I can’t believe that it is the 7th and I haven’t written an entry yet. I don’t have any new year’s resolutions but to learn as much French as possible, but I do want to try to enter more. So it is a New Year and I it strange to say we need to get back to our “normal” routine. I mean how normal is living in France? The language is coming along, but I am starting to feel like we would have to stay here another year if we truly wanted to be “fluent” I did say something to Patrice’s mom the other night and Patrice was surprised at the what I was able to get out. That made me feel good. Jenny and Kendra both have said that Kim’s confidence is not in line with her competence. Jenny went to the store with Kim and they were asking about a specific gift that Jenny wanted to give Patrice. Kim felt like her French was worthless but Jenny pointed out that Kim got the information about where to find what they were looking for. I have to also note something that came up the other day. We have been learning about clothing and fashion, which is odd except that it is WAY more important to the French. We learned the word for model is mannequin which is the same word for the mannequin in the store. Now we know that the French version of modesty is different from ours, but I didn’t know how different it was. So the things that shock us, topless beaches, male frontal nudity in movies seemed to confirm my belief that they were immoral. Patrice didn’t see it that way because their nudity was practical, not sexual. What shocked his senses is what woman will wear around town. He said that you would never see a man or a woman in a tank top no matter how hot it was. He was right. So who is more modest. I have to say it depends, but sometimes not us.