My new website

Alright, I have been really busy lately, working on a new website. I think I got tired of the simple blog with this long page that you could only scroll down and up like an elevator.
So I am introducing to you my new website, which still include a blog that you can subscribe just like this one. My new site reflects me as well as the other one or even more, it showcases more the pictures I like to take, so if you are interested you can watch them and if you are not into photography then you just have to skip them, it is up to you. The site will also have a movie page now, the rest is that I need to buy a video camera and I will be on a roll with more fun stuffs to do. In the mean time, I am still improving my new site but I am switching to it starting today. So say goodbye to this one and Hello to that one http://web.mac.com/afroginaz
Tell me what you think, give me some feedback even the negative feedback is good for me, it helps me make it better.
See you all there.
J'ai ete tres tres occupee ces derniers temps, a travailler sur mon nouveau projet de creation d'un nouveau site web. J'en avais marre de celui-ci et de l'unique page qu'il faut monter et descendre comme un ascensseur. Alors je vous presente mon nouveau site, qui inclus d'ailleurs son propre blog auquel vous pouvez vous abonner tout comme celui-ci. Mon nouveau site reflete ma personalite tout autant que celui-ci mais appuie plus sur ma passion de la photo. Alors si mes photos vous interessent vous pouvez les admirer et puis si la photos vous fait bien chier et bien vous n'avez juste qu'a eviter les pages de photos. Et puis mon nouveau site a aussi une page de films, alors il va falloir que je m'achete une camera pour que je puisse un peu m'eclater, j'ai deja plein d'idees alors je vais economiser et casser la tirelire pour une camera tres bientot.
Alors dites au-revoir a ce site et bonjour a ce site "le nouveau site d'une frog in AZ"
dites moi ce que vous en penser, donner moi vos critiques, meme les negatives sont toujours bonnes, elles aider a faire mieux..
A plus, et on se voit sur l'autre site.

Linda! Bon Anniversaire!

Coucou ma chere Linda, voici une petite video juste pour toi pour ton anniversaire.
Gros bisous. Cecile et Chris.

Introducing: "Orienteering"

Have you ever heard of that sport? Orienteering. Now let's check the wikipedia definition of it. (Don't be mad Dawn, I know how much you hate your students doing their research in Wikipedia).
Orienteering originated in Sweden and is a running sport involving navigation with a map and compass. It involves cross-country, though other forms have evolved. The competition is a timed race in which individual participants use a special purpose map and a magnetic compass to navigate through diverse terrain (most often wooded) and visit, in sequence, control points that are indicated on the map. The course of control points is kept secret from the competitors, until the start, when they are provided with a detailed topographic map on which the course is marked. Competitors start at staggered intervals, are individually timed, and are expected to perform all navigation skills on their own.
For the ones from Tucson who are interested , we even have a Tucson Orienteering Club here. Check out the websitehttp://www.tucsonorienteering.org/

Avez-vous deja entendu parle de la "course d'orientation"?
Bon d'abord voyons ce que wikipedia donne comme definition. La course d’orientation est une activitésportive de navigation avec une carte et boussole qui se déroule en général dans la foret. La forme traditionnelle est une course a pied du type cross-country ; d’autres formes de course d'orientation sont nées au fil des années.

THE MAP - LA CARTE
It starts with a special map of a forest. A map that is specifically made for Orienteering.
Ca commence avec une carte tres speciale. Une carte creee juste pour la course d'orientation.



THE COMPASS - LA BOUSSOLE
And it can better to have a compass as well, but not any compass. We have those special Orienteering compass.
Et c'est mieux si on a une boussole, mais pas n'importe quel boussole. On a une boussole speciale pour la course d'orientation.

THE CONTROL POINT - LA BALISE
And of course the goal is to navigate in the forest with the map, but we have to make sure we stop at the control points. It is kinda like following an itinerary.
Et bien sur le but est de naviguer dans la foret avec l'aide de la carte, mais il faut prouver que notre itineraire passe par les balises.

THE RUNNING, THE OUTFIT - LA COURSE, LA TENUE

IT'S NOT ONLY RUNNING, IT CAN BE MOUNTAIN BIKING ORIENTEERING
LA COURSE D'ORIENTATION C'EST PAS SEULEMENT LA COURSE A PIED, C'EST AUSSI LE VTT

AND SOMETIME ALSO SKYING
ET PARFOIS AUSSI A SKI

HOW FUN IS THAT?!
CA A L'AIR VACHEMENT COOL HEIN?!

The past 10 years in six pictures

Comic book style, just for fun - Comme une BD

Les 10 dernieres annees en 6 photos

(click on the page to see it bigger - Cliquez sur la page pour agrandir)

Bonne Fete Maman!

It is Mother's day in France tomorrow, but I don't think I will be able to call my mom from the fire station and since it not only will be my very first day with my crew but I will be working a whole 24 hours, I thought I could leave a message on my blog for my dear little mom.
So here is a Happy Mother's day to you mom!

Comme demain est mon premier jour a la caserne de pompier, je ne vais pas pouvoir appeler pendant 24 heures, je me suis dit que ce serait mieux si je laisse un message de fete des meres sur mon site.

Done

Alright, I am finally done with all the academy and it feels great. Graduation night was Friday, they gave us our badge and our assignment, which means I know my schedule for one whole year. I work on thanksgiving, and also on Christmas but that's OK I guess.
I met with my crew and let me tell you, I was pretty impressed with those guys, they are HUGE, TALL, and super BUFF. I looked so little next to them.
My first day will be on sunday the 25th (in a week and it will be Mother's day in France).

Ca y est, j'ai fini l'academie et je suis bien contente. La ceremonie de remise de badge etait vendredi soir et j'ai rencontre l'equipe de gars avec qui je vais etre pendant toute une annee ou plus. J'ai carement ete impressionee car les mecs sont de vraies baraques, des armoires a glace les gars. Je suis toute petite a cote d'eux.
Je vais travailler le jours de thanksgiving et aussi le jour de Noel mais c'est pas grave. Et mon premier jour va etre Dimanche prochain le 25 mai (le jour de la fete des meres).

