Radio Week Part 1

This morning, I was a guest on a Radio Cultures Dijon. I was invited by an American woman who teaches English at the local university and a professor from an American college who shepherds his students through a term in Dijon. The show, which is taped entirely in French, before airing in a week or two, is dedicated to comparing and contrasting North American and French cultures and current events. I am not sure what segment of the population tunes in to hear Anglophones speaking French (safe to say not everyone), but I was nonetheless surprised to find my heart beating a little too fast when I slipped the headphones on and leaned into the mic for the first time. Things soon settled down, however, and we were discussing how my family and I moved to France, where we currently live, what I do to fill my days (other than being on the radio?), and the differences I note between French and American culture, how we raise our children, and, of course, the food of this region.

My hosts could not have been more lovely with this neophyte, and they assured me all had gone well, though I of course felt like I could use a mulligan on most of it. There were definitely a few highlights, however, including making the engineers laugh when I said that I was here to explore the gastronomy and wine of the region...and that there are worse places to do it.

All in all, it was a worthwhile experience and I hope my hosts follow through on the threat to invite me back for another show down the line. It was also excellent warm-up for Thursday, when I will appear live on the largest radio station in this part of Burgundy to talk food with two French co-hosts. We will be discussing American Thanksgiving food and traditions.