To get to my apartment, I walk through a courtyard. Oftentimes there is a little girl out and about. I am assuming she is granddaughter of the concierge, whose apartment looks out onto the courtyard.
The little girl is four years ago and looks exactly like Capucine. I don't know her name. I don't know her birthday either. I asked her, but she couldn't remember and said she had to ask her dad.
One time I came home, and she was hanging out the window eating a lollipop.
"Hello!" she said. She is not at all shy.
"Hello!" I said. We chatted about this and that.
"You just bought some bread," she then noticed.
"Yes I did," I said. "Would you like some?"
"I would," she said. So I ripped her off a piece of baguette. Then she jumped off her perch to get something inside. She came back with another lollipop and gave it to me. I secretly think I got the better end of the trade.
Today I came back from a run, and she was watering the flowers in the courtyard.
"Hello!" she said.
"Hello!" I said. "What are you doing?"
"Giving the flowers water," she said.
"Which ones did you already give water to?" I asked.
"Hmm…" she couldn't remember. But she was sure she had already watered the yellow ones. Then the concierge came out and nagged her about not getting her shirt dirty or her shoes wet, and that was the end of our conversation.
I'm sure I'll see her again soon. I hope so, because she's my favorite.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tips From a Travel Writer
Tonight I saw Rolf Potts read at Shakespeare and Co. He is a travel writer. I will admit that I have never read anything of his.* But I like writing, and I like traveling, and I like people who write about traveling, so I went.
I was able to chat with him one-on-one before the event started. I had time for one question, so I asked "what are the most common mistakes young wannabee travel writers make?" His answers:
Blindly submitting your stuff to magazine and websites. "You need to know how to read to know how to write," he said. Basically you need to know what's out there and know what's already been done. You need to know the difference between good travel pieces and bad travel pieces to know what to do and what not to do. And to know all that, you have to read as much of it as you can.
Thinking you can live off of travel writing. Someone invented this total misconception that travel writers make a ton of cash. They don't. "You can travel more widely as an electrician or an IT guy or a stripper," Potts told me. Basically he told me, hey you're only 23. Travel now. Take good notes. Experience life. You can write about it later. He didn't get a passport until he was 25. He didn't publish his first piece until he was 28 (which was on slate.com, you rock dude!). Now it's his career, but it took time.
Don't write about Paris. There's nothing to write about Paris. Anyone can go to Paris or Budapest or Rome and write "It's beautiful." No one is going to publish that. It doesn't offer any new information. So become an expert on something. Join a rowing team in Paris and write about that aspect of the city. If you grew up on an organic farm, write about organic markets in Paris. Don't just slap yet another layer of wallpaper to what's already out there. Finding a niche is a way to write something new.
He also suggested teaching English as a vehicle to get you overseas. Hey I did that! Does that mean I am going to become a famous travel writer? Heh, prob not. Rolf Potts, thanks for your advice. I was interested to hear what you had to say about travel writing clichés, but then the owner of the bookstore interrupted our covo. Fortunately, I read this article, so I think I already have some good tips.
* But I intend to start!
I was able to chat with him one-on-one before the event started. I had time for one question, so I asked "what are the most common mistakes young wannabee travel writers make?" His answers:
Blindly submitting your stuff to magazine and websites. "You need to know how to read to know how to write," he said. Basically you need to know what's out there and know what's already been done. You need to know the difference between good travel pieces and bad travel pieces to know what to do and what not to do. And to know all that, you have to read as much of it as you can.
Thinking you can live off of travel writing. Someone invented this total misconception that travel writers make a ton of cash. They don't. "You can travel more widely as an electrician or an IT guy or a stripper," Potts told me. Basically he told me, hey you're only 23. Travel now. Take good notes. Experience life. You can write about it later. He didn't get a passport until he was 25. He didn't publish his first piece until he was 28 (which was on slate.com, you rock dude!). Now it's his career, but it took time.
Don't write about Paris. There's nothing to write about Paris. Anyone can go to Paris or Budapest or Rome and write "It's beautiful." No one is going to publish that. It doesn't offer any new information. So become an expert on something. Join a rowing team in Paris and write about that aspect of the city. If you grew up on an organic farm, write about organic markets in Paris. Don't just slap yet another layer of wallpaper to what's already out there. Finding a niche is a way to write something new.
He also suggested teaching English as a vehicle to get you overseas. Hey I did that! Does that mean I am going to become a famous travel writer? Heh, prob not. Rolf Potts, thanks for your advice. I was interested to hear what you had to say about travel writing clichés, but then the owner of the bookstore interrupted our covo. Fortunately, I read this article, so I think I already have some good tips.
