Tout ce qui brille – Ma drôle de vie  

During all afternoon I have been looking for the french movie “Tout ce qui brille” (everything that sparkles) but no luck in downloading it. The only thing I finally found to satisfy my craving for some nice fresh french comedy was the music video from the movie OST (see link above).

It made me in a nostalgic mood….Ah! That month of July spent in my hometown in Montpellier (south of France) with my best friend. 2 girls taking life one day at a time, having fun as the summer was going to be short and the separation near.

It was like a pilgrimage. How to be close again with a friend I haven’t seen for such a long time and wasn’t going to see for again a long time.

Her name is Kristelle and the first time we met, we were 15 years old, in highschool and living not far from each other. The first real interaction we had was on the way back home, one day, after school.

Same road and suddenly a boy, skating, felt in front of us. We laughed, looked at each other and that was it.

The magic of the clumsiness of a 12 year old skaterboy created a bond between us that until now didn’t break. With the years, we grew old, apart sometimes too, but never to the point of just becoming the other one’s memory.

So, it was the month of July 2010. I was back in my hometown after spending one month in Paris for my university exams. I can’t say I was really happy to leave Paris. I was missing Korea already and the idea to be in Montpellier, that small town I knew by heart having stayed there 20 years, wasn’t rejoicing me.

I was happy to see Kristelle of course (she is like a sister to me) but having lived abroad for so long I got used to not seeing my friends. I was at a point where hearing their voice on the phone or looking at some old pictures was satisfying me. I guess it just hurts less thinking that way.

But as soon as I got out of the train at the Montpellier station, my first reflex was to call Kristelle. And she answered right away. 

Like when meeting an old flame that never died, we went back to our old habits instantly. Afternoon drinks at the Irish pub, ”the Fitzpatrick” followed by a lot of walking around, not buying clothes and wishing we suddenly won at the lottery to buy all the clothes and shoes we wanted, all that while complaining about the recent french politics, the world, the cigarettes price,  and about the fact that this old town of Montpellier hasn’t changed a bit  when we did changed so much… Well, average french girls desperatly waiting for their lives to finally start. 

We saw each other almost everyday. Several lunch at the kosher pizzeria in one of the town’s synagogue where the people made me promess to send them a postcard (which I still have to do but hell! is it just me or is it difficult to find some holiday postcards in Busan??), and then, evenings at the bar “Del Mon” with the owner (who smells exceptionnally good!) who was offering us glasses of Champagne  and delicious tapas (foie gras, tapenade…I am suddenly very hungry!!).

Getting drunk-a little bit; well alcohol is way more expensive in France than in Korea!!-, laughing and talking -a lot; it’s crazy all the people who want to talk when in a bar!!-, eating the only Fish and Chips that can be found in Montpellier at a small stand that was opening for the summer at the main town square every friday evenings (why just on fridays!! If it was a test, G-d, I failed it! haha)… the best holidays I ever spent in Montpellier so far.

We became close again with Kristelle and that’s what made me so happy. Knowing that after more than 10 years and very different lives, well, it was still there. Still being able to share our deepest thoughts, dreams, fears and doubts.

The two of us, relaxing in a small swimming pool, the sun shining, and forgetting everything that took us apart those past years.  

Just the sun, some girl’s talk and this time, no skaterboy clumsiness was needed, to make us laugh and walk hand in hand along the road of our funny lives…