dinner

Tonight Didier & Michel took all of their summer volunteers out to dinner.

Clockwise, starting at bottom left. That would be Uyen, she's from Vietnam. She laughs like a little bird and sometimes about the most bizarre things, but I like her. She speaks a little bit of English which she likes to practice when I'm around. When she calls people on the phone to make appointments her voice goes about one octave higher.
The next one in is Meng Tzu, from Taiwan. She's in her mid 30s but looks like a teenager. She is going to school in Paris, and right now she's writing her dissertation on the globalization of extreme metal. (Yes, that's right, metallica ... music.) Nice girl. She's tiny and wears shiny fruity lipgloss. She's got a really sharp wit and can really go at it with Didier and Elizabeth.
Next is Stephane. He is really tall and big. He's extremely soft spoken and has a very quiet, soothing voice. He has converted to Buddhism and is training to become a Buddhist monk. I'm not quite sure how one goes about doing that, but I will be sure to ask him. He wore his robes to work the other day so we could see.
Behind him is Didier, you can only see the back of his head. Interesting man. He is tall and kind of awkward. He has a lisp and a really goofy, kind of childish sense of humor which is endearing, but at the same time he can be very, very harsh. I won't expand here. Ask me if you want stories.
Behind him is Elizabeth. She plays the viola once a week at the hospital. She has a classic french sense of humor and always has a funny, witty thing to say in response to any event. She also speaks French with the most beautiful accent I have ever heard.
Across the table--that's Michel with the mustache. He wears these bizarre robes and coats to work every day from different Asian countries that he's picked up from his travels. He and Didier are both in charge of the volunteers. Niether of them are very organized but both of them only like things to be their own way. Whenever I have a question Michel says "ask Didier," then I ask Didier and he says "ask Michel." So I'll go back to Michel and he'll get all irritated and go off on how Didier never does anything but write his classical music blog and look up strange, funny websites on his computer all day long.
Beside Michel is Yann. Yann is the nicest. He plays his accordian at the senior center once a week. I love hanging out with him but I loathe going to Debrousse because it just smells so wierd and the people sing along to his music in strange, drawn out screeches and eat their plastic spoons.
Next to Yann is Seven. She is from Germany. I hang out with her every day but she leaves this friday and I am sad.
Next would be Lola, the most charming and beloved volunteer in the office, which also happens to correspond with the fact that she is also the most (and only) American.
And last but certainly not least, we have David there on the end ... the babe. Note the ring on the left hand ... quite unfortunate. And he has a kid which means it wouldn't be easy to get out of. He is an opera singer and goes to the hospital every now and then to sing for the patients. Besides that, he travels around France and Europe doing solo concerts. He has the hands down best voice I have ever heard, and I'm not just saying that because he is also once of the hugest babes I've ever met. He sang an aria from the Magic Flute last time I went to the hospital with him and I was taken aback by how beautiful it is to hear someone sing opera a capella just there right next to you. Quite the experience.

That's it. I'll write another post about the Tour de France and other things hopefully within the next few days. ciao