FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Today, learn a tummy tuck trick my husband and I use on our morning walks. Passing by historic sites, such as the Eden Theatre--the oldest cinema in the world--is a helpful distraction as we do our "standing situps."

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LE BIDOU (bee-do)

    : tummy, tum-tum

The word bidou is used by children or by adults speaking to children. Bidou is also a colloquial term used in casual conversation. Read on... 

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse

"Brains are the New Six-Pack"

My husband and I have tweaked our morning walk to include a (not-so) simple exercise de ventre. By thoughtfully contracting our stomach muscles during the sweaty aller-retour to the port, we can tackle two goals at the same time: cardio fitness and improving core strength. The walking part is easy, the challenge is remembering to suck it in.... For this, we have a one-word reminder/call-to-action that really works:

"Bidou?"

Our prompt or truc de mémoire may be childish ("bidou" means "tummy" in baby talk) but boy is it effective! No sooner does one of us call "bidou?" than we instantly cave below the ribs. But not for long. In a matter of steps my mind is somewhere else, far from my midriff! Apparently, it isn't just my stomach that needs training, so does my brain.

To combat such flightiness, we've come up with an extra command: one of us will say "BIDOU?" and the other will name a target. We must hold it in until the You-Name-It destination. Let me give you an example:

Jean-Marc: "Bidou?"

Kristi (sucking it in):  "Oh, Merci! (for the needed reminder) "Bidou Bâteaux!" This is a signal to maintain it until we reach the boats 20 meters ahead. Once we reach the boats (or sometime in between, depending...), it's the other person's turn to keep us on track...

Kristi: "Bidou?"

Jean-Marc: "Oui oui! (my husband replies, confidently. But is he telling the truth? Has he really been holding it in all this time? Seems like it's always me saying merci! and him saying oui! oui!). Nevertheless, "Bidou Phare!" he suggests next.

Hold on! That's a little too far the phare. I know that in 10 or so meters I'm gonna accidentally let it all hang out. Therefore I humbly suggest, "Bidou Cinema?" (because the Eden movie theatre is only another 15 meters up ahead and I think this is a more realistic goal.)

No matter how amusing the game and how consistently we play it, more often than not I forget to keep my tummy tucked in. The good news is Jean-Marc and I are both improving. In fact, I was smack in the middle of a long stretch of holding it in when I saw a man with a very big bidou wearing a funny T-shirt. It read: "BRAINS ARE THE NEW SIX-PACK." 

I'm not a fan of smug T-shirts, but this one got me thinking about how both the French and the English have an unhealthy symbol for "muscular stomach": the French call toned abs une tablette de chocolat--a chocolate bar, picture six squares-- while the English call them "six-pack abs".

Next, I wondered, Does this Frenchman understand the English on his T-Shirt? Ah well, what does it matter? After all, his quirky message was beginning to sink in and make some sense to me. Because a flat stomach is, in my experience (not that I've yet experienced one....), the result of consistent brain power. Indeed, les cerveaux sont les nouveaux abdos!

COMMENTS
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Bidou Bateaux? Here is one of our targets--the old wooden boats in Port des Capucins.


FRENCH TRANSLATION by ChatGPT

"Les Cerveaux Sont Les Nouveaux  Abdos"

Mon mari et moi avons ajusté notre marche matinale pour y inclure un exercice de ventre (pas si simple). En contractant consciencieusement nos muscles abdominaux pendant notre aller-retour transpirant vers le port, nous pouvons atteindre deux objectifs simultanément : l'entraînement cardiovasculaire et le renforcement des muscles profonds. La marche est facile, le défi réside dans le souvenir de rentrer le ventre... Pour cela, nous avons un rappel en un mot qui fonctionne vraiment bien :

"Bidou ?"

Notre rappel ou truc mnémotechnique peut sembler enfantin ("bidou" signifie "ventre" dans le langage des tout-petits), mais il est incroyablement efficace ! À peine l'un de nous prononce "bidou ?" que nous rentrons instantanément le ventre en dessous des côtes. Mais pas pour longtemps. En quelques pas, mon esprit est ailleurs, loin de mon abdomen ! Apparemment, ce n'est pas seulement mon ventre qui a besoin d'exercice, mon cerveau aussi.

