Welcome to France

Since I’ve arrived, I’ve noticed a few strange things about my new home and France in general:

• Efficiency was not a priority when it came to the bathrooms’ design. In 11 bis, which I’ve been advised means “eleven twice”, there is one “bathroom” on the first floor and three on the lower floor. Let me explain my use of quotes: the first floor bathroom has a toilet and a sink – pretty standard in America. The lower bathrooms are configured thus: the one nearest my room has a toilet and a sink and a small mirror. There is little room for storage, and the only thing that is kept there is spare toilet paper (in a small cabinet under the sink). Two things struck me about this – one, though there is a toilet paper holder, whoever else seems to use the bathroom always leaves the roll of paper lying in the sink. (I’ve replaced it, but it has since returned to its former location.) Secondly, my first night in my room I realized this bathroom sees a lot of late night traffic. I thought perhaps it was as a courtesy so as not to wake the other sleepers who were nearer the other bathrooms, but no. Upon further inspection I realized that the other two bathrooms do not have toilets at all!! One bathroom, the largest and the most communally accessible, is just off the main hall downstairs and has a large cabinet, a double sink (with differing faucet styles), a tub and a mirror. Fair enough. The other “bathroom” is accessible only through Julien’s room, and that is where you’ll find the shower, a sink, and a mirror. The shower is like a small vertical closet that you slide two perpendicular panels together to close. So far Julien has been away or sleeping in his mother’s room when I’ve taken showers. Upon discovering all of this, I figured it was due to the building being old and this also probably explains why the only other house I’ve been in so far has a small room with only a toilet, and then another with a sink, mirror and tub. In order to wash your hands after using the first, you have to use the second!
• The oddities in the bathroom don’t end there – this family’s relationship to towels is an interesting one. I’ve never seen quite so many bath towels in a cabinet before as I have in Julien’s showerroom and such a dearth of washcloths! I think I knew the French didn’t use these, but it seems the smaller-sized white towels I’ve seen in the house are what Stella calls “doo doo” and with them she has a bond similar to what Linus has with his blanket. These are kept in her top dresser drawer along with hats and various other things.
• One last thing before I stop (I could add more, but I’ll save them for later) – and this one more alarming than it is funny, like the others: there is absolutely no concern that small children use car seats or seat belts in cars. I really don’t have an explanation for this. I hope this is an isolated negligence – one I hope to remedy!