Au Revoir, Paris!

It's taken me 5 weeks to write this post. Every time I thought about it, I just couldn't bring myself to do it...the last blog entry! But alas, it's time to officially close the door on this chapter of our lives and embrace the new one.

Dîner en Blanc

Photo courtesy of Pictours Paris

Just a few days before our departure from France, we were lucky enough to be able to attend the famous Dîner en Blanc, a flash-mob picnic with a white theme. A perfect way to cap of our Paris adventure!

5 Things I Will and Won't Miss the Most about Paris

Sadly, our time in Paris is quickly coming to an end. It's been an amazing ride of 2.5 years, filled with ups and downs, new friends, new experiences, and we've grown a lot. While there's a lot of things I will miss about living in Paris {and some I won't}, these are my top 5 of each. {And some of my favorite Paris photos!}

Sunsets in Paris

As I was looking back at all the photos we've taken in Paris over the past two and a half years, I was struck by how many beautiful sunsets this city has provided us. So, what better way to recap our time here than a look back at some of these beauties!

The majority of these were taken with the iPhone since that's usually what we had when we were out and about, but they still captured the moment well. Many involved the Eiffel Tower, of course, but the river makes a great backdrop too.

A SURPRISE Shower for Bébé Guldan!

I seriously have the best friends here in Paris. The best. Unbeknownst to me, they planned a fabulous, Pinterest-worthy baby shower to celebrate Bébé Guldan's upcoming arrival. This actually happened over a month ago, but I'm only now getting around to writing about it. Special thanks to Lillian, Michelle, and Val for all of their planning, crafting, and food skills! Pretty much all of these photos come from Lillian, so props to her for documenting the event!

Flâneur Friday: Spring Blooms

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Alright, so technically these pictures are more than a month old, but life got busy, and I never got a chance to post them. So I figured what better day for a belated post than our last Friday in Paris! A little cheer on this sad day for me!

It's hard for me to pick a favorite season in Paris because they are all beautiful in their own right, but I think spring might just make the top of the list. The blooms and sunshine just put everyone in a good mood, and I never want to forget this magical season in Paris.

Last Hurrah: Mooning in Croatia

Ok, so we weren't really mooning anyone in Croatia, but we like to joke that this was our joint babymoon/honeymoon with Skee & Michelle. We didn't realize until after we booked this trip that it would be our last trip before baby and their first trip since getting married in February. No matter what you call it, it was a fantastic 9 days of sun and relaxation in beautiful Croatia with great friends.

Our route started in Dubrovnik, then on to the island of Korcula for a few days before heading to Split. This was one of the most relaxed trips Nick and I have ever done, as there really weren't any "must-dos" for us in any of these locations. We were happy to sleep in, wander the old cities, and just enjoy the views. Croatians' laid-back natures seemed to rub off on us; no one was in a rush to do anything, yet everyone was happy!

Tuscany: Relaxation & Pasta Overload

The last two months have been crazy for Nick at work, with being off shore for 3 weeks and then coming back to Paris and working pretty much 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. We decided a vacation was in order! When flights to our first choice, Corsica, were ridiculously high, we went for the next obvious option...Italy. Yes, we've been there a lot. And no, it never gets old. With dirt cheap flights to Pisa, even just a few weeks in advance, we decided to rent a car and explore the Tuscany region.

More Pastry Tastings!

After our croissant tasting, we've been on a tasting kick: eclairs and lemon tarts were next on the list! We've learned that sweet pastries can lead to sugar crashes and tummy aches, but it's so worth it!

Flâneur Friday: A Long Walk through the City

This week, again, continued with glorious spring weather. It actually was a bit summer-like for a few days with sun and temps near 80! So, when I had an AWG event in the Marais, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and walk there. It was a long one: an hour and half, but it sure didn't seem like that as I was taking in all the beauty this city has to offer!

Flâneur Friday: A Stroll to Madeleine

Dare I say it?? Spring is finally here, and I think hope it's here to stay! We have had incredible weather the past week with sun, blue skies, and warm temperatures, perfect for walking the city. This week's walk took me along the river and some of my favorite sights up to Madeleine, where I had some errands to run.

A Seine-sational Celebration!

Last weekend, we had a belated, "Seine-sational" celebration for Michelle and Skee on the Seine {A-ha, corny play on words, I know...} with all of their Paris friends. The night turned out even better than I planned, and we pulled off the surprise pretty well. A night to remember for all, I think!