Pour contrer cette distraction, nous avons inventé une commande supplémentaire : l'un de nous dit "BIDOU ?" et l'autre nomme une cible. Nous devons le maintenir rentré jusqu'à la destination en question. Laissez-moi vous donner un exemple :

Jean-Marc : "Bidou ?"

Kristi (en rentrant le ventre) : "Oh, merci ! (pour le rappel nécessaire)" Puis "Bidou Bâteaux !" Cela signifie que nous devons le maintenir jusqu'à ce que nous atteignions les bateaux (à seulement 20 mètres devant nous). Une fois arrivés aux bateaux (ou quelque part entre les deux, selon les circonstances...), c'est au tour de l'autre de nous garder sur la bonne voie...

Kristi : "Bidou ?"

Jean-Marc : "Oui oui !" (mon mari répond avec confiance. Mais dit-il vraiment la vérité ? A-t-il vraiment rentré le ventre tout ce temps ? Il semble que je sois toujours celle qui dit merci ! et lui qui dit oui ! oui !). Néanmoins, il propose ensuite "Bidou Phare !".

Attendez ! Le phare est un peu trop loin. Je sais qu'à environ 10 mètres, je vais involontairement tout laisser pendre. Par conséquent, je suggère humblement, "Bidou Cinema ?" (car le cinéma n'est qu'à 15 mètres de là et je pense que c'est un objectif plus réaliste).

Peu importe à quel point le jeu est amusant et à quel point nous y jouons régulièrement, j'oublie souvent de garder mon ventre rentré. Mais nous nous améliorons tous les deux. En fait, j'étais en plein milieu d'une longue période de maintien lorsque j'ai vu un homme avec un très gros bidou portant un t-shirt drôle. Il était écrit : "Les cerveaux sont le nouveau pack de six".

Je ne suis pas fan des t-shirts arrogants, mais celui-ci m'a fait réfléchir sur le fait que les Français et les Anglais ont tous deux un symbole peu sain pour "ventre musclé" : les Français appellent les abdominaux tonifiés une "tablette de chocolat" - imaginez six carrés - tandis que les Anglais les appellent "six-pack abs".

Ensuite, je me suis demandé : ce Français comprend-il l'anglais sur son t-shirt ? Eh bien, peu importe. Après tout, son message original commençait à s'enraciner et à avoir du sens pour moi. Parce qu'un ventre plat est, d'après mon expérience (pas que j'en aie encore fait l'expérience...), le résultat d'un pouvoir cérébral constant. En effet, les cerveaux sont les nouveaux abdos!

RELATED STORY
Six-pack abs and The French Gut-Buster (Jean-Marc's new ab gizmo)

FRENCH VOCABULARY

Click here to listen to Jean-Marc and me read the vocabulary list

le cerveau = brain
le ventre = stomach
la marche = walk
le défi = challenge
un rappel = reminder
le bidou = tummy
efficace = efficient
les côtes = ribs
une cible = target
néanmoins = nevertheless
le phare = lighthouse
drôle = funny
une tablette de chocolat = chocolate bar


Bidou Phare? Can you hold in your tummy from here to the lighthouse? A little concentration will help...

REMERCIEMENTS
Sincere thanks to the following readers who sent in a donation following our Thoughts About Adopting a Pet post. This truly is a reader-supported blog and I appreciate your help in publishing it. Merci beaucoup!

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I admire your good humor, honesty, and tenacity. Your articles are down-to-earth and honest. --Susan S.

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"Adopt Don't Shop"... is that even debatable? And yet the decision between adopting from a shelter or choosing a puppy from a breeder isn't always straightforward. Read Jean-Marc's essay about our current dog dilemma, and we welcome your thoughts and experiences in the comments. (Picture taken at one of the animal rescue centers we visited this month).

