Francesca in France

In France, mostly the french will go to a restaurant where they enjoy set menu with champagne, oysters, foie gras and delicious meal prepared by a prestigious chef.

My Boss with Butler have invitation cards to have a Reveillon(New Year Celebration ) meal at Hotel de Paris King Louis XV Restaurant Monaco, for 695 euros/person.He will be with Madame and some friends in Monaco.

Michel and I stayed at home watching a funny french film of "Les Visiteurs" by Christian Clavier and Jean Reno.

We open our champagne too,LOL Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, 1986, 20 years old lang naman... Syarraaap! Lashing na lola nyo... 

Our meal? We just prepared some toasted bread to go with the smoked salmon. We were invited by some friends for dinner, but with these cold weather outside, its the only time to stay at home and curl up in bed when we feel like it.After malasing ba... Bago pa naman set up ng bed namin ngayon,embroidered ang cover. hehe:
 
close up:
 

In Antipolo,Philippines,for their New year Media Noche, my kids bought one ball of Purefoods ham,(filipino extravagance, I think?hihi) some bread and Coca cola for the drinks. Daughter said, "no time to do the cooking, Mama, the internet shop is always full up, non stop of kids playing the video games and some internet of hopefulls, until 2am!!!And that was since Morning Mass in the Church started Dec.16 that we were closing the shop until 3am, then we open again at 6am when the kids finish their Simbang Gabi!I said: Mama mia ! Puyatan???!!!
Here's a bit of a snapshot:


Michel told my daughter: You may pay our ticket to Philippines then, Lorraine...

ANYWAY And you, how enjoyable your 2005 Dec 31?Lashing ba?

Updates: Brrr lamig dito sa France, may snow last Friday Dec 30 ,in Vintimille, 20 mins from Nice.Until in our area in Nice, super lamig, brrrr... Kkatamad pumasok!

AyYYyyy! May paputok na naman sa labas!Nobayan, kaingay, wala ba sila magawa sa pera nila, they are burning it!!!!
And may away na naman kami ni Butler, muntik na masapok ni Michel last Thursday... Story on next week...

All the best to all this year 2006!

Yes, We will go to Toulouse,France to see the new couple Yves Berbie and Mikkie, who just got married yesterday Friday, Dec. 23, 2005.I nicked their wedding photo to show to their friends!Lol! You may click on the photo for big pic view.
Congrats to the new couple Yves and Mikkie!Sorry Michel and I disturbed you on honeymoon, hehe.
 
Yves and Michel at Berbie family home sweet home, Toulouse, France

Me with Mikkie, now wifey of Yves. Yehey!
  

  


Having tea...setting: kitchen area.



To Yves and Mikkie, We Michel and I were very HAPPY to see you both!We enjoy the tour of Toulouse, and the lunch , the laughs,and the hot cider drink with crepes on the Christmas market and the tea and cakes we had in your home.Waiting to see you soon too in Nice!And Monaco.

More of our Photos about our visit in Toulouse next post! Got to unpack luggages.Waaahhh!Night night to all! Happy holidays to all my friends! Miss ko na kayooo!

The representative of the Office Migration International visited the house. This is in line of my regroupement familial application to the Prefecture for my two minor children to live in France.An inquirer will see the condition of the house for the two kids coming, measure the lot area, few papers to prove our finances, etc etc.

Last week, I receive their letter asking me to be there in the address I gave them as our residence. If I will not be present, they will delay the processing. So I ask the Boss for a day off. He sulked, because Madame is in Monaco, due to holidays, and they are all busy doing this and that, the leather sofa is due to come, etc etc.
Paki ko. I got a life to lead too huh!

The inquirer from OMI, arrived, go straight to the bedrooms, come back to the living room,and sit on the table to fill up forms. He asked me ( in french, waaahh) where are the following original documents:

My Titre de Sejour, Livret de famille, marriage contract, Birth certificate, documents that we owned the house, the electric bill, telephone bill and the bank statements that we pay the house still.

