My mark at the bakery

I'm taking my first day off of work in the entirety of the two months I've been diligently showing up in the morning and staying until late afternoon. It's my last week, my last Monday, and my last few moments with these lovely people I've come to know in a little less than eight weeks. I'm sad, and happy, and tired, and ready at the same time. Ready to pack my things, ready for familiarity again, ready to say good bye, ready to return to normality. Because these past few months have certainly been a step outside of my comfort zone. A large Sasquatchian step, I would venture to say.

But if there's anything I'd like to take away, it's knowing that I've made somewhat of a difference, or at least left a mark -- a remnant of my presence, the void of my absence. That's not my ego talking -- I think you would agree with me when I say that our greatest loss in life is the continual incessant passage of time. No one wants to believe that their time has been wasted. No one wants to work for nothing in return, and although I've learned so much about myself and about other people -- I hope that I've done something memorable. I hope that I've been able to bring the love of God wherever I can, to whoever I can. With God, there will be no time -- only eternity. Which is why I'm okay with leaving -- I know that God has something greater for me elsewhere, for this moment.

But along with the spiritual, I hope to have also left something concrete -- and that's a breath of fresh air. The French, as a culture, are very stubborn. They like things their way. A baguette is a baguette. Don't drizzle chocolate over it -- wtf are you doing? A Croque monsieur is a ham sandwich with cheese on top -- don't serve it with watermelon. I've gotten many a cocked eyebrow and uncertain frown when I've introduced my milk tea, my asian rice crackers, my Reese's peanut butter cups -- but it's the culture exchange that fascinates me so much. I love it. I love introducing people to things that I've grown up with -- foods that have brought me comfort, foods that I've loved since forever. To see someone try it for the first time is so exciting. And I love to be on the other end as well.

I rewrote the sandwich menus for the bakery!
Hehe my literal mark to be left...

Hehe I asked Pascal if I could make the croissants aux amandes by myself without surveillance and he said "yeah if you want." He must have thought I was strange -- I was so ecstatic. I had only seen them make it once, but they turned out good :)

Dust from the oven

Cici's second to last day!
:(

Chocolate chip cookies.
They die over these, everytime I make them, it's like a battlecry because
they sure do fight for them :)

Oatmeal Cookies

Béranger (upon seeing me make them): Wha? You're -- You're making cookies again?! Double the recipe.
Me: It's not even the same recipe as the chocolate chip. I'm making oatmeal raisin.
Béranger: I don't care. DOUBLE the recipe. I will take whatever you make.
Me: But I don't know if I have enou--
Béranger: (inching closer) DOUBLE!
Me: Sigh. Okay.

petit cochon, celui-là