The Sun is Out!!

Well actually the sun was out.  It came out yesterday for the first time since I've been here but now today it's back to the gray, gloomy weather.  It's been so cold that Marie-Laure decided to fly to Nice this weekend to stay with her friend.  And the boys are at their dad's house so I've had the house to myself for a couple of days which has been really nice.  

On Friday night Jessica, Sophie and I went to a British pub called the Bitter End which was really fun.  It can at times get a little overcrowded with French teenage boys that are determined to impress us American girls with their French sex appeal.  It didn't work.  Then on Saturday I went to Paris  to meet other au pairs in the area.  Everyone is really cool and I think we're all just relieved to finally have friends.  It was fun comparing stories and family situations.  A small group of us decided to go back to the Bitter End since it's close to a lot of our houses and most of us can walk back.  Even though we were at a British pub a French guy named Julien told me that I should be careful and not drink so much because French girls don't do that.  I think he was trying to point out cultural differences but he told me this while we were sitting down and I was on my second beer.  He said to be careful or people would think I was a Brit (which I'm assuming is not a good thing??)  I'm still slightly confused because I wasn't out of control or talking loudly and we were in a packed bar.  I think some of the French people were also surprised that a bunch of girls would get a pitcher of beer (it cost 20 euros!).  I don't think I'll be doing that anymore since $30 in my opinion is way too much to spend on beer.  It was a fun night though and I'm glad I got to spend some time with the other au pairs.  

I thought I'd put some pictures up for you.  I haven't really taken that many yet because I'm still just trying to learn my way around the city but hopefully sometime this week I'll get some pictures of Saint-Germain and then eventually Paris.  

Saying goodbye at the airport  :(   Sorry, had to put this one up.  

My "closet"  

My room

The view from the window in my room

The living room

The dining room....there's no separation between the living and dining room, it's all very open

The garden

The tiny kitchen

This is where I spend a lot of my time

Thomas enjoying his after school snack with Marley (all of his stuffed animals besides Mr.Moose are named Marley.  I haven't quite figured this out.)  

Life in France

So I am finally starting to get settled into my life here.  My room is unpacked and I think I'm overcoming the exhaustion I was suffering from the first two days.  

The family has been absolutely amazing so far.  Marie-Laure has been very welcoming and she is doing an excellent job of making sure everything is clear to me.  Yesterday she taught me how to drive and also how to prepare a few French meals.  The two boys are adorable.  Nico, whose English is perfect, has been keeping me company and helping me do the the little things like the grocery shopping or even just getting me to the grocery store.  Today I think Nico is going to give me a walking tour of Saint-Germain so I have an even better idea of where I am going.  I was worried about Thomas because I heard he was not always friendly with the new au pairs and it took awhile to establish a relationship with him.  I think he has grown up alot though because for some reason he can't seem to get enough of me.  He has eagerly shown me all of his books and toys and insists on playing basically all day long.  Sometimes "playing" consists of me watching him play on his gameboy.  

The first day was rather overwhelming.  It was just a constant stream of information as ML would give me the emergency contact information as she was walking out the door and then call out that she would show me how to use the phone later.  I'm obviously still learning alot since it is only my 3rd day here but the little things around the house are beginning to grow more familiar to me.  Of course when I leave the house it's a whole different story.  I have yet to venture out on my own and have relied quite heavily on Nico but I will be completely on my own starting on Monday so the adventures will start soon enough.

This weekend I think I am going to Paris with a couple of the other au pairs.  I think there are alot of au pairs in the area and so we are all getting together for a picnic in the park on Saturday.  I think also on Friday I am going out to explore Saint-Germain a little more with Sophie and Jessica, two other au pairs in St.G.  

Hope everything is going great back home!  Feel free to email me anytime.

alyssarisch@gmail.com

Au Revoir

So I've finally created this blog, naturally the night before I have to leave.  At the moment I am frantically packing, trying to squeeze everything I could possibly need for a year into two suitcases.  

Tomorrow I am heading to Paris to be an au pair for a year in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a suburb of Paris.  I will be living with Marie-Laure and her two sons Nico and Thomas.  I plan on soaking up as much of the French culture as possible and hopefully I will finally be able to conquer the French language.  

If you want to send me any mail at all - that would be wonderful!!!  Here is my address for the following year:

Alyssa Risch

c/o Marie-Laure Gastellu

48 rue du Maréchal Joffre

78100 Saint-Germain-en-Laye

FRANCE