Bon anniversaire Nelly

Tomorrow is the birthday of my very best friend Nelly (in France), so I would like to make sure I wish her a Happy Birthday. I miss her a lot. I wish I was there with her to celebrate but tomorrow is also the day I graduate from the fire academy, but I will be thinking of her.

Nelly! C'est ton anniversaire demain alors je voudrais te souhaiter un SUPER BON ANNIVERSAIRE. J'aurai bien aime etre la pour celebrer avec toi mais demain c'est aussi le jour ou je fini l'academie de pompier et j'ai ma ceremonie avec remise de badge. En revanche je penserai bien a toi pour ton anniv. Amuse toi bien et regale toi bien avec un bon gateau au chocolat et plein de cadeaux.

Happy Birthday Lyn!

My dear Lyn, I wish you a Happy Birthday (on the 2nd right?). I hope you celebrated like you should and I hope to see you soon.
I have 2 more weeks of academy. I know I didn't stop by your house like I said I would that week-end (sorry about that). But I feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel (end of the tunnel in 2 weeks when I graduate) and I will feel more free and will actually have some time and less stress.
I miss you a lot.

Check out the both of us doing that evil "Dying Bug"

3 things that are different

I have moved to the US about 8 years ago, so I am pretty much used to it now. But it wasn't always the case. There are so many things that are different from the country I grew up in.
I said in another post that I would tell you about the difference between the French and the American washcloth. But there are many other things that are different.

J'ai demenage aux USA il y a 8 ans, alors j'ai bien l'habitude des coutumes et differences. Mais au debut c'etait different, tout m'etonnait. Il y a tellement de petites choses qui sont differentes ici.
_______________________________

The French washcloth is on the left. Like a glove, you slide your hand in it and it is pretty convenient I think. The American one is a square piece of towel.

Le gant de toilette francais a gauche, et le gant de toilette americain a droite, qui n'est pas un gant mais simplement un carre de serviette.
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On the picture the left pillow is the large square French pillow and on the right is the rectangular American one. I don't think there is one better than the other. They can be both as comfortable. I like to have both at home because I am both American and French now (hehehe...)

Les oreillers francais sont bien plus grands et carres, mais les oreillers americains sont rectangulaires. Ils sont tous les 2 bien comfortables mais j'aime bien avoir les deux sortes a la maison pour les invites.
__________________________
The windows in America slide up and down or sideways (I don't like it because they stick and are hard to open sometimes). In France they open wide like a door with a handle.

Les fenetres aux USA coulissent de haut en bas ou bien d'un cote a l'autre (Je n'aime pas trop car souvent elles sont dures a ouvrir et ne glissent pas super bien). Les fenetres francaises s'ouvrent bien en grand avec une poignee.

In the mail today...

I came home tonight and there was a big box at my door. It said it was from France, so I got all excited remembering that my mom said she sent me something. The box looked pretty beat up so I was hoping whatever was inside made it well.
I opened the box, to find another box inside which was wrapped in heavy paper and then duck taped all over. It took me about 5 minutes to get that off, and I finally get to the box which was also duck taped all over, making sure that any possible openings were safely shut. This box was definitely impossible to open by hand and needed the help of a knife or something sharp.
10 minutes later I open the mystery box and pull what is inside.
Oh !!!! a little box! wait a minute! I recognize that little box !
It was a little wooden box I had when I was little. And inside, I find earrings and necklaces that my mom made for me. And a ring that my brother got me.
In the big box I also find
- a dried French salami. (yummy...)
- 4 French style wash clothes (I will explain the difference another day about French and American wash cloth).
- 6 French pillow cases (Yes the French pillow cases have a different shape than the American ones, the French ones are large and square)
- 1 duvet cover (twin size)
- 1 mattress sheet (twin size)
- 10 0r 15 recipes (photocopies from cooking magazines... of the stuffs that are in fashion in the cooking world of France)
- and a cute note saying "dear Cecilou and Christou...... we hope you like it....... we love you and think of you....... mom and dad..... Marie-France and Noel".

Now let me tell you.
1- When my parents ship something, it will arrive in good shape and safe, because they are KING and QUEEN of packaging. They will pack it so safely that it will be a real challenge to open it.
2- When they say they are shipping a couple pillow cases, they mean : they went to the supermarket and bought everything they thought that could please us.
3- If you say on the phone (one day in a conversation), that you kinda miss French dried salami, they will make sure to go get you one and even more other things.
4- There will always be a sweet little note, whether it's on a tiny post-it or a big piece of paper and it will be signed "mom and dad" followed by their names (just in case I didn't remember who they really are.)

Now, is that the sweetest thing or what?

So I would like to thank you for all the gifts mom and dad, Marie-France and Noel (just in case).
And thank you Lionel (bro) for the ring, I really like it.

(Ah and just in case you are wondering, the twin size bed sheets aren't because I am moving out, but because when I start being a Firefighter in one month, I have to sleep at the fire station in a twin size bed (10 days a month).

J'ai les muscles qui poussent

Title: My muscles are growing.

Thank you, Thank you for all the nice comments, it's always good to see that my buddies are thinking of me.
Week 4 of the fire academy is over and I have 6 left. My muscles are very achy and sore and I have a hard time to recover from one day to another, so I think I'm gonna have to start eating meat again (unfortunately, I don't like meat very much. I will not eat chicken though, Yuukky!)
I am getting so strong, check out my muscles, It came suddenly this week, I looked into the mirror and found my arms with those muscles. It scares me...