He looked, only 266 euros monthly to pay in the bank amortizations until 2008.

Then he stand up, he had a gadget to measure the width and lenght of the rooms. It is like a cellphone which register each room area. He asked some personal things about me and Michel, when did we got married, when did I came to France, and how? I said via spouse visa. He asked: not by tourist visa? I answered no, we got married in Philippines. He asked: Is he a Filipino your husband? I said no, he is a frenchman, born in Monaco. He noted it all.
Then he draw in a piece of paper the situation of the house like: entry hall, with kitchen at the left, then the salon area, then the two bedrooms attached to the salon, the bathroom and toilet next to the second bedroom a small terrace.He noted each rooms is independent to the other rooms.

It took him 30 minutes total stay. When he finished, I offered him any drinks, coffee or tea or water, he said no thank you, I got ten houses to do today, got to go.

Thats it. Its done. Our application is now waiting. Must be, he will report it to the Immigration, then Immigration will notify the embassy in Manila, and voila, medical check up of the two, I heard it is 210 euros each check up.

Good enough visa is free, but the plane ticket, no. (Sad)

From October 6,2005 count 6-8 months, hopefully, they will be here.(May or June 2006.
Sana approve sila.

If not PLDT, tawag sa bahay ko sa Antipolo, na libre daw kami two months payments, basta advance ko daw payments ko in ten months, scam yan, sabi ko sa anak ko. Because they should not do that type of transactions by phone. PLDT is a big company and they respect their clients and do their transactions by legal/formal letters or documents. If by telephone lang ang transactions, scam yan, hehehe.
Minsan, sattelite daw, bigay lang daw 500 pesos, kabit agad. Yong 500 isang liggo na sa kanila, yong sattelite, nilipad ng hangin. Sa Pinas yon ha?

Eto pa isa.If feel nyo basahin, na email sa akin today.Pang 40 emails na sa akin ito...


My name is ROLAND DESMOND the elder son of Mr. David
DESMOND of Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you
about where I got your contact address. I got your
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Before his death, my father had deposited with one of
the Security Company in dakar senegal sum of US$12.5
Million Dollars(Twelve million fivehundred Thousand
united state Dollars). After thedeath of my father,
we decided to move to the Republic of senegal dakar where
he had deposited the money inthe Security Company as
valuables.

So I decided to contact overseas firm and companiesa
that will assist me to move this money out of senegal
because as asylum seekers we are not allowed to
operate any bank account within senegal. I have
agreed to offer you 30% of the total sum for your
assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses
that may be incurred in the course of this transaction
and 65% will be for me to invest in you country.
All I want you to do is to furnish me with your entire
personal phone and fax numbers for easy communication.
Note that this transaction is 100% risk-free and
absolutely confidential.
Reagard
Roland Desmond

Lubayan nyo ako please... Goyohin nyo na ang iba, wag na ako. wala kayo makukuha sa kin.

How much can you afford to spend?

I tell you mine.

I spent 139 euros, waahhh,yesterday, because I lost somewhere my mobile phone,so I have to buy a new one, not a fantastic one but just a Motorola V220 model.
Weird and Lola nyo,will just ignored the holidays. After all, everyday is holiday to me and Lolo, thats enough...hihihi!
Di uso inaanak (sa amin ni Lolo ang binyag), wala lang, kasi hindi naman pala yan biblical, but only a tradition by men, must be because to push the commercialism, party and gifts and new dress and pakimkims or pasiklaban for more pakimkims?.Anyway,opinion ko lang yan ha? Everyone got the freedom to do what they like to do. One thing is to be on another religion,one can avoid the unnecessary spending, makes us saves a lot of cash, LOL.

