Q&A Round 2!

Salut, tout le monde!!! Here is the second part to our Q&A! These questions were asked by our readers.

If you have more questions, just ask! Keep them coming!

What do you do together? Is there anything you have fun doing together as sisters or friends?

We shop together.

Yeah, we do! We are seemingly best friends and have the perfect sisterly relationship when we shop.

We loved it when Mère gave us each 100€ to buy new school clothes. That was great.

We gave each other advice on what to buy. We have our own styles, but like I said, we share clothes, too. We try not to get the same things. 

Is there anyone in your extended family that either of you are particularly close with? Do you get to see your other relatives very much? Or do you mostly spend your family time with just your immediate family?

We spend a lot of time with our extended family, particularly our mom's side. We meet them in Nice for summer vacation. It's unfortunate, actually.

Mère has two sisters- Françoise and Félicie. Françoise is the oldest one, and she has two adult daughters who are very lazy. Mère doesn't think too highly of them or her oldest sister's parenting. Félicie is the youngest one, and she has three children. Samuel is the youngest, and he's now five. He likes to pull hair...ouch! Chloé is our age, and she's a spoiled brat who believes she knows everything. Alexandrine is 8, and she has a stomach condition that doesn't allow her to eat certain foods.

In other words, Alexandrine vomits a lot.

You didn't need to share, Sandrine. Our dad has a brother, but we don't see his family too much. They are always busy. We have two cousins from that side of the family. One is our age, and the other is two years younger. They are pretty cool, but aside from them being busy, Mère doesn't like them.

Leave it to Fabienne to hate her in-laws.

They definitely aren't her type.

Also, none of our family lives in Lille with the exception of our grandparents on our dad's side. Fabienne and her family are from the Picardie region. Félicie, her family, and our grandparents live there. Françoise and her family relocated to Bordeaux. 

Bisous,

Sabine et Sandrine

7 Choses!

Bonjour, tous ceux qui lit ce blog! It's my turn to list seven random facts about myself!

1. I have a secret...one that I will never reveal.

2. My number one pet peeve is when people whine about how they don't get along with their siblings and act like it's the end of the world. I'm super annoyed by this because they don't know the half of it. A disagreement? Jealousy? Mad that your little sister stole your makeup? Think your parents favor your siblings over you? Think again- your problems aren't problems. I think that playing mind games with your sister, her friend, and the new girl are far worse. I think the fact your brother refuses to have anything to do with you because you single-handedly almost destroyed your family is pretty bad. I think having psychological problems certainly top others' so-called "problems".

3. I hate people who think they can dance when they can't. I'm specifically talking about people like Liz who have only taken jazz classes and therefore lack proper technique and the ability to point their toes. I also hate when people think they can take a pointe class without ever taking ballet.

4. I love styling my hair! I have so much fun experimenting with different styles, braids, and more. I don't like wearing my hair down because it gets in the way. I also believe hair is meant to have fun with.

5. People think I'm mean, but I think they should get over it. I'm not mean; I just sometimes can't relate to people's complaints, issues, etc. It really isn't my fault. I honestly can't help it. If I could, I wouldn't have done some of the things I've done.

6. I totally love clothes, fashion, and shopping! I always want more new things to wear. Also, my clothes have to match perfectly. I don't like when people wear strange outfit combinations or clothes that don't match in general. It's sad seeing beautiful articles of clothing being worn so haphazardly.

7. I love being the life of the party and center of attention. I think I can be a fun, outgoing person when I feel like it. 

Bisous,
Sandrine

Promets-moi toujours

Buenas tardes, todo el mundo. ¿Cómo estáis? Lo siento; es tarde pero fui ocupado. 
Sometimes when I am upset, I find myself writing in Spanish. It is such a nice language once you learn it, even though it can sound silly in a French accent. I have to force myself to pronounce those endings...something I'm not entirely used to doing. Sabine always laughs at me and calls me a Hispanophile. I wouldn't go as far to say I'm obsessed, but Spain is a beautiful country. I love learning about its various regions and languages. Speaking of languages in Spain, Sabine and I are somewhat nerdy. We spent our time (two nights ago) watching The Parent Trap and reading websites in Catalan. Hey, if you know French and Spanish, Catalan is a breeze to read. I feel that I can understand written Catalan, but understanding spoken Catalan might be a bit tricky. 

Perhaps Sabine is right? I might be a bit of a Hispanophile. 


Said evening reminded me of last summer when I was talking to Sabine about Spain. I told her how badly I wanted to go there, and she laughed and said we needed to check out the Cataluña region (where Barcelona is, in case you're curious) and practice our Catalan.
I laughed. My spoken Catalan skills were limited to per favor, which means "please" (and also looks quite similar to the Spanish por favor). Yes, our fake obsession with Catalan quickly became an inside joke of ours. I made Sabine promise me that one day, when we are old enough to travel on our own, she would come to Spain with me.
She promised...as long as Catalan was involved somehow.

