An American in Provence

TGV 6 am from Marseille to Lyon for a two-day conference about the recent caselaw in Europe and France concerning patents. This is conference held every year, one session in Paris (400+ participants) and one session in Lyon (~100 participants). This is the first time I have attended, and it is quite expensive (1000+ for two days, not including travel or hotel).
It is nice, I have met some new people and seen some from my course in Strasbourg two years ago.
But seriously, three and a half straight hours in a cramped conference room without even the space to install my laptop (and thereby actually follow the pages-long decisions), is kinda long. Plus all in rapid French, and even worse after lunch.
Went to dinner with a group of people and suddenly remembered it is Thanksgiving, which is one American holiday that the French are rather intrigued by. Do you give presents on Thanksgiving? No, not usually. What do you eat besides the turkey? Is it always the 22nd of November? Is Friday a holiday too?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Sigh. I find it too hard to make here in France. (heck, I would find it too hard to make in the US too). And plus, Alain hates pumpkin pie. How un-american is that?! Jeez.

Joyeux jour de l'action de grace mes amis!!!