In France news today, 36 million euros had been spent on shopping using bank card last Saturday, December 17,2005 only. What more on cash payments and some other days ,and how about in some other countries? Big business this Christmas holidays eh?
In France,only those who have really money, can spend ,but not many can afford to spend much, as the bills for the year 2005 arrived for the electric, car/house insurance, maintenance of the house, water bills, tax (house, salary, parking, cave).Pati Tax on television arrived!Roughly 70 euros/year tax.
In France, theres no law about 13th month, but some employers will give, but not obligatory, depends on their good heart, if they have , of course.I will be receieving a Panetoni bread from my Italian employer, yehey, a day to celebrate, rah rah rah!Bleeeekkk, I want to run away...
How much did you spend this Christmas for the decorations, for the party, gifts to love ones, pakimkim sa inaanak,etc etc?

When I went to France 1998, inside the plane, the stewardess asked me : what I would like to drink. I said: what drink?! I want to eat! She said, food will be served when we reach Malaysia, thats 2hours from now. Ngeeh, I am not used to drink, I want food, food food. I took my hamburger sandwich from Jolibee and start eating.After ten minutes, snacks were served!
Oy Pinoy ako ha!May baon!
After a month, friends and families in France went to a beach in Monaco. They want me to wear a bathing suit. No way. I wear a shorts and t shirt.Next month, I shamefully managed to have a one piece suit, and when I see men passing by, I sit down to hide my legs. They seems not looking at me,at all, but I didnt got out of the sea water unless the beach was empty of people.Kesehoda!
Pinay ako eh!

Working in the boat,in port of Monaco, we sometimes went to sea sailing and my employers' guests would sunbath naked, and I have to passed by, serving them drinks, I CANNOT LOOK AT THEM!And if I look, it is to their busts, and would looked at mine, wow! Papaya size sila!Buti, I didnt drop them the drinks, bashtush sila!
At, Pinay ako, maliit lang...

Walking inside the supermarket, lovers were kissing each other passionately, I turned red face for them, if I got an umbrella, I would bash them to stop!
Lolang Pinay laang...

Buying my groceries, I waited for the cashier to pack my groceries, she told me, do it yourself! Pagalit!
AY?
Looking at girls in a bar in Monaco drinking beer or wine, it puts me off.I find them cheap, because in Philippines, ladies do not drink alcohol, even a beer.
In Public! No sila !

First time kissing the French bisous bisous(kiss kiss) cheek to cheek, I felt being molested, if it is a male friend.I cannot sleep thinking, I am not a decent woman, anymore...huhuhuh!

First days in France, I cant stand eating cereals with milk on breakfast. I missed my sinangag at tinapa/daing. With kapeng barako.
Nakakamay!Taas paa sa upuan!Laban ka?

First lunch time at 1pm in France? I was already trembling with hunger from 11 am.And they gave me nuts and wine to start with ? Ulcer abutin ko nyan! !

First months in France, I have to secure at least 25 kilos of rice. Just as I am still in Philippines. What if no export of rice to France?
I die...

First winter in France,I played my breath as it produced smoke, I told everyone, Look! I can smoke! Phuh! phuh! phuh!

First time to visit to a french family, they got stocks of wines, but no rice.Waaah!

First time to see french francs currency,1998,the 500 bill is so huge, almost half the size of the writing pad! I wanted to laminate it for posterity.Good I didnt, euros appeared two years after!

First time to see ladies wearing leather pants and jackets,and in five inches stilleto boots, I regarded them as pro.

First time to eat with fork and knife, I asked the host, do you have spoons?

Yan ang Pinay ! Rah ! rah !rah!

There are some first times, that really funny, the ski,the bowling, the dancing, the dining, the travels to other countries...the funny french language as if pinching your nose to speak the accent... All new to me.

Your lola from the land of Timbukto, Philippines to France,after all these experiences become:

CIVILIZED! or "corrupted", Lolo Michel said, LOL

And you? Tag nyo ko, to compare,ha?.Tawa ka ng tawa dyan, nakakalimutan na mag comments, Oy!

Me, when I arrived at afternoon work, there's a note:
Please cook Chateaubriand Muscadet...
Ano ito, bulalas ko, Grabeh naman si Madame o,(simangot ko) How on earth do I know how to cook that?!At down page of the note; "please refer Page 25 of this cookbook..." Ngek! yon naman pala eh, sinuspense pa.