Today's word is a faux-ami or false cognate (or "false friend"): it resembles an English word but it has a different meaning:

L’ENGAGEMENT 

  : commitment 

"Engagement" in French refers to a commitment, promise, or involvement in a specific task, cause, or relationship. It is often used in contexts such as engagements in relationships, job contracts, or social and political commitments.

However, in English, the word "engagement" primarily refers to a period of time when two people have agreed to marry, or it can also mean involvement or participation in an activity or event. While there is some overlap in meaning between the French and English usage, the primary emphasis and connotation of the word differ. (https://chat.openai.com)

Example Sentence 
L'engagement de bien prendre soin d'un chien est essentiel lorsqu'on l'accueille dans sa famille. (The commitment to take good care of a dog is essential when welcoming them into one's family.)

Autumn Excursion in France: "Women in Burgundy" - An adventure designed especially for "Wander-ful Women!" September 20 to 30, 2023 - Includes seven nights in Burgundy and three nights in Paris. Click HERE for details.

A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT ADOPTING A DOG...

by Jean-Marc (English translation by chat.openai.com)

In 2006, we went on our summer vacation to the island of Groix in Brittany. During our stay, especially during our walks, we encountered many dogs, which delighted our family. Maxime and Jackie were 11 and 9 years old at the time, and I thought it was the right moment to welcome such an animal into our home. Our house had a large fenced garden and was located in a neighborhood with many walking paths. I believed that this provided a guarantee of comfort and important integration for the future member of our household, as well as for us.

After inquiring with veterinarians around Draguignan, we learned about a litter of Golden Retrievers. Through this channel, we met and chose Breizh (a name in Breton language that means "Brittany") when she was just a few months old in an animal shelter in Luc-en-Provence. Everything went really well with our little dog, and the children took great care of her. It was pure happiness for our extended family. Later on, she had a litter of puppies, and that's when we decided to keep her son, Smokey... and that's when the troubles began. I won't dwell too much on this because it's not the purpose of my text, but as the children naturally paid more attention to their friends than to the dogs, Breizh and Smokey, among their mischiefs, regularly ran away, causing us a lot of worries. It was then that we realized the immense responsibility of having a dog in the family.

Breizh, Smokey and a bouquet of anemones

Now, as we find ourselves without a furry companion and after mourning the loss of Smokey last July, the temptation is strong to consider welcoming another one. Kristi and I recently visited two dog shelters. The overall feeling that comes to mind is that these animals suffer a double injustice. After being abandoned and often mistreated, they live confined in small cages, despite the kind-hearted volunteers who come to walk them. Adopting them is indeed a true act of love, but is it always the right solution? Because an adult dog from a shelter carries a heavy past that needs to be overcome. It is possible that they may never fully recover from their trauma, and I humbly admit that if it brings us additional troubles, I prefer not to take that risk. According to me, having a dog should be a pleasure for its owner, and it is this joy that will make the animal happy. In the opposite case, it becomes a suffering for both, which is why it is crucial to think carefully before making such a decision. Too often, without proper consideration, families are enticed by a puppy or even an adult dog from a shelter, but if the general conditions of care are not met, the animal unfortunately ends up alone and confined again. At best, if the family brings them back to the shelter, and at worst, they are abandoned on a highway rest area, as often happens at the beginning of summer vacations.

To be honest with you, I think Kristi and I are a bit lost about whether it's the right time for us to have a dog again, and if so, whether we should adopt from a shelter or go to a breeder to choose a puppy. In the end, we're leaving things up to chance, with the idea that it's more up to the future dog to come to us, and if it happens, we'll know it's the right one.

Jean-Marc, our kids, and Smokey years ago in Collioure.

