Southern Fried French

Judging the Book Cover: Which Will You Choose?

We take a break from our regular programming  today to ask a favor.  Faithful readers of this blog will remember that on the post of 2/12, The Best Way to Learn French,  I announced I was writing a short, fun book on language learning, entitled How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain.  Now, a year later, enfin (finally!) I am close to getting the book out.  Who knew that writing/editing/designing/publishing a book could take so long?  Well, now I know.  (Mostly it’s just the learning curve. The next one will be du gâteau, as they say, a piece of cake).

In case you missed it, the book will not be just about learning French, but about learning any foreign language.  It starts with the why’s of learning a language and then progresses to a full program that you can follow.  There is a chapter that reviews and rates many of the language learning tools that are available on-line, at your bookstore, or in your community.  There’s a chapter just for expats.  Most importantly, there’s a chapter written by YOU, Dear Readers, with all of your personal tips for learning a language.  The book is meant to be upbeat and fun, to get you started on your new language, or to keep you going if you’re deep into languge study.

So now the fun part:  choosing a cover!  And for that too, I’d love some input from you.  I asked Damon of Damonza's Awesome Book Covers to design a cover for me and I think he did a super job (and if you’re shopping for book covers or trailers, he's your man).  Here are the two final choices:

If you’d like to cast a vote or give feedback, please do, I’d love to hear it.  Send your vote to [email protected].  Vote for Monsieur le Flower Pot, or the Langauge Balloon.  Sorry I won’t be able to answer your emails personally, but I’ll be counting those votes.

A huge, grand MERCI to everyone, and watch this space for the big release, someday soon!

 

To thank you for your help, we need a special recipe.  We’re on the Côte d’Azur this week, and we lunched at the legendary African Queen, on the port at Beaulieu-sur-mer, where I ordered “L’African Cocktail”.  It was served up pretty in a big stemmed glass .  Although that whole ‘shrimp on top with it’s eyes bugging out' thing was a bit disturbing.  But that’s typical French.

RECIPE:  L’African Cocktail 

This is easy to serve on lettuce for a nice spring lunch, or it's a knock-out starter for company:

Mix together fresh shrimp (peeled, boiled, and chopped), chopped avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh pineapple cut into cubes, and minced parsley.

For the dressing:  they dressed it, with a very light touch, in a remoulade sauce.  Here’s my quick way to make that:  Put ¼ cup of mayo in a bowl and mix in a tablespoon of chile sauce, or to taste (ketchup will do in a pinch).  Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of sugar.  Stir well until sugar is dissolved.

Toss with shrimp mixture and enjoy.  

In the COMMENTS:  Suzanne, I will pass along your wish.  Sylvia and Frank, thanks for the translation correction.  Sandy, I don't know the chapel in Antibes but hope to visit.  Kiki tells about the cemetary in Nice, worth a visit as well.

A Peaceful Interlude in the South of France

Cap Ferrat, quiet jewel of the Cote d’Azur, is always full of surprises.  Like the beautiful, rugged  coastal walks we discovered one year, that circle the Cap (see this post, and this one).  Like the fact that there are  the beautiful manicured estates of the super-rich, but the locals have their roots as simple fishermen.

We visit each year, and now a new surprise.  A tiny sign along one of the coastal walks marks a detour to the Chappelle de Saint Hospice.  A short climb later found us at a peak of the Cap, at a charming chapel that stands alone there, with 360 degree views of the Mediterranean, Beaulieu, Nice, and Villefranche.  Beside the chapel, an oddity:  a brass statue of Madonna and child, 36 feet (11 metres) tall. 

Inside, the small chapel is peaceful and user-friendly.  It is reportedly always open; candles were lit, and soft organ music played.  There was not a soul in sight.  Rays of southern sunlight penetrated the open door, and just a wisp of a sea breeze brushed past. 

Here is the story of the chapel:  In the sixth century there was a tower on the spot, and a hermit named Hospice took up residence in the tower to live a monastic life.  When the Lombards invaded the coast in 575, they found the tower and believed it to be full of treasures.  They found Hospice inside, and one of the soldiers raised his sword to decapitate him.  Instantly the soldier’s arms were paralyzed, and Hospice’s life was spared.  The chapel was later built in his honor at the site of the ruined tower, and the miracle that sainted him is portrayed in a statue in the chapel.  The giant bronze Madonna, taller than the church but just shorter than the bell tower, was added in 1903.