Flâneur Friday: A Stroll Through Tuileries & Palais Royal

These were taken a few weeks ago {back when the weather felt like spring, not rainy winter again!} on a lovely stroll through Tuileries and Palais Royal. I wished I had brought a real camera, rather than just my iPhone, but there's always next time!

MM Dix-Neuf: Pregnant in France

The day we found out...Friendsgiving!

It's been a loooonnngg time since I've done a Monday Minute, but I finally have a good topic for one again. Being pregnant in France has come with its challenges, but also its positives. Granted, I've never gone through pregnancy in the US before, but I'm going to attempt to outline some of the differences I've seen so far, some good, some frustrating!

*Cost*

Yep, 55E for monthly lab work & preliminary genetic screening, with NO INSURANCE

Ok, this the American in me coming out. I have friends from Canada and the UK who would not agree with me on this point, but when your reference is American health care costs, yes, France is cheap. Since we still have American insurance, rather than the French social health care, we pay everything at full price out of pocket and then submit claims to our US company after the fact. While this is time consuming, tons of paperwork, and results in a 4 month delay of reimbursement, I don't mind because it's so cheap to begin with. I'm talking 100E, no insurance, for a monthly appointment with my OBGYN {who is the head of the maternity at a well-known hospital in Paris} including an ultrasound {which is also in 3D for part of the time!}. I mean, what?!?

*High Quality of Care*

As far as I can tell, the quality of care here is just as good, if not better than in the US. For example, usually in the US, a tech does your ultrasounds when pregnant and the doctor reviews the images and videos. {I know this is not always the case, but often.} Here my doctor does the ultrasounds himself, which is very reassuring to know that nothing is being missed. Our particular doctor lived in England for several years developing many of the initial ultrasound screenings for genetic disorders before moving back to France. And I got an appointment with him with no problems and no waiting game. THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THE US...a doctor who's an expert in his/her field...good luck! You better know some people who can pull some strings for you!

*Lab work*

This is one aspect of the French system that is very different to me. Although the hospitals do have some lab capacities within them, you often still have to go to a private lab for monthly lab work. This is particularly true when you are just seeing a generalist doctor {more on that below}. It was not my proudest moment when the first "shop" in my neighborhood to recognize me by name was my lab, not my boulangerie or boucherie. Oh, and yes, it's totally normal to carry your pee around in a cup/in your purse to and from the lab. Why? Because France. That's why. Actually, it makes a lot of sense...they give me a new cup when I leave so that the next month I have one ready to go. Then there's none of the chugging water before leaving for the lab and hoping to be able to fill the cup once I get there!

*Laid back*

I learned very early on in this pregnancy that French are definitely more laid back about letting pregnancy progress than Americans. Granted my only experience with pregnancy in America is stories I've heard through friends, but I think this holds true. To illustrate, when I took my first three {yes, three!} positive pregnancy tests, I immediately called my doctor for an appointment that day. Because so many of my friends told me that they went to their doctor and took a blood/urine test in the office to confirm it on the spot. So I arrived at my doctor, she congratulates me, proceeds to estimate my due date, go over the do's/don't's of pregnancy, and writes me a prescription for the full blood work needed when you're pregnant, and hands me the bill for the appointment. Trying to comprehend what just happened, I timidly ask "So, are we going to do a urine or blood test to confirm I'm actually pregnant?" She smiles at me and says, "If you've taken three positive home tests, trust me, you're pregnant. There's no need for a separate blood test other than your full blood test that you'll next week." I left dumbfounded and spent the weekend wondering if I was really pregnant. Of course, it turns out I was, confirmed by the full blood work a week later.

Another thing that's different is that generally, most pregnant women continue seeing their generalist until 6 months, assuming there's no complications, at which point they switch to an OBGYN or a midwife for the remainder of the pregnancy. And honestly, this makes a lot of sense. Other than your ultrasounds, the monthly appointments are literally 10-15 minutes: blood pressure check, weight check, question answering, au revoir! I mean, really, when did America go away from this tradition to seeing an OBGYN from the get-go? Unless there's a problem, doesn't it make sense to stay with someone who knows you? Oh, and by the way, those ultrasounds? The 1st one in France is 12-13 weeks, NOT 8-10 weeks. Again America seems to go overboard on this too. As hard as it was to wait that long, it actually looked like a real baby at that point, not a blob!

That glass of wine that you're used to drinking to unwind? It's definitely not completely off the table here. While no one's recommending you have a glass every day, they definitely are okay with it from time to time. And if you were to order one in a restaurant, you would not get the shocked, judging stares you would in the US.

