Getting used to...well, the not city.

When I first applied to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), a 7-month program designed by the French government to bring in foreigners to their schools to assist secondary language teachers in the classrooms, I was excited to mark Lille as one of my top choices for city placement. Lille, a major city in the north, is on the opposite end of France in a more industrial area than Montpellier (I studied abroad in Montpellier in college). Also, it's strategically located within an hour of major european travel destinations: Brussels, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne...all only within an hour or so from the city.

So here I am, placed in a town about half an hour from the Lille center and 10 minutes from a smaller city. My town is in Pas-de-Calais which is known as the most hospitable region in France. Also, they're known for their accent and being in the “sticks.” There's a famous French movie called “Bienvenue chez les cht'is” (Welcome to the sticks) that's about this region, and there's going to be an American remake of the film starring Will Smith. Everyone asks me if I've seen it. I haven't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bienvenue_chez_les_Ch%27tis

It took me about 10 days to get pretty well set up at my retirement home. I forgot to mention: I'm living in a retirement home. Rather, an assisted living apartment building. It was the best deal I could find and the town mayor said they'd negotiate a lower price for me if I spend time with the residents and share my culture etc. I'm even on their blog: http://lavieaufoyerleonblum.over-blog.com/article-anniversaires-et-arrivee-d-une-americaine-86458118.html (of course my eyes are awkwardly closed in the picture)

I feel like I need my own reality show. I'm a 22 year old Black american girl living amongst the French elderly in the “sticks.” At first I wanted to cry about it, but after 3 weeks, I'm actually really grateful I stayed. This apartment is a steal. I have my own kitchen, bathroom, closet, TV, sleeper sofa AND queen sized bed. Also, everyone is so great.

One of my neighbors brought me bread and beignets (with apricot filling!) from her leftovers and also stole some butter and cheese from the building kitchen (she placed her finger over her mouth and shushed me not to tell.) It's not like she'd get in trouble though. She's in her 70s with four 50-something sons and a butt load of grand babies. Also, she's wider than she is tall. I mean, really? Who's going to pick a fight with her??

My other neighbors are funny too. In my hallway there are 3 other women who live in the apartments next to mine. One is nearly deaf, one talks to me like I'm slow (which kind of offends me but at the same time leaves me grateful that I can at least understand), and the other parks her walker outside of the door and doesn't talk much. The deaf one told me I could play my music loudly if I want. Score.

Downside: The first week here everyone thought I was a nurse and kept asking me to give them check ups.

My quick illustration of the retirement home:

There's

• The cook who brings me food sometimes
• The ladies who sing in the choir and always invite me to come and listen to them.
• The the landlord who helps me with anything technical and who likes to practice his English with me.
• The group of old women parked in their wheelchairs who stare at me as I walk by, always exchanging “Bonjours” or making small talk with me.
• The old man down the hall, who told everyone at lunch the other day that it was his 18^th birthday (though I'm sure it was more like his 88^th) and he's always asking me about my relationship status.

Also, the food is amazing here. There are these savory crepes called "galettes" that I LOOOVE. I found this picture on the web...but they look like this:

The best part about living in this smaller town versus the city is that I feel like I've established a bit of a network that I wouldn't have been able to do in a bigger city. I walk down the street and people know me, not everyone obviously, but if I'm outside for more than 30 minutes I'll run into some familiar face and strike up a conversation. I was so afraid that living in a small town I would feel isolated from the rest of the world, not to say that at times I don't, but I think that if I had been placed in Lille proper I might be experiencing a different kind of isolation. The kind where you have a lot of people around you but no one to talk to. Not saying it's better or worse. Probably just different.