Oh La Lauren

Personnages

Last night I couldn’t fall asleep. While I was trying to figure out why, I decided I am going to make a blog entry about certain people I’ve encountered here in Paris, because I realized I forgot to take a photo with my host mom, so I’ll have to remember her otherwise. I then realized that I couldn’t sleep because of the Noisette Caramel latté I had with Liza at Starbucks around 4:30.

Mme Mellado: Prof de l’atelier d’écriture. So basically, she’s like everyones second Mom or something, since practically everyone takes this course. Charlie did an impression of her at the holiday party that cracked everyone up. I can’t even start to ennumerate her mellado-isms. Though I will:

“Danger! Danger!” (blinkers) (version bilangue)
“Passe par la fenêtre!”
“Niet!”
“I’m going to keeell you”
“Dot dot dot…j’aime bien cette expression en Anglais!”
“Très bien Lauren!”
“Ohh, Princesse Iraz! Très bien!”

What’s even funnier is that she re-uses the same sentences that we translate every year—Alex joined in when I started doing an impression of “The more I see him, the more I lOve him!”

M. PeignÉ: Prof de l’histoire de Paris à travers ses monuments. I spelled his name wrong on my research paper, though he didn’t make any comments about it. He is our fearless leader, dashing across busy streets always ahead of us. He is always wearing a red jacket, scribbling in capital letters on sheets of paper the names of architects and years. His glasses get covered by rain during our field trips, and his teeth are kinda jack-o-lantern-ish. Oh, and his French accent while speaking English is great: “building” “copper” etc.

Mme Grée: The academic director. Everyone fell in love with her in Tours when we saw her uber-French wardrobe. She wears big circular diva sunglasses everywhere because they’re prescription. She was really nice to me when I was freaking out about my literature class—she sat me down and showed me some places I have to go in Paris, because we live nearby. But ever since I told her about how I didn’t go to my art class, she doesn’t like me so much. And she always catches me speaking English, damnit.

Mme Parnet: The housing coordinator. At first I thought she was totally incompetent. We had meetings with her in Tours to discuss what we’re looking for in host families, but everyone got the feeling she wasn’t really listening and would just put us where she wanted. But since getting to Paris I’ve changed my mind about her. She’s very motherly, kinda like a cross between Mrs. Doubtfire and the Pillsbury Doughboy for some reason.

—To Be Finished—

Cécile: Secretary number 1, the one that everyone prefers.

Muriel: Secretary number 2, the one that elicits mixed opinions

Mme Hervier: The woman with the most frightful American accent ever.