The thing that has been the hardest for me to get used to in terms of being laid back here is the smoking. It is NOT recommended that pregnant women smoke in France either, but the amount of second-hand smoke they must ingest is crazy to me. I feel like I'm constantly holding my breath as I walk by smokers on the sidewalk. And the strangest thing? Smoking is allowed immediately outside the maternity wing at the hospital. And I do mean immediately.

*Maternity clothes shopping*

Oh, like many things in France, this was quite an adventure. This was one of the times I really wished for the American convenience of the a mall and all its American stores. Instead, I traipsed across most of Paris for 5-6 hours, quite unsuccessfully. Turns out, only a handful of H&M stores have a maternity section in Paris, despite the fact that there's on H&M nearly every few blocks. GAP, which advertised having maternity clothes in stores, now only sells them online. Oh, and specialty maternity stores? I can count them on one hand.

So what do French women do? I'm still not entirely sure, but I think it must be a combination of boutique shopping and online shopping. I finally found jeans I liked at a wonderful maternity boutique called MammaFashion {in an empty alleyway...no one would ever stumble into this shop!} because although H&M has quite a selection of maternity pants, 80% of them are flare or loose fitting on the bottom. NEWS FLASH...I have never seen a Parisian wearing anything other than skinny jeans, so why would they switch for maternity pants?? The rest of my jeans and leggings I ordered online at GAP. Thankfully, I discovered a site, which allows for free shipping and free returns, without paying the exorbitant taxes/import fees associated with many American websites/companies. But workout pants....yeah, that one is still stumping me....probably because most Parisian women don't work out, let alone when they're pregnant...

*Bathrooms*

Any pregnant lady knows how important bathrooms are. In France, it's even more important since there's very few public ones. I will say, I think I know where all free ones are now {there's even a secret, clean one in the walls of Seine}, and I know to make sure to use the restroom at any restaurant, museum, or event I'm at before leaving. You never know how long you might have to wait for the next one!

My running route now includes a pit stop at my hospital in the middle since I can't seem to go more than 1-2 miles without needing a bathroom. I've decided the key is to act confident when walking in somewhere to find a bathroom. Now that I know where they are in the hospital, I just stroll in and use them, despite the looks I get coming in drenched sweat and wearing workout clothes.

*Being a pregnant foreigner in France*

This has definitely been the hardest thing for me. I always thought not drinking would be the hardest thing with all the good wine, champagne, etc. in France, but it turns out, it's the food! Since so much of French food culture revolves around charceturie meats and unpasteurized cheese, it's hard not being able to eat those things! I have found a decent selection of pasteurized cheeses in the grocery store, but eating any of those things out is impossible because you don't know if they're pasteurized or not! Thankfully, my friends here are awesome and always save the labels for me and try and buy at least one pasteurized cheese every time we get together! :)

France also has a high prevalence of toxoplasmosis. This is the same disease that pregnant women can get from cat litter, but for some reason is found in high quantities in France {perhaps because the French eat a lot of raw and under-cooked meat}. This means, that either before getting pregnant, or immediately after finding out, every pregnant women is tested to see if they have immunity to toxoplasmosis. Most French women do, since they have lived their whole lives eating foods from the soil here and likely contracted it sometime in their lives. {If you contract toxoplasmosis when not pregnant, it is harmless and results in life-long immunity.} However, most foreigners are not immune, and I was one of those who was not immune when tested. This means, not only do I take a monthly blood test to check that I haven't contracted it while pregnant, but I always have to avoid the soil and not eat any raw veggies or meats! I've never thought of myself has a veggie person, but when taken away, I realize how much I actually them! No salads, no veggies and humus, no raw salsa, ugh! I'm having to get creative with how I get my veggie requirements in nowadays!

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UPDATE: June 1, 2015

Just a few more funny/interesting notes.

*Life in a Folder*

No joke, you carry your life around in a folder for every appointment you have. Heaven forbid you forget your folder when you go into labor--it has every record of your entire pregnancy from lab results to ultrasounds to the doctor's scribbled notes from monthly appointments. While this is great for me, who needs all my records back in the US anyway, it seems stressful for someone living here!

*Clothes, or Lack Thereof*

The first time we showed up for an ultrasound and the doctor told me to take off my pants and underwear for the ultrasound, I knew he meant right there and then; there would be no gown, as in the US. This is a French norm that I had experienced on my first every doctor visit in France, but for Nick was all very new. I remember him looking shocked and confused, like perhaps he didn't hear something correctly.  He rolled with it, but afterwards told me how strange he thought it was. Now, 5 months later, he's used to it to at every appointment!

