Un Diner Presque Parfait *

* "Un diner presque parfait" is a show in which there are about 5 candidates who each host a dinner party at their home.  The guests rate the person on their food, presentation, animation, etc. 


Erin kept trying to have me read books about living abroad to brace me for culture shock.  But I didn't see the point.  Things will be different, I can fight them or roll with the punches.  We did it when we moved to Hawaii and it wasn't bad.  I enjoy new experiences, so I wasn't worried.  But in DC they recommended a few books that dealt with living in France.  Now that seemed something good - it would be better to know what's coming then to do my first load of laundry and spend all day searching for a dryer (hint: many French people don't use a dryer!).  So I read it and it was good but some parts were mainly for people not even in the upper 1% but the upper 0.5% living in Paris.  Or at least that's what I thought!


We were invited to a dinner at our new friends' house with some people from their English class, that the wife takes.  I hesitated with what to wear but decided to dress a little nicer.  And after being there for about 5 minutes I was glad I did. This was going to be a full on french dinner - 5 courses and all!  We started up stairs and Erin and I sat on opposite sides of the room - not on purpose of course, she's my security blanket!  But I ended having a semi-conversation with the husband and one of their friends.  I managed to hold my own and follow most of what was said.  I became the hit of the party when I busted out my key phrase: "Je parle comme une vache espangole" (I speak like a spanish cow) which is just a funny way of saying I don't speak french well (why they pick on the poor spanish cows, I don't know).  But everyone was on the floor laughing.  


We continued downstairs for the first dish of fois gras, followed by a beautiful dish of rice and chicken, a salad, some cheese, and dessert.  Of course a rainbow of wine was also involved in the night, but I can't even begin to say what colors when.  But it was a lovely night!  So much fun and...well just lots of fun.  We did speak some English, but most of it was French and it made me feel really good about the little progress I'd made so far.


How does this dinner relate to the TV show or the book I read?  Well, we followed all the protocols for etiquette in the book. The seating was boy-girl and Erin and I did not sit next to each other (we can talk to each other every day after all), Erin (being the guest and a girl) was served first, which she hated because she didn't know how much or what to do.  And if they were on the show, I would be forced to give them a 10.  I probably should mark them down to a 9 since on the show they always have an activity, but I was grateful for not having one!


We talked about Thanksgiving and said we should do a dinner then - so hopefully we will.  When we left I felt bad knowing how many dishes we had dirtied and how much cleaning they'd have.  But I knew better than to offer to help.  But we did follow the protocol, we arrived late (actually at the same time as another couple), we brought a trivet for them from Hawaii, and we wrote a thank you letter the next day.  Good thing I read that book!