Final Days in France

It's official ... I no longer live in France. I've been back in the States for a week and a half now, and am still adjusting to the culture shock. When I drive, I constantly reach for the stick to shift gears (my car's an automatic here), and I have to be careful to remember that my car is muuuuuccchhh longer here, compared to my adorable Smart. I was shocked by the huge portions when we went out for dinner last night, having forgetten just how out of control American portions are. But there are some things that are nice, such as easy-to-control grocery carts, polite shoppers and courteous drivers.

There are things I miss about France ... especially the people. Most notably, Philipp! He needed some extra time to organize his things, sell our cars, etc., and will arrive next Thursday. I know this is a tough time for him, as it's always stressful to move, but this is extreme moving! I wish I could make it easier for him, but I remind him that soon he'll be here and can take some time to relax.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about my final days in France. They weren't too exciting, as I spent my time packing. As I already wrote, that is stressful. I had to decide what to take immediately, what to pack for shipping in December, and what to get rid of. Philipp's family was a great help in moving furniture and boxes.

On Sunday, May 31st, there was a little event downtown entitled "The Country Comes to the City", and I convinced Philipp that it was a good way to take a break from packing. I packed a picnic, we went to our favorite bakery for a loaf of our favorite bread ("pain au mais"), and we had a picnic along the banks of the Maine River. Then we walked over to check out the fair. I was excited to see some beautiful cows and the most massive bull I've ever seen! Here are some pictures:

The next day, we emptied the castle. The entire family (except Philipp's sister and her family, who live in Normandy) came to Philipp's parents' house for dinner. I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with all of them, as that has been such an important part of life in France. Not surprisingly, the goodbyes were very difficult. But as Philipp's brothers and sisters have said, they see him more when he is in the States (on MSN Messenger) than when he is in France! And they all know that once we are settled and have a guest room, they are more than welcome to come visit.

Is this my last post on this blog? Maybe. I can't promise that I'll add anything else to it, but it can't hurt to check back once in a while. I think Philipp and I are going to begin a bilingual blog about our new life in Charleston, so I will be sure to post that address when it's up and running.

Thank you for checking in with me and for your interest in my French adventure!