Ma Petite Famille Française

What an amazing first day and night it has been. I am unpacked and settled into my humble (and TINY) abode. All the descriptions of my housing situation and the mental pictures I have created are out the window, as I see what it really looks like. For all those wondering, in this apartment building there is one flat on each level. Walking into the building there is a small mail room and bike storage room, as well as a quaint flat. Up the stairs one level is a large flat, then up again is another (where the childrens' very good friends live, and their dad is American!), then up another (on the European 3rd floor, American 4th floor) is my family's flat. Inside, their "9 rooms" as I was told consist of a play room, a BATHroom, a SHOWERroom (big difference), a kitchen/dining room, the children's room (they share one for now, but they are trying to buy another small room upstairs so that Valerie can move her office up there and the kids can have their own rooms), the master bedroom, the television room (living room), and the study (Val's office). Their apartment is very nice, and very eclectically decorated, as they have both lived all over the world (including Korea, China, Spain, and America) so their are many Asian influences in their decorating. Back outside and up the stairs are three little rooms. To the left is a tiny one bedroom flat, to the right is a little room (the room they are trying to buy for their office, but is currently owned by a musician who comes about twice a month to play music) as well as a toilet, and straight ahead is my room. The toilet in the hall I share with the musician who is never here, I have a sink in my bedroom, and I share a shower with the family down in their flat. My room is small, but it has plenty of open space for me to add my own special touches.
So, here I share the pictures I have so far, and today I will take a picture of the outside of the building and my neighborhood!

The view from my bedroom window!

More importantly than me setting up my room is the fact that I met the family finally yesterday!  They are absolutely wonderful!  When I arrived at the airport, the dad (Nicolas) was there waiting for me, and after navigating through the airport (I had 4 bags, it was super crowded, and half of the terminal was shut down for 2 abandoned bags) we finally were able to grab a taxi and be on our way.  As I said before, my apartment is on the 4th floor (American 5th floor) and there is no elevator, so that was quite the workout bringing my things up!  We stopped on the 3rd floor so I could see their apartment, and also meet the mom (Valerie).  She is absolutely wonderful and always so cheery and positive, and she speaks amazing English...Nicolas does too, he just has a very VERY thick accent.  The kids were at day care yesterday so that I could settle in before meeting them.  So I came upstairs, unpacked, and then Valerie and I walked down the street to get lunch together.  It was nice having that time just to talk to her and get to know each other, because she will be on just my boss, but probably one of my closest friends here as I am essentially part of their family now.  After this, we walked to a few different stores running errands and getting things for dinner.  Then I had my first ever adventure in Paris ALONE.  She told me where the natural foods store was cuz they are supposed to carry gluten free items, so I found my way to the store, and even managed to find the gluten free section!  Valerie was adamant that I find gluten free bread because bread is such a staple in their diet, she wanted me to have the full experience.  So I bought gluten free brioche (not good), wholegrain rice pasta (she wants the kids to try it so I can eat with them), and some gluten free corn flakes.  It is ridiculously expensive here though, so I think I will have to make due without most of that, even though the family is paying for it all, I feel bad.  She reassures me over and over that I never buy my own food unless I eat out with friends, if I want something, I put it on their list and they buy it, even things for my room like a blow dryer and full length mirror!

So, after this adventure, I returned home so that I could join Valerie to pick up the kids from daycare at 6.  We first walked to pick up Alice, THE most adorable 5 year old in the world.  She was so excited to see me and knew who I was without being told.  She kept trying to speak French to me, so we constantly had to remind her that only English is allowed with me.  She has the most radiant, contagious smile and she is just so so sweet.  Her answer to everything is "yes, yes", because in France they say "oui, oui" and often times it's more like 6 times than just twice.
Next we went to pick up Lucien, who at 8 years old is INCREDIBLY smart.  He speaks English like an American with no accent whatsoever.  He also recognized me, but was a little more shy than Alice.  They are also still very jet lagged after just returning from a 2 month stay in Asia on Friday.  We made our way home and immediately brought out the magic sets and games for me to play with them.  We played quarto (which is like chess and tic tac toe combined) and then a memory game.  It was quickly time for them to eat dinner and then go to bed (Alice by 8, Lucien by 8:30).  I came back to my room after their dinner and around 9 Nicolas returned from work and came and got me for my welcome/weekly parents dinner.  Every Monday night I am to have dinner with the parents instead of the children, just so I can keep them up to date on what's happening in everyone's lives.  Let's just say, I think France will stretch me much farther past my comfort zone than Spain ever did (except for the pig ears).  Last night Valerie and Nicolas made a wonderful 4 course dinner for me.  For the appetizer we each had half of a mini cantaloupe filled with port wine, along with some jambon (smoked ham) and bread.  For the main course, we had duck with garlic green beans and enjoyed some yummy wine.  It was my first time having duck, but I must say it was quite delicious.  For the 3rd course we had a variety of cheeses.  I don't remember the names of each, but one was cow's milk, one was sheep's milk, one was goat's milk, and one was Spanish Manchego cheese.  For as much as I love cheese, this was the worst part of the meal for me...they all had a very strong flavor that was just way too much for me to handle, so I stuck with just the wine for this course.  The final course was dessert, and we enjoyed strawberries with currents along with chocolate, mango, and caramel sorbet.  Soooo yummy!

