Homemade Kimchi

With more time in my hands, I've decided to make some kimchi.  We could spend a fortune for a jar of kimchi in France.  I have discovered korean food 10 years ago, when one of my friend introduced me to Korean cuisine.  At home, it's usually cambodian/Thai/Vietnamese/Chinese cuisine.  But Korean, we didn't know nothing about it.  In Canada, we can find easily Korean restaurants.  I haven't found any in North of France, but there must be some in Paris.

Last summer, my sister brought us to get some Bibimbap.  Ever since, my husband and I are hooked on this dish, so we try to make it every two weeks.

Here's bibimbap dish at a restaurant in Montreal:

My first homemade kimchi:

Next time, I will put more hot pepper.

Here's a link learn how to make your own kimchi:

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/tongbaechu-kimchi

Held Hostage

I know, I haven't posted much since last summer.  I wanted to post about my trip back home and the U.S. but I never came up with something to write.  Anyways, now I am back in France, trying to have a quiet last trimester for my pregnancy, but things didn't turn out the way it should be.

First, my MIL called a month ago, asking her son to bring her to get a MIR.  I was quiet worried but we didn't hear from her for 3 weeks.  Then, she was hospitalized  for her gallbladder.  I was right to be worried, it is something inoperable.  Let's just say that she will not be around to see her granddaughter grow.

I tried not to be too upset about her condition.  I had to focus on the baby and my driving exam.  I was pretty zen and finally passed the damn exam.  A week later, I had lots of appointments with the hospital and one thing led to another, they kept me for 4 days.  I felt I was in prison.  All I did was waiting, between tests and the meals.  They ran me a lot of tests, blood tests, monitoring the heartbeat of the baby and took at least 20 times my blood pressure.  They finally let me go yesterday evening.  My blood pressure was quiet high and with the diabetes they don't want to take any chance.  Also, they decided to transfert my file to another hospital for the delivery.  Another stress.  I just hope that things will work out and I'm trying to stay calm despite all of this.  I will try to take one day at a time now.

Third Time's a Charm

Maybe you have guessed? I have received the precious piece of paper today, "avis favorable" for my driving permit today.  Now I will have to wait approximatly 4 months to have the real permit.  I don't understand why the Prefecture would take that long to print me out a piece of plastic.  So for now, driving outside France is  not allowed.  I went straight away to purchase my "A" magnet to put it on the back on the car. No more driving courses, no more painful checks to sign.  I admit, I don't feel comfortable driving alone just yet.  It will take me weeks to be confident to drive alone but I have finally reached my goal.      

A quick update

I have finally bought the tickets for Canada.  I'll be in Montreal this Friday.  Our suitcases are not even packed yet.  I'll throw some basics and 1 or 2 pants, and buy new clothes in Canada. I've done a lot of clothing stores in Lille, and I haven't found anything that I like.  Eight years in France, and I never found women clothes here that suit my taste.  When I boooked the tickets, I have only checked for the dates that are affordable, but didn't noticed it was 25 days on vacation.  I hope we won't get bored.  We are planning on visiting Boston and New York.  My husband never went.  

On Monday, I also took AGAIN my driving test, and I failed.  I try not to be annoyed by this, but I had insomnia after I took the test.  I did an overtake and the examiner grabbed the wheel.  He let me continue the rest of the exam, and I didn't think it was a big deal.  The next day, on the comments he made : Queue de poisson dangereux.  I feel such like a failure.  But then again, a lot of people I know in France took the test 3 times.  Don't know how is this productive.  I also learned that examiners are on strike today, because the government will ask polimen and some retired examiners to monitor the theory tests, instead of regular examiners.  They will keep the same amount of examiners, no more hiring.  So of course, those fonctionnaires are against any reform.  If they let me pass the test again, I'll be at 5 or 6 months of my pregnancy.  I really hope I can deal with this without too much stress. 

Also, I have other visits to the hospital, one with dietician and one a the diabetes specialist.  The dietician told me not to eat fruit outside meals and insisted I eat more carbs, i.e. bread, and 6 full table spoons of rice and I am allowed to 150 g of meat, which is only once per day.   She also said that tofu and soy products should be avoided.  I have cut down on these already, and researched about it a little, but then again, Asian women have been eating soy products for ages and I don't think their babies have health issues.  Ever heard of this?

I don't know how to handle my eating habbits when I'll be in Canada.  There's so much food and restaurants that I want to try.  Oh well, I will need willpower.  I will have to see the dietician and diabetes specialist every month.  I really don't know how much it costs, but I find that France is really intense when it comes to prenatal care.  I'm sure they would prefer babies in good health than babies with health problems, which could costs a lot more to the government.

An unexpected visit

Couple of days ago, a person from the Interior ministry called to set up an appointment at my house, for my naturalization application.  He didn't say his name and when I asked what was the purpose of the interview, the man answered vaguely that he wanted to ask me some questions.  He didn't say what documents I would have to provide.  Luckily, I kept every document in a binder and just needed to have it nearby.  He showed this morning, and he showed his police badge.  Gulp.  He stayed 30 minutes, and asked roughly the same questions as the other policeman in April.  This one though, is from another service.  More like "secret agent" or something, he asked about a petition that I signed on the net in 2003, about Ca m b o d i a.  He said your parents and your sister signed it too.  Then asked if I were involved in some political party, I said I couldn't even vote, why? lol  I guess he doesn't want a trouble maker in the country.  He also asked how I met my husband, where my parents and sister live.  He went into more details than the other policeman.  He really wants to see if I was a suitable candidate for French citizenship.  That was pretty much it. I guess that he found it suspicious that my home address is the same as my work address.  I have applied in February, and heard from the Interior ministry only in June.  The préfecture said they have one year to give me an answer.  At least, I know they have treated my dossier.

 I freaked out the whole morning.  Not only because of the interview, but also I was waiting for the results from my doctor, I decided to take the screening test for down syndrom, and the doctor told me this morning that it was all fine.  I was more preoccupied by this than the policeman.  Next week, I will have an appoitment with the midwife, and only then I would purchase my  tickets for Canada.