FRENCH VOCABULARY

Click here to listen to the French and English terms below

1. Engagement - (m) - Commitment
2. Île - (f) - Island
3. Vacances - (f/pl) - Vacation/holidays
4. Été - (m) - Summer
5. Balades - (f/pl) - Walks/strolls
6. Chien - (m) - Dog
7. Maison - (f) - House
8. Jardin - (m) - Garden
9. Clôturé(e) - (adj) - Fenced
10. Confort - (m) - Comfort
11. Vétérinaires - (m/pl) - Veterinarians
12. Portée - (f) - Litter
13. Golden Retriever - (m) - Golden Retriever
14. Breizh - (f) - Name (in Breton) for Brittany
15. Mois - (m) - Months
16. Chiot - (m) - Puppy
17. Soucis - (m/pl) - Troubles/worries
18. Malades - (m/pl) - Sick
19. Responsabilité - (f) - Responsibility
20. Refuges - (m/pl) - Shelters
21. Adoption - (f) - Adoption

RELATED STORY
Do you know about France's rule for naming purebred dogs? Learn about the initial-based convention for dog registry (and find out what Breizh means in French)

 A "Griffon" we saw at one of the animal shelters. Do you have tips on how to best welcome a shelter dog into a home? Share in the comments.

EXPAT TAX HELP
Are you an American living outside the US and struggling to complete your taxes? I just turned in mine last week and the process was simple, straightforward, and inexpensive using this US expat tax filing software and this special offer.

Spotted just this morning in La Ciotat: local dog enjoying the maritime breeze. One ear up to determine the direction of the days wind.

REMERCIEMENTS
Mille mercis to the following readers who sent in a donation following my Expat Taxes post. This truly is a reader-supported journal and I appreciate your help in keeping it going!

Rajeev B.
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Barbara B.
Patricia S.
Vicki B.
John C.
Francis B.
Judy F.

Visiting Ile de Ré with Smokey.

Oh happy day in La Ciotat! I've filed my US expat taxes and now I can go out and play! It only took a few hours thanks to this excellent tax software at Expatfile. Now, don't miss today's non-taxing story. 

"VACHEMENT CONTENT(E)"

    : chuffed, very pleased

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse

Chuffed is a word I use so infrequently I could count on one hand the number of times I've said it. Today, it perfectly describes this feeling of satisfaction. I am chuffed, chuffed, so very chuffed to have completed my taxes on my own this year!

Chuffed, chuffed, chuffed! (In French that'd be vachement contente!) Now maybe you're thinking, Well, Mrs. Kristi, what's so chuffy about doing your own taxes? I do mine all on my own!  Yes, but are you navigating the complex terrain that is US expat taxes? Are you a "resident alien"? I've been sweating over my international tax requirements--specifically my US federal tax return--ever since 2005, when I learned I had to report my income to the IRS--even though I live full-time in France and co-file here with my French husband.

I did my own taxes that fateful year, thanks to the help of another "resident alien", Sharon, who had some good news for me: thanks to American tax treaties with France I would most likely not owe any money to the Internal Revenue Service.  I printed out all of the forms and somehow managed (thanks to Sharon!) to submit my first 1040 from overseas.

But I didn't want to bother my friend every year. So around 7 years ago, I learned about an expat tax service for Americans abroad. I used them up until two days ago, when I heard myself ruminating, I don't want to pay another $600 for tax preparation this year! I realized I was doing most of the work myself, via their online software, and even correcting mistakes made by the IRS-enrolled tax agent (and I'm not the smartest crayon in the box, either...).

So this year I googled "expat tax software" and stumbled onto Expatfile.com (they do not know me and I am not being paid for this enthusiastic report. However, I will receive referral fees should any other "aliens" (in France, Germany, England, or on the Moon) file their US taxes with Expatfile via any link in this post--and here's why you should:

Simple and Fast: While the record for one of their clients is "6 minutes" (talk about alien intelligence!), it took me just two hours. But that's because I took my own sweet time (I need time to overthink instructions and to constantly second-guess myself).

