Back in the USA

I got home just over 2 weeks ago although it now feels like its been a lot longer than that. It was a bit of culture shock especially since I stopped overnight by the Washington Dulles Airport since I was worried that flying direct to San Francisco would be too hard on Angel. Actually I think she would have done fine. The hotel where we were staying was hosting a large contingent of labor folks for coal mining. That was a real dose of culture shock. They were big bellied, loud, ignorant, and wearing T-shirts that said either “Coal is our Future” or “Coal Keeps the Lights On.” At breakfast I could hear them discussing the upcoming election – Kill me Now! I was definitely happy to get to San Francisco and leave the coal miners behind.

But since I’ve been home I’ve felt nostalgic about leaving my (at least I feel like it’s mine) little village in Languedoc. I won’t have to miss it too long as I’ve committed to exchanging houses again with Mel & Sharon next summer. I will sure look forward to returning.

A few things to be misconceptions

1. “The French are stiff and unfriendly.” The complaints you hear from Americans about the rude, unfriendly French is a bunch of hooey or else I’ve just been so very fortunate that I’ve never found these people. I have found instead that the French people are warm and welcoming if you are. They do appreciate it if you try to speak a little French but are very willing to try sign language and are patient when you can only say a few French words and can’t really put them in a sentence.
2. “The cost of living in France is very high.” Not where I was. Except for gasoline it seemed that most everything was less than in San Francisco. That includes groceries, restaurants, and getting your hair cut. Many activities are free or nearly so (e.g., village fetes, gold cup of water jousting, ferias).
3. “You can go really fast on the peage (freeway).” You can but you will get a ticket. The speeding tickets are nearly all done electronically with cameras. Since everyone (including me) that I’ve driven with in France has frequently driven over the speed limit and no one has ever gotten an electronic ticket I’ve always felt it was perfectly “safe” to do so. However, I have now learned that when you drive a French car you do get tickets. This summer I got one and also Tony got one while we were driving the Goldstein’s car. I can only guess that somehow the ticket issuance place knows when it is a rental car and doesn’t send one or the rental companies get a “free ride.”
4. “The milk in French supermarkets isn’t refrigerated and must taste worse than American fresh milk.” Not true. The French milk is somehow processed and doesn’t require refrigeration until its been open. It tastes perfectly fine. I wish our was the same. So much more convenient to have milk in your pantry and you don’t have to worry about picking it up when before you go home from the airport after vacation.
5. “You need to pay quite a bit to get good French wine.” I never paid more than 5 Euros for a bottle of wine from a winery or the store and it was always excellent. If it’s less than 2 Euros I wouldn’t buy it. In cafes I always got the house wine which was always cheap and usually perfectly ok.
6. “Rosé wine sucks.” Not Rosés from the South of France. They are delicious, particularly on a hot summer day/night.
7. “The beaches in Languedoc aren’t nearly as beautiful or nice as those of the Cotè d’Azur.” While it is true that those along the Cotè d’Azur are really beautiful, they are usually rocky and frequently hard to swim in. The Languedoc beaches tend to be long and sandy with very little surf in the summer. Much better for swimming.
8. “Languedoc is inferior to Provence.” Depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for authentic French towns (not yet “cutified”) and mostly French people instead of the Brits, affordable prices, equally great weather, Languedoc is for you.

I’m going to do the same house trade next summer. Not sure I can wait that long but ………….