Merci merci pour vos gentils commentaires, ca me fait toujours bien plaisir de voir que mes potes loin en France pensent a moi. Et puis j'ai fait ce blog pour que l'on puisse continuer a rester en contact, alors je suis contente de voir que ca marche.
La formation de pompier aux USA, c'est pas de la tarte... Je parie que c'est pas facile en France non plus, mais je ne sais meme pas comment c'est en France. C'est la 4eme semaine de formation et il m'en reste encore 6. Je suis fatiguee, j'ai des courbatures et j'ai du mal a recuperer d'un jour sur l'autre, alors je crois qu'il va falloir que je me mette a manger un peu de viande car mes muscles me font bien mal. (j'aime pas la viande. Je ne mangerai pas de poulet en tout cas... Bahhh!)
Et puis cette semaines j'ai mes muscles qui ont soudain pousse. Je me suis regardee dans le mirroir et ca m'a fait peur.

First 2 weeks in the fire academy

I AM DEAD TIRED !

Yes I haven't found a minute to update this blog. Since I started the academy, it's been crazy.
I have long long days there and when I come back home, I barely can stand up or keep my eyes open.
The academy has been a real challenge and I can tell that this is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
Physically, I am exhausted, sore and bruised everywhere and mentally, I am totally drained. But 2 weeks have passed and I hope that I will get used to it and become stronger. We just don't stop running, pulling, pushing, lifting, crawling, jumping... I have never done whole 12 hour days of exercise before (5 days a week) but it is definitely going to get me in shape. However for the moment it is leaving me like a soft noodle when I get home, and I still feel out of shape. No time to do anything. I barely have time to shower, clean my uniform for the next day, eat and try to keep up with the homework, and that is usually during the homework part that I fall asleep from exhaustion.

However during the past 2 weeks we already learned how to break cars (to break them a certain way so that we can save trapped victims after a car crash). And also self rescue ourselves from small space entrapment (I didn't like that one, it was all dark and small and we could breath so well and it was in a long maze that was going left and right and up and down). And many other things that are on purpose to challenge us and see if we can take it.
I hope I can make it to the end, 8 more weeks...
Remember, I already went through a fire academy last year but this time it is harder and it is because the Fire department has to teach us their way of doing things.

Je suis morte de fatigue!
Oui je n'ai pas vraiment trouve le temps de mettre a jour mon blog depuis que j'ai commence la formation de pompier. Mes journees sont longues et quand je rentre a la maison je n'ai plus la force de tenir debout ou bien de garder les yeux ouverts.
La formation est un vrai challenge pour moi et je peux dire aujourd'hui que c'est l'etape la plus difficile que j'ai eu de toute ma vie.
Physiquement et moralement, je suis completement videe. Mais seulement 2 semaines sont passees et j'espere bien devenir plus forte d'ici la fin. On n'arrete pas de courir, pousser, tirer, soulever, grimper, sauter... Je n'avais jamais vraiment fait 12 heures d'exercice a la suite comme ca (5 jours par semaine) mais je vais etre bien forte a la fin (si je tiens le coup). Mais en attendant tous les soirs quand je rentre, je suis completement HS. J'ai le temps de rien faire. J'ai juste le temps de me doucher, laver mon uniforme pour le lendemain, manger, faire mes devoirs et c'est a ce moment la que je m'endors sur mes cahiers.

Cependant, en 2 semaines on a deja appris a casser les voitures (les casser comme il faut pour pouvoir sauver les victimes qui sont coincees apres un accident de voiture), et aussi a me sauver moi meme si jamais j'etais coincee dans un immeuble ou une maison pendant un feu (j'ai pas trop aime ca car ils nous ont mis dans un espece de long tunnel qui tourne et qui monte et qui descend, on se retrouve avec la tete en bas des fois et avec des cables et des barres de fer partout et il faisait tout noir, et ca faisait peur... parce que des fois on reste coince dans le noir et on ne peux respirer que pendant 30 minutes avec la bouteille sur le dos qui pese 25 kilos), et puis plein d'autres trucs avec les tuyaux et les echelles et les feux de voitures etc... etc...
J'espere que je vais pouvoir finir, plus que 8 semaines...
N'oublions pas que l'an dernier j'avais deja fait toute une formation de pompier, mais cette fois ci le departement de pompier pour lequel je vais travailler, nous apprend leur facon de faire. (la plupart du temps c'est tout pareil mais il fait tout refaire quand meme)

Surfing... Boogey Boarding... keeping the bikini on...

I expressed my desire to try surfing while in Hawaii, but while I was there I chickened out because the waves were too big for me (since it was going to be my very first time). So I thought I could maybe try boogey board instead (that small little board you just lie on your stomach on and slide in the waves. It is closer to the beach and maybe safer (Well at least I think there might be less chance of drowning).

So I am on a beautiful beach of the north shore of Oahu and the waves are starting to look pretty cool. Even the lifeguards are already talking with the speaker, telling people that kids should not be in the water and only good swimmers should be in. (I believe I am a good swimmer, after all I train for triathlon and swim in open water very often (in the rare lakes of Arizona)). Ok I am not so used to those waves but I am not scared at all. I take my small board, make sure it is attached to my arm and start walking towards the ocean. I turn my head to look at Chris who stayed behind on the beach towel and he looks worried but also has the look on his face that says "I better pay attention to what this girl is gonna be doing, I better play the personal lifeguard here". But I just shake my hand, waving at him, and he waves back with a worried smile.
The waves are cool! I am gonna have so much fun!
I step in the water and go forward, there is already a big big wave coming at me, maybe I can jump over it and I will be in the deeper water. I put my board against my stomach and jump over the wave, but I think I miscalculated the size of this first wave. I suddenly find myself tumbling under the water, I lost the board (I hope it stays attached to my arm). I keep holding my breath under the water; I don't know where the bottom and the top is anymore. I feel my head hitting the bottom and the sand, still holding my breath.
How much longer is this freaking wave going to keep me tumbling?
I don't know how much longer I could keep holding my breath like that but there is no way I breath now.
I start feeling my bikini pulling down, h my gosh I just hope it is still on when the wave is over.
10 seconds later I am lying on the sand with more waves coming at me telling me "take that! and That! Did you think you could master the big Hawaiian waves girlfriend?"
I am on my ass, legs up, the top of my bikini is half off, covering only one boob and offering the other one live and high definition to everyone watching me on the beach. The bottom is pulled down a little bit and is showing the beginning of my butt "a la plumber".
Now I am wondering if I should hide my boob or hide my ass first. Shit it doesn't matter Cecile, just do something to stop embarrassing yourself. But all I can do is cough the extra water I have in my lungs, and the waves keep going back and forth to keep trying to steal my bathing suit.
The Pacific Ocean is a thief!
After a minute of coughing, I finally put myself together, take my board, and look back toward Chris back there on the dry sand. He has the largest smile ever, and does not look worried at all. He then makes a sign calling me to come back to the towels. I turn towards the wannabe thief again and shake my head "You will not have my bikini today, I bought it in France last time I went at "Etam" and I keep it my dear."
So I turn around like a beat up dog and go back to my towel.
On my way there, a guy says "wow that wave really got you, you were under there for a very long time!"
So I said "Yeah!? Jealous?"
Pff... all I wanted was a little glide on a nice little wave but that damn ocean didn't want to share the fun with me today.
I will try again next year

