The Interview Part II

Clearly, when I said I would answer question #2 tomorrow, I was speaking metaphorically. I think when I posted the answer to question #1, it was the week of baby's pneumonia. That's my excuse.

You picked a card from the pile of life that says, “Do not pass go. Move directly to another country.” Where would you move?

This is a TOTAL no-brainer. France. Anyone who knows me could have written this for me, actually, and the answer would be the same. France in a heartbeat. I don't even need a card to tell me to go! I just need a willing husband to go with me.

For those who don't know me, I will now explain why I would move to France. I started studying French in 7th grade. In 11th grade, I was a Rotary exchange student to Nogent-le-Rotrou, France, for 10 months. It was a very difficult year for me. I was young, both emotionally and chronologically, and was terribly homesick. I gained a lot of weight. However, I made some very good friends, became fluent in the language (to the point where people actually thought I was French), and loved the culture. Later, I became a French teacher, led student trips to France, and took my honeymoon in France. I am currently reading a book on the origins of the French language. In a nutshell, then, I am folle for France and all things French.

For those who do know me, I will now explain where in France I would go. Paris is fun, but fun for visiting, not living. It's a lot like New York City for me in that way. The South of France is where I would go, preferably to a village in the suburbs of Nice. I much prefer small-town life with easy access to big city restaurants and theatre. The people in the South are pretty laid-back and friendly. I love lavender, which is grown primarily in Provence. The history all over France is fascinating, but I really like the evidence of Roman influence along the Midi. Finally, as I now live in a coastal town, I am quite accustomed to living by the ocean. It suits me. My daughter declared last year, "We're beach people," and she's right. Finally, it would be lovely to live someplace warm for a change.

Believe me, if there were any way to a) convince my deeply here-rooted husband, and b) find a good job there, I would move to France in an instant. No passing go.