Rookie Mistake

Today, I made the mistake of going to the supermarket without buying a baguette. I realized this huge error as I was checking out.  It was too late, there was nothing to be done.  And so I took my bags, and I walked.  I walked a 15-minute walk of shame back to my apartment, considering the effects of my actions, and debating whether or not I could make it through a day without this dear loaf of goodness.

The answer, kids, is no. There were just too many cheeses that needed spreading, too many scoops of Nutella that needed a vehicle to find their way into my mouth.  And so this happened:

They even included a little paper to give it a hug!

One special bakery trip later, I was fully equipped with my weapon of choice, and fully prepared to enter the only war I ever condone: my personal battle against the delicious foods of France.  Somehow, they keep multiplying, and I must eat more and more! It's a vicious battle, but someone has to be on the front lines.

Love and bread everyone,

Angie

Guys, I Met Someone.

Because he's a gentleman, he prefers to go by Monsieur Fromage.  Y'know, gotta keep it classy.

Much love, Angie et M. Fromage

I Hope Europe's Not Sick of Me Yet!

Hello, interwebs!

I received great news last night! I have been selected to be a part of the House of Brigid team next year!

Awesome, Angie! But what the heck does that mean??

To start, here's their mission statement, stolen directly from the link that I cleverly embedded into the first mention of their name in this post:

House of Brigid, Inc. invites recent college graduates to live as an intentional lay community for one year, dedicating themselves to the service of the Irish Catholic Church and to spiritual and personal formation. The founding community is based in the Diocese of Ferns at Clonard Church of the Annunciation, and is known by its Irish name, Teach Bhríde (pronounced “chalk breed”). The service is comprised of liturgical music ministry, youth catechesis, and diocesan education and outreach and the formation is built on foundations of communal living, prayer, and experience of the Irish way of life. Our mission stems from a spirit of gratitude to the missionaries of Ireland who brought the Catholic faith to America, an effort to strengthen in today’s Irish Catholics the faith that sustained their ancestors, and a desire to give young Americans the opportunity to immerse themselves in Irish culture and Celtic spirituality.

In a large nutshell, I'll be living and volunteering in Dublin, Ireland next year.  That will include in some way, shape, and form, a working relationship with a parish in the area, working with the University of Notre Dame's O'Connell House, and other great things that I will tell you all about later.  What I love about this program is that its ministry is music-based, and that it will allow me another year to learn and grow in so many ways.  It's really going to be great. I really could not be more honored or excited to have been chosen as a part of this program for next year!

So much happiness!  And on top of it all, I still have two full months left in France, and one of my best friends arrives a week from tomorrow!  I really don't think life could get much better.

Lovesies,
Angie

Really?

Really? Cookie Dingler? That's really your name? You know you can choose a stage name? Oh no. You didn't choose Cookie Dingler, did you? Oh, sorry, no, that's a great name. Very, uh, sweet, and, uh, dangly? No, wait, that didn't come out right.... Ya, great name, great name, sir! You're like a tempting little dessert that we all want a bite of? Dingly cookies. Cookie Dingler.

To each their own, I guess.

Angie.

I spent a week in Ireland and somehow only came back with this picture.

Bacon and cabbage! Yum!! This was a fabulous early-birthday meal with my lovely friend Joy. 

During my week in Ireland, I spent an evening at my sister's house, went to a meeting for Irish Brownies and their families, had a delicious lunch with my favorite Irish almost-ish cousin, saw Wexford for the first time, met the current Teach Bhríde members, gave them money toilet paper, stalked them, sang, played some piano, prayed, went to Mass, and took a 7am flight out of Dublin. 

Successful week if you ask me. Pretty much all I forgot to do was take pictures. Oops. Luckily, I have a wonderful and highly-detailed memory. 

Lovesies,

Angie

Thank You Notes

Apparently these American classics aren't really a thing in France. So, here's my solution:

Looks like an arts and crafts evening for me!

A bientôt,

Angie

PS: If this is false, and thank you notes exist in France, please tell me where to find them.  I have looked everywhere!

You're reading an occasionally-blocked blog!

You know what that means: millions! I tried to look at a few recent posts while riding Dublin buses, and I got this:

And as the old saying goes "controversy brings home the bacon."  Ok, you're right, that's not a saying at all, but it could be, and if it was, it'd be a great saying. So, here's what I'm thinking...this whole blocked site thing is going to make me famous, I'll make millions for the rest of my life off of it, and I'll retire at 24. (I'm giving it a year to take off because I'm feeling generous.)

So, here's hoping,

Angie

Back on the Emerald Isle!

And I couldn't be happier!! No matter how often I travel, I still hate flights. They make me sick, and I'm always certain that death is just waiting for me. But it's ok. I've developed a stealthy counter attack that kind of makes me look like an anti-social people hater: sleep! Sometimes I'm faking, and occasionally I really do fall into a glorious dreamland, but either way, I'm calmer, and everything is good.

I have an exciting week ahead of me! I can't wait to see my beloved family and friends, and make some new buddies in the process. Cheers to a successful week, everyone!

Lovesies from Dublin,

Angie 

Be good. Be kind. Be fresh.

Dear friends,

Every time that someone in France extends even the smallest gesture of kindness here, it means the world to me. I am without family, without the web of friends and support that I have spent the last 22 years weaving. And that's amazing! I have learned so much, and I appreciate every moment that I'm physically around family and friends all the more because of it. But still, there's a day-to-day world that must be lived in. 

