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The Princess
Marie Antoinette: The best friend of my host mother's ancestorWhen I came to France, it was really important to me to stay in a host family, and I think it was one of the best decisions I made while I was here. I live in an aristocratic French family, in a very fancy apartment on the Seine facing the Eiffel Tower, and enjoy free dinners whenever I want, or access to the massive kitchen complete with dishwasher, washer, and dryer. But most of all, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to get to know and hang out with my host family. They have given me an education in the practices of an aristocratic elite that is quickly dying away, but also always treated me with overwhelming kindness, generosity, and politeness.
The person that I spent the most time with was my host mother. A retired hostess to visiting ambassadors, I have never met anyone more maternal and solicitous. Most times I go to the kitchen she is either cooking, doing laundry, or ironing, and she always greets me with a smile and asks me about my day. She always likes to know what I’m doing, whether I have a lot of work, whether I’m going out a lot. But she is also has a very strong sense of propriety. Being a princess (yes, a princess), she was raised with very strict rules of conduct. I always do my best to make sure that I am polite and appropriate, and I hide the less upright aspects of my Parisian lifestyle…
Despite the formality of her social milieu, we have become remarkably close. We share and laugh and she always makes sure that I have enough to eat. She has even become slightly affectionate, which greatly surprised me. Several times she has embraced me or touched my cheek, and once called me like a second daughter. The French are very reserved about forming new relationships, especially ones that are necessarily temporary, so it means a lot to me that she has opened up a bit.
Of course, you have to keep in mind that not all French people are royalty…
Wow!
This sounds absolutely amazing, but also certainly intimidating. I feel as though the idea of living with the old aristocracy would put me in a situation where I felt too much pressure, or might get annoyed with stereotypically Parisian arrogance. It's so interesting that you've become so close with them, and that they would have wanted to host a study abroad student at all-- but it sounds like the type of bond you've built is really lasting, and that they've definitely enjoyed their experience as well.
Geez, I thought NYU
Geez, I thought NYU Shanghai's living arrangements were nice, but I think yours takes the cake. It's interesting how the French are reserved about new relationships, I didn't know that. It does seem as if she's opened up to you though. Living across from the Eiffel Tower must be surreal, the view must be surreal. I can't imagine living with royalty.