Waikiki, Hawaii

Chris was tired and I am always up for more vacation (after 6 weeks in Japan, less than 4 months ago... you know... I am French after all, and vacations are important) so we decided to take 8 days off and fly to Hawaii to relax at the beach.

Anyway we are here in Waikiki in a really really nice hotel, the room is absolutely divine and we have an absolutely beautiful view on the beach as the picture shows. We got those beautiful flowers around our necks as soon as we got to the hotel.
The program is: Mai Tais, pina colada, delicious seafood, snorkle, kayak, bicycles rides and swim in the warm ocean. Maybe we will get adventurous and try to surf a little bit.

I took this this picture from the window of our room.
J'ai pris cette photo de la fenetre de notre chambre.

Chris etait tres fatigue et moi je suis toujours partante pour une nouvelle destination de vacances (apres 6 semaines au Japon il y a moins de 4 mois... de nouvelles vacances s'imposaient... je suis francaise apres tout, les vacances c'est important) alors nous avons decides de prendre 8 jours et de s'envoler vers Hawaii pour aller se relaxer a la plage.

Nous sommes donc ici a Waikiki dans un super hotel, la chambre est carement canon et la vue est imprenable. Ils nous ont mis les fleurs autour du cou des que l'on est arrive a l'hotel.
Au programe: Mai Tai, pina colada, delicieux poisson frais, palmes/masque/tuba, kayak, velo et baignades dans l'ocean bien chaud. Peut etre qu'on essaiera de surfer un peu si on est courageux.

Arthur, Nora's new baby

Arthur, Born on January 21st.

So one of my very dear friends from France (I only have a few left now after almost 10 years away from France), Nora, who lives with Fabien, had her first baby on january 21st. A little boy named Arthur. He is really cute and deserve to have his own picture on this blog.
Nora and Fabien were both with me in college, and I have to say that Nora is one of the most positive and happy person I have ever met. I miss you guys.

Une de mes meilleures amies en France (il ne m'en reste pas tellement depuis 10 ans que je suis partie), Nora, qui habite avec Fabien, a donne naissance a son premier petit garcon le 21 janvier. Il s'appelle Arthur. Il est trop mignon et merite bien d'avoir sa propre photo sur mon blog.
Nora et Fabien etaient tous les 2 a la fac avec moi et je dois dire que Nora est une des personnes les plus positives et joyeuses que je connaisse. Vous me manquez bien les copains.

Fabien and Nora (and Penelope)

Step six! I did it! I did it!

I got the call! I made it! I can't believe it! I am going to be a real firefighter working for a real fire department! I start march 10th.

Ca y est! Ils m'ont appele! J'ai reussi! J'y crois pas! Je vais etre un vrai pompier! Je commence lundi 10 mars.

Step five. Yipiii!!!!

Oh, Jebus! They called me today to tell me that I passed the first interview and I was scheduled tuesday afternoon for a second interview with the chief! I just can't believe it! I am so excited! I guess now we are down to 30 candidates and they are going to keep 20 for the academy. See you after tuesday for the result!

Ouah, ils m'ont appele aujourd'hui pour me dire que j'avais bien reussi mon entretien et j'ai donc mon deuxieme entretien avec le grand patron cette fois ci, mardi apres-midi. Je n'y crois pas! je suis carement excitee et nerveuse a la fois! Alors maintenant il ne reste que 30 candidats et ils vont en prendre 20 pour aller suivre la formation. Alors a plus, pour les resulats la semaine prochaine.

Step five. I don't know what to say

Well this morning at 11:00 I had my oral board interview, in front of 3 intimidating captains all dressed up in uniform. They of course asked a bunch of questions and I sometimes stumbled with my answers but tried to do my best to show them I was mature and ready for this hard work job and that I was eager to learn and blablabla... I almost laughed when they asked me to describe with my own words what I thought the job of firefighter really was. Because you see, if I had said it in my own words, to them it would have sound something like "blobli pa pujigo ratatouille, fusivoka redotula" or something like that. But after 20 minutes of questioning and answering (and I kept all my words in english to stay professional and understandable), they finally let me go and that is the worst time now, I have to wait a whole week before I know if they liked me or not and if I have a second interview with the big kahuna. I don't even know if I did well or not, they just stayed so stoic.