Just outside the door was a lovely and poignant inscription.  Which will be your French leçon du jour.   Here is the text for you to decipher, followed by my translation (corrections welcome).  

 

 

 

Le hasard d’une promenade vous a conduits

à cette chapelle au bout du monde;

 Derrière l’abside c’est le large,

derrière la porche, l’abri d’une rade:

Vous êtes entre Terre et Mer,

là oû s’apaise la longue course

des vagues de Levant ou de Ponant.

Ici tant de marins sont venus

la veille de lever l’ancre.

Tant de femmes ont gravi la colline

pour trouver la force

d’espérer leur retour.

Vous êtes entre Terre et Mer.

Faites halte

Faites silence

Et que monte de votre coeur,

rejoignant la prière millénaire,

votre adoration

vers Dieu, le créateur

de la Terre et de la Mer.

 

A chance stroll has led you 

to this chapel at the end of the world;

beyond the apse is the open sea,

behind the portico, the shelter of a harbor:

You are between earth and sea,

there, where calms the long track

of waves from east or west.

Here too many sailors have come

on the eve of weighing the anchor.

Too many women have  scaled the hill

to find the strength

to hope for their return.

You are between earth and sea.

Be still

Be silent

And as your heart ascends,

rejoin the millennial prayer,

your worship

of God, the  creator

of the earth and the sea.

Photos, above:  A very tall Madonna, and the chapel viewed from the sea, on top of the hill.

One last thing:  in the chapel there is a book where fellow travelers can leave their wishes, dreams, aspirations, prayers (photo, left).  If you can’t visit, perhaps the good St. Hospice will consider your virtual appeals from afar. A very Happy Easter to all!

 

In the COMMENTS:  It was such fun reading your additons to the "They Just Don't Get It" list!  So many I forgot--Susan, YES to the showers, and the lack thereof.  Kiki reminded us of French parking garages, 'journey to the center of the earth' for sure.  Y'all added smiling, dog poop, and smoking. Suzanne, you are right about the US food explosion not cutting aross all ecomonic groups, but I hope it spreads--the US does fast food way too well.  Bobbi, of the Finding Me in France Switzerland blog, reminded me that I forgot WINE as the thing the French do well, c'est vrai!

 

They Just Don't Get It...

PHOTO:   The French have a leg up on vibrant, livable cities with iconic buildings, great public transportation, and public art.

As most anyone who has lived in a new country will tell you, every country has its charms, but none has all the answers. We love our two home countries, but after 10 years, there are still things the French do that drive us absolutely bonkers---and different thing that drive us crazy when we go back to the states.  Below, a very personal and subjective list of what we think the French get right--and wrong---and a corresponding list for the States.  I’ve asked British expat friends here to make the same list for the UK  (they’ve contributed to the French list as well) so we have three countries represented. Knowing we are clearly dealing in generalizations, here we go:

The French just don’t get..

• customer service
• a full work week
• the global economy
• how to design a parking lot
• the foodie revolution
• the farm to table obsession (they invented it, now many bistros are abandoning it)
• a streamlined bureaucracy
• the importance of speaking English
• queuing in line
• apologizing
• entreprenurism

 Photo: the entreprenurial Americans are famous for sprouting new ideas and companies, while the French aspire to be beaureaucrats. (garden sculpture at the Palazzo Murat Hotel in Positano).

The French totally get…. 

• historic preservation
• a leisurely lifestyle
• outdoor food markets
• the café culture
• violent crime prevention
• an straightforward, simple income tax
• sauces
• the sit-down family dinner
• frugality & recycling
• solidarity
• family values
• public transportation
• drinking in moderation

 PHOTO:  Phooey!  In France, those pesky customers are always wrong.

Americans  just don’t get….

• vacation time
• universal health care
• a work-life balance 
• gun control
• round-abouts
• the importance of  speaking a foreign language
• European politics

Americans totally get...

• IT  and business innovation
• customer-focused shopping hours
• the fresh food explosion

• career ambition
• retail and service staff training
• cocktails

The UK just doesn’t get…

• a consistent approach to good food 
• patriotism 
• leisure time
• saving up
• sensible child rearing

 PHOTO:  The Brits gets high marks for their gentleness and humour.

The UK totally gets…

• global issues 
• tolerance, courteousness, friendliness
• service 
• pageantry 
• beer
• good TV 
• competitiveness 
• fast, universal internet service

 

I’m sure y’all have some to add. Even a list from another country perhaps.   And I’m pretty sure many of you will take issue with some of our choices--bring on the debate!

