Kevin has just informed me that the phone doesn't ring. Which is probably why I thought it wasn't working. So I will do attempt #2 soonish.

We miss you!

Our class painted jungles today to match the wall, and it was probably the most entertaining thing yet.

I just read you latest entry. Maybe you have left already but I wanted to tell you that your Great Grandpa Vandeuren came from Belgium to the US in 1910 when he was 10 years old.His family was from the Charleroi area.Wave as you go by.

HI Beth--We are still enjoying every entry. They bring back memories of our trips there and I am also hungry for quiche now that you mention it so often. What kind of scarfs do they wear? Wool one wrapped around their necks or designer silk ones? Glad you found the Galerie Lafayette. I thought it was neat. Are you finding that you walk miles and miles in Paris,partly because it is almost imposible to get a cab, especially when it is raining? And do they still get the big traffic jams in the middle of an intersection where the cars are so tangled that no one can move ? Ah Paris! Love,G

So what's the reaction in Paris? I would guess it's good :-)

My friends and I are thrilled that the country can finally move in another direction! It will be interesting to see who Obama picks to have around him.

Updates:

1a. Obama wins!! Hurrah, hurrah! But I'm sure they will've mentioned it in France at least once before you read this.
1b. My question about French TV still stands. (And I only ask because Chilean TV was really fantastically amusing, and they don't even have the horrid-movies background)

2. I think it is great how the French represent their reality vair frankly in their movies. It is what it is, is what I always say.

3. Joey's mom tried to bring him into class on Monday, but he is officially banned for not having an individual aide to help us out. (He can come back if he does get the aide) You'd think this would have made my life easier, but actually Wanita has pinkeye so it has been just me and Jody again for the most part. So yay for two Wednesdays in a row with just me and Jody. And the possibility of getting pinkeye.

And also, everybody and their dog (Quite literally) has been getting hurt left and right. Connor is up to being hurt about every 30 seconds. And by getting hurt, I mean hurt enough to have a full-on crying spaz. There is a new kid Mikhale who is quite obnoxious in the way that he just doesn't hear what you're saying one bit, which leads to him constantly, all the time, being hurt. Today he fell and scraped his shin and "couldn't walk" and had to be sent home. His dad was vair unhappy.

4. Halloween was different with you in France. Me and Zach decided (And by that I mean, Zach decided) to be mellow, and now I am officially a much bigger nerd, because he got me to play and not-horribly-dread Halo 3 on his new Xbox. That is what I did on Halloween. So do you see why next Halloween I expect you to be in the U.S.? I hope so. The BGC Halloween party was a lot of work but my games were awesome. We had a prize thing that Wanita made up, a mummy wrap contest (My idea) and a game where you fill paper bags with stuff and call it something else, and then they have to stick their hand in and guess what it really is.

To make that more clear, this is what we did:
-Wet cooked spaghetti (Vampire Veins)
-Pumpkin guts (Zombie Brains)
-Grapes with the peels off (Mummy Eyeballs)
-Sunflower seed shells (Ogre Toenails)
-Banana peel (Dragon Skin)
The descriptions and gross feeling are what makes it Halloween-appropriate. Because once you hear someone say aloud "Toenails," that is all you think about whilst you're feeling.

And anyway it was a hit. And more importantly my idea. My final costume was Spongebob, I don't know if I said that or not already.

5. I hope you figure out a way to do a fantastiment Thanksgiving dinner. You can't just skip it. At least have a turkey sandwich.

6. I think you should probably call me soon. I tried calling and it didn't work. And it feels very strange to go through the most important election ever and Halloween without consulting you.

7. Colors of Paris?

I just looked at Paris on Google Earth, and they have a very complicate street grid system! I am 100% shocked that you have found anything, with no major detours en route. I still think your navigational skills are ridiculous though, this doesn't change anything.

Maybe your un-logic is well paired with their ridiculousness. That's the only way I can make sense of this situation.

In other news, I thought tonight was Daylight Savings, but turns out it was last night and all my clocks just switched themselves automatically, and I'm really disappointed that I didn't get to properly appreciate my extra hour of sleep. The end.

Beth, you're from Seattle. A little rain should make you feel like you're home! We had a pretty quiet Halloween here. I went to the movies to see The Secret Life of Bees with my water exercise friends. Pretty good movie, but definitely for girls. We didn't have too many trick-or-treaters even though it was a really nice day weather-wise. So I have lots of leftovers, which I have to figure out how not to eat (I've been eating Halloween candy all week...not good for me!).

Despite talking on the phone with Beth every couple days I should probably write something here so it doesn't look like I'm not keeping up. Anyway, it's good to know that you had as much of a halloween as there is in France, even if there is no candy corn there. Joyeux Noel btw, b/c apparently it's already Christmas there.

Love you!

Kevin

The next time Ingrid goes out of town I suggest that you and Kathy make the dinner..

You didn't sound particularly impressed with Versailles. I am surprised because I thought it was supposed to be amazing. Oh well!

I'll bet you are happy to be spending the weekend in Paris for a change! Are you still getting together with the Ohlmers tomorrow? (for others, the Ohlmers are a young couple Beth knows from Redmond...the wife was the french teacher at the high school/the husband works for Microsoft, and they were both asst. coaches for cross-country Beth's senior year. They have also invited her to their house for Thanksgiving dinner, which will actually be held the Sat. after (Beth's b-day) since Thanksgiving is just a normal Thursday in France).

Anyway, Happy Halloween to you! You aren't missing anything here...it is supposed to rain. Sarah and Andrew went to a Halloween party last night; they figured out their costumes ten minutes before using the costume box. Sarah was a Hawaiian girl an Andrew was Mexican using the old serape and sombrero.

Spain looks muy fantastico! I want to go.

Final word on Halloween: So far I am just going to class and nothing after except hanging out with Zach. And the final costume is the girl version of Spongebob.

Last week I made a quiche in your honor (since you made me hungry for one). Last night I made a French apple pie with crumb topping. I don't know if apple pie is really French but that's what the recipe is called.

Happy Halloween!

It sounds like you are getting more and more comfortable stomping around foreign lands on your own...and in Barcelona they don't even speak French.

It sounds like hostels aren't just for students, do you think your mother would enjoy them?

Another good entry - and now it's weekend all over again!