Inexpensive: This year I paid $189 for tax help at Expatfile.com. Did I tell you that up until now I've paid $600 each year for tax assistance? Considering I made less than $15,000 in 2022 from all three of my jobs (blogger, columnist, and author), that's a big chunk of cash to pay (4 percent of my income) for help filing my US federal tax return. I already pay a whopping $1600, yearly, to send out this newsletter via a listserver and my blog expenses don't stop there. Thankfully I am finally learning to list all expenses for the IRS--including a home-office a.k.a. Formerly My Daughter's Bedroom (deduct $5 per square foot with a maximum of 300 square feet).

Responsive: I don't know if "Matt" is an AI robot, but when I asked him for a discount after signing on at ExpatFile.com he immediately gave me 10 bucks off and remained super attentive for each question that followed. Thanks, Matt! (I can't guarantee you'll get the same discount but one should always ask.) Just like I asked the cashier at the supermarket whether he'd taken into account the 10 percent discount noted on the eggrolls. "Yes," he assured me. Only, when I got home and looked at the receipt, I saw he'd neglected to punch in the 20 percent discount for the chipolatas! So ask and verify. It all adds up.

Adds up: And so will my savings now that I'm no longer paying an extra 350 dollars a year for tax help. And I've been shouting it from the rooftops ever since I turned in my 2022 taxes. But each time I brag about my $350 savings--someone wants a piece of the pie! That is, my own family now wants to tax me...

...Jean-Marc says I can put it in the cagnotte (piggy bank) to buy him a Porche. (As if!)
...Max suggested I spend it on a cool birthday present (he turns 28 today! Happy Birthday, Mr. Son!)
...My sister, Heidi, hinted I might spring for lunch when my family from Denver arrives in 3 weeks.

No sooner did I save all this money, than a bunch of Sticky Fingers want to help spend it! I'm gonna go chat with Matt (the robot?) now and see if he has any more advice--now that my family wants "un petit tax" from me too. Meantime, if you are a US expat anywhere in the Universe and are struggling over taxes, don't sweat it. Update: You will get an even better deal than me: $20 off when you use this link. Go to Expatfile to begin the simple filing process.

EXPAT TAX FACTS

• Only 2 countries in the world have Citizenship-based taxation: the US and Eritrea (a Northeast African country whose name means "Red Sea". Expats from there are truly seeing red when tax season comes around!)  
• A number of Americans abroad are so frustrated about filing US taxes they're giving up their citizenship.
• You are required by law to file your taxes as a US citizen living abroad, but you won't necessarily undergo double taxation (the US has tax treaties in place to avoid this).
• However innocent, you may need to file and "FBAR" (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) with Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), as I just did. 
• As an expat you have an automatic extension through June 15th to file your taxes. Why not begin, as I did, this week? See the low pricing options over at Expatfile and remember--Matt is there to help you! 
  
  

Autumn Excursion in France: "Women in Burgundy" - An adventure designed especially for "Wander-ful Women!" September 20 to 30, 2023 - Includes seven nights in Burgundy and three nights in Paris. Click HERE for details.

FRENCH VOCABULARY
This time we'll focus on tax-related terms....

Click to listen to the list in French and in English

1. Les impôts - Taxes
2. La déclaration fiscale - Tax return
3. Le résident fiscal - Tax resident
4. Les traités fiscaux - Tax treaties
5. Les déductions fiscales - Tax deductions
6. Le contrôle fiscal - Tax audit
7. Le taux d'imposition - Tax rate
8. La période fiscale - Tax period
9. La réglementation fiscale - Tax regulations
10. Le compte bancaire étranger - Foreign bank account

Au revoir, for now, and thank you for reading. Here's an interesting blog for those interested in France and genealogy: Anne Morddel's French Geneology Blog. Enjoy!

REMERCIEMENTS
In French, a patron or supporter is un(e) mécène.  Following the "Glou-Glou" Wine Farewell edition, Tchin Tchin! and special thanks to these mécènes for their helpful donations which keep this blog and its newsletter going:

Jennifer T.
Carol A.
Elaine S. 
Ruth S.
Judy M.
Scott J.
Natalia R.
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Valerie W.
Suzanne D.

Have time for one more story? Read "A Hussy to the IRS" (about the time the IRS almost called an expat The Slut of the Port)