Yesterday, she sent me a text to my cellphone. "Please buy 4 burgers and 4 burger bread before going in the appartment."
I was annoyed, because I have to detour my way to buy all these.Another text message sent (as my cellphone said "tuut! tuut")!
"Your salary is in the kitchen, see you tomorrow."Bah, bilis bigla lakad ko to buy the burgers!
Eto pa:
My morning employer went to Italy, today, back next week and he told me(in french) to do thousand things .
He always speaks in a hurry, I didnt get all.Ano kala niya sa akin, true french! Bahala na when he arrives, LOL
To try to understand some,I asked Butler if he heard what the Boss said to me.
He said: "Oh I never listened, sorry..."

Maniwala kayo, Butler never listened? Antenna non parang satellite! GRRRRRrrrr......!

It has been a week very busy for me. Grabeeeh...

Monday, work until 6pm and after that, I went to my auto ecole, and there's some improvements to my learning the french codes of the road, as of 40 questions (in french) I got 9 errors from 16 errors last week. Yehey.
Im determined to get my driving liscence. I will soon arranged with French newspapers(Nice Matin ) to post my photo with the approved driving liscence, and if not satisfied, I will have it at CNN News.

Di ba, dapat lang? LOL

Tuesday, the goonie Butler went to Torino, Italy to bring the 3 place sofa of the Boss to have it change into red leather cover.RED?!!! Mama mia.
Of all color. Bisaya ata sina Madame eh?

And the Boss sold to a golf club his gym apparatus,from 4900 euros to 1500 euros, which Butler brought also to Torino. Butler was told to hire a big truck for these stuffs. And the worse thing was, as he was away, I was assigned to do his kitchen. Grr and grr and more grrr. When I arrived that day,the salon area was in a mess, the carpets are all rolled to have this sofa rolled out of the house,and at the gym room , too dusty and Butler's kitchen smells FISH! argggh!

In the evening at 6PM I have to attend my french language lessons.

Wednesday, ah, a bit light work. Butler arrived, so the works was half half. He told me (happily),the Boss gave him 50 euros tip. I asked for my ten % as I cleaned his kitchen. He doesnt want to give me, so be like that. Huh! I got no appointment but when at home in our front door there was some proprietor's meeting. And good news, as we are living nearby the on going renovation of tram terminal, the Mayor of Nice offers a renovation of the exterior of our building to have it nicely presented, more modern (than the old fashion 1960 structure) and the proprietors (that includes us, hehe, ) will agree on the meeting on Friday at Radisson Hotel, Nice.The costs of renovation will be handled by the City of Nice, 80% and we as proprietors will pay 20% costs which is roughly 20 euros/month starting 2007 as the project to renovate is on 2007 when the tramway is on operation. Not bad eh.

Our property is 87 sqm,plus private parking in front of the building and cave(storeroom)under the flat. We bought the property last Sept 2000 for 60,000 euros as the owner, an old lady cannot keep up the maintenance and the tax expenses. That price she gave to us, was the price she paid 45 years ago! When we asked a neighbor, how much they bought their property, they paid 100,000 euros, year 1998. Eh?
Now the property in our building is costing 150,000 euros each with no cave and parking . We made a good bargain with the old lady, year 2000 !

Thursday, it was holiday in Monaco , birthday of Mary ek ek. And Monaco is a very religious principality, due to Princess Grace, very much Catholic, that her children continue the tradition of keeping Catholic holidays. France do not bother about this, but as Monaco is a seperate state, voila, holiday.And I work... And when I arrived at work, Butler didnt work as he was given an off. Me? I work! I owe the Boss some days when I went to Munich, remember. And the goonie Butler didnt give me the advice to bring the Boss newspaper, and the Boss was annoyed,cant blame me as I dont know huh, he read the newspaper from yesterday! Bwehehehhe.
Then I went to my french language lessons at 6pm.

