Native Culture Shock

I've heard that when you return to your native country, you again can face culture shock. I thought that the lower ceilings I'm used to in the US might be a surprise after France's wide open head spaces in most room including bathrooms. Nope. TV in English is presently intriguing (and perhaps helping me regain a wide English vocabulary) and the second big culture shock occured yesterday in the grocery store. Not because the store is asthetically pleasing or because there are endless choices, both of which differ in France where the larger grocery stores look like warehouses which still only offer three types of butter. It was the candy bars.

Did you know that a HERSHEY'S chocolate bar costs 30 cents at Walmart? That's equivalent to 14 euro cents! How about Reese's peanutbutter cups? 48 cents which equals roughly 22 euro cents. In France's Monoprix, all the chocolate bars cost about between 1.50 and 3 euros. I must have looked like a fool standing before the candy bar stand with my eyes wide in amazement and my jaw dropped... then again, maybe that's not so abnormal for women to stand like that before the chocolate. ;-)

Happy to be Home

This lady is pretty happy to be home.

Gramps is still hanging in here. He's mentally astute and we make each other laugh. He had a good point last night, that pastors and doctors need to reconsider their actions and beliefs concerning death. If we believe that we will go to heaven after we die, then Gramps questions, "Why do they always try to keep everyone alive?"

I was offered a full scholarship for theo school this spring. Whew! I was afraid I lost it because I had deferred the acceptance. Pastor John Spahr had an amazing sermon on Sunday which spoke to me confirming my recent internal conviction that leaders who teach according to Jesus' example will not only encourage radical transformation but be transformed themselves. "I am not here to endear myself to you by speaking words that make you comfortable. We're all going to feel uncomfortable..." Thus at the end of January, I'm off to NJ for the next three years.

Thanksgiving with the family was good and everyone returned safely to their New England homes. I was thrilled to see Tricia, Kenny and Amanda this weekend. Unfortunately, as Tricia, Kenny and I realized, there isn't much to do in this small college town. Luckily, we can always enjoy good conversation over a meal (thank you, France, for teaching me how to host a meal). I'm also happy to regain contact with HOPE staffers, Jville friends and Drewids via the telephone.

Admittedly, I'm enthralled by the television. I'm not sure if it's because I only have access to a tv when I visit Mom or Grandma or whether it's because I can understand what people are saying. Perhaps it's a bit of both. I've been catching myself pausing often with the French, "ahhhh," even though I'm speaking in English. Sometimes I'm still trying to mentally piece my sentences together before allowing them to escape my mouth. I probably also speak slower since I'm used to talking with people who have English as their second language. C'est la vie. That's life.

Praise God

Since last May, Gramps has been hinting that he might die before Thanksgiving when my mom's side of the family usually gathers each year for a reunion. Before going to France, I apologized to him saying, "I'm sorry I won't be able to make it for Thanksgiving." He replied, "I might not be there either..." making me nervous.

And the past six months haven't been a joy ride for the family as we've had about four close calls, thinking that Gramps would die within the day. The last time was last week when I decided to come home to join the family at the funeral and to take care of Grandma for a while.

But praise God, he's made it to Thanksgiving!! This morning, Mom, Uncle John and Uncle Chuck and I went over to visit Gramps. He said he wants to come home today and the nurse said we could sign him out for a few hours. Logistically, we have to figure out how to bundle him up sufficiently for the dropping temperatures and time his visit before the rain turns into the expected 5 inches of snow. Praise God, Gramps is alive for another Thanksgiving (although a year ago, we would have never imagined his health would become this bad)!

Sidenote: Dad's dad, Bill Parrish, died 17 years ago tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving also on Nov. 23rd like this year. Should Gramps decide to die tomorrow after the holiday, it will become Grandfathers' Day for my immediate family. Our grandfathers are much beloved.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My mom, sister, brother and I arrived safely in Meadville, PA yesterday afternoon. Our first stop was to check in on Gramps. What a blessing to shake his hand, see him smile and hear him talk when I had been afraid he would die while I was in France. I hope he isn't lonely in the nursing home while he knows the rest of us are gathering at the house. Fingers crossed that he can join us sometime today.

