Strike and Tax Seasons… Anyone else think there might be a correlation…

Le 3 mars 2005, jeudi.

So technically I should probably be working on my taxes, especially as I received my statement of taxable income for the previous financial year from the French government today. Thank heavens I’m exempted this year from French taxes, as the American taxes involving my meager French income are confusing enough.

Sarah and I chatted about the book “Why French Women Never Get Fat” or some title like that, and a book I read about once, but there’s truth in that book in some form I think. Though quite honestly the reason the majority of French women never get fat is because they don’t eat enough or properly. Though I have to say the female professors I eat lunch with in the canteen once every two weeks do tend to eat everything in front of them. But that’s portion control for you too. And I have to agree with the BBC article I read online the other day about how much government spending is on school lunch programs that said that the French spend the most money on school lunches – I believe it was around $6 per meal per person- and those lunches at my canteen are superb. For instance, the other day when I ate there we had roti and pickles for the appetizer (roti is a sort of dried sausage/salami thing from mainly Alsace I believe), followed by breaded and baked cod I believe and green beans with a butter and herb sauce, followed by a cheese course though I forget what cheese we had, and finally the best part of the meal that day was the yummy, fresh pineapple quarter we all got! Ok, so again, the fried fish was a bit surprising to me, but it was the portion control kicking in and that we had a cheese course surprised me a bit, but we didn’t have any other diary in the meal so I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. But I also feel that the French work to eat good, balanced meals with the standard three to four courses because then you feel full and not so inclined to munch or eat overly large portions. But regardless of portion control or French women not getting fat or not eating –either case- my part in these French eating habits has been to lose weight. While I am not winning any contests on most pounds dropped nor am I at the medium sized health peak I was at last December nor even considering punching another hole in my brown belt (yet) I am at the last hole in my brown belt so that does make me happy. But the sad part of this story is that the same day of my meal at the school cantenn, we arrived at school to see the massive board in the middle of our school yard new arrived to declare that the Conseil will be building a new pension and lodging to be ready by January 2006 I think. And I think that they will put in a more modern canteen- not that we don’t need something more than the tin shack that exists at the moment- but the new style is a more typically American affair with lines and random sitting and menu choices. At the moment, we eat our meals in a family style- especially in the professors’ dining room- with the food served to the tables, already set with plates and silverware, on platters – food I might add that has been cooked by competent staff and in midsize batches that morning from more or less fresh food- and I’ve noticed that the kids who stay on for lunch are expected to take a turn in the cleanup between the two settings and putting down the second settings plates etc. I have also heard though of the stories of when fries are served of the boys hogging all of them and often the girls not getting anything, but for the most part I rather think that the family style serving is a good idea, maybe more so for the profs, and something about it adds to the community that exists already in the school. I’ll be sad when they finish the new canteen even though I won’t be here. I definitely think something will go missing from my petit collège when that happens. Ok for my little ramble.

And finally continuing I guess in defense of my temporarily adopted country, I think from what I’ve seen in past Alias episodes and from Laura’s marvelous updates on her blog, that JJ Abrams had totally got something against France or is under watch by the US government or something, because I think the most horrific things seem to happen when Alias is “in France” or in the case of Laura’s most recent update it’s always French people who are out to watch lascivious happenings or buy the horrific bombs… what happened to Chirac and Bush meeting last week to make the statement that they are going to patch up relations. Honestly the French aren’t all bad! Speaking of Bush I suppose I shouldn’t take his and Chirac’s statement too seriously as there was just a poll announcing that apparently the populations’ sentiments are in agreement to Bush’s policies (from the New Year Times, as I believe Anna told me). Too bad, I could use a better tax treaty giving me more of a foreign credit for all the taxes I am not exempt from paying to the French government- considering that my birth control is not covered by the health care here, though it’s my own fault for wanting the same thing as I have in the States, and honestly it’s still cheaper here when I pay full price than in the States and from the aid clinics there.

In other news, I’m so excited that I’ve just bought my tickets to go visit Kim in the Haute-Savoie in two weeks now! My prof is letting me take off an hour-ish early to catch the train there, but I got an inexpensive ticket that way, and I’ll get in at a decent hour. Plus I get to go through Lyon though with hardly time to see it truly, but it’s a town I’ve really wanted to see, so I’ll make the most of the two or three hours, as I can anyway. I’m just so excited to see Kim and go to Switzerland with her and to see the Alps. We won’t have time or money to ski and the snow might not be good anyway, depending on the weather- too bad, but at least we’ll go hiking I’m sure. And just to see Kim regardless of where she is will be great! So if you happen to be in Lyon on March 20th from 11:45am to 1:30pm I’ll be at the main train station! I’ll also be on the TGV train though not at TGV speeds, as- go figure- the Northeast is the last region of France to get it! And please, somebody tell me why!!! It’s not as if we’re the connection to major financial partner countries as Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium or anything; or even that we have the EUROPEAN CAPITAL sitting on our oh-so-important border with Germany! Quite honestly, some days I don’t get SNCF. (Who are on strike again by the way.)

Speaking of strikes (à propos des grèves) there’s another teacher’s one next Thursday, so I’m off again from my long day! Fabou!

And I’m doing this cute little unofficial internship with a music production and distribution company here in Metz that does mainly Progressive Rock. I’m working there about two to four hours on one or two afternoons a week, depending on my schedule, on a volunteer basis. I’m really enjoying it as everyone there is really enjoyable to work with and it’s turning into such a great way to really get good feedback and practice with my French. Plus I’m running into some really interesting music! Tonight I listened to a French group that does Gypsy Swing and Gypsy Jazz. It’s just neat to have something else to fill in my time, as Francine keeps reminding me that I only work about twelve days out of my contract of seven months, and to have such a nice environment to work on my French. I feel lucky to have this opportunity, especially to learn about something I might not get to normally.

Ok, and finally, notes from the day trip to Colmar and Kayserburg. We had planned to go to Saverne also, but ran out of time due to the travel times and the uncooperative train and bus schedules. But they were both such lovely cities. I really enjoyed Colmar and any assistants that might be there really lucked out! Kayserburg was little and just into the Vosges Mountains but super cute and sweet even though we were there over the lunch break. It must be so beautiful in the summer with all the flowers and grapevines all green on the surrounding steep hillsides. But Colmar, I wish I could have been an assistant there. What a beautiful small town of about 68,000- a beautiful and respectable looking park near the center of town with a cute kids area that had lovely little topiaries. And all the quaint buildings that just make it look so scrumptious and picture perfect. I loved all the colors after the standard yellow and sometimes dinginess of Metz. Metz is much more attractive in the summer when there are flowers to add color and distract your eye a bit. I suppose that’s why I love the German district here though, the stone is such lovely browns and reds, even if it’s heavy, and Germanic art nouveau (I guessing on the style) details on the buildings. It’s just different and eye catching and refreshing. At least in Toulouse you had the brick and wood to break up the newer yellow limestones. But back to Colmar, we were mainly with all our travel just going around the edges of the Vosges Mountains, but they were so pretty if not dramatic mountains and I definitely wished our trip to them for the next weekend had worked out, but I suppose I’ll just live to go another time. I mean I am going to the Alps. For photos of Colmar and Kayserburg, see above. I think it’s time to end for the evening, so ciao ciao.