Frozen Account

I haven’t been able to locate my credit card for about 3 weeks now. I know the last time I used it was at Monoprix… I purchased hair dye and a few other miscellaneous items.  I found the transaction receipt on the floor in my room but my credit card is still MIA. This is unfortunate because I really loved the island sunset design on the front of the card, and also because I haven’t been able to shop. It turns out that neither has anyone else (been able to shop, using my credit card) because I have been keeping tabs on it thanks to online banking. Glad it at least wasn’t stolen, dealing with identity theft from across the Atlantic would be a pain in the ass. Last week, I caved and decided to give up the search, cancel my current card and get a new one issued. Capital One was really helpful on the phone (5 stars for customer service!); easily cancelled my current card and issued me a new one. Because I’m in France, though, they have to send the card to my address in the states, and from there the card has to be forwarded to my French address by my parents. So, my Capital One account is currently frozen. This is good news for my US Bank savings account (it was feeling overworked)… This situation made me realize that I have to start budgeting and getting my finances in check. Paris is such an expensive city, and truth be told, I haven’t really watched my spending at all as of yet. Three months is a long enough honeymoon, it’s time to rein myself in and start living like the starving college student that I am rather than the posh aristocrat that I have been acting like.

My finances will ease up a bit as soon as I finish applying for the CAF, get paid for November and get reimbursed for my Metro transportation costs. La vie à Paris est très CHEREEEE! 

Moving on to something more exciting. Thanksgiving. 

This weekend was so much fun and full of friendship and camaraderie. Friday I got in a great work out in the morning then came home and headed to Starbucks for a caffeine fix. There, we (Rhea, Bella and myself) met up with Manny and Juan (we met Juan in Nice earlier this year). After Starbucks we headed to Thanksgiving, which is an American food items store in Paris. This establishment is extremely expensive, but tell me where else I’m going to find canned pumpkin and pop tarts. (Answer, nowhere) We then headed home, I talked to Peter on the phone for a while (so nice to hear your voice PEDRO).. then went to Montmartre for some more shopping. I ended up spending 100 euros on beauty products… they’re also ghastly expensive but necessary. Friday night, Rhea and I hung out in the kitchen creating our delicious desserts for our Thanksgiving feasts. My specialty was a pumpkin cheesecake, and she whipped up a yummy pistachio torte. Both items were hits at our feast the next day. 

Saturday was the day of our big Thanksgiving banquet. Woke up, went to the gym, came home to start cooking. I made pumpkin soup first. I had made pumpkin soup before so felt confident leaving the recipe behind. I’m pretty sure that the savory flavors enticed the entire crowd later in the day.

I ended up being the chef extraordinaire the rest of the day. I made garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese and warmed the rotisserie chickens (when there isn’t a turkey to be found, ya gotta get creative.) The electricity went out halfway through preparation, but the champagne was flowing so the guests didn’t mind. 

Our menu consisted of: 

Rotisserie Chicken

Pumpkin soup

Macaroni & Cheese

Cranberry fluff

Garlic mashed potatoes

Green bean casserole

Brie puff pastry

Pumpkin cheesecake

Pistachio torte

Apple crumble

And

LOTS

And LOTS

Of champagne

27 bottles to be exact. 

Yeah, most of our guests were hurting the next day, but I think they left with full bellies of food and fun.

It was exciting to share this traditionally American holiday with an array of different cultures. We had guests from America, Scotland, Ireland, and Spain. (I don’t think I’m forgetting any, but I might be.)

Yesterday, I whipped up another pumpkin cheesecake and then headed to Lauren’s host family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Real turkey was carved up and the feast was scrumptious! I hadn’t realized how much I had been missing pecan pie. (so good)

Last night I went out for dinner (I didn’t eat, no room in my tummy) with Rose, Rhea and Rose’s mom and aunt. The restaurant was typical French cuisine and rather inexpensive. I had a nice Bordeaux. I think I’ll go back when I have an appetite because the food looked really good. 

Finally, after dinner last night, I went out with some newly made friends (and some old ones) to Corcoran’s. It was a pretty low key night which is rare to say… Corcoran’s usually gets me in trouble. Last night we had another full house of sleeping beauties… 5 people in our living room... hope they got a good night’s rest. It’s safe to say that our apartment truly is an auberge. I love hosting.

So, here I am... today is Monday.  The beginning of another week. It sound cliché to say, but time here really does fly. I can’t believe another weekend is gone. I am still thankful to be here and can’t wait to see what this week has in store. For now, I am waiting to teach another class. If I don’t gain anything else from this experience, I can say that I have become a more patient person because waiting is the most common theme I have come across.