Alors ce matin a 11 heures, j'ai eu mon entretien. Il y avait 3 capitaines qui font peur avec leur super uniformes. Alors ils m'ont pose plein de questions et je me suis parfois un peu embrouillee dans mes reponses mais j'ai tout de meme essaye de faire de mon mieux a leur montrer que je suis une personne mature et prete a faire ce boulot difficile... Mais j'ai presque eclate de rire quand ils m'ont demande de leur dire avec mes propres mots ce que je pensais qu'etait le boulot de pompier . Parce que vous voyez, si je leur disais avec mes propres mots, et bien ils entendraient "blobli pa pujigo ratatouille, fusivoka redotula" (c'est comme ca le francais aux oreilles des americains). Alors apres 20 minutes de questions et reponses (et en gardant tous les mots en anglais (merci beaucoup)), ils m'ont finalement laisse sortir, et je suis maintenant dans la pire des situations: Ne pas savoir ce qu'il en est. Je ne sais meme pas si je m'en sui bien sortie ou pas, ils sont restes sans emotions et sans reactions. On m'a dit que je recevrai un coup de fil la semaine prochaine me disant si j'ai ete elimine ou si je vais etre admissible pour le dernier entretien avec le grand chef.

Step three and four : I kicked ass!

Yippee! I passed the skills and the medical questions. I kicked ass too! A lot of people got eliminated today. Too bad for them.
And now I am scheduled on tuesday for the oral board interview.

Youpi! J'ai reussi mes tests aujourd'hui. Plein de monde ont ete elimine. Tant pis pour eux. Alors la prochaine etape est pour mardi, et c'est le premier entretien.

Step two : Success!

That's it, I had to do the difficult physical test today and I did it I passed. I am so happy. I still have to do my best to stay in the game, I have much more to come. Tomorrow I have 2 more tests: The firefighter skills and the medical station.

Ca y est, j'ai passe aujourd'hui le test physique, qui etait bien dur. Je suis super contente. Mais j'ai encore du boulot pour rester dans la course. Demain j'ai le test d'aptitude de pompier et aussi le test de reponses d'urgences medicales.

Step one out of 6 : Success!

Right on! I just found out that I passed the written test. I have to get ready for the rest now. Saturday is my test on the firefighter skills. Come back after the weekend because I will know the result of the next step.
_________
Super! Je viens d'apprendre que j'ai reussi les ecrits. Il faut que je me prepare pour tout le reste maintenant. Samedi je passe le test d'aptitude de pompier. Revenez apres le week-end et je saurai le resultat de la prochaine etape.

My little secret, not a secret anymore

Ok I didn't want to say it, by fear of failing and feeling ashamed of it. But I will say it, then it will give me a little bit of stress and push to try harder (just for my pride).
I tested for Golder Ranch Fire District (click on the name to see their site).
So last week I had the written test, and if I passed that, then there will be the skill test, followed by the physical test, then the EMT medical test. Then if by any chance I didn't fail yet at those, I would have a first oral board, and then if that works out, there will be another oral board with the chief.
Anyway, all of this seems quite impossible since I found that we are 140 people applying and there are only 15 spots open. But after 33 years of life experience I found that nothing was impossible, so I am going to try this to the end. And if I succeed it really would prove me that with a little perseverance everything is possible, even in a country like the US. But if I fail, then I will just try again next year. I remember 7 years ago, I couldn't even speak english. And even farther back in junior high, my english teacher never forgot to remind me how much I sucked and that I was the worst student she'd ever had. Pff, I bet now I my English is better than hers, that bitch!. I don't remember her name (too bad).
Anyway, two more days and I will know the result of the written test.

Bon, je ne voulais le dire a personne, par peur d'avoir la honte si jamais j'echoue, mais apres tout, je vais quand meme vous le dire. Comme ca ca me donnera un coup de stress pour mieux reussir.
J'ai postule la semaine derniere pour un des plus grand departement de pompier de la ville.
Voici leur Site internet si vous voulez jeter un coup d'oeil. Golder Ranch Fire District. C'est le departement de pompier qui couvre toute la partie nord de la ville et aussi la ville atachee au nord.
Alors j'ai eu le test ecrit la semaine derniere. Et puis si jamais j'ai reussi les ecrits, et bien il y aura 3 autres tests ce week end (1- test physique, 2- test de demonstrations de connaissances des pratiques de pompiers, et 3- test de reponse d'urgences medicales), et puis si je reussi ces trois autres tests, et bien je pourrai aller au premier entretien et puis si jamais je reussi bien au premier entretien, et bien il y a le deuxieme entretien avec le "chief".
Bref tout cela me parait bien impossible vu qu'il y a 140 personnes qui ont postule pour seulement 15 places offertes. Mais avec mes 33 ans d'experience de la vie, je me suis bien rendue compte que rien n'est impossible alors je vais tenter le coup jusqu'au bout et puis si ca ne marche pas et bien je repostulerai l'an prochain ou bien ailleurs; et puis si ca marche et bien ca prouvera bien qu'avec un peu de perseverance on arrive a tout, meme dans un pays comme les USA. (je me souviens il y a 7 ans, je ne parlais meme pas l'anglais, et puis je me souviens encore plus loin au college, ma prof d'anglais n'oubliais pas de me rappeler que j'etais la nulasse de la classe. Je parie que je parle mieux l'anglais qu'elle cette petasse (je ne me souviens plus de son nom, dommage.)) (par contre mon francais commence un peu a craindre...)
Dans 2 jours j'aurai le resultat des ecrits, alors tennez vous au courant.

Cecile B. - EMT

NO FRENCH - Pas de traduction Francaise (trop long). Pardon I won’t translate this one in French (it is too long, it is funny but too long)

Let me tell you what it’s like to be an EMT.
The night before my shift I usually open my fridge to look for any leftovers I could pack in one of those plastic container that you keep forever because they last forever. You know, those Tupperware things that are the most hideous color ever (mostly because I got them from my mom and she bought them in one of those awful meetings back in the 70’s). So then it takes me 2 min to try to open the thing because of course these containers are earthquake proof and they won’t open even if you throw them violently on the tiles (like I did after my 2 minutes battle). So then I give up with the plastic container and decide to fill a Ziploc plastic bag with the leftover spaghetti with tomato sauce from last night. Yuk! Gross, it looks kind of weird and cool at the same time in the bag, and it is definitely interesting to the touch. It reminds me of some other thing I will see on my shift, but let’s not jump ahead. Let’s pack a mini muffin with chocolate chip for breakfast and a minute soup for dinner. That is not enough food, so I will also bring a mini bag of dried nuts and mixed fruits, and also 2 mandarins and a granola bar. Yes that should do it. So now my backpack is full of food from lunch to dinner, cool! Let’s go to bed.