Friday, work and Auto ecole.9 errors in examens out of 40 questions pa rin.Seems two year more then I prefect it, huhu.After the exams, then I drive for 20 hours and if I know it all, I take an exam with the Police. Thats the hardest part. huhuhu. Lots of students failed, super higpit to pass the drivers liscence daw in France.

Then we went to Radisson Hotel for the proprietors meeting at 8pm. Before going there, the syndic(trustee company that handles the affaires of the building) sent us the papers to vote our rights to approve the improvements and the funny thing was the dossiers also includes of : putting to court the homeowners who do not pay their monthly dues. Wow, very stiff eh?

Monthly dues (roughyly 1200 euros/year)goes to cleaning of the invironment, the hallways, the maindoors, the maintenance of the garden in front, cleaning personnels' salaries that take care of garbages, concierge salary, etc etc.

Some owes to the syndic 1900 euros to 6000 euros and the law in France is: the syndic has the right to ex propriate them (per approval of the homeowners)by putting their property on sale (mostly on the cheap price) to pay their dues. Hehehehe.There are at least 20 homeowner on the lists to be put in Aix de Provence court, and some cases are ongoing. Imagine for 1900 euros debt, one can lose his house??!

And the papers sent to us ,indicated some bits of juicy true gossips. Some proprietors in the building paid 14 checks, 5 rejected,or 12 checks, all rejected, owned 6000 euros since 2003, some had been put to court,condemned, no payment recieve since bought,their properties are on sale at the moment, etc etc! LOL

I looked at the dossiers if Michels name,is there too, in case he does the same. Nothing. Good boy. If he did, I will bash his head hard , how dare him put our name to shame!
Anyway, the assembly in Radissons Hotel last for hours and hours, we went home at ten thirty pm as some already got heated up to some issues, I feel not wanted to stay. In case one wants to buy a property in Nice, this is one of the good tips, buy one that is ongoing ex proprietorship (to be exiled out of the building) the price is cheaper... I think?!

Saturday, work again. Then at 6pm has to go to our spiritual things, by going to French mass of Jehovahs' Witnesses,and bury our selves reading and understanding the Bible and how to be a good Christian.Hehe. One of those stuffs, your Lola has to put time into eh? Thats two hours of mass(we call it reunion(meeting) And Lola is improving her french as I can speak, think, read and express myself in french as all thats going on in this mass are in french language(Bible, songbook and literatures).My friends are increasing too! Not bad eh?

Sunday, 9am Michel and I went to the Filipino Mass (also for the Jehovahs' Witnesses,) Tagalog Group.The Tagalog speaker an Italian, came from Rome. We stayed there for three hours of mass; Michel wants to learn his Tagalog language that way.We brought our Tagalog Bible and songbook and he likes to speak in Tagalog to the filipinos. Also, as I sometimes get at him in Tagalog and he wants to know whats going on with my blah blah blah to him. No, its a joke, hehe. At times, I do soaping to Lolo, but mild lang.

He had been with the filipino community for 15 years now, and he likes the warmth and hospitality of the filipinos .He likes to learn more from our culture and language.

Heres the photo:




Please comment on this wrap-up post. You can share your thoughts on my work, learning french (language and driving) the law on proprietorship in France, how is it in your country, etc etc.

Sorry, this is long. Naipon!
Abientot! (see you all soon)

We were only six persons, all french nationality except your lola ,a filipina.
And all were french speaking, mama mia.
Lunch with the french?Expect it to be loooong hours of talking from first course(aperitif wine) to last which is coffee or tea. Our lunch started at 12:30 pm, ---> until 6pm. Hala, banat ang Lola, parlez française vite vite ! lol!
Hard 6 hours of eating , drinking, talking in french, thats intensive hah!
The time we go home, its time to start our dinner...Mama mia, unbelievable.
No wonder , a filipina told me, one time,they were invited too as her husband is a french chef, she cant stand it...
Nagmukha raw siyang eng eng, cant understand whats the topic, she went home, alone...

Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005, at 5pm, the sky in Monaco was dark. A few minutes later, rain dropped, with hailstorm(iced pebbles)!
All the grounds are in white! What a pretty sight. I was at work and didnt have my camera, what a pity. So I just describe whats going on that day.
Monaco never snow for past 22 years. The area is in the mediterranian sea that makes the climate warmer than Paris, France.
The Madames are out that time, on their high heels and fur coats, shopping, some are chatting up, some have coffes in Cafe de Paris. Then the rain and hailstorm dropped, emergency ambulance' sirens are whining all over Monaco, as some of these old Madames slipped, road were full of snow, children are out of school, (just in time).
I went home to Nice, I got my boots wet but I am warm, (I am always ready,hehe), Michel called to remind me to avoid the snow, step on the running water/rain, but I didnt. I stepped on the snow itself, balancing myself like scarecrow in the field, while everyone are doing the same, I enjoyed it! LOL
The whining of ambulance continued, Butler called me if I saw the snow, I said I am on it, goonie...He said the terrase is full of snow, the shade (lona )of the terrase (of the Boss house) was full of it, he has to roll it quick or snow will ruin the shade.Monaco residents/workers got an experience of their life that day. Children are throwning each other of snow, traffic was tight, roads are slippery as Monaco got zigzag roads, I can imagine a Ferrari skidding sideways going down.lol
Then December 2,2005, it was pelting down of rain. Moonsoon rain like we have in Philippines. I went to work, soaking wet despite heavy covers and umbrella. The next day, news in Nice is:
Deluge in Cote d'Azur!
As usual, exagerated news, mga taga Niçoises!Tsk tsk tsk!
We are all pampered here of 300 days sun, yearly and things happening like this, we are at lost, everyone panicked.Grabeeeh.
And next week will be colder than this week. It will be snowing at 600 meters.
La Turbie (600 meters high from sea level)will be foggy and expect rain or snow.
I missed Philippines , huhuhu. And some of my Pinay friends are telling me:
Nya nya nya nyah, I m celebrating Xmas in Philippines...Ka ka inggit!

Christmas is coming....!
And I have lots of work to do in my employers' house.
Putting up the Christmas tree. Not me, but Madame is doing it, but ako lang taga akyat ng stuffs from the cave(storeroom), kakainis! Pwede naman wala na Xmas decors, wala naman sila rito this Xmas. But masaya ako, there's gifts under the tree. Maybe the biggest(or the smallest) wrapping is for me. Hope hope hope..

Then add all the cookings, I' ve mention, I hated it. I got to stay extra hour(s) and still not enough, I am sinking with my ironings, as not time to do it! It is piling up everyday.

Today, busy busy, and the goonie(joker) Chico the cat, just yawn at me. Look!
As if telling me, you do what you like, I am busy too.Sleeping and yawning...





The Boss noticed me taking this photo and he liked my camera, he took some shots in his office for the website he is creating. He told me to have it develop. I did.

At 5pm, I have to pick up the photo developed in Metropole Shopping Center. At the end corner of the road, I saw my morning Boss, with his dog, walking in my destination. So I waited for them to pass (they are on the opposite road). I was thinking, they must be going home now as the dog looks weary. But no! They also went down to the escalator going inside the shop. No choice, I was in a hurry, I decided to just keep some distance not to bump(get noticed) them.
Then Boss stopped on a window display, bend to see clearly the inside, I dont know what, so I decided to run past them to go to the photo shop at the ground floor.
Ngeeh, this dog, saw me, wag her tail, the Boss stand erect and spotted me.
Voila !I am caught, I have to stay a few minutes:

bonjour, bon soir, et au revoir, while tapping the head of the dog.Comment çava mon pote, Vous allez bien, monsuier?

Bahala na kung tama french grammar ko, LOL! Ang tawa ni Sir, kasi stammer/Blabber ako.
Yoko makita nila ako, kasi istorbo, I am in a hurry, and as they are my Boss, parang ka level kasi nila si Roger Moore, kaya yoko makitsika sa kanila in public.

Minsan,mahirap kaibiganin ang aso, I cant escape.
If only animals can talk...