Angie, why the heck are you bringing this all up? Well, as I tell my students, usually with a little too much excitement, that's a great question!!!!!!

Be kind to newbies, open your life to those who don't have a community or may be trying to make one. You don't have to be their best friend. You don't even have to invite them over twice. Shoot, you don't even have to invite them over once! But ask them about themselves, and make an honest effort to learn what makes them a beautiful and unique person. It doesn't take long to get there, you can do it in 10 minutes, but it's these interactions that have kept me going in France. Just having someone acknowledge that you are a worthwhile person who has something interesting to say is such a grounding, homey feeling. Everyone at home knows I'm (somewhat) articulate and not too painful to hold a conversation with, but no one here does! Give people a chance, people. Take a minute out of your routine to help someone else build the framework for one of their own. You won't regret it! Best case scenario, you meet your new bestie til the end of time! Worst case, you have an incredibly awkward interaction that makes the rest of your day feel that much more graceful.  It's a win-win!

Be kind to people. Kindness is the best.

Lovesies,

Angie

Sales!!

These are just a few examples of what is currently tempting me every day in France!

There are bi-annual designated sale seasons in France, and let me tell you, they are hard to resist! It's like Black Friday, but 5 weeks long, with additional markdowns to reward your patience. This year, the sales started on January 11th and will end on the 8th of February. In 2009, they added an optional 2-week add-on for the really daring stores! 

It's true, French clothes are beautiful, and only become more beautiful as the price drops. The only thing that's really holding me back is my limited luggage space at the end of the year. Well, that, and the fact that no one seems to be a accepting my Monopoly cash. Weird. 

If you miss out on this round of sales, don't worry! You can come back in the summer and they'll do it all over again!

Much love and happy shopping,

Angie

Kölsch-Bierprobe

There are many benefits to living with a German. For awhile, I thought maybe hearing a strange language flowing through the hallway was the coolest part, and then I thought that maybe it was her strange obsession with bread "that tastes like you're eating bread" or even just knowing that I can go visit Köln whoever I please for the rest of my life. But no, friends, this is officially the best:

Receiving a beer tasting as a Christmas present. Sitting and testing beers together while watching a crappy American movie that was only made worse by the fact that it was dubbed in French will forever be a holiday highlight for me.

Lovesies,

Angie

Who Died and Made You King of the Cake?

So there's this thing in France called "galette des rois" or "king cake".  If you're from the south, you may already be familiar with this delicious tradition.

It's really quite simple to feel French, and take part in this goodness.  First, buy a galette des rois.  They'll have a very nice selection at your local boulangerie, but you can buy a decent, and probably cheaper one at a grocery store.  I went with the bakery-bought option because I had company.

Of course, all of these cakes come with a crown.  You are most certainly supposed to try it on, and even take a few pictures beforehand, just to get everyone in the mood.  If you're one of my students, you may even want to wear your crown around school, just to let everyone know you're in the celebratory mood.

But why keep the crown just to yourself?  The cake may want to wear it as well!

Then you need to cut the cake, but be aware that there's a little surprise hidden inside!  Whoever chooses it is the king!

And guess what?! I was the winner of this cake!! YAHOO!!!! I won myself a little pet Zazu to live on my shoulder!

And you know what the best part is?  YOU CAN REPEAT THIS WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN!!! Well, until around Mardi Gras time, when they disappear. So, eat up, kids! And get your king cake on!

Lovesies,

Angie

Francey Pants Reunited!

Reunited in France at last!!

The other leg of Francey Pants was able to make it out for a quick 2-day trip to my side of the bay this week! And I couldn't have been happier!

So what do you do when you're hosting someone who you've lived and traveled with in France?  I'll tell you what you do:

Eat yummy food with lots of cheese!

Run around Nantes for a day!

And find silly things...

And take silly pictures...

And more silly pictures...

And then some nice pictures...

And then pictures where you can't quite figure out if they were going for silly or nice...

But mostly just be together because that's what makes for the best memories.

Much love,
Angie

Raclette: Meat and Cheese and Everything Nice

While my friend Joy visited me, we made one of my favorite meals: raclette!  Here's how the magic happens:

1. Boil potatoes.

2. Pull out your random meat assortment, and raclette cheese.

3. If you are a poor language assistant, like myself, use your stovetop to melt cheese and heat up meat.

3b. Be a real French person, and use one of these fancy all-in-one, family-style heater/melters!

Thanks, Wikipedia!

4. Enjoy!

And that's today's issue of "What Angie's Eating!"

Lovesies,

Angie

And May All Your Christmases Be That Shade Between Emerald and Kelly

Although I am a long way from home, I am extremely lucky to be a short way from family.  Being able to hop over to Dublin for my two-week Christmas break was really wonderful and relaxing.  We spent Christmas and Stephen's Day in Dublin, and then headed to the west for a week of wonderfully-unscheduled family (plus Joy!) time.

I was able to spend time with some beautiful SMCs.
*Photo looted from Joy*

Stared at the beautiful Croagh Patrick for a week.
*Photo pilfered from Joy*

Wondered where the beach had gone to.
*Photo purloined from Joy*

Got a onesie for Christmas!
*I was a little thief, and took this from Katie*

And just did a lot of this.
*This picture is so good that the world in general should have joint ownership over it.*

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!!

Lovesies,
Angie