A Different View of France

We’ve been living in France for a couple months now, and it’s been lovely.  These are a few of my favorite things:

1.Emmaus is a great second-hand store.  The prices are comparable to a thrift store in the States, and for Europe that is just amazing.  And when you buy there, you’re not just saving money.  They’re a charitible organization helping in many different areas.

2.Leader Price – I know, that sounds a little funny, but it’s very practical.  The cheapest prices in France (mostly) and reminds me of Sav-A-Lot at home.  We buy over 75% of our food there (you have to be careful, though, I have bought rotten cheese and veggies from them).  Yuck!

3.My Rosieres wood-burning cookstove.  We’re WWOOFing, so I get it for free, but these suckers sell new for about 1500 Euros.  It took a bit of getting used to, but it’s warm, and I can cook for free!  Fantastic.

4.My built-in-1880 house.  We’re fixing it up, and it will be gorgeous and impressive someday.

5. The open spaces and countryside all around.  There are actualy places here where you can go on a dark night and not hear any noise, no lights, not even the glow from the next village.

6.The fishing regulations are reasonable!

7.homeschooling is legal

8.You can park on the sidewalks!  Or anywhere else you want.  If you dare.  I don’t, with German plates.

9.The old men walking around with baguettes under their arm, wearing berets, playing boulles, arguing with each other using wild gesticulations, looking like something out of a delightful old French movie

10. French/Belgian comic books/graphic novels/BDs  – it’s where we got the Smurfs!

11. The markets in the street

12. Fois Gras

13. French blood sausage (sooo much better than the German.  They use sage in France.  It tastes like Thankgsgiving).

14. The dried French sausages that don’t need refrigeration

15. All the exotic foods you can buy – rabbit, horse, quail, duck, snails, etc.

16. Wild chestnuts and figs

17. The Brie that makes my husband so happy (I don’t care for it)

18. The best butter anywhere

19. Cheap booze

20.  Croissants

And one bonus one: listening to the beautiful, romantic French language.  It never gets old, even when they’re cussing you out.

Ooh!  Ooh!  One more: The way the cashiers says “voila!” when they give you your change.  And it feels like they just did a magic trick. haha