Anouchka Talks

Last weekend, Habibi went out of town to spend a few days with a good friend.  Like any good wife, I was excited for him to have some quality time with a friend...but I also couldn't wait for some precious "me time." Of course, I always miss Habibi when one of us is out of town without the other for an extended period of time but, the older I get, the more I come to cherish the time spent with my own best friend:  me.  Don't get me wrong; just because the mantra for going out has become Do I have to wear pants?  Then I'm not interested.  doesn't mean I'm a recluse or anything.  Throughout my childhood and adolescence I was, in fact, quite extroverted.  However, once I entered adulthood, things began to change.  Gradually, I began to discover the joy that comes with (a certain amount of) solitude and how refreshing and re-energizing that can be. Plus, shucking your jeans at the door and running around your home in your jammies is ...

Our time in France has been delightful, and Habibi and I will never forget our first international trip together as a couple.  As I write this final entry from my cramped seat on the plane ride home, I feel contemplative and rather introspective.  For the past six and a half years, I have been searching for ways to move and work abroad.  While I would still love to do so, I currently find myself ready to return home to my Midwestern city where everything makes sense to me.  I love the French and have a profound appreciation for their language and culture, but I also feel very strongly that it is in learning about other languages and cultures that we can come to appreciate our own.  As many similarities as there are between the populations of the U.S. and of Europe, I have come to realize that I will always be a foreigner here - an outsider.  Please don't misunderstand me, however; this is not necessarily a bad thing!  It is simply a fact. As I consi...

(Sincerest apologies for the two-week delay in my posting.  I blame the holidays and so should you.) le 8 à 10 novembre Making the final drive from Rouen to Paris was bittersweet.  While we had greatly enjoyed our scenic drives through the French countryside, we were relieved to no longer have to concern ourselves with paid parking, toll roads and unspoken French traffic etiquette.   We spotted a castle on one of our many scenic drives (this one from Paris to the Franche-Comt é ).  Imagine seeing this on the interstate!!! Despite the je fais ce que je veux  attitude that colors French driving, I found myself saddened by the fact that we would no longer be frequenting the French gas stations I had grown to love over the course of our trip.  The little cups of gas station  café will forever remain a fond memory, as will the manner in which the French typically stop to drink it, rather than chugging it on the road.  The friendly gas...