Piss and Friendship

My roommates arrived the other day. And they're not from Spain like Herc said, they're from France. But the countries are close. Too bad they don't speak the same language. Their names are Jeff (short for Jennifer) who is 27 and Joelle, who is 46. They are mother and daughter but look a lot closer in age than that. Jeff speaks a few words of English and I speak a few words of French so there's a lot of fumbling around trying to figure out what the other one is saying. Joelle claimed to speak no English but once she saw me trying to speak French, she would try to use some of the few English words she knew. They are here for team handball. They are handball fanatics. They have tickets to every single match of the Olympics and of course believe that France will win. As you may know, handball in the Olympics bears no resemblance to the handball played in the US on a court with 2 players and a wall. This is more like soccer except played with the hands instead of the feet. The people who follow handball are generally obsessed with the sport and it does look like a lot of fun. I"ll be seeing the finals of handball at the stadium where I'm working. Joelle wants me to get autographs but I already know that won't work.

They have been asking me where the grocery store is because they could only find the corner market which is worse than a 7-11 for shopping. So I took them to the market this morning. Not the 5 aisle market but the one across the street, where I have been essentially ignored every time I went there. Well, apparently I found the golden goose by bringing the French in. I had 2 employees following me around showing me where milk and wine were located. They could see I was sort of translating for them what everything was. They couldn't have been more helpful. And amazingly, they all spoke English today. What's up with that? So, they mill around the store, filling their basket with all kinds of things, bringing me things saying "Katty, iz zees yogurt or fromage?" Finally they finished. We went to the check out lane and I went first with my fruit and milk. At the end, the cashier hands me a travel hair dryer. Uh, no thanks, that's not mine. I don't need a hair dryer. So I just ignored it. Then the French started checking out and another cashier comes up and gives me an orange beach umbrella. She says "this is for you." What in the hell? Am I the 1000th customer or something? Are you really giving me a beach umbrella and a hair dryer? Could I trade these both in for a bottle of wine? There was no explanation for this windfall. While the French were checking out they pulled out a back pack and gave it to them. They were squealing with joy like they had never seen a backpack before. Of course, they spent 70 euros to my 6 euros so maybe that's why they got the jackpot prizes. So we took our booty and left. I'm quite sure if I went back by myself later today alone, I wouldn't get a second look.

Once we got home they had all kinds of other questions. They wanted to go see volley. (I don't think the Europeans say ball after their sports). So I said volleyball? They said no, bitch volley. Bitch volley? Do you mean beach volley? In English we call it beach. Bitch is not a good word. Yes, yes, that's right bitch volley, they say. Ok. Got it. So I get out the map to direct them to the stadium. They also want to buy regular volley t-shirts afterwards, which are located at Peace and Friendship stadium. I point to the place and say "Peace and Friendship Stadium". They look at me quizzically and say "Piss and Friendship?" Yes, but in English we say peace, not piss. Piss is a different thing. So we get that all worked out and Joelle is getting even braver and she shows me some lettuce they bought and tells me in French they call it "Fur of the Cat". I don't know why. It doesn't look like cat fur. She is telling me something about the colors and says red instead of green and then under her breath says "sheet.". Then she looks at me and says "sheet?, is that right?" Uh, are you trying to say merde? Oui, oui, merde. Yes, it's sheet, but in English we say shit. Sheet is something else. Ah, oui oui, sheet, she says. Hey, at least in French I know my merde.

Yesterday I went to the ruins at Delphi. It's a 3 hour bus ride up into the mountains. Fortunately for me (and the bus driver) he drove really slow through the winding roads leading up to the place. Delphi is set in the side of a hill overlooking a beautiful valley that looks like Lake Tahoe. The town right before Delphi is a ski village, very cute. Who knew they had skiing in Greece. The ruins at Delphi were amazing. The things that are still standing that are thousands of years old are incredible. The climb up to the top where there is still a stadium intact, complete with starting and finishing lines, is grueling and not for the faint of heart. But I managed to do it and it was worth the view from the top. Now, where's the burro to take me down? I went to the museum afterwards, which also has some amazing pieces that were found at the site. It was a long day, but well worth it.

I'm heading off to work now for my 4 pm - 1 am shift. Get the coffee pot brewing.