The walk home was so awful!!! Today is the first day I experienced Le Mistral... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistral_(wind) I was comfortable in a short-sleeve shirt and jeans or a dress last week and now all of a sudden I'm in a wool coat with knee-high boots, a scarf, and leather gloves...My prof wasn't kidding when she said The Mistral was "trés horrible!"
Molly let me into the Augustins apartment and I got ready to meet my official OFFICIAL host family. I walked to Places des Arts et Métiers to meet them. I waited a few minutes before a cute, yet more mature Winona Ryder look-alike in a tweed blazer walked up to me with two kids. Alors, it was Céline with two of the triplets--Bautiste and Léa. We got into her car which had a stick-shift (YESSS!!! I hate driving automatics) and drove east toward the edge of town. We went up a hill on a tight-windy road which reminded me of driving through the mountains at home. A few minutes later, we pulled through a wrought-iron gate and parked. The house is magnificent!!! I've never seen a house bigger than it in Aix. I guess with 9 kids you've got to have a big house, right? [Pictures at the end of this post]
As I exited the car, I was greeted by the family dog "Google" who is extremely sweet. She looks like a border collie mix. We make our way around the huge house and go through a side door into a kitchen. I immediately meet Didier (sp?) for the first time in person, the third triplet Camille, Céline's mother who visits every so often, and the youngest child Gregoire who is 2 years old--He is the cutest little button EVER!!! I just want to kiss him constantly!!!
It turns out that I'll only be caring for 4 children [NOT 9!] and only 3 days a week!!! The other 5 children are around my age and are off doing their own thing. Most of them visit on the weekends, but one is in medical school and the other is at Northwestern in the states. Thank the lord!!! I definitely wouldn't be able to handle NINE children if they were all pre-adolescent.
I told the parents what I am looking for and re-played the situation that happened with the Faget family. After fully understanding what had happened--knowing that it was completely out of my hands to be stuck in this situation, they decided that they could offer me everything I needed and more. At the point, they opted to tell me about the potential problems. First, they are moving into a new house at the end of the week so I would have to help them move. They were also worried about it being a hassle for me to move from one maze to another--like I said, the house is humongous!!! The other one is supposed to be even bigger. The second problem is that they don't want to invest in a relationship with me just to have me go to Romy's family in February. They decided that they're going to tell Romy he needs to find another au pair because they want to keep me for the whole year. That sounds fair to me. I also feel like it would be a waste to get to know one family only and get into a routine only to have to start all over a few months later.
They showed me around the house, beginning with my apartment--complete with my own kitchenette for those late night munchies, a private bathroom, and a door leading directly outside for when I want to come in late. They showed me all of the kids' rooms but decided that going to the other wing of the house to show me their bedroom and Gregoire's would be too much of a trip, lol. Wow!!! I can see that another time...I also didn't get a tour of the lower level. Sooo much space!!! I'm not sure what Didier does for a living besides traveling, but Céline is a lawyer in Aix.
The visit was a successful one and I'm really happy to have met these people. I'm really happy that Romy gave me this connection. I feel bad though that they are now going to keep me all to themselves...
Gate to the house
Driveway
Technically the front of the house
Side of the house
Yard on the side of the house
Front yard with fig trees
My car
Fountain in the back yard
Google playing with the neighbor's dog
She loves me...
congratulations on finding your kids!! sounds like you are going to have your hands full. Take care...we miss you.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!! So, if you are going to be there for a whole year, when are you allowing visitors? Like your fabulous roommate? ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm allowed visitors whenever I want. You just have to let me know ahead of time so I can tell my family!
ReplyDeleteMy friend Jacob is here visiting right now. If I had been with my family longer I would've asked if he could stay here. They said they'd be cool with it