Love for the Mom and Pop

There are many things that are different in Europe than in the states but I think the biggest thing is the lack of super stores. At first I hated that I couldn't go to one store such as Target or WalMart for everything I needed. Now I am beginning to love the different places you can buy food. When I got to France I instantly fell in love with the bakery around the corner from our flat. Who wouldn't love fresh baked bread and pastries a hop, skip, and a jump away? Ya, nobody. This week I had my first butchers experience. Like a real butcher that only sells meat. Now I love me some meat so it didn't gross me out in any way but alot of you would probably disagree. It was just so cool so buy fresh meat from a butcher. I don't even know where to find a butcher in the states. The closest thing would be the back of the grocery store, just not as cool. Today I had my first experience with a tea house. I am in love. It is just a little place that is decorated like a cottage in the English countryside. There were a dozen little tables with mismatching table clothes and beautiful little knick knacks. An enormous table filled with any dessert you can imagine, fat kid heaven. Our tea came out in little pots with little tea cups, all mismatching. It was so quaint I just loved it. Why don't we have those in the states? I love to drink tea and having a fun little place to drink tea would be amazing. We have the equivalent of the coffee houses here so why don't we have other fabulous things too. Don't get me wrong the convenience of super stores is wonderful but having that personal touch just makes things better. I now see that having the mom and pop stores is extremely necessary to keep America humble. We need to work on giving them our business and not the convenient satan super stores. And trust me on this tea houses and bakeries are the best way to live a happy life.

The Joys of International Travel

So as most of you might know I am somewhat of a gypsy. My boyfriend of 6 years plays professional volleyball so when he goes overseas to play I follow along. I went home to Kansas City for Christmas this year and left the warmth of the south of France behind. I had a pretty good time back home but couldn't wait to get back. You would think since I was so excited to come back to France I would know what day I was supposed to leave. Not so. On Sunday I went to my dad's house to see some family and friends before I left. I get a call that night from my boyfriend telling me I leave the next morning at 6 am NOT Tuesday morning at 6 am. You know in cartoons when they levitate off the ground and their eyes pop out of their head? Ya that happened. I rushed home, drunk I might add, to pack all my stuff for my flight that was leaving in less than 10 hours. I highly recommend to everyone that they know the dates of traveling and double check so they avoid this happening to them. Everything worked out in the end and I even got upgraded on my overseas flight.

Since I am already talking about traveling I am going to go off on a tangent about what you can and cannot bring on an airplane. I have had everything from a perfume bottle to deodorant to tweezers taken away from me at security. Fine. Whatever. I don't really have the desire to get blown up so do what you gotta do. Now I am sitting on my flight this past time from Chicago to Amsterdam and the girl across the aisle from me is knitting. She is using her knitting needles to make a really pretty scarf. Obviously she isn't a terrorist but I can't help but be annoyed that she can bring those on the plane and I can't bring my tweezers. She can shank someone, stab something that contains explosive gas, or hold somebody hostage with those things. What was I going to do with my tweezers? Over pluck someone's eyebrows? I understand that TSA has to chose their battles but I think someone needs a reality check on what is dangerous and what is not.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone! We all know how people like to make resolutions at the first of the year, that they never keep. Well I thought I would try and keep mine simple this year, just too maybe help myself out. Be Better. That’s it, be better. Be a better friend, a better lover, be a better sister and daughter. Do better at the little things like smiling and making other people laugh. Be better at cooking and cleaning so my man doesn’t give up on me and trade me in. JK. Be better at managing my time. There are so many things I could be better at and this year I want to explore how much better of a person I can be. Case in point my new blog. I absolutely loved my Austria blog but what do you know?! I got bored and quit. I promise I won’t leave anyone hanging this time.

So I rang in the New Year in Kansas City, with 2 other couples(not saying I didn’t love every minute of it BUT get real I wanted my handsome man). Yes I was a fifth wheel for the first part of 2012 and I still haven’t picked up my other wheel. Heading back to France in less than a week and I couldn’t be happier. I sit on the fence about whether I love the States or Europe more. I am getting closer and closer to that expat title. Being in your hometown for the holidays is always wonderful because it brings up happy memories. But as the place stays the same people change, some for the better, some for the worse, and some people leave your life all together.  So many people travel everywhere to spend time with family and loved ones during this season, and oh man is that stressful. I saw and talked to more people on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day than I had in a year. Granted I have an enormous family whom I love dearly but holy shite that is a whole lot of convo for my non social self.

I will be in France next week so I will be way more entertaining very soon. The troubles I can get into with my French friends are amazing and you will be jealous. Cheers to the New Year! Good Luck with the “resolutions.”

XOXO