* But I intend to start!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
These Things I Like
- The Eggs. Most eggs are brown. Of course you can buy brown eggs in America. But they cost more than eggs should. The eggs I buy in Paris aren't refrigerated. I enjoy that everyone here isn't always freaking out about E. Coli and stuff. I guess we do that in America because we have to. There are definitely a lot more problems with regulation of foods in my home country. But my point is really about the eggs. I like the high quality of cheap eggs. Do not, however, get me started on the milk here. That is a whole different story.
- The Roundabouts. As an uncultured American, I was naturally terrified of them at the beginning. Now I find them really quite fun! The mazelike tendancies of roundabouts keep you on your toes. And on a bike, I have maximum power to weave in and out of traffic while my scooter, car, bus and truck friends must just idle there and wait for things to start moving again. Lastly, from a statistical point of view, they are actually much safer.
- My Accent Working For Me. So my French is okay enough that I don't always sound like a total idiot (well, um, maybe just sometimes). Yet it is still very apparent that I am one of those exotic foreigners. This works in my favor, mainly when I am asking for directions, which happens frequently. I find people are very nice to me when they are giving me directions. Once in awhile I even get discounted cups of coffee. Okay that only happened to me once. But I am open to it happening again.
- The Culture Of Eating. In my previous American jobs, my lunch break was typically however long it took me to eat: 30 minutes max. Basically there is no eating culture. You eat because you have to. And then you go right back to work. Or maybe you don't even stop working and eat your lunch at your desk. When I was teaching at French public schools, they shut everything down for two-hour lunch break. At my current grown-up job, everyone take an hour. It's not just about minutes per lunch break. It's about actually taking time to eat and enjoy your meal, make a little bit of an affair out of it, and enjoy some conversation with whomever your dining partners are. Yes, there's work to be done. But this little midday pause is equally as important.
- The Roundabouts. As an uncultured American, I was naturally terrified of them at the beginning. Now I find them really quite fun! The mazelike tendancies of roundabouts keep you on your toes. And on a bike, I have maximum power to weave in and out of traffic while my scooter, car, bus and truck friends must just idle there and wait for things to start moving again. Lastly, from a statistical point of view, they are actually much safer.
- My Accent Working For Me. So my French is okay enough that I don't always sound like a total idiot (well, um, maybe just sometimes). Yet it is still very apparent that I am one of those exotic foreigners. This works in my favor, mainly when I am asking for directions, which happens frequently. I find people are very nice to me when they are giving me directions. Once in awhile I even get discounted cups of coffee. Okay that only happened to me once. But I am open to it happening again.
- The Culture Of Eating. In my previous American jobs, my lunch break was typically however long it took me to eat: 30 minutes max. Basically there is no eating culture. You eat because you have to. And then you go right back to work. Or maybe you don't even stop working and eat your lunch at your desk. When I was teaching at French public schools, they shut everything down for two-hour lunch break. At my current grown-up job, everyone take an hour. It's not just about minutes per lunch break. It's about actually taking time to eat and enjoy your meal, make a little bit of an affair out of it, and enjoy some conversation with whomever your dining partners are. Yes, there's work to be done. But this little midday pause is equally as important.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Way Past First Impressions
"I decided I could live here," PK told me after her first day in Paris. "Even if I can't speak the language. It's just so beautiful."
"But don't you think you'd just get used to it? You wouldn't even notice the beauty anymore if you saw it every day," I said.
She said that could certainly not happen. That the city is just too pretty. Her certainty made me sad.
When I moved to Paris in the fall, I went to the Louvre. At first not for the museum, but just to walk around outside and check out the pyramid and the building's architecture. It wasn't my first visit. Still I was way impressed with its hugeness and magnificence. I think I even said "woah…" out loud. Hoping for the same sort of emotion, I decided to run to the Louvre the other day. But I was grumpy because it was bad run, and there were at least 1 million tourists milling about. I wanted to be impressed again by the Louvre. I wasn't. I stayed for 15 unimpressed seconds, turned around and ran home.
On that note, every morning I ride my bike to work down Rue de Rivoli. Along the way, I pass by the following kind-of-a-big-deal monuments and museums: Place de la Bastille, Hôtel de Ville, La Tour Saint-Jacques, Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Le Louvre (again), Les Tuileries, and Place de la Concorde. If I stretch my neck, I can see Notre Dame and the Grand Palais. But I don't. I hardly ever look twice. Am I a bad person?
