Chapter 105: Obama+Hincks=BFF

nerd blog post #110

Oh hello! Too busy packing for CANADA to blog? Never!!

This has been a great week in Paris and I'm glad I sent that horror Bronco home so I could relax before heading home for what is sure to be a whirlwind of a visit.

I went to see the clown school's final performance on Friday night. It was the first time they performed for the public all year and I was VERY excited. There were nine short pieces (three groups per class and three classes). They had various themes or places that they explored and then devised a piece from. It was really nice, and a bit nostalgic, to see Viktor on stage again. It was if we should have been in Canada or something, but weren't. Raffi stood out as a performer and I was a proud gf. One of my favourite themes was deafness. Having a deaf cousin and feeling particular affinity to disabled people, I was skeptical of how a group of hearing people would be able to create the world of the deaf. I was moved with the ways they could bring us into that world. They had one scene at a school for the deaf in which I remembered my time at deaf camp - a place I hadn't thought about in years. It's sort of hard to explain the pieces on here... But anyways, it was a cool show and I was so happy that I was still here to see it. It could be the last thing I see at Lecoq.

Afterwards, Raffi, Nicole and her bf and I went for food and then cracked some champagne. We then joined the others at the bar/cafe across from their school where we danced, chatted and drank OJ for hours and hours. A really fun night.

Saturday's highlight was an exceptionally long chat with Doctor. I don't know how we do it, but we manage to talk for hours and hours every week. And I never grow tired of it. He's in Finland now!

I was suuuuuuuper excited to go to work on Sunday. I got to the area about 45 minutes too early so enjoyed one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Paris. The Latin Quarter. Always swarming with my fave type of peeps (German tourists and strangers in general), I poked around and tried to figure out why there were so many people around on a Sunday morning, particularily cops. All of a sudden, I heard loud cheering and crowds moving towards the road by the side of the Seine. It was Obama driving by! I didn't quite see him, but I was THERE. I think we're pals now.

Then I went to work. I worked at a scary, mobster bar before but had only made drinks, not really served them and I didn't deal with money at all. When I arrived, I was given a special cash machine key and a brief tour and then was told I was in charge of the patio. My boss was there, but it was really just this chick and I doing everything. I took orders, set tables, brought drinks and food, cleared everything, took money. Rinse and repeat. Around 2pm, it got crazy busy because of some tennis game. No offense to tennis lovers, but I don't get it. Anyways, it got so packed that there were no more tables. My section was expanded to include the whole front section of the bar, plus the patio. It was really busy! I learned a lot in a really short time and liked it more than teaching. Oopsies! I also made a ton of tips. People don't really tip in Europe, but with tourists and the Canadian feel, people were more inclined. Plus, it's pretty expensive, so peeps have more money. I was shocked that people were dropping over 100 euros for BRUNCH for two. I felt like apologizing when giving them the bill. "Your brunch is 48Euros. I'm so sorry... I wish I could help." But really, they know how much it is and don't caresies! Amazing. I sometimes forget about rich people. My boss seems really nice. He's from Montreal. The other staff are from all over - France, Canada, Australia... The customers are also from all over. The patio has one of the best views of Notre Dame, so there are tourists from everywhere. And many of them speak better English than French, so The Great Canadian Pub sounds more inviting than Le Petit Cochon d'Amour. You know? There are also regulars, which include peeps working for the British Embassy and other jobs where you are sent somewhere you might not necessarily really care about and where your job is still in English so learning French isn't a big deal. There are also French peeps. A third or so of my customers were French, but that may have been because of the tennis. Who knows. Anyways, I love my new job. Looooove the new job. TheGreatCanadianPub4Life.

Today, Raffi has a final solo performance for his teachers that he's been rehearsing pretty hard. When it's done, he'll be finished all "assignments" for the year. We're going to a mime show this afternoon and then out for dindins. I will be hyper, I can already tell. I can feel the excitement bubbling inside.

That's all for now. I'll post some Canadian contact info latron.

Much love,
Hincks.