past two weeks, my second host family, the Helous, have been touring the southeast states in the USofA. I did not actually think that I would be able to see them because they had planned to pass through Charlotte the first through the third of August. I begged them to come on a later date, because if I had missed even one day of classes, I would fail automatically.
I spent last night at my dad's house in Radford, VA. This morning at 7h45 my grandmother came to pick me up, and I drove three hours to Charlotte to meet my family! Both Andrea and Nicolas have ear infections, and without American insurance, the doctor's visit cost $150 per child and the prescription cost $138. Che peccato! After letting everyone know that, "Aux USA on se fait des câlins, pas les bises," we departed almost immediately for The Summer Duck Farm.
http://www.littleriverwines.com/OurStory.html
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