Second Impressions

I don't expect to continue posting this often, but since I hastily described my first impressions of and experiences with my host, I will hastily update them--

I ADORE her. She keeps a beautiful home, and has a particular way of doing everything, which I am quickly trying to learn. Though I'm sure she could afford a maid, we do our own dishes, take out our own garbage, and clean the (royal) tub and sinks after using them. She brings my slippers to the front door so that I don't enter in my boots, and she insists that we keep all lights and heat off when we're not in their direct vicinity. We eat simple, healthy food, and with it a fruit and this drink whose name I haven't yet caught but that supposedly puts one to sleep.
She is extremely DIRECT, as in straight forward, which is one of my favorite qualities in people. She is quick to solve emergent complications (vegetarianism, etc.), and expresses our solution in commands but ever so endearingly - "You will buy yourself two cheeses. You will use that to make sandwiches for school." She smiles infrequently, but that is somehow further endearing because it is simply her way, and she shows care in a subtler fashion. She is also deeply religious and ascribes many things to "Hashem's will," albeit without claiming complete observance.

I think my first mistake expectation-wise was that I thought - since after all I'm in a modern Western country - that Paris would not be completely different from New York. Well that is completely wrong and at times confusing, but overall amusing, informative, and enlightening. And with that, I bid you Shavua Tov :).