Then, Sabine said, "Promets-moi que nous serons toujours amis."
"Nous serons toujours amis, Sabine. Pourquoi est-ce que tu me demandes?" I replied, confused.
"Parce que," she began. "Si nous sommes allés à l'Espagne et nous n'étions pas amis, ça serait bizarre."
Just another reason to always be friends with her. As she said, if we went to Spain together and weren't friends, that might be weird.

Before she left, she asked for me to promise one more thing. "Promets-moi toujours que tu seras mon premier amour." 

I definitely agreed to that. I wanted her to be my first true love, too. When we're older...

Julien

A Q&A with Sabine and Sandrine

Salut, tout le monde! 

 Are you curious about my relationship with Sandrine? Today, we're doing a special post featuring both of us. We'll be answering some commonly asked questions in this "interview". My responses are in blue, my favorite color, while Sandrine's are in purple- her favorite color. If you have any other questions you'd like to ask, leave them in the comments, and we'll answer them ASAP.

 We had fun answering these questions, and I hope you actually learn a thing or two about us. We're exciting, I like to believe. Fine. I'm more exciting than Sabine. ;) Enjoy the pretty photos from our most recent "photoshoot", too.

Are you guys seriously identical twins? You don't look alike.

We are identical twins who clearly inherited an identical problem- bad eyesight. I just happen to wear glasses. Sandrine's eyes are actually brown; she just wears green colored contacts. I think she likes the attention she gets from them.

Ta gueule, Sabine! It is NOT an attention thing! I wear green contacts because it's always fun to shake it up and try something different. I'll be getting rid of them soon, if it makes you happy.

Je serai très heureuse, Sandrine. I guess we should address our hair, too?

I don't want bangs. Besides, I'm a dancer and don't want to have to deal with them.

I wanted my hairstyle to resemble Miley's Hannah wig.

Tu es folle, Sabine!

Je sais, je sais!

 What's it like being twins?

People always expect something special out of us, which I don't understand. Yeah, we're twins with identical DNA and all, but we are also our own people.

We do not have that telepathic communication. Nor do we switch places.

I think that's a myth about twins. I don't believe it for a second.

I also think people get confused because they expect us to by identical as in have the same hairstyle and everything. It's weird...like people don't want us to be our own people. I don't think some people can see past the twin thing.

Personally, I think having a twin is the same as it would be having a sister who isn't much older or younger than you. It's just cool to have the same DNA as another person and declare, "nous sommes jumelles!"

What is your relationship like ?

We definitely weren't "automatic best friends".

I think it's because we both have strong personalities and want things our own way.

That, and I sometimes have a hard time relating to other people's feelings. I don't always understand where Sabine is coming from.

We fight more than we get along, and while it seems like we fight for silly reasons, there is a huge reason behind every tiny argument.

Yet, when we do get along, it's because of that strong bond we get over hating the same person.

Don't say that! I love Mère; I just don't always like her.

Eh, well, I hate Fabienne. Say whatever you want, but the fact she's our mom doesn't make me like her.

Fabienne is our mom's name. Sandrine calls her by her first name because she has no respect for her.

You earn respect, and Fabienne hasn't earned mine.

D'accord...

 Do you have any other siblings?

We have a brother named Sébastien. He's four years older than us, and he refuses to speak to me. It's his payback for me almost tearing the family apart. If he doesn't like me, whatever. His loss.

I get along great with Sébastien! He always takes me to cool places. In that respect, having an older sibling is nice. I do understand where Sébastien is coming from, Sandrine. Just a thought.

He needs to get over it, though. It's not like I didn't seek professional help or anything. He knows that I spent a lot of time with Dr. L.

Je comprends, mais...

 Do you ever feel that your parents favor the other twin?

With our mom? No. Père doesn't play favorites, either. He gives all of us the same amount of attention.

Yeah, asking if Fabienne plays favorites is a joke. She doesn't have a favorite twin. We don't conform to her; that's why. If anybody is her favorite, it's Sébastien. He's just too good. She doesn't critique Sébastien. It's probably the oldest child curse.

Mère is always critiquing us, but you'll hear about that when we answer the the next question.

 What do you get in trouble for?

Everything and anything! Mère doesn't like that I'm clumsy and bump/fall into things. She HATED it when I would fall off my bike and scuff my new shoes and tear my clothes. She also gets angry with me when I'm "defiant" or get testy with her.

Ma pauvre Sabine! Ta vie est très difficile! I mostly get in trouble for my grades and being defiant. I hate school, and I don't care about it. I'm going to dance for the Ballet de l'Opèra National de Paris. I don't need stupid school.

The only thing Mère does compliment me for is my good grades! Still, she whined about other things and used to always ask, "Sabine, have you practiced your flute today? You aren't going to get anywhere with it unless you practice."

I thought it was hilarious when she got mad at you after your piano instructor said you were hopeless when it came to playing music.

I thought it was funny, too.

 How are you different? How are you alike?

Sabine is a clumsy, uncoordinated geek and I am not.

Merci, Sandrine. Though, seriously, I am uncoordinated! We have different interests. For example, I love the social sciences, traveling, and Miley Cyrus while Sandrine likes dance, hair, and fashion. Personality-wise, I'm the nicer one. ;)

I just can't relate to others! We've been over that! I will say that our common interest is shopping. We both loving getting new clothes! It's an obsession!

