We returned to NYC this week after a family vacation to Paris for the week of Thanksgiving. It was the first time that our girls had ever been to Europe. Manly Guy and our son, T (who is now in high school) couldn’t be gone more than a week, but the girls and I also spent five nights in Ireland in addition to the six nights in Paris. Needless to say, J, S and V loved the trip.

Of course, when you’re in a foreign country, what often strikes you as odd are the little things. Living in Paris or Dublin isn’t THAT different from living in NYC, really. But the way that a stove works, or the layout of an apartment, or needing to push a button to get out the front door- these all present small reminders that one is in a new place.

I cooked for two days in my friends’ Paris apartment preparing food for Thanksgiving, while Manly Guy took the kids out to see the sights. During much of my time in the kitchen, I listened to French radio, recognizing the occasional French word (I am not fluent at all), and enjoying pop music. Every break, there were radio ads for Black Friday, which I found very amusing. They have managed to import our biggest shopping day of the year (Black Friday) without the associated holiday (Thanksgiving). Black Friday without Thanksgiving seems so wrong!

On the other hand, it was really nice to be able to enjoy holiday lights while we were strolling through the streets of Paris, Dublin and Cork. I know that it is the Christmas spending that drives the decoration. So I shouldn’t judge them for importing Black Friday . . .