Well, I was a bit sad that I was not going to be able to enjoy a nice American Thanksgiving, complete with family, food, and football, but the Franco-American Association in Caen was putting on a Thanksgiving dinner and American's were invited to eat for free! So quite a few of us decided to go of course, the only option for celebrating Turkey Day. So Thursday rolls around and about half way through the day it starts SNOWING. Yes. SNOWING. At first it was hail, then compact snow globs, then just plain flakey snow. Initially it melted on the ground, but soon, enough built up that everything was white outside! How insane! What a thanksgiving it was starting out to be.
So the dinner started at 7:00pm and so we decided to leave at 6:30pm because we figured there could be some tram delays because of the snow. Well, that was an understatement, the trams had stopped running. And this dinner was not close. So we began walking through the slushy slippery icy snow. Needless to say it was slow, freezing (my toes were quickly soaked and numb), and a tad frustrating. There were no directions, and mapquest gave us conflicting places. SO we headed to the first place. Not thinking to write down the name of the building/restaurant. Well, we could not find it. Thanks to Noelle (This was Chelsea, Noelle, and I trying to find this place) and her phone call to Ed, we were able to make our way there, an hour later. So my feet after an hour of wandering around Caen were in a bit of pain, but the minute we walked inside I forgot completely about it.
First observation, we were 30 minutes late but no one was eating, or even seated yet! Second observation, the majority of the people there were on the older side, much older side. Third observation, I knew almost all of the Americans! We had assigned seating, and I was surrounded by French people. The majority of people were Elderly french people, with, I'm guessing, family ties in the United States, or with American organizations in France. For example, the lady I sat by is a tour guide at the American Cemetary near the Normandy beaches!
So we sat down. Speaking french, the conversation was lovely! I love love being able to practice my French, and I found that it was getting much easier! Yes I still get caught up all the time, pronounce things horribly, and fail grammatically, but I can formulate my thoughts a hundred times better than before, which makes for easier conversation. The older gentleman on the other side of me, began recounting how he helped with the D-Day landings! He was 17 and living close to the beaches, and he ran out and saw the ships, and through the next few days watched the battles and helped out with medical teams and such! What an amazing story he had.
Our meal started with the traditional Normandy Cider, sparkling, and delicious. And our appetizer was a tomato something with a fried crab thing. So not descriptive, but it was very chic and elegant looking. We were in for an amazing french dinner. After that, the main course. Turkey (with mini decorative cranberries on top), potatoes au gratin, and a stuffed cooked tomato. So delicous! It was definitly an attempt at thanksgiving, but honestly, how can you expect the French to produce anything less! THey had to make it their own, which included fancying it up quite a bit. Next course, a mini cheese platter of Normandy cheeses. Next. Dessert! It was a firm caramel pudding type dessert with hot soft apples covered in a sauce with a crunchy sweet pastry stick. SO delicious, their interpretation of apple pie perhaps? And after of course we ended with some espresso haha. The nice older man across from me gave me his mini chocolate that accompanied the cafe.
So at the point of the coffee the woman in charge stood up to give her thanks, and after another man did the same. I realized after he is just one spot under the Mayor of Caen! Very important and in charge of all of the international relations in Caen. Then, about 5 minutes after, the made all of the American students get up and introduce themselves! I went 3rd or 4th, there were around 15 of us? And as soon as I said my name, many of them expressed that it was my 'fete' aka party! Every name has a day of the year that it is celebrated, and my name party day is Nov. 25th! Celebrating St. Katherine I think, but Kaitlyn, Catherine, Katherine, all come from the same place, and they interpret them the same. So that was a pleasent surprise! November 25th, Kaitlyn day, and it is 2 days shy of my half birthday! Hehe. Just kidding, I don't celebrate my half birthday.
After they took a few pictures, we mingled then the man who had given the story about his experience with D-Day offered me a ride home! They must have known we would have to walk a ways and so Noelle and I readily accepted. Chelsea left with other people so we left with the man and his wife who was most definitely under 4 feet tall, so tiny!
Basically, tonight is a Thanksgiving I will never forget. SO different than a normal one, but it was so French! And I was able to speak french the whole evening and just have a grand time. Wow, so fun, worth the hour trek in the freezing snow.
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