6am, the alarm tells me to get the hell out of bed, and that… is not cool. I get my stupid uniform on (dark blue pants, dark blue polo shirt with letters on the side of my chest that say “Cecile B. - EMT”. But it doesn’t matter that my f&%#ing name is written right there because everyone, from patients to nurses and doctors today are going to butcher my name trying to pronounce it like it’s out of another planet and then ask me again the ultimate question: “oh where are you from?”…… Ahhhhhhhhh…….. Not that question again!!!
So here, I am ready to rock and roll like they say here, I have my uniform on, I look clean, I have a backpack full of food and let’s not forget I have another huge bag with a pillow, sheet and blanket because I am going for a 24 hour shift and I will sleep on a wonderful bed at the station.

At the home station we get our ambulance from the team that is finishing their shift and are now going back home. I am teamed with someone I usually don’t know because I am still new and I am not at the same station every time. On our way out we stop the ambulance by our cars to transfer our bag full of food and the one with the blanket, pillow…
Let’s go to the station now.
As we arrive there, I decide to make my bed right away. I haven’t even pulled the pillow out of my bag, that our radio is calling us for our first call of the day. Oh!! This is going to be one of those days huh?
Here we go, my partner jumps on the driver side, which means that I will be taking care of the patient. We arrive at the location of the incident to find a lady in her mid 30s who says she wants to kill herself because she is depressed and wants to go to the hospital to be evaluated, she took lots of medication and alcohol and she does not smell good. Ok lady! Jump in the ambulance! As I take her blood pressure (while my partner is driving us to the hospital), I see my patient slowly trying to do her reading of the day on the left side of my shirt. (Great she is reading my name!) And the lady says, “Is it Cecilia?” And I say, “No, it is Cecile. It is French.” (There I said it, she won’t ask). Then she says with her drunken attitude “Oh cool, so you speak Spanish, huh”. Then I look at her with my eyes wide open and say, “No, I speak French”. To what she asks “ah? So where are you from?”
And when she said “from” I could smell her breath full of alcohol and medication… Baaaah, I should wear a breathing mask, it is not human to smell that way.
So after what I said: “so, you said you want to kill yourself today, huh?”
And there I opened the door, because she started to talk and talk and talk about things that didn’t even made sense and I could smell her breath more and more as it was filling and replacing the oxygen in the whole ambulance. She talked about everything and nothing, as a drunk depressed crazy person would. But then she says to me, “You know, Cecilia, you are a good doctor, because you listen very well”.
(Pfff, I’m not a doctor.) But I smiled and said, “ oh you are welcome my dear, and that is why I am here…. Oh look! Here we are at the hospital let’s get out of the ambulance and get some fresh air……”
Ahhhhh! Fresh air.
And that is when she decided to throw up everywhere on the stairs of the ambulance…
(Lady! You didn’t have lots of medications; you just ate a lot of spaghetti with tomato sauce and drank 2 bottles of vodka to make it go down!!!)
Oh, what a disaster, it suspiciously looked like she could have eaten the lunch I had packed for me.
Well, of course we dropped her off to the ER, then got back to clean the mess she made. At least now someone else is dealing with her and not me. I am just glad she didn’t throw up on me.

Then as we are leaving the hospital, we get called to another patient and then another one and another one. After 8 calls in a row it is now 8 pm and I am dizzy because we didn’t have time to eat. We finally get a break but we are so hungry, we just decide to get a hamburger quickly.

As we later arrive at the station, I am looking at my unmade bed and I pull the food I had prepared for me from my bag. The bag of spaghetti makes me want to vomit, so I toss it right away and I am so tired now, I just lie down on the naked mattress there and fall asleep (it is 9pm).
Suddenly the crazy high pitch beeping of the radio screams in our ears (I probably slept 3 hours but I still feel really tired). I look at the clock and see: 9:15pm. …What??... I only closed my eyes for 15 minutes? You gotta be kidding me!! But here we go again on another call. And it will be like that until 7am. I slept 1 or 2 hours all together. It is the morning and we had more crazy stinky patients and a few nice old ladies with a broken hip. And that one homeless guy without his front teeth that told me that I was pretty, and that we could make a great couple and that he could clean up real good for me. (At least he didn’t ask me where I was from). I just gave him a nice smile in return and it was enough for him. (But that was only to keep me from busting out laughing).

I get home around 7:30am. I shower and I fall into my nice clean beautiful bed. What a day!
To tell you the truth it is not like that every time but sometime it is. And next time I won't even try to prepare my meals in advance because half of the time the Ziploc bag (which is not earthquake proof like Tupperware) tear apart in my bag pack and I don't even want to describe what I see and smell there, and I should just buy a good sleeping bag because that is faster.

Getting ready for Santa.

Here in Tucson it is cold in the morning, and nice and sunny in the afternoon. Also it might be the desert but we still have to have the traditional Christmas tree.

So here is ours. I hope Santa comes with lots of stuff, because I have been good this year.

Ici a Tucson il fait bien froid le matin et chaud et ensoleille l'apres midi. On est peut etre dans le desert mais il faut quand meme installer le sapin de Noel traditionel. Alors voici le notre. J'espere que le pere Noel va venir avec plein de cadeaux car j'ai ete bien sage cette annee.

New work, New routine

So I am finally out of training. I Started my normal shifts and believe it or not, I don't work on Christmas eve nor Christmas day and I don't work either on new year's eve and that means I can eat, drink and party...
So in the mean time, my friend Meredith had a boy named "Sam"(a picture will come soon). And for the ones who didn't notice, I lost one Sam (Goldfein) last month and another one comes around (let's not start talking about reincarnation or things like that), plus Meredith knows the Goldfeins...
Also, I started my regular shift at work, and it is pretty cool. I mostly work 48 hours a week: 2 shifts of 24 hours, I work on Sundays and Thursdays. Which means I have 5 days off per week, isn't it cool?! So that leaves me some time to pick up an extra 12 hour shift to make my hours up to 60 hours a week. I won't do it all the time but if I need extra money, at least I have the option.
Thank you to my friends who are leaving me comments.

