The Candy in the Middle of the Box: How to Savor the French Way
Photos and Text by Corey Amaro: (1988 when I first arrived in France.) The box of assorted chocolates circled around the room. When the hostess offered her guests the box of chocolates the guests would take the chocolate closest to them without hesitation, nor reflection, as if the chocolates were all the same. As the guests carried on with their conversation, I had one ear listening, and one eye on the hostess as she continued to offer the chocolates. I leaned to French Husband without looking obvious and asked him if it was my imagination or was it rude to select a chocolate you wanted verses taken the one closest to you when offered? He smiled that smile that said, "We shouldn't be

FOUR
First year grey and changing. Second year, reddish brown with blogger Sparkle. Third year I was tough... wore a hat, my glasses broke and I spent seven months in the USA. Fourth year blonde, rode a motorcycle across Eastern Europe, and will fly this week. 4 Do you know what that means? Other than a four different hair colors?

French Antique Painted Ribbon
On the eve of tomorrow....

The French Postman
Yesterday the postman came to our door with a perfectly square box from the U.S.A.. As I signed for it, the postman asked if it was someone's birthday? I told him it wasn't but that day was Thanksgiving. He squinted his eyes, moved his head back and asked "What is it this, "Tanks-give-IN"? The easier answer would have been for me to say, "A holiday were Americans give thanks, a holiday as big as Christmas." Instead I gave a butchered history lesson. First I started out with saying how some people hoping to find religious freedom... which lead me to the word Pilgrims... which I did not know in French. So I called them "people" from "the old world"

The Turkey Child Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is an American holiday. Thanksgiving celebrates the beginning of life in a new land. The seeds of friendship between two different cultures. The the pilgrims and the indians. The journey of the Mayflower. The need for one another. The helping hands of family and friends. The feast of giving thanks for where we have come from and for what we have. Thanksgiving is the dining room table. Family gathered. The blessing. The smell of turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and the sound of football in the background. My brother Marty eating the heads off the turkey cookies. Celebrating Thanksgiving abroad is not the same. The first Thanksgiving I spent in France we lived in Paris. A group of A