Argile Ecossais Wallanklagebank: New Family and random stuff

Hello again everyone here's some more pics of my new family and a bunch of random information/happenings i wanted to put on here.

The family is as follows l-r Tolotra-Cousin, Anthony (host fam's son), Boul-cousin, Fanja-host mom, Tsanta- bro of Boul, Zozo-cousin, Hoby-cousin that used to live with host fam. (thinking of moving back in, so i would have another bro!), me.

In this second pic is Joshua-host dad, and Zozo dansing at the Malgash (Madagascarian) new years party.

If you want to see the traditional Malgash dance go to:

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=8014207362332942172

Now for some random stuff.

Uses of "French" in our language
-French fries
-French toast
-Pardon my French
-French kiss
-French tease
-French nails
anyone have any others?

Between 1821 (mexican independence) and 1861, Mexico had 240 government overthrows!! thats six per year or one every 2 months! In the 1860's France invaded Mexico, Spain, England and France went there to get back money loaned to the leader of mexico at that time and after France decided to stay to increase their empire.

My host mom, Fanja, baby sits a 1year old ish baby girl during the week, so far the only reaction i have gotten out of her is a terror filled scream and crying.

I got an email from one of the people at the International Relations office here that started: Oh Oh Oh, Merry Christmas... not quite santa there.

I did laundry here at my host family's place and my host mom had me put almost as much clothes in here half sized washer as i could fit in the giant washer at the laundry mat. I litterally had to cram the clothes in. At home we always have to gently fill our newer washer, not cram it. I felt odd doing it their way.

Back home in the US it takes one dollar to do a change of address with the post office if you use the internet or call. its free if you go to the p.o. For just 6 mos of change here i had to pay 22 euros!!! just under 30 dollars! There is a fee for absolutely everything here!!!! I propose an American Military invasion so we can teach them how to correctly provide services!!! Free, the American way. you have to pay 15-35 cents to call a 1800 number. pay about 100 dollars just to get your phone line working (which i didn't even use!!).

You can do your banking at the P.O. but you cant buy a stamp there... Actually you can buy postal stamps there, but the first time i was told to buy an OME stamp (55 euro stamp proving you payed a fee, not a postal stamp actually) i was very confused.

Here is a video of my bedroom, all moved in!!! : http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=694803162894957582

I've had lots of interesting meals here with my host family. we eat rice almost every day (Madagascar was apparantely first setteled by ASIANS, even though it is very far from Asia and right next to Africa. Note that some of the cousins above look asian) (the chinese also discovered American before europeans did, they weren't really interested in more land, they already had almost their present size in land.) We also had boiled potatoes with melted cheese over them, just like they do in the mountains. ha

I made about the stupidest mistake of my live b4 leaving to visit Alice's family for christmas. My belgian friend Silka asked me to get her return train ticket out of her mail box and gave me the keys because her train to going home left b4 she would get the return ticket in the mail. I agreed. I still haden't checked her mail when the day she left she left a sticky note saying to give here keys to a friend. I promptly gave them to him so i wouldn't forget to give him the keys. when i had finished christmas at alices and moved in with my french family i got a message from Silka asking if i had gotten her ticket. At that moment i realized i couldn't get into her mail because i had given away her keys!!!! and the person i gave them to had went to paris!!!! What was i supposed to tell her, um i cant get into your mail box because i gave away your keys, you can't come back/you have to buy another one if you want to come back for finals. Yes i felt extremely stupid, and at the same time thought it was a hilarious mistake, just like in the movies. I texted the person, Damien, with the keys. later on i randomly walked into my room and glanced at my phone. Somehow Damien had just called, i didn't hear it ring, the phone answered the call somehow and he was just waiting on the other line. It was so wierd, it took me a few seconds to really answer. He was still in Lyon so everything worked out. moral of the story, despite my complete flakey, absent minded actions someone is still watching out for me/us. haha life is not dull when your not all there.

Last story, the other day after I met the guy who inspected my old room i took my bike home on the metro. One of the security or whatever guys working for the metro came up to me and started half chewing me out for doing this. all of a sudden an older man nearby started chewing out the security guard for "tutoying" me, that is using the informal form of you when addressing me ("tu" is you informal/impolite in this situation, and "vous" is the polite forme). It was kinda funny that the person who had just been chewing me out, was getting chewed out. (it wasn't like a fight or anything). I was very very happy that a FRENCH person had just stuck up for me an american (dont know if he knew that).

And lastly I didn't know they said this in french but here goes: