So, I have to admit that things are a little strange around here now that my parents have come and gone. It was weird to speak all English with them the whole time and even weirder when I would find myself speaking French to them on accident. Like, I would be speaking to a French person at a hotel or restaurant, and then I would turn to ask my parents something to tell that person, and I would ask them in French on accident. It was very bizarre.

What’s even more strange is trying to come back to live with Akila and tell her the things that happened over the weekend. I start to tell her the story, which was really funny when it happened, and then I realize that I have no idea how to translate it into French. Panic mode. So I continue to tell her, but some of the meaning is lost in translation. I get my general point across, but it’s not as good as the original. I think it’s really hard to translate direct quotes from stories. And obviously it’s very difficult to translate sarcastic ideas or slang terms. So, since my stories were lost on Akila, I figure I will share them with my English speaking blog readers.

Ok, so we went to an outdoor café in Paris just to get some drinks and have a rest. My brother, Austin, who is ten years old, insisted on ordering Coke Blak of all things, which is a coke and coffee mixture. So, he ordered the Coke Blak, which I tried and secretly loved, and decided that it was “strange, but good.” He tells me that it has a strange flavor and that he’s pretty sure if he burps, it will taste like coffee. He said that he made this conjecture based on a previous experiment he did using vanilla coke, which produced a burp that smelled like vanilla. (Ok, so he didn’t use the word ‘conjecture.’) Anyway, he proceeds to gulp his Coke Blak and turn to my dad and burp in his face. He says “Dad, can you smell what’s in my Coke?” and my dad says “Is there poop in your Coke?”

The next day, I was in the hotel room with the family, and we were just laying around talking before we went to bed. Austin has been pretty good about learning a few French words and phrases like ‘thank you’ and ‘hello’ and so on. He also asks me to say what I am going to say to him in French and then translate it into English which is really cute. Especially when I say something first in English and then in French and he says “translation?” even though I’ve already given it to him. Anyway, we were laying around and Austin says “hey mom…do you know what my favorite part of my body is?” and my mom politely plays along with whatever joke he is about to make and says “what??” Austin replies gleefully “my merde sortie!” At this point, I start to laugh a bit, and translate for everyone this new phrase which literally means “s--- exit.” Hahaha.

My brother will probably kill me for sharing these stories, but he’s so hilarious, I couldn’t help it. I’ll have to reassure him when he’s a teenager that these stories are cute (even though he’ll hate the word cute) and not embarrassing at all. I’m sure I have worse ones, but you won’t get to read them unless my mom starts a blog or something. I’m not about to share them! I miss my family already!!