I got out just in time from the French perspective too. After six days of strikes, I flew out of Paris right before a total strike on Tuesday. Also, then on Wednesday morning, vandals burned cables under the trains running to and from Paris. What an awful mess Paris is right now. Not like a war zone, but economically, all this is going to hurt.

Also worth noting, had I stayed in Grenoble, tonight I would be giving a 15-minute speech about how I made the decision to come to France with a question and answer session afterwards. Another thanks on my list, not having to do that in French...

Part of His Plan

I'm back in the states as of 3:30pm yesterday!

The keyboard's different again, so hopefully I'll have the patience to type out as much as I want to say...

Gramps is still alive! (full of good news, huh?) He's probably holding out till Thanksgiving when the whole family usually gathers.

Had a fantastic weekend with Felix in Paris. With his sister, Nina, we visited Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Champs de Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. Photos will come eventually.

Funniest moment: I pushed back my short hair with a bunch of hairpins, one of which fell out while we were walking under the Eiffel Tower. Felix was horrified as I turned back to pick it up. After I explained that it was my hairpin, he said, "I thought it was a bolt and that the tower was falling apart!' ;-)

Best moment: getting a friendly hug from Felix with three bisous de Valence when we were saying "see you later" at the train station. Since I'm not accustomed to bisous and French Felix isn't used to hugs, mixing the two cultures this way was a perfect "not goodbye".

And NH's first snow is today. It's sticking to the ground with a small accumulation of 3 inches. A sweet bienvenue home as long as we have safe travels to PA tonight. Hopefully we'll join the rest of the family tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you to all of those who've been supporting me through encouragement and prayers. I don't think this chapter of my life is closed having returned from France. I have a feeling God was purposely leading me there for a short time so that I'd be able to return now to help Grandma. It's part of His plan.

Almost done better

Not sure when I'll have internet access again for a few days. Good news: Mom wrote last night and said Gramps is hanging in there and doing a little bit better. Whew! Also good news, I'm almost done packing eight hours before my train leaves. My parents know how much of a surprise that it since I am consistently one hour late whenever I pack up the car to move somewhere (after vacations, etc.).

I've started imagining people are calling my American name, "Heather" rather than the French "Elessabette". Yay, and Lindsey is here to visit!!!

Coeurs de poulette

Nannan Ying, Félix Delhomme and I had a Chinese dinner together tonight. What a blessing to sit with a Chinese and a French friend and enjoy a meal. I can't get over how far away we've grown up from each other, yet how well we get along. I'm going to miss these guys.

For the menu (thanks to Nannan): soup with beef and mushrooms, ham and green pepper plate, chicken and zucchini plate and (my favorite) a spicy dish of "coeurs de poulette" with hot peppers... chicken hearts. I even helped prepare them by cutting them in half while they were raw. Exciting, interesting adventure, huh? They were pretty good but my brain keeps asking my stomach, "Did you really just eat chicken hearts?" Starting a formal French dinner at 8pm means my belly is still full for bedtime now at midnight.

Haven't heard from a certain friend living in Paris about whether I can visit this weekend, so Félix and I made plans to go together on Friday night. Both of us are praying that the train strikes don't prevent us from getting to Paris. If T doesn't email me soon, I'll stay at the same hotel as Félix. So glad to have two plans involving friends so I won't be completely lost and alone in Paris.

Game plan:
Tomorrow: Food pantry. Say goodbye to Alison and Meg, my favorite English women. Buy the train ticket. Say good-bye to four foyer girls who are going to Prague. Close my bank account. French lesson. Dinner with Nannan and Tching. Student group, of which only Félix knows I'm leaving. Desperate Housewives with Nannan to wind down the day.
Friday: Finish packing and moving the volunteer things to the church. Train to Paris at 7:30pm.
Saturday: Louvre?!
Sunday: Notre Dame for mass?!
Monday: Fly to Boston. Wait six hours for Mom. Drive home to NH.
Tuesday: Meet up with Katie and Jamie and drive to PA (12 hours).

It's kind of hard to pack for a weekend in Paris and an indefinitely long visit to PA including an expected funeral...