Nelly (in France): I miss you too and I will call you very soon to know what Santa is bringing you this year.

Nora (In France): How do you like the country life? And how is everything doing with that little boy in your tummy?

Madoka (in Japan): Don't worry about my sleep, I take naps and I have so many days off now, life is good. How did your thesis go? And how is Christmas going to be in Japan for you?

Jay (in Tucson): I haven't been to the coffee shop very often lately (but I am going tomorrow morning). And I am sorry I missed the white elephant party (I actually worked until 1am that night)

Lyn (in Tucson): Good talking to you today, I have to see you soon to give you the gift I brought you from Japan.

Daphne (in the Reunion Island): Well Daphne, you are the only one from over there who actually look at my blog. I haven't been to the Reunion in a few years but should I ask you to watch after my brother? If my brother wasn't doing so well, I don't think he would tell me, so I put you in charge of watching after him please.

________________________________
Alors ca y est j'ai fini ma formation au boulot. Et j'ai commence mon emploi du temps normal. Je ne travaille pas la veille ni le jour de Noel, et je ne travaille pas non plus la veille et le 1er de l'an. Ce qui veut dire que je vais pouvoir boire, manger et m'amuser...
Pour les nouvelles: ma super copine Meredith a eu un petit garcon qu'elle a appele "Sam" (je vous montrerai une photo bientot). Alors un Sam (Goldfein) s'en va et un nouveau pointe son nez. Reincarnation ? (De plus, Meredith connais les Goldfeins).
J'ai aussi demarre mon emploi du temps normal de 48 heures. Je travaille 2 services de 24 heures (le dimanche et le jeudi) et le reste de la semaine je suis libre. C'est plutot cool hein!? J'ai 5 jours de conge par semaine. (c'est comme l'inverse de tout le monde).
Mais alors du coup comme j'ai tout ce temps de libre et bien la plupart du temps je me rajoute un service de 12 heures et comme ca ca m'ammene a 60 heures de travail par semaine.

Merci a tous mes potes qui me laissent des commentaires.
Nelly (en France): Tu me manques aussi et je vais te telephoner tres bientot pour savoir ce que le pere Noel t'amene cette annee.

Nora (en France): Alors c'est comment la vie a la campagne? Et comment tu vas avec ce petit garcon dans le ventre? Il arrive quand deja?

Madoka (au Japon): Ne t'inquiete pas pour mon sommeil, je fais des siestes de temps en temps, et puis j'ai tellement de jours de conge, la vie est belle. Comment se passe ta these? Et comment celebrez vous Noel chez toi au Japon?

Jay (a Tucson): Je ne suis pas allee au Coffee Shop ces temps ci mais j'y vais demain matin. Desolee de ne pas etre allee a la soiree des elephants blancs (echange des cadeaux de noel), mais j'ai travaille jusqu'a 1 heure du matin ce soir la.

Lyn (a Tucson): J'ai ete contente de te parler au telephone aujourd'hui. Il faut que l'on se voit tres bientot pour que je puisse te donner le cadeau que je t'ai ramene du Japon.

Daphne (a l'ile de la Reunion): Et bien Daphne, tu es la seule de l'ile qui regarde mon blog. Et je ne suis pas allee rendre visite a mon frere depuis quelques annees. Alors devrais-je te mettre en charge de veiller sur lui? Profite bien de tes litchis, ca me manque bien. (ps. J'ai fais un rougail saucisse il y a deux jours, super bon avec du gingembre)

Slacking

Yes I am slacking on the whole blogging thing, but I have been so busy with work. Last week I worked 53.5 hours and made 3 pennies, but oh well. I wake up at the crack of dawn to go to work and finish when it is time to go to bed. I also had my first 24 hours shift Saturday at a fire station. Only one more week at this pace (because I am still in training), and I will have a more regular schedule with 3 days off per week. I can't wait. ( but I will still make 3 pennies). Leave me comment messages to let me know how you are doing if you'd like. Big hugs to all.

Oui je sais je me traine un peu ces temps ci, je n'ai pas trop le temps de mettre le blog a jour car j'ai un emploi du temps de la mort. La semaine derniere j'ai travaille 53.5 heures et je me suis fais 3 centimes, mais c'est pas grave. Je me reveille aux aurores et je termine le boulot a 21h la plupart du temps. J'ai travaille 24 heures de suite dans une station de pompier (mais j'ai dormi quand meme, on a des chambres et des lits bien sur, mais on est appele en plein milieu de la nuit pour aller sauver les petites vieilles qui ont soudain un infarctus ou autre chose).
Bref je suis quand meme toujours "in training" (je ne sais plus comment on dit ca en francais), et j'aurai un emploi du temps normal des la semaine prochaine, avec un week-end de 3 jours chaque semaine. Laissez moi un petit message commentaire si ca vous chante, pour me donner des nouvelles. Bises a tous.

Silvia and Robin's wedding

I was thinking Silvia would be the perfect wife for my big brother Lionel (and they are the same age too) but Lionel was too busy doing his research in his lab and never got here on time. Robin on the other hand had nothing else to do and jumped on the occasion. Oh well... Maybe an other time Lionel.
So Saturday was Silvia and Robin's wedding. It was such a nice day, the atmosphere was absolutely great. The ceremony was at the botanical garden, then lunch at a seafood restaurant and the party at night was at the fabulous house of Maebel. It was so much fun.

