As far as my job is concerned, I more specifically work as a translator for the ministry of interior. I translate police investigations. I got the job 2 years ago. The problem is that many girls have been working in this group for now 33 years ! 3 of them have always worked together since they were 20 ! So I understand that they are friends and can't be that close with me. They are quite nice with me but I can feel that it's hard for me to step into their world. They don't open the door that easily... But maybe you're right, Perna. Maybe I have to wait a couple of years more.

Anyway, we don't have much in common, as far as our interests and lives are concerned. They spend all lunchtime speaking of their children and grand-children. I sometimes spent the whole hour without saying a word and they didn't even notice. I understand fair well that it's part of their lives but nevertheless, we could speak of other things. I got so fed up that I decided to go with the youngest team at the canteen. Specially when they asked me to, when their good friend came over... That too, I could understand if it hadn't been said that way. I'm not stupid either (at least I don't think so !) but there's a way in saying things in order not to hurt people's feelings. There, they simply let me down at the last moment.

The youngest team spends its time gossiping (which I totally hate !) or have interests that don't match mine like watching things on tv such as "American Idol" & "Desperate Housewives" and I'm not keen on that. And of course, they don't like what I like...

I'm not an intellectual and I don't consider myself old-fashioned, even if I do hold on to certain principles, like most people. On the contrary, I am very open-minded. Of course, I can't agree with everything but I tolerate most things as long as it's not illegal and that people don't say that I must be like them (e.g. homosexuality, religion, politics etc). But curiously, it seems as if I'm always the one who should accept their ideas. In exchange, they never accept mine. They're right and I'm obviously wrong. In France, people are terribly intolerant and selfish. I wouldn't be surprised to know that many people are very lonely.

There's one great thing that divides us is that I love the States and that they don't. Okay, it's their right but I hate when people judge me for that. They say I'm crazy to love such a country and that the best country in the world is France (they really said it !). I think that point also creates a great gap between us. People don't like it (at least in France) when you are too different from them and push you aside when they see that you don't correspond to their ideal.

Otherwise, I do know a couple of people at work with whom I get along well (mostly policemen). The problem is that everyone has his own habits. Even for lunch or to drink a simple coffee, people are used in being with certain persons and not others. I can't imagine myself asking if they'd mind if I had lunch with them... Though, come to think of it, I should dare and give it a try after all... Not later than today, I saw one of them. We rarely meet because we work on different floors. I said "One day, I shall have to go and see you at your office.." He said yes ! But I'm usually very afraid to get a "no". I hate to give the impression that I'm imposing myself...

I'll stop here otherwise, I'll soon be writing a novel ! Thank you for writing !

Hope to hear from you again !