This week was the week of celebrations! A family birthday on Monday, mardi gras on Tuesday, mercredi de cendres on Wednesday, and le jour de Saint-Valentin today! Despite the cold, this morning the grand marché warmed my heart as I walked by all the vendors selling bouquets of flowers with red hearts sticking out of them. I spotted several boys carrying single red or white roses, obviously meant for someone special. Even the patisserie that I pass every day on the way to class had decorated the window with hearts and festive pastries. L’amour was in the air!
Saint-Valentin is perhaps the first widely celebrated commercial holiday that I’ve experienced here in Aix. However, one would hardly guess that anything special was going to happen today, since there was almost zero hype for the occasion! In the United States, stores begin selling Valentine’s Day decorations in the middle of January, but here in France, there was almost no mention of Valentine’s until February 14! Very clearly one can see the differences in attitudes towards consumerism in this particular Hallmark holiday.
Mardi gras was perhaps the highlight of my week, however. I was fortunate enough to go to La Cave des étudiants with a few friends, and we had a great time. Every Tuesday evening, La Cave holds a Mass and a dinner for French and international students. It’s a great way to speak French with the locals, although they will try to practice their English on you too! I met a funny redheaded French girl whose British accent was so good I mistook her for a native of England. She would ask me questions in English and I would respond in French—both of us trying to improve our competency in the other’s language. This week, after I kissed some acquaintances once on each cheek (called la bise or les bisous), dancing and music accompanied the hearty dinner of soup and savory jambon, fromage, et champignon crêpes. The accordion music was loud and the dancing quickly devolved into chaos, but there were smiles (and crêpes!) all around, which made for a wonderfully enjoyable evening.
la semaine des fêtes: the week of celebrations
mardi gras: Fat Tuesday
mercredi des cendres: Ash Wednesday
Saint-Valentin: Saint Valentine’s Day
le grand marché: the large market
l’amour: love
La Cave des étudiants: the basement for students, literally
jambon: ham
fromage: cheese
champignon: mushroom
Saint-Valentin is perhaps the first widely celebrated commercial holiday that I’ve experienced here in Aix. However, one would hardly guess that anything special was going to happen today, since there was almost zero hype for the occasion! In the United States, stores begin selling Valentine’s Day decorations in the middle of January, but here in France, there was almost no mention of Valentine’s until February 14! Very clearly one can see the differences in attitudes towards consumerism in this particular Hallmark holiday.
Mardi gras was perhaps the highlight of my week, however. I was fortunate enough to go to La Cave des étudiants with a few friends, and we had a great time. Every Tuesday evening, La Cave holds a Mass and a dinner for French and international students. It’s a great way to speak French with the locals, although they will try to practice their English on you too! I met a funny redheaded French girl whose British accent was so good I mistook her for a native of England. She would ask me questions in English and I would respond in French—both of us trying to improve our competency in the other’s language. This week, after I kissed some acquaintances once on each cheek (called la bise or les bisous), dancing and music accompanied the hearty dinner of soup and savory jambon, fromage, et champignon crêpes. The accordion music was loud and the dancing quickly devolved into chaos, but there were smiles (and crêpes!) all around, which made for a wonderfully enjoyable evening.
la semaine des fêtes: the week of celebrations
mardi gras: Fat Tuesday
mercredi des cendres: Ash Wednesday
Saint-Valentin: Saint Valentine’s Day
le grand marché: the large market
l’amour: love
La Cave des étudiants: the basement for students, literally
jambon: ham
fromage: cheese
champignon: mushroom