Our styles are similar, yet different. I prefer to wear pretty tops/blouses with nice pants or jeans while Sandrine likes to wear skirts. Sandrine also dresses more sparkly and likes color. We share clothes with no problem, by the way. It's sad that's how we get along.

Sabine is more likely to wear heels. She LOVES her heels and flats! I prefer boots just because I like to keep my feet covered up. Dancers do not have pleasant feet, let me tell you. Pointe shoes tear up my feet enough; I don't need heels to do that to me, too. I also like flats, I guess.

I do love my heels. I like wearing dresses and skirts sometimes- not all the time. I love finding the perfect dress for those special occasions.

C'est tout! J'espère que vous l'aimez!

Oui, c'était intéressant...je déteste quelquefois ma jumelle.

Sabine et Sandrine

Mes films préférés!

Salut, tout le monde! 
A few of my blog friends are sharing their top three favorite movies, and although I wasn't tagged yet, I am still aching to share my favorites with you guys.
I have many favorite movies, and having to choose only three is difficult, so I went with the ones I have watched the most. If you haven't seem them before, I recommend them! I wouldn't be sharing them with you guys if I didn't.

1. Bienvenue Chez Les Ch’tis (2008)

"Un étranger qui vient dans le Nord pleure deux fois- quand il arrive et quand il part."
If you haven’t seen a French film before, or if you ever need any recommendations, definitely put this one first on your list! This movie might not be as well-known in the States, but it certainly is in France. In fact, this is the movie that broke the box office records!
This movie (a comedy) tells the story of Philippe Abrams (played by Kad Merad) who, at the beginning of the movie, is the manager of the postal service in the Provence-Alps-Côte-d’Azure region of France. He yearns to get a job closer to the sea for his wife, Julie (Zoé Félix)…and he will do anything to try to get it- even pretend to be handicapped! However, he is soon discovered at relocated to Bergues, a small town in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. He is pessimistic at first- especially because he is worried about the stereotypes the region gets (it’s freezing all the time, the people are uneducated, etc.). Through work, he meets Antoine (Dany Boon) who helps him to change his perspective on the North, and Philippe even helps Antoine win over the girl of his dreams. When Philippe’s time in the Nord is up, he realizes that the old Ch’ti saying (“Un étranger qui vient dans le Nord pleure deux fois- quand il arrive et quand il part.”) is true.
Obviously, being a Ch’ti myself, I love this movie to death! I had to make it the title of my blog because this is a blog written by three Ch’tis. I also love how the movie tries to showcase regional differences in France (yes, they are there) and put an end to Nord stereotypes. Of course, the Ch’ti accent was over-exaggerated for the film, but my friends and I do have a similar accent. I LOVED how they included Ch’ti slang words, too. It was nice to see a movie take place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and I think anybody would enjoy learning more about my region.

2. Rien à Déclarer (2010)

 This is another movie that takes place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and it also happens to be another comedy and star Dany Boon. This one is just as good as Bienvenue Chez Les Ch’tis, and it‘s another one I‘d definitely recommend.
This film takes place in small border towns in France and Belgium. The year is 1993, and things are changing in Europe as the European Union begins to further take shape. This movie tells the story of two customs agents: Ruben Vandevoorde (Benoît Poelvoorde) on the Belgian side and Mathias Ducatel (Dany Boon) on the French side. Their respective custom stations are preparing for the change that the EU may bring, so a Franco-Belgian mobile customs unit was created. Ruben, who has a major hatred towards the French, isn’t too fond of the idea. Mathias volunteers for the squad after he finds out who the Belge (Ruben) is. Mathias only signed up for it so he could win Ruben over because he planned on marrying Ruban’s sister. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s hilarious.
There are many, many French and Belgian jokes, but you really have to understand the relationship between France and Belgium to get those. Micki, although she’s an American, lived in Belgium for ten years, and we like to make jokes to each other all the time.

3. The Last Song (2010)

 This is, of course, one of my favorite movies because Miley Cyrus is my favorite actress/singer ever! Clearly, that isn’t the only reason as that would be quite silly. This is an all-around great movie, too. Unlike my other favorites, this one is a drama.
Miley plays a young, struggling teenage girl named Veronica/Ronnie. Ronnie and her younger brother are sent to stay with their father in a small beach town for the summer. Ronnie is an accomplished and talented pianist (She reminds me of my friend Melanie!), but after her parents’ divorce, she stopped playing. Her father tries to reconnect with her through music, but it proves to be a struggle. She won’t give him the time of day.
While with her father, Ronnie meets a young man named Will (played by the oh-so-adorable Liam Hemsworth) whose friendship finally inspires her to make music again.
Ronnie soon finds out that her father is terminally ill, and she helps to complete his song…his last song.
This movie is such a tearjerker, but I love it. It’s not just about love and romance. It’s about family, first heartbreaks, and how we have to power through them. This movie really made me respect my dad more. I know I’d be miserable if something ever happened to him.

What are your favorite movies? Have you seen any of my favorites?
Sabine