This time we'll take it slow

My housemate and I went out to dinner last night with two other girls. We left at about 7:30, and returned at about 9:00. We took our time, ordered dinner and dessert, and had some good conversation. I thought we had done a good job entertaining ourselves. However, when we returned home, our host mother tapped her watch and said, "Vous êtes très tôt." She wasn't expecting us back so early.

I was a bit confused, as we had just spent an hour and a half dining. Then I remembered that I am in France, and a long time for them is an eternity for us. "Nous sommes Americaines," I responded jokingly. "Nous mangeons tres vite!" (We eat fast.) It never occured to me that by French standards, we had rushed our dinner.

Taking it slowly is a new concept for me, and one that will take some getting used to. It may be a while before I am able to calm my hyperproductive personality and just.....chill. There's always something else to do, some fact to look up, some homework to catch up on, something.

But for now, I'll start with nice long meals. I think I can handle spending a little extra time at the dinner table.