Je pensais que ma copine Silvia aurait ete une epouse parfaite pour mon frere Lionel, mais Lionel a ete bien trop occupe a travaille dans son lab. il n'est pas venu a temps. Robin par contre n'avait rien d'autre a faire que de draguer la belle Americaine. Donc samedi c'etait le mariage de Silvia et Robin. C'etait vraiment super et l'ambiance est extra chouette. La ceremonie etait au Jardin botanique, le dejeuner dans un resto sympa et la soiree dans la grande maison de Maebel. C'est vraiment cool.

In Loving Memory of Sam

A wedding and a funeral, is the name of my weekend. One of my best friend, Silvia, is getting married and it should be fun. But Thursday one of my favorite people, Sam Goldfein died. I got to know Ann and Sam after I started to train Ann 2 years ago. Lately the training happened at her house, since I quit the club a few months ago, but it was also convenient because Sam was getting weaker and Ann wanted to stay around him. It was nice to see Sam's smile every day when I would go to their house.

Sam and Ann also asked Chris and I to care for their home every summer while they would be on vacation. And let me tell you, staying at their house is like being on vacation itself. For the passed 2 years we then lived in their house for the 2 months summer and enjoyed the large swimming pool, the barbecue, the view on the city on one side, on the mountains on the other, and the quietness.
Yesterday was his funeral, and you know how at funerals people say how great and nice the person was. Well yesterday, some people talked and reminded us how wonderful and how generous and nice and passionate Sam was, but this time everybody felt that it couldn't be more true. All the nice things that were said described Sam perfectly. Sam was a cardiologist and his passion and talk of interest was to tell us how everyone should have social security and universal medical care, that everyone deserves to be treated and be healthy. Not that many people think that way in America, or else we would have universal medical care (but we don't). For my part, the one thing I will remember and miss the most is the smile he had on his face when he opened the door for me. I could see it thru the little glass square in the door when he would turn the lock on the other side.
Sam was a good man and we are going to miss him.

Un marriage et un enterrement, c'est le nom de mon weekend. Une de mes meilleure copine, Silvia, se marie aujourd'hui avec Robin. Mais Jeudi une de mes personnes preferees, Sam Goldfein est decede. J'ai rencontre Ann et Sam quand Ann a decide d'avoir un coach personnel il y a 2 ans. Ces derniers temps je l'entrainais a domicile puisque j'ai demissione de mon club il y a quelques mois. De plus, c'etait plus pratique car Sam etait de plus en plus faible et Ann voulais rester pres de lui. Le sourire de sam va me manquer. Sam et Ann nous demandais a Chris et moi de rester dans leur maison tous les etes lorqsqu'ils partaient 2 mois en vacances. Et je vous assure que rester dans leur maison c'est comme des grandes vacances. Et Chris et moi avons bien profite de la grande piscine, du barbeque, de la vue sur toute la ville d'un cote et sur la montagne de l'autre, mais aussi de la tranquillite du quartier. L'enterrement etait hier. Vous savez aux enterrements comme il y a des gens qui parlent pour rapeler a tout le monde que la personne decedee etait une chouette personne blablabla et tout le monde a une larme a l'oeil. Oui mais hier quand les anciens amis ou membres de la familles ont parle de Sam pour nous rappeler sa bonte, sa generosite, sa gentillesse, sa passion pour l'autre, et sa determination de ne pas mourrir a 37 ans apres sa premiere crise cardiaque ni plus tard apres une deuxieme, ni apres son bipass il y a quelque temps mais plutot a 81 ans apres avoir complete une longue belle vie pleine de bonheur. Toutes les choses qui ont ete dites ne pouvaient pas etre plus vraies. Sam etait un cardiologue et il aimait nous rappeler que tout le monde devrait avoir droit a la securite sociale et aux soins medicaux universels. Pour ma part, chaque jour que je venais entrainer Ann chez eux, je sonnais a la porte et Sam venais ouvrir. Je pouvais voir son sourire sympa de l'autre cote de la petite vitre carree de la grande porte. Sam was a good man. Il va nous manquer.

50 heures de boulot par semaine!

Picture from other site

Well lately, I have been recovering from my trip, and enjoying all the free time. I sleep in in the morning and slowly take care of my stuff around. I kinda like being at home. But the day after I got back from Japan, I got a phone call from a company I had applied for before I left. They said they had taken note of my traveling date and they liked me, so that is why they wanted to call me right away before I applied elsewhere. Anyway I was hired by "Southwest Ambulance" to be an EMT, 50 hours a week. Well that is full time! 50 hours! I've never worked that much! I hope I can do that. I start Monday at 9am.

Picture from some other site

Et bien ces derniers temps je me remet de mon voyage, et je profite de mon temps libre. Je dors tard le matin et je m'occuppe de mes trucs a la maison. J'aime bien etre a la maison.
Cepedant, le jour apres mon retour du Japon, j'ai eu un coup de fil d'une boite ou j'avais postule pour un boulot. Ils ont dit qu'ils avaient pris note des mes dates de voyage mais qu'ils m'avaient vraiment bien aime et c'est pour ca qu'ils m'appellent le jour de mon retour, afin que je ne postule pas ailleurs. Bref j'ai ete embauchee par "Southwest Ambulance" en tant que Emergency Medical Technician (je ne pense pas qu'il y ait un equivalent en France). En fait ce boulot d'EMT c'est quand par exemple il y a des accidents sur la route, ou bien une crise cardiaque ou bien une nana qui est en train d'accoucher dans le bus, ou bien un mec qui s'est pris une balle dans le ventre; je fais partie de l'equipe d'urgence qui va soigner cette personne sur les lieux et la transporter en vitesse a l'hopital. (J'avais ete a la fac l'an dernier et passe les diplomes d'EMT avant de faire ma formation de pompier. Pompier et EMT vont ensemble et on ne peut pas devenir pompier sans avoir les diplomes d'EMT).
Alors je vais bosser 50 heures par semaine, c'est du plein temps, c'est pour dire. J'ai jamais travaille autant d'heures, merde, j'ai pas l'habitude de ca. (Quand je pense que vous en etes aux 35 heures bande de faineants...).
Je commence lundi a 9 heures.