We have been busy all week with classes. My small group has been meeting regularly to discuss our presentation on the cultures of Equador and Morocco. We have had very interesting discussions and we are all learning a lot about the two countries.
Monday I attempted to bake a chicken the way I do at home with potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery. I browned everything first, then put it in the oven. The chicken turned out great - it was very fresh and the veggies cooked in a little wine were fabulous. Here I use celery root instead of celery stalks and that is really good.
The pan lid, however was a casualty. The oven is small and we don't think the lower unit works well, so we have to turn on the upper unit which gets really hot, like broiling. The pan lid was too close and melted. It could be we don't understand the images on the oven dial.
Tuesday our French professor brought the 5 regional cheeses for us to taste, along with a wine from her region on the Loire. We have been eating leftover chicken for lunch and dinner and it is just as good cold as it was the first day.
Wednesday, Fred finished grading his first group of KSU tests, and suggested we go out for dinner. I was tired - I actually had 6 hours of class, so I suggested someplace close. We chose Le Serin, just around the corner. It is a nice restaurant featuring specialities of the region.
We both had trout, served with cantal cheese. We chose from the menu below, one option from each of three courses.
We had a great meal and it was nice to be so close to home.
Thursday, we had salad at home for lunch, now we will use the last of the chicken for a pasta dish for dinner.
In the morning I took the bus to a hypermarche just 10 minutes away - E. Leclerc. I needed a surge protector and some electrical tape. I came away with much more than that, but found everything I needed in one place.
When I returned home, I repaired the cord to my larger laptop, then ate lunch and headed to school. On Wednesday afternoons I take an Intercultural awareness class. It is several weeks of lecture and discussion, then small group work on a presentation where the group presents either their national culture or compares two cultures. I will not be in class the last week for the presentation, so I will work with two other students and they will present for the group. I think I am fortunate. There is a student from Equador who has lived in the U.S. for 10 years, and he suggested we work on the U.S., but as I am an "extra", he and a student from Morocco will compare the cultures of Equador and Morocco and I will help plan the presentation, but they will present it.
We had the last 20 minutes of class to work together, but our group decided to stay for a while and talk longer. We started by brainstorming, just making a list of things that the two representatives of the countries think may be important. At 5 pm another class arrives and we feel that we are making progress. We agree to meet again on Friday afternoon after our French class.
At home this evening, we add a can of white beans to the left over couscous stew, add bread and fruit and have another great meal.
