End of Day 1

French time 9:15 PM

So I just posted several things in a row, but I finally figured out how to get internet access in my hotel room, so I am catching up.

All in all today went mostly well. The flights and getting to the hotel went off without a hitch. I couldn't fall asleep this morning (though almost did this afternoon) and so I'm pretty tired right now. Work was fairly non-stressful - had a tour of the factory, met lots of people whose names I do not remember, met with the Quality Director/Manager, entertained some guys with my inability to work a car. Everyone seems very nice so far.

Dinner was on my own tonight, which was okay because I am close to dead tired and didn't want to be out late. I'm staying in a B&B that serves dinner as well. It is run by a husband and wife, and she does the cooking. Oh. My. God. I am in heaven. Three course dinner, and that's only because I was too stuffed to have dessert. Pea soup (at least, I think that's what it was). Salad with some type of zesty oil dressing. Pork tenderloin with wild French mushrooms in demi-glace, risotto, stewed celery (sounds weird, tastes like applesauce), and a cooked artichoke heart. And of course, French baguette, with a local red wine to wash it all down. Delicious delicious delicious!

HOWEVER. There is definitely a language barrier here. My high school French is not just rusty, it's a big ol' pile of corrosion. I can understand maybe 1 word out of 10 or 12 (and they're not useful words, just "with" and "now" and "how's it going") and while I can mostly plan out a sentence in my head for what I want to say, somehow I can't get it out in French and just stick with the English. So I have a long way to go on that.

But over all, today was good! And now, I am heading off to sleep. Aahhh, sleep.

Bonne nuit!