"Comme d'Habitude"

Christmas in Saint Etienne!

....is a phrase I first learned while studying abroad that means "as usual". It hit me the other day that things are finally becoming habitual and normal for me.... I mostly know what to expect from each day I teach, whether online or in class, and what to expect from my au pair position each morning and night. I mostly understand how the public transit, banks, post offices, and schools work and I know my way around my suburb and city, finally. And even better, I have a favorite bakery (one for bread and one for pain au chocolat), restaurants I love, bars I prefer, and I know where to find the best crêpes... and I'm the first to admit that I take advantage of that way more than I should. People at these places have begun to recognize me and greet me with such warmth and curiosity that I often end up talking to them long after I have made my purchase.


Each Thursday, I work in Rive de Gier which is the next town over from mine. Of the 8 Thursdays I have commuted there, there have been 4 where I chose to eat lunch at this one restaurant called Bar de L'Orchidée. On one side of the building there is a small bar that leads into the restaurant area. Each time, I have been seated at the same table and ordered the same thing-- steak frites et salade, of course, but theirs is the best I have found so far!

With each visit, I talk a little bit more with one of the servers-- who is actually the mother of the man who owns and runs the bar/restaurant. My second time there, she called me her "petite americaine" (little american). By the fourth time, she saw me come in and asked me "Comme d'habitude?" already knowing my order. By the end of this fourth visit, I had promised to bring her back a postcard from Chicago and we did la bises (kissed on the cheek) before I left. Needless to say, it makes me feel at home and I look forward to visiting every time. Daily experiences like this have really helped make me feel like I have found more of a home here and am less of a visitor.

As of today, though, a third of my time in France has already passed. As I prepare to head back to Chicago for Christmas, I have been doing some serious reflecting on my time here so far: what I like, what I don't like, and how to continue to make this the best possible experience for the remaining six months. Somehow, it's managed to pass by way too quickly and way too slowly all at the same time. Don't ask me to explain how that's possible, but trust me, it is.

Christian, Jessica, and I at La Fete des Lumieres in Lyon... Oh, what a night!

Thankfully I am not the only one experiencing this bizarre sensation and have found endless support in my closest friends here: Maria, Christian, and Jessica. We have had endless hours of talking and laughing since we arrived and I honestly don't know how I would have survived without talking to at least one, if not all three, each day. It's amazing how quickly you bond with people when you're all in a new situation together-- I feel like I have known them for years already! I'm really lucky to have found such fun and supportive friends right from the start of my life here. It's also just good to know I am not the only one who doesn't always feel absolutely blissful living here, and most people might think we did if we didn't say otherwise.

My partner in crime en France, Maria!

The reality is studying abroad and working abroad are two completely different beasts. Now, this may seem obvious, but for most of us it is only starting to become clear that this is playing a role in any homesickness we are experiencing. It's just not as carefree as study abroad where we had one class a day and got to float freely the rest of the time-- it's real life, which means getting up for work daily, commuting long distances, paying bills, errands without a car, government paperwork, bureaucratic hoops, etc. It can be and often is stressful to navigate all of this in language that, yes, I know, but is still not my first language and requires constant thought. A lot of us feel like we are at a language learning stage where both languages, English and French, are suffering and we often find ourselves forgetting words or speaking the ever beautiful mixture of the two-- Franglish.

A few of us have an added stress of living further out, which is another reason we find ourselves homesick. We've gotten smart, though, and when we need to escape suburbia or the country or work or whatever-- we rent a room downtown for a night or two. It's genius, really, and not only do we look forward to it each time, but it actually helps a lot to have a slumber party. It does make us wonder, though, what life might be like if we had all been able to live together in the city center.

Just like with anywhere I have lived or will live in my life, there are aspects I absolutely love and others that I cannot stand. This specific experience abroad has tested my limits and shown me my own capabilities and endurance. As cliché as it may sound, I have learned more about myself, for better or for worse, in three months here than I have in any other time in my life. So, in some ways, I am very thankful for even the most stressful and trying of moments.

Even still, I can't remember a time where I have been more thrilled or grateful to be going home for Christmas... or any other occasion for that matter. I've always been fiercely independent, so being away from home has never fazed me much before this. I absolutely found a much stronger appreciation for just about everything about my life back in the US, including my family, work, and just the simplicity of life in my home city. I have made a list of things I must do/see/eat/try while I am back in Chicago for 11 days-- I am hoping that will give me enough of a taste of home to rid myself of any homesickness and leave me at peace for the remaining 6 months!

Things I've Learned

• Apparently, the "Only Lyon" sign I found my first trip to Lyon changes locations every so often as a sort of scavenger hunt. I may have to hunt it down a few more times before I leave!
• When the plague came through France, Lyon was the only city left unaffected. To thank God, they built a very large church over looking the entire city and to this day, every December 8th people light candles in their homes to give thanks. In relation to this, Lyon hosts La Fete des Lumieres which 3-4 million people attend each year. The entire city is filled with various light shows throughout an entire weekend!
• When teachers are looking for work, it is actually the government that places them in a region and then a specific school! They get to say what region they prefer, but outside of that it was my understanding that they don't get to choose an exact location or school. I think I prefer the American way when it comes to this!