I guess I just feel guilty for not being as into Paris as the visitors that stop by are. I don't know if French people or Parisian people feel the same way. Do they not really notice this stuff either?
To finish up this really incohesive random chain of thoughts, I would like to mention that I am constantly wowed by riding through roundabouts on my bike. That is something about Paris that never fails to impress me.
"But don't you think you'd just get used to it? You wouldn't even notice the beauty anymore if you saw it every day," I said.
She said that could certainly not happen. That the city is just too pretty. Her certainty made me sad.
When I moved to Paris in the fall, I went to the Louvre. At first not for the museum, but just to walk around outside and check out the pyramid and the building's architecture. It wasn't my first visit. Still I was way impressed with its hugeness and magnificence. I think I even said "woah…" out loud. Hoping for the same sort of emotion, I decided to run to the Louvre the other day. But I was grumpy because it was bad run, and there were at least 1 million tourists milling about. I wanted to be impressed again by the Louvre. I wasn't. I stayed for 15 unimpressed seconds, turned around and ran home.
On that note, every morning I ride my bike to work down Rue de Rivoli. Along the way, I pass by the following kind-of-a-big-deal monuments and museums: Place de la Bastille, Hôtel de Ville, La Tour Saint-Jacques, Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Le Louvre (again), Les Tuileries, and Place de la Concorde. If I stretch my neck, I can see Notre Dame and the Grand Palais. But I don't. I hardly ever look twice. Am I a bad person?
I guess I just feel guilty for not being as into Paris as the visitors that stop by are. I don't know if French people or Parisian people feel the same way. Do they not really notice this stuff either?
To finish up this really incohesive random chain of thoughts, I would like to mention that I am constantly wowed by riding through roundabouts on my bike. That is something about Paris that never fails to impress me.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tour de France Injury (Worth It)
My friend John and his family are obsessed with the Tour. For years, he’s been talking about following the race in person. This year, he and some of his family finally made it to France, rented a car, and made it happen. I went this weekend to tag along for a few days.
The cool thing about following the Tour de France* with John and co. is their absolute passion for the race. They know almost all the bikers and teams. They know all the logistics of the race. When I say follow the Tour de France, I don’t mean watch the race whoosh by and then go home. Follow means map out your route for the whole day so we can catch the bikers at as many possible points. And follow means taking the food drop very, very seriously.
The food drop occurs every day somewhere around the halfway point. The racers get fair warning when they bike through this, minus the dorky American standing in the middle.
They will then start looking for their team cars so they can pick up a bag full of water, energy bars, gels, and vials of mystery sporty fluids. Here are all the cars lined up, ready to hand the bikers their lunch.
The racers grab their bags and start rummaging for the good stuff. They jam what they want in their pockets, then toss the rest by the side of the road.
Here is where the serious Tour de France followers come in. These are the people who want the throwaways. Those bags and water bottles are prime souvenirs. Especially ones from major teams, such as Astana (Lance’s team). If you want to get your hands on any of this stuff, you have to move fast and be aggressive. You have to choose your spot and crowd anyone out who tries to get into your space. You have to take your eyes off the race and keep them on the ground.
John and co. coached me on important tactics, and soon I was ready for the food drop. We staked out our spot and waited. When the bikers came by, I was ready.
I saw a water bottle drop about 10 feet away from me in front of a group of people. It was right at their feet, but I decided it was mine. I instantly ran for it and intended to soccer kick it away. Instead I, as John described it, second base slid into it. Maybe I fell only inches from the bike race going on. Maybe I ripped some chunks of skin off my foot, thus limped around for the rest of the day. Maybe it was a bit too much aggressiveness for a water bottle. But hey, I got it. Actually I got two, after I dangerously dashed across the street for another.
After we regrouped, we had two bags, three water bottles, and lots of icky looking sportsy food between the four of us. I went home with all the sportsy food to help me out with marathon training. And one hard-earned official team water bottle to remember my few days following the Tour de France!
* I would just like to mention that 95% of the French people I told about this trip scoffed, yes scoffed at the idea of following the Tour de France. “Have fun” they said with a giant eye roll and a tone of voice that meant ‘you certainly can not have fun doing that.' I don’t get how none of them could not get excited about the biggest most awesomenest bike race in the entire world taking place on their own home soil. Maybe I don’t talk to the right French people.
The cool thing about following the Tour de France* with John and co. is their absolute passion for the race. They know almost all the bikers and teams. They know all the logistics of the race. When I say follow the Tour de France, I don’t mean watch the race whoosh by and then go home. Follow means map out your route for the whole day so we can catch the bikers at as many possible points. And follow means taking the food drop very, very seriously.