Speaking of clothes, I attend a weekly pre-natal yoga class that's enitrely in French, which means I'm essentially the only non-French person there. While I show up in my yoga pants, all the other women show up in normal clothes {because riding the metro or being seen in public in work out clothes is a faux-pas in Paris}. However, despite the fact they wouldn't be caught dead in workout clothes outside the studio, it doesn't bother them one bit to come into the studio and strip down in front of everyone to put on their yoga clothes. I mean, really?

*Bureaucracy*

Oh, yes, like everything else in France, there's bureaucracy frustrations. Whether it's wandering the hospital because three different people tell you three different things about where you should go {no one seems to ever be in the same page in France}, or waiting 1 hour to pay a 20E bill, it's always something. Yes, to pay my 20E bill from lab work in the hospital, I had to go there. Reverting to my American self, I mistakenly thought it would be a quick pop in and out type of visit. Oh no, please take a number and we will call you, when we feel like it...There were so many times when a window sat empty for 5 minutes before they called another number! Ughh! Where is my American efficiency??

*Treated Like a Queen*

Despite many of these bizarre and sometimes annoying traits, I will say, pregnant women are treated like queens in France. I can't tell you how many times someone has given up their seat on the metro or bus, or let me cut in line {gotta take advantage while I can!} Plus, there's priority lines at the grocery store and post office for pregnant ladies. And if you happen to wait in a non-priority line, and someone notices you, they will pulll you out of line to check out immediately. Well done, France, well done. America could take some clues in this department!

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All in all, it's not so bad being pregnant in France, other than missing out on our last few months of enjoying French wine, cheese, and meats, of course! I love how laid back the French are about pregnancy; I feel like it's helped make me less stressed and helped lead to an overall easy pregnancy so far. I will say that I look forward to future pregnancies in the US, where I don't have to worry about weather cheese is pasteurized/unpasteurized and eating fruits and vegetables with no worries!

Flâneur Friday: A Croissant Taste Test

My Velib Vendredis have become pretty much non-existent for two reasons: 1. The weather hasn't been very nice 2. I'm less apt to bike half way across the city now that I'm pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I still bike between places I'm familiar with in my area, but I'm not so eager to wander aimlessly on a bike anymore. I have, however, been walking a lot more. Spring weather is starting to peek through, and I'm trying to get at least 30-40 minutes of walking in a day on the days I don't run. Hence, Flâneur Friday: pictures from one of my walks during the week. Flâneur is the French word for strolling about aimlessly, without a destination in mind. We don't really have an exact translation for this in English, which is a bit of why I love it.

A Canadian Wedding, Eh?

Last week we took our first true trip to Canada. Well, I've been to Winnipeg and Nick's been fishing in remote Canada but this is the first trip where we've experience true Canadian culture. We felt honored when Michelle and Skee asked us to join the festivities in the intimate, primarily family celebration. And what a beautiful, perfect wedding it was. We couldn't be happier for these two and are so glad we were able to share in their special day.

One Last German Getaway

A few weekends ago {I've not been very good at updated the blog quickly!} we took a last minute trip to Germany. Nick had to do some work in a small town in northern Germany, and when we saw how cheap train tickets were, we decided I should tag along for the few days. Although it was cold {in fact the coldest days of the year!}, it was a perfect little weekend getaway, and probably our last to Germany for a while!

Skiing the French Alps: Round 3

Another year, another ski trip to the French Alps. We are so fortunate that the team building weekend for Nick's work this project has been a weekend ski trip every year. And I'm even more fortunate that spouses and families are welcomed to join along in the fun.

US Winter Trip

Another Christmas, another wonderful trip back to the US. As always, it was busy but fun-filled. We are so thankful we could spend time with as many family and friends as we did, and of course, eat those foods we've been missing!

A Night at the Opera

After hearing Lillian rave about their time at the Opera, we decided it needed to be added to our must-do-before-leaving-Paris-list. Turns out, it's not as easy as just buying tickets online when you please, but it was well worth the trouble for a fancy evening out!

Christmas Fun in Paris

I'm pretty behind on posts, so it's a good thing I've got these gloomy January days ahead of me to catch up! {Also exploring Paris is not high on my list of things to do right now in light of the terrorist attacks over the past several days. Don't worry, we're safe, but it's a little unnerving, especially as we hear news of the second hostage situation in Paris today.} This is a post I meant to get done before we left for the US, but when a nasty cold knocked me on the couch for 4 days before we left, well, it didn't!