The next day, I was more lucid. So I can tell you details. I'll start out with how lovely Baptiste's home and his family is. When we arrived, his mother and sister were there to greet us (his dad works in Paris during the week and commutes home on the weekends) and it was just a really warm, really bilingual welcome. Baptiste's sister, Marie, is this gorgeous sixteen year old (who looks older than me. Damn) with hair I would trade with mine in a heartbeat. Baptiste's mom, Francoise, is someone a person can fall in love with within minutes of meeting her. Just watching her talk is really fascinating, coz has crazy curly hair and really beautiful brown eyes that her kids inherited. Unfortunately for Baptiste's dad, Raphael, she must have really strong genes from her parents (they're from Malta, which explains why Baptiste and his siblings don't actually look very French, with their dark hair and eyes), because I only catch Baptiste and Hadrien's (his younger brother who's nineteen, I think) resemblance to him in the rare photo.
Meeting Baptiste's family is always an experience. France wasn't the first time I met them. I met Hadrien briefly when he visited Baptiste for Christmas in the Philippines in 2007 but didn't get the chance to talk to him very long. His parents and Marie came over in March or April 2007 to visit Boracay and Palawan and while they were in Manila, I met up with them several times. The strange this is, I clicked with his family but his dad speaks very heavily accented English, Marie just a little, and his mom none at all. Everything was either translated through Baptiste or in sign language but somehow, we were able to carry conversations all throughout my stay there.
What are they like in not so brief descriptions? Well, I'll start with his dad, who came over Friday night (? I can't actually remember.). His dad is the typical dad. The first time I met them, I thought it was really funny how certain stereotypes transcend different cultures. Like from what I gauged from Baptiste and Marie's reactions to his jokes, he is the typical corny father you're occasionally embarassed to be seen around. So I thought it was hilarious, of course. He reminds me a lot of my dad. The nicest thing about it is that he took the time to talk to me about French politics, the economy, architecture, things he thought I'd be interested in.
His mom, Francoise, was just lovely and I'm a big fan. I don't know if it's a coincidence or one reason why I like her so much but we share the same birthday, May 12. She's a talented artist, from the little I know of art and one day I hope to own one of her paintings. In fact, I was able to attend one of her exhibitions, where she displayed some gorgeous paintings, sculptures and installations made of wire, and coral from the Philippines. The coral installations were actually really interesting because she embedded corals of heart shapes into honeycombds. Baptiste though it was weird, I thought it was mega-interesting. Her lineage makes for a very interesting woman who is a study to watch and is blessed at being one of the rare people who can make all eyes turn to her when she's speaking. She also has a great, really musical speaking voice, and by profession is a music therapist. She cooks amazingly, too.
Hadrien is Baptiste's really handsome younger brother. If you don't believe me, then let me tell you, I've seen lotsa good-looking people in my life (in movies. haha.) and he is literally the handsomest guy ever. After Baptiste, of course. (I'm not just saying that coz he'll kill me but personal preference). Objectively speaking, of course. I haven't talked to him much, but I can tell he's the complete opposite of Baptiste. Baptiste is really outgoing and gregarious, and Hadrien is pretty quiet.
Marie is the only girl and I feel so sorry for her because I can tell the two have picked on her often. But she's great and nice, and tells me about her life, which I appreciate. she also practies her French on me, which is good because I need to learn it for sure. Right now, she feels like the younger sister I never had and I feel really protective of her. Which is a feat considering she towers over me.
I basically really love Baptiste's family.
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