The food drop occurs every day somewhere around the halfway point. The racers get fair warning when they bike through this, minus the dorky American standing in the middle.
They will then start looking for their team cars so they can pick up a bag full of water, energy bars, gels, and vials of mystery sporty fluids. Here are all the cars lined up, ready to hand the bikers their lunch. 
The racers grab their bags and start rummaging for the good stuff. They jam what they want in their pockets, then toss the rest by the side of the road.
Here is where the serious Tour de France followers come in. These are the people who want the throwaways. Those bags and water bottles are prime souvenirs. Especially ones from major teams, such as Astana (Lance’s team). If you want to get your hands on any of this stuff, you have to move fast and be aggressive. You have to choose your spot and crowd anyone out who tries to get into your space. You have to take your eyes off the race and keep them on the ground.John and co. coached me on important tactics, and soon I was ready for the food drop. We staked out our spot and waited. When the bikers came by, I was ready.
I saw a water bottle drop about 10 feet away from me in front of a group of people. It was right at their feet, but I decided it was mine. I instantly ran for it and intended to soccer kick it away. Instead I, as John described it, second base slid into it. Maybe I fell only inches from the bike race going on. Maybe I ripped some chunks of skin off my foot, thus limped around for the rest of the day. Maybe it was a bit too much aggressiveness for a water bottle. But hey, I got it. Actually I got two, after I dangerously dashed across the street for another.
After we regrouped, we had two bags, three water bottles, and lots of icky looking sportsy food between the four of us. I went home with all the sportsy food to help me out with marathon training. And one hard-earned official team water bottle to remember my few days following the Tour de France!
* I would just like to mention that 95% of the French people I told about this trip scoffed, yes scoffed at the idea of following the Tour de France. “Have fun” they said with a giant eye roll and a tone of voice that meant ‘you certainly can not have fun doing that.' I don’t get how none of them could not get excited about the biggest most awesomenest bike race in the entire world taking place on their own home soil. Maybe I don’t talk to the right French people.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
I Hate French Creeps
This is what happened to me today. I was running and this 14ish-year-old kid who was walking in the opposite direction reached out a touched my boob. It took my brain about 2 seconds to register what had happened, turn myself around 180°, and start chasing him down.
He heard me coming and looked over his shoulder to see a furious, 135-pound américaine in a bright yellow Mizzou tee sprinting towards him as fast as she possibly could. Would you have been scared? He was. He was terrified. He was smart to start running as fast as he could, too. I was ready to throw him to the ground, and he knew it.
I'm so sick of the disgusting men in this country. Until this kid, no one has gone so far as to touch me, but my personal space and general level of comfort gets violated all the time by gross French creeps. So the boob toucher is just some punk kid. But what about the security guard at Monoprix (that's kinda like a Target)? Do you think it's appropriate for him to say "Have you found some nice panties?" in a top-notch creep voice while I am browsing lingerie? Um let me think, no. Your job is to make sure people don't steal stuff, not infringe my personal underwear shopping space. I've got lots more absurd stories if anyone wants to hear them.
What pisses me off the most is that these men know I'm foreign. I have light-colored hair and skin, smile occasionally, and run a lot — qualities you will be hard-pressed to find in most French girls. They maybe assume I can't speak French or will be flattered by their creepiness or I don't even know what. But they're taking advantage of my foreignness.
I used to get really grossed out and flustered, my French would fail me, and the best I could do was make a disgusted face. But lately, either because my French is getting better or I just can't stand them anymore, I've started changing my tactic. This is why I started chasing the boob toucher with every ounce of energy I had left.
I wanted so badly to catch this kid and kick him real super hard with my strong marathon legs. That would have rocked. But I kinda knew from the beginning I wouldn't succeed. I already had already run six miles and was way tired. He had run zero miles and was terrified of me. After four blocks, he make a couple of sharp turns, and I lost him.
But even though I knew I probably wouldn't catch him, at least I didn't just let it slide. At least I got to see the horrified look on his face when he realized that I was coming for him. At least I made him run for it. And I hope I made him think twice.
So next time a French creep says something inappropriate, I'm not going to feel awkward and make a weird face. Maybe I won't try chase him down. Or hmm… if he's especially creepy, maybe I will. Watch out creeps.
He heard me coming and looked over his shoulder to see a furious, 135-pound américaine in a bright yellow Mizzou tee sprinting towards him as fast as she possibly could. Would you have been scared? He was. He was terrified. He was smart to start running as fast as he could, too. I was ready to throw him to the ground, and he knew it.
