Day 229: Painting Frontenay: When in France...

I have a nickname now... they call me "Princess" around here. I have no idea where that name came from, but I am the "Princess" now. I have that reputation at home with the family, but I can't imagine what makes me one here. My mom used to walk into my room every morning a while back ago, (when the family was getting a kick out of making fun of me) and she would put her closed fists to her mouth, like she's holding a trumpet, and make a sound like, "Du-ru-ru-rut-tu-rut!!!" Afterwards, she'd break into laughter and leave, but it would make me smile every morning she did it.

Being the youngest in the group, I get to hear conversations about children's tuitions, husbands, mother-in-laws, etc. but I am learning so much about life and art being surrounded by so many talented and adventurous women. We have to take a train back to Paris in a couple of days and these adventurous women suggested staying at a hostel... Not to say that I am a prissy, girly, "Princess," but I explained that I had a different vision about my trip to Paris. I have stayed at a hostel, or shall I say "hut," before (and woken up to the sounds of people having sex...) but, like I said, Paris is different in my mind. I see luxury, beauty, and romance when I think of Paris and I had a feeling that if I started my Paris experience with a hostel it would not turn out the way I envisioned it. So, I said, "No" to a hostel and, now, I have a bad reputation for being a "Princess" around here also.

I have to say that the "Princess" is exhausted... I don't know if it's the few glasses of wine I've had or the company of 12 women. There's always a few steps you experience when you go on a trip with a group of people. In the beginning, everyone is a bit nervous and doesn't really know what to expect so they're on their best behavior. That's the time when everyone's being nice and friendly. Then, after a couple of days of being nice each person slowly starts to feel comfortable and their personality starts showing through. At that point, a couple of people can butt heads and some can feel offended or annoyed. Then, if no one kills each other in that state, after a few more days, right before the end of the trip, each person realizes how much they actually enjoyed their trip and stops taking it for granted. Then, the niceness comes out again as the trip comes to an end and everyone parts ways. At this point, everyone's personality is beginning to show through, (I'm sure, even mine is, due to the "Princess" comments) but I'm enjoying standing back and watching the whole process. I'm familiar with this area, but it's so much more interesting when they're all women.

Today, we visited a Chateau... it was rebuilt in the 1800's. We decided to pay the 9 Euros and take the tour to go inside... then, we found out the tour was in French. I'm not a Historian so I didn't mind that much about not understanding the language, but the tour guide made us stand outside the Chateau while he talked about it for 45 minutes. Well, that I minded... We stood there for 45 minutes as he went on and on... in French. The Chateau is pictured above and the one thing I remember from his presentation (the only part in English) was, "You expect the front door to a Chateau like this one to be enormous... big right? Well, the French said that they don't need a huge front door. This is a family home. Who are they trying to impress?" I thought that was pretty interesting. If not minding living in a Chateau like this one, with a small front door, is the "Princess" part of me not minding, then, I guess I am a "Princess." Hey, why not be a "Princess"? When in France...

Tip of the Day: Don't worry too much about what people think of you. Just be yourself... that's all that you can be.

"Always be yourself... because the people that matter, don't mind... and the one's that mind, don't matter." quotestation.blogspot.com