Bonne Saint Valentin

Today is Valentine's Day, and I have a really awesome boyfriend. Right after I made my lunch (saucisson, fromage, and lettuce sandwich) I was delivered a gorgeous bouquet of white and purple flowers and a box filled with chocolate pieces. Valentine's Day is basically the greatest day ever.

On a completely unrelated note, it turns out that I have been committing a social faux pas without even realizing. See, my host family has a maid. I have never been around a maid. No one I know has one, my family doesn't have one. The point is, it's been kind of freaking me out and frustrating me at the same time. I haven't really known what I'm responsible for in terms of cleaning, and I don't know how to interact with the maid.

On Wednesday, Julia asked if I had social anxiety and was afraid of people because I didn't say hello or try to have a conversation with Farida, the maid. I never even knew her name until I figured out that's who Julia was talking about which really only served to make me feel embarrassed. This morning, Farida knocked on my door and asked me if I was painfully shy and then taped a list to my armoire of what apartment responsibilities I have while I live here. Actually, I'm kind of thankful for that. Basically, I just have to vacuum and dust my room every week and a half, empty the dishwasher if no one else is around, offer to take Austin for walks, and wash my bedding every two weeks. The list also says to speak a little more French and to say "Bonjour, Aurevoir, etc."

I managed to accomplish the first one tonight at dinner speaking to my host father and Julia about my trip to Annecy and what I wanted to do over break. My host father also asked if it really was possible in the US to accuse people of murder forty years after the crime was committed. As far as I know I don't think there's a statute of limitations on investigating murder, but please correct me if I'm wrong.