Roommate Present

Meysha · Jun 6, 2005

You've all probably seen that I'm leavin france in a couple of days but I just need some present ideas for my room mate. He's been really good and helped me out a lot with my french so I guess I should really get him a present.
A little bit about him. He's a 39 year old french man that has a weird liking for green tree frogs, never ever cooks (always eats out at restaurants - seriously - every night!!!), plays squash, works shiftwork only on weekends, and is loosing his memory a bit (but doesn't know it yet). Likes his indoor plants - has a few and does some gardening.

So what the hell am I suppossed to get him? :x I have no ideas coz this is my first room mate i've ever had. I was thinking some frog shaped soaps - coz he hardly ever takes a shower! :lol:

ferny · Jun 6, 2005

Erm, cookbook containing a recipe for frogs legs? Check out his plants to see waht type they are and get him something similar?
Maybe there is a plant which goes with his name or something.

sbalsama · Jun 6, 2005

A French man roommate with a boyfriend back home? :er: If your boyfriend finds out about that, the roommate might benefit with some form of self defense equipment!

Well, I don't know how much money you have to spare, but if he likes to eat out you could take him out to a really nice place. You could also take him out for a countryside picnic with some traditional foods. Finally, you could just sit his bum down at home and make him a home cooked meal

I'm not a good gift giver, but I figure everyone likes food, so it seems to be a foolproof plan most of the time. Maybe try something like that. How's the cheese selection in France? *drools*...

Meysha · Jun 6, 2005

sbalsama said:
Well, I don't know how much money you have to spare, but if he likes to eat out you could take him out to a really nice place. You could also take him out for a countryside picnic with some traditional foods. Finally, you could just sit his bum down at home and make him a home cooked meal

Wow... I dunno how close you are with your roomies but I hardly talk to mine. He's never here.
I might just get him a Dvd of this french musician he was going on about last week. Or a bottle of Aussie wine... Oh my gawd.. where am I going to find aussie wine in france.

Don't worry the aussie boyfriend's got nothing to worry about.

sbalsama · Jun 6, 2005

Oh I see, heh, well in that case I totally am out of ideas. But I still say stick with something consumable, maybe see if you can find some strange Aussie foods and put it together in a basket. When I think strange Australian foods, the first thing that comes to mind is Vegemite! Alright I'm not much help, but check out some food products like wine or something, you just can't go wrong (unless he doesn't like what you get him).

Edit: Oh and, stop by the border and give my regards to Germany before you leave. My heart is in that country :lovey:

Xmetal · Jun 6, 2005

Meysha said:
Or a bottle of Aussie wine... Oh my gawd.. where am I going to find aussie wine in france.

My Uncle is a keen wine buff, i'll ask him for an decent quality wine and mail it to you.

Meysha · Jun 6, 2005

I leave in 2 days... so unfortunately that won't work Xmetal. Thanks anyway.

My boyfriend said to give him a b*** job. :shock: I have a cool boyfriend. :lovey:

terri · Jun 6, 2005

Meysha said:
I leave in 2 days... so unfortunately that won't work Xmetal. Thanks anyway.

My boyfriend said to give him a b*** job. :shock: I have a cool boyfriend.

That is hilarious! :lol:

But I wouldn't recommend it. :shock:

Truly, token gifts are the worst kind to have to give OR receive, but it's the gesture that's important. Living in France, and eating out every night, he probably has access to all the fabulous Bordeaux and CdP he could want. It might be costly to impress him, unless you know what he likes. He would probably appreciate it, regardless. Maybe a book on gardening, or are there any gardening tools he's wanted or that you know are old/broken that you could get for him? And, not to sound schmaltzy, but have you shown him any of your photography? If there is anything he's liked, putting one of your images in a nice frame, signed, might be nice.

That's all I can think of off the cuff. Good luck!!

MDowdey · Jun 6, 2005

Meysha said:
I leave in 2 days... so unfortunately that won't work Xmetal. Thanks anyway.

My boyfriend said to give him a b*** job. :shock: I have a cool boyfriend.

the french are always the lucky ones

Meysha · Jun 6, 2005

Yeah I've shown him my pics and he doesn't really like them. He's more into 'real' snobby art like painting. (But they're these really weird abstract paintings of these huge moths things that creep me out)

I think I'll go with the plant idea. It's safer than wine (definately safer than a blow job), not expensive. And yeah you're right terri it's horrible to get or give them but it's the gesture.

fadingaway1986 · Jun 7, 2005

get him a plant. Maybe a nice pot, and some plant food. Maybe some of those water saving beads.

Meysha · Jun 7, 2005

fadingaway1986 said:
Maybe a nice pot, and some plant food

Or maybe some pot for him and some normal food... I think he came home stoned last night. If it wasn't that he was very drunk... well aswell as being very drunk.

Hehehe what a classic roommate (I can't beleive he's 39 and still acting like a 20 yr old.)