David Rauch is a Northern Star employee studying abroad. “An American In Paris” will chronicle his studies and adventures in France.

“Hello. Welcome to the Thanksgiving dinner celebration at the CIEE Paris Branch.

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Wow, this does look like a soup kitchen Thanksgiving; you’re right. But don’t you like the hand-shaped turkey decorations? Yeah? You do? Well, we made all the food ourselves, too. The turkeys are over there. Yep, on what looks like our old computer table. Sure, they’re getting cold, but aren’t you at least impressed we got two giant turkeys cooked for us in Paris? I had to take them up in that cramped wooden elevator.

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Yeah, the elevator with the cracks inside that jerks up and down when there’s more than one person in it, much less the five we cram in every morning. These buildings do date back to the 19th century, after all. Enough talk. Let’s get some turkey.

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Yes, that woman carving the turkey — sleeves rolled up — she’s the program director. She’s doing a great job. Over there are the fixings. Yep, on the long table where girls watch “Grey’s Anatomy” on their laptop computers.

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Right, they download them from iTunes religiously, and laugh and gasp together, never missing an episode. Whatever makes them feel at home, right? Though it is sometimes distracting, considering the big room where everyone is eating now is usually our main classroom.

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I know; there’s just this thin double-door between us. So imagine trying to understand paratextuality in Post-Colonial French Lit., but knowing by the giggles in the other room that McDreamy just walked into a scene.

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I see you covering your ears. You’re absolutely right, it’s loud. That’s what happens when there are 10 girls for every guy.

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I know, apparently all Paris programs are like that.

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Wipe that smirk off your face, I didn’t even know that before I chose to come to Paris. Anyway, if you look at the dessert table, you’ll see that it’s not all shrill, deafening conversation with these girls.

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No, I don’t think it’s a problem there are more desserts than turkey or fixings. Over in the third classroom, follow me.

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I know, Hausmannian apartments are all connected like this — they just go on and on. Here are the Critical Studies students. My program is called Contemporary French Studies; all of them are in the other classroom, you see?

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It does look like a junior high dance; the CS students on one side and the CFS students on the other.

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Why aren’t we speaking French, you ask? Well, it’s Thanksgiving, and even our French professors are speaking English. Anyway, I’ll let you in on a secret: most of us never speak French when we’re together.

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Don’t you judge me, classes are hard enough and you look at how much wine people brought today.There must be 20 bottles. In an hour, see if anyone can even speak the English language well, much less French. You are right though, we should speak more French, though we are getting more French-like. Look, nobody brought a keg — nobody’s belching, there’s a pile of French bread there, and no one is sitting in an armchair with their belt undone watching the game.

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True, I also heard a group of us are going out to the Canadian bar afterward for beer and football, and we happen to be known so well there that they give round after round of free shots. They like hearing English. Anyway, in a few minutes, a couple friends and I will play a little folk music set. Yeah, songs like, “You Are My Sunshine,” “Why Can’t the Older Critical Studies Program Kids Like the Younger CFS Kids Blues,” and, “Leaving On a Jet Plane.” I hope you like it. After the set, some kids are running off to a dance club. They sure won’t be in class tomorrow, and I guess others are going with their families or visiting boyfriends.

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Me? I’m going home to call my parents; I haven’t heard their voices since I left.

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Yeah, I miss the farmhouse, but I’ve got friends here, a mandolin, a full stomach and a warm bed in Paris. Pass the wine.”

au revoir,

David Rauch