In the COMMENTS:  If you were interested in last week's post on French and American health care and The Bitter Pill article, please do not miss the comments that poured in. We heard from the French, from expats, Italians and Canadians.  We heard from  Colette and Chris (of European Markets) who have recently experienced the US system, and expat Kiki (of Snefnug Studio) who has just been through a major medical ordeal in France.  Nicole talks about her experience with health care in India.  Their answers will surprise you.   I found everyone's experiences and opinions fascinating and informative, and I'm so pleased to hear from so many folks on this important issue.

On the lighter side, Jonelle had promised to send her recipe for Oh So Good Pie, and you can now find it in the Comment section of this post.  Merci Jonelle, it looks sinful!

A Healthy System: French Medical Care

Relax, monsieur, you're well cared for:  The French give their health care system high marks.  Photo taken at the flea market in Nice.

Readers of this blog who are thinking of moving to France often send me questions, and one of the main ones is:  how’s the health care in France?  What to do about  medical insurance?

I decided to write about French health care this week, and my decision was prompted by reading the Time Magazine cover story of last week:  Bitter Pill:  Why Medical Bills are Killing Us.

I read this amazing piece of old-fashioned investigative journalism, about WHY a cancer drug in the states costs the pharmaceutical company $300,  is sold to the hospital for $3000, and is billed to the patient for $13,000. Why you may be charged $77 for a box of gauze pads that you could buy for a couple of bucks.  Author Steven Brill tells us who is lining their pockets with our money.  I don’t think I’ve ever been so furious, after reading it.  If were up to me I’d make it required reading for every American.  People, we are being robbed.  These bandits make the villified bankers look like benevolent philanthropists.

The French system is day to America’s night.  The World Health Organization rates the French system the best in the world (the US is 38th, though it’s by far the most expensive in the world).  Life expectancy?  The UN ranks the French 7th in the world, the US checks in at 40th.

We’ve lived with the French system for 10 years now, and been through small surgeries, procedures, routine care, and my husband’s bike accident which put him in the hospital and in-patient rehab for two months.  Though French health care is not perfect, it’s pretty darn great.  It’s cheap for us, and basically ‘free’ for every French person, though of course their tax rate is higher.  But they get really great value for those taxes, and the system is completely equitable.

The first thing you’ll notice in France is this: doctors don’t have staff, unless they’re in a group practice, in which case they have a receptionist.  If you’re French, you hand them your carte vitale, deal done.  As expats without a ‘green card’, as they call the carte vitale, we write them a check on the spot ($30 for a GP, $40-$50 for any specialist).  No paperwork, no insurance to file for doctor or patient, if you’re French.  Contrast this with the states, where each doctor will have between 3 and 7 employees, most working on billing/administration.  (Imagine what that adds to your costs).

In hospitals, we’ve gotten very good care--state of the art and top of the line.  Unlike in the states, everything is priced at something close to the actual cost, so the prices are quite reasonable.  Example: A trip in an ambulance in France runs about $50 euros; in the states it’s about 20 times that much.

But as an expat, will your insurance apply in France?  That depends on your policy; we have military insurance so we're covered.  Medicare does not apply in France.  Ex-pats can buy special insurance policies to cover them in France and because health care is so much cheaper, the policies are cheaper too.  If you’re a French resident with a Carte de Séjour (resident card), you can buy into the French system under some circumstances, the cost of which will be a percentage of your income (Visit Expatica, or Americans in France).  PHOTO: The French live longer---is it the wine, the relaxed lifestyle, or the health care?

Now back to that Bitter Pill.  Warning:  if you are well when you read it, you’re going to feel quite ill when you finish.  I couldn’t sleep the night I read it; Jon Stewart says that by the end of the article his hands we’re shaking and he was screaming.  So what to do about it?  I’m contacting my legislators toute de suite for a start, I hope you will too.   As always, comments are welcome, I’m very interested to hear your take on the article, and on French health care if you have experience with it.

In the COMMENTS:  Last week, an easy dinner menu.  Natalia, wow, now that's a great menu for spoiling your guests!  Anne, I love the idea of a spciy mustard in the dressing.  Barbara of The Wise Collector shares a book on French cuisine, Bouquet De France; An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces, that sounds like a must-read.  Ido, felicitations on the baptism, and thanks for asking about my book--to be published at last this spring, I hope!  Suzanne, an iron skillet should work perfectly for the tian and roast, I use mine for just about everything anyway.  Carrie (of Season it Already!), come on over anytime!