All in all it was a great day and a great night to start off my long stay in Paris.  It still hasn't hit me yet that this will be my home for a year, and I'm not sure it ever will.  I know I will get homesick occasionally, but hopefully not frequently!  The only thing that will get me through the year are visits, which the family is more than open to!  So please, come and visit!  I have a big bed to share (not much space anywhere else though) and a whole city to help you explore!  Email me often--mccormack.cory@gmail.com.  Write to me and I will write you back (email me for my address!)
Skype me, my username is cmccorma.  Visit me and (if you're in Europe) I will visit you back!  Whatever you do, please keep in contact because I would love to hear from you all!  Take care, love you all, and we will talk soon :)

Au Revoir!

Safe and Sound

I made it to Dallas! Now I have just 12 hours and 20 minutes left until I’m in Paris…3 of which will be spent hanging out in the wifi-less Dallas Airport :/

So, since it has been a few weeks since my first, and last post, I have plenty to update you all with, and enough to keep me busy for a fraction of my layover…Let’s start with the big news, which most of you probably know by now.  I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Duhring’s Disease (named after a French guy, ya!). It is a disease that is sparked from an allergy to gluten, which in turn effects my blood and causes a rash (which in my case appeared on my elbows) I have had it for a while, but it was never bothersome, I simply thought it was dry skin, but in the last few weeks, the bumps got bigger and it got significantly more painful and itchy, so I went to the doctor. A skin biopsy and blood test later, I am diagnosed. I am on medication now to ease the symptoms of it, but it is something that will be with me my entire life, which means a change of diet is in store. It has been over a week now that I have been on a gluten free diet. It was not as hard as I expected, because luckily I tend to enjoy healthy foods (nuts, rice, etc) more than the not-so-healthy foods (pasta, and the like). The hardest part for me has been the bread, along with the fact that they put wheat in just about everything these days, and most importantly, the fact that I am now a resident of France, the bread and pastry capital of the world. However, my most recent doctor’s visit came with some exciting and unexpected news! While I do have to stick to a fairly strict gluten free diet, because it is primarily my skin that is affected, I am allowed to “cheat” (i.e. have at most ONE non-safe food item per week). Obviously this comes as great news to me because I can not live in France for a year without indulging in a croissant with my coffee or a sweet crepe (BONUS: savory crepes are made with buckwheat flour, so I can eat them!). So what is overall a pretty big bummer and curveball into my preferred lifestyle, it is already showing it’s benefits and I am excited to explore all that Paris’ natural food stores have to offer!

Next on the agenda, my trip to San Diego! What an amazing long weekend is was, being able to see the majority of my closest friends before I leave! On that list of wonderful people were Ash whip, Rach, Reese, Anna, Adam, Shannon, Kimbo, Erik, Matt, Katrina, Zack, Osmar, Jupin, and Faith! I spent my time at the beach, the zoo, Balboa Park, and downtown Encinitas primarily. It was so great to see everyone and spend some much needed time with my Anna Banana :)

Lastly, my wonderful joint going away party yesterday! With me going to Paris and my brother starting at Cal Poly this year, my parents decided to have on big graduation/going away party for the two of us. It was so great to see all the old and new faces come out and support us and see us off before we leave! Thanks again mom and dad for all the hard work you put into that day!

That's all I can write for now, I will write again once I am settled into my new home in Paris, and I will include pictures!!

Love you all, Au Revoir!

My Very First Blog....oh Lord.

I have never really been one to just sit down and write for fun.  In fact, it was almost like pulling teeth to get me to write all those dreaded essays over the last 16 years of school.  However, I figure with this rather major move coming up (and the constant nagging from my three blog-loving friends - Ashley, Katie, and Marisa) I figured it was time to suck it up and write for fun.  Who knows, maybe I will actually enjoy it when I finally have new adventures to write about!

I have chosen the name "Tales From the 10th" for my blog because I will be living in the 10th arrondissement (I don't REALLY know how to pronounce that, but if you say it fast enough it all sounds the same!)

For those of you who are not up to speed on my latest adventure, on August 29, 2010, I board a one-way flight to Paris where I will be living and working for 11 months.  I have a job as an au pair, or "nanny" as Americans call them, for a wonderful family with 2 young children.  I will be living with this family and aiding the parents in raising 8 year old Lucian and 5 year old Alice to be cultured, English-speaking Parisians, which they essentially already are!  I am thrilled to begin my new adventure, but also scared out of my mind!  Prayers, well-wishes, skype dates, letters, or even visits would be much appreciated as I embark on my life-changing adventure!

Once I arrive, I will post my new address as well as my skype name so that I will have contact with as many of you as possible!

Thank you all for your love and support, and for reading this blog!  Let's hope I can keep you entertained!