In a week, it'll be the French equivalent of Fall Break. Mine and the kids' break happen to be during the same times. My host siblings have already left to Nice to stay with their grandparents for an upcoming wedding. That means, I've been having dinner with just my host parents, which, I've gotta say, has been great, if not better. Don't get me wrong, I love my host brothers with all of my heart! They're the sweetest little angels. But a couple days without them allowed me to talk to my host parents more at the dinner table. I practiced a lot of French during dinner by telling them about my day, what my plans were, and a lot more about myself. I thought it'd be interesting to share what happened and what we talked about (in French, btw). October 23, 2017 Tonight we talked about where I've worked before. I used to be sales specialist at Victoria's Secret's PINK. They asked me if I worked during school, what it was like, and if I liked the job. I honestly did, in the beginning. «Victoria's Secret had amazing employee benefits. We'd get entire outfits (undergarments included) for free to help us sell the newest gear, and 50% off of 10 items of our choice. As a sales specialist, I made money based on commission. Pink created a new side to me: the retailer. In short, if you stepped into Pink looking for some lotion, I'd become your best friend and convince you that you'd need 5 for $28 panties, 6 matching bras (of all types, of course), an entire outfit for the gym that I know you won't actually use to work out in, your favorite lotion and and its matching body spray scent, plus my own preferences. That entire transaction would've only been a part of my Sales Goal for the day. To top it off, I'd sign you up for the Victoria's Secret Angel Credit Card too, so that you'll visit us again. You see, when your paycheck depends on what you sell to your customers, every product becomes a necessity. I studied the merchandise and memorized my own testimonies for each product. I felt like a pro, thanks to an amazing manager who did her best to train me to the best of my abilities, bring out a character in me that I didn't know existed, and now, someone who I personally still look up to. Working at Pink was great, until the company changed its policy on theft prevention. We had great, loyal customers, and then we also had the shitty ones that took advantage of us. Basically, because of our new policy, any customer could walk into our store, blatantly steal our most expensive leggings, and walk out without any problems besides maybe a ripped hole from the security tag. And if associates tried to intervene, we could get fired. Some of my favorite coworkers quit/were fired because of this. I left Pink a week before leaving for France, but there were so many times where I wanted to quit before. I stayed so much longer than I wanted to not for the money, but because I enjoyed being with my colleagues. Nonetheless, the benefits, friendships, and memories made there are irreplaceable. Working at VS's Pink was a million times better than Abercrombie&Fitch, with their $7.25 an hour pay anyway. » It was funny because my host dad seemed genuinely interested in VS. He thought paying $10.50 for a single panty was normal. My host mom and I glared at him in disgust. Men. They don't understand. I told them I always wait for the bundle deals, which my host mom completely agreed with. They also asked if that was why I was always repping the Pink brand. French fashion doesn't exactly involve plastering brand names all over your clothes, which is why I try to hide the words. Now, they'll mention anything related to Pink to me because I've left this impression that I'm obsessed with VS's Pink. We also talked about busiest mall hours. My host dad actually works for a shoe company, so he knows a little something about retail. In the US, the busiest days were the weekends, including Sundays, but here in France, most shops are closed on that day. The French prefer to use their Sundays to relax, which is a great idea in my opinion. We then talked about my plans for my fall break. They said that in the past, their host students usually traveled Europe either with family or their significant other. I didn't have family that could come visit me, but I told them that my boyfriend was coming in December. By the end of dinner, my host parents invited him for dinner when he comes, which was a really nice gesture. Even though they aren't my blood-related parents, it still means a lot to me when you get the approval from your parents. October 24, 2017 Today I almost accidentally burned the kitchen down trying to pack and cook at the same time. I don't usually cook for myself since I'm blessed with a lovely host family who mostly does the cooking for me, otherwise I'd just grab a baguette or a pain au chocolat from Lidl to go. I was beginning to feel slightly more independent since I never cook for myself in the US either (I'm a commuter, and my mom's cooking is 5 star material anyway). I forgot that I was heating up the pre-made egg-rolls from Lidl (French grocery store) on the stove, sprinkled in emmental cheese. But of course, I messed that up too. As I was deciding on whether to pack light fall clothes vs. layered summer clothes, my stomach rumbled and I went to the kitchen to find something to eat, only to realized I'd already started cooking. The smoke rose from the pan quickly and I shut off the switch that powers the stove, slid the pan over to a colder space, and proceeded to open all of the windows/doors to let the smell of burnt cheese out. I still ate it though. Later that night, my host parents and I talked about the upcoming holidays like Halloween, which isn't celebrated in France like we do in the US. My friends and I found a costume shop and I bought a flight attendant's hat and finally got one of those fancy looking scarves that Parisien women wear. I've been dying to get one of these scarves to assimilate into French fashion. Here's a picture of me casually wearing it in Siena, Italy. We also talked about Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day. I learned that none of the kids (aged 6-12) still believed in the one and only, Santa Clause, or « Père Noël ». It's because they're 'smarter than that', my host mom explains. However, the kids still absolutely have that Christmas spirit that all kids (and adults) should have every year. In fact, they make their very own advent calendar for the countdown to Christmas! I absolutely love crafting, so you bet I'll be making Christmas crafts with my host family this year. Anyway, after realizing that the kids didn't believe in Santa Clause, I asked if they believed in the Tooth Fairy. This is where it gets weird. The Tooth Fairy? Ohhhhh, the tooth FAIRY! Yeah, no, it's a rat. A tooth rat. I know. Completely mind-blown, I imagined what it must've been like growing up as a French kid, waiting for the tooth rat to visit you to take your teeth. They don't even leave money behind. I later learned that, when Ambroise, the littlest brother, lost his tooth, he keeps it in a box that categorizes each tooth (like canines, molars, premolars, etc). Isn't that neat?! I think I kept one from Kindergarten, but the rest are long gone. Reflecting on tonight's dinner conversation, I don't think I would've ever learned that without asking them so much about French traditions. I felt so comfortable and at ease just talking, joking, and laughing with my host parents. This is exactly why I'm studying abroad: to understand and share cultural differences and create life-long relationships with others.
PS. I definitely missed the kids after a week away, because the apartment was quieter than usual and so it just felt like something was off. They really had become my second family, I felt like I needed them.
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Christina TranA Vietnamese-American student studying abroad in Lyon, France. Always experiencing the world, one day at a time. Categories
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