I'm so sick of the disgusting men in this country. Until this kid, no one has gone so far as to touch me, but my personal space and general level of comfort gets violated all the time by gross French creeps. So the boob toucher is just some punk kid. But what about the security guard at Monoprix (that's kinda like a Target)? Do you think it's appropriate for him to say "Have you found some nice panties?" in a top-notch creep voice while I am browsing lingerie? Um let me think, no. Your job is to make sure people don't steal stuff, not infringe my personal underwear shopping space. I've got lots more absurd stories if anyone wants to hear them.
What pisses me off the most is that these men know I'm foreign. I have light-colored hair and skin, smile occasionally, and run a lot — qualities you will be hard-pressed to find in most French girls. They maybe assume I can't speak French or will be flattered by their creepiness or I don't even know what. But they're taking advantage of my foreignness.
I used to get really grossed out and flustered, my French would fail me, and the best I could do was make a disgusted face. But lately, either because my French is getting better or I just can't stand them anymore, I've started changing my tactic. This is why I started chasing the boob toucher with every ounce of energy I had left.
I wanted so badly to catch this kid and kick him real super hard with my strong marathon legs. That would have rocked. But I kinda knew from the beginning I wouldn't succeed. I already had already run six miles and was way tired. He had run zero miles and was terrified of me. After four blocks, he make a couple of sharp turns, and I lost him.
But even though I knew I probably wouldn't catch him, at least I didn't just let it slide. At least I got to see the horrified look on his face when he realized that I was coming for him. At least I made him run for it. And I hope I made him think twice.
So next time a French creep says something inappropriate, I'm not going to feel awkward and make a weird face. Maybe I won't try chase him down. Or hmm… if he's especially creepy, maybe I will. Watch out creeps.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
What I Learned
I came to Paris to teach French kids English. Remember when I went to journalism school? Heh. I had no idea what I was doing. But throughout these nine months, I definitely learned a thing or two:
Don't overprepare. Kids are weird. They can be really smart one day and really stupid the next. They can concentrate magnificently today and be spilling their pencil cases everywhere, climbing under their desks, trying to jump out the windows tomorrow. There's no way to tell what kind of day it was going to be. If I put too much time into planing a lesson, there was a 50%-100% chance it would be wasted work. So I put a limit on prep time.
But be prepared. A classroom of 30 nine year olds with no lesson plan? I don't even want to think about it.
Get over it. Sometimes I would have the crappiest classes. Seriously some of those kids effing sucked. I would leave so frustrated and angry that they were such little punks. But I would really have something to be depressed about if I let some 10 year olds get the best of me. I learned to get over those horrible classes within 30 seconds of the bell.
Don't take it personally. If I had a quarter for every time a kid was impolite to me in class? Well then I'd certainly not be working this low-paying job. And if I got upset every time a kid mocked my French or my accent? Well I'd be pissed off until next October.
Interwebs. I can't draw stuff. I can't even write in a straight line. Even knowing this, for some reason at the beginnning, I actually tried to make my own worksheets. Terrible idea. Google images does it so much better.
One idealistic American can't fight the system. I find the French school system much too academic for these poor little kids. And I wanted so badly to show them that learning could be fun. That we could play games and learn via interactive activities, and hell, even color with markers!!!!! But when it comes down to it, even the youngest kids have adapted to this dry, creativity-stiffling method of learning: every school day spent copying off the chalkboard, not questioning the answer given to you, and always underlining the date, in red ink, using your ruler. So I had to toss my off-the-wall fun learning games out the window quite often. The kids just didn't know how to deal. If I had more energy, I would have pushed more upbeat, move-around-the-classroom lessons. But I was tired of trying. The system doesn't work like that. And I learned that I couldn't change the system in a 45-minute lesson period.
Don't overprepare. Kids are weird. They can be really smart one day and really stupid the next. They can concentrate magnificently today and be spilling their pencil cases everywhere, climbing under their desks, trying to jump out the windows tomorrow. There's no way to tell what kind of day it was going to be. If I put too much time into planing a lesson, there was a 50%-100% chance it would be wasted work. So I put a limit on prep time.
But be prepared. A classroom of 30 nine year olds with no lesson plan? I don't even want to think about it.
Get over it. Sometimes I would have the crappiest classes. Seriously some of those kids effing sucked. I would leave so frustrated and angry that they were such little punks. But I would really have something to be depressed about if I let some 10 year olds get the best of me. I learned to get over those horrible classes within 30 seconds of the bell.
Don't take it personally. If I had a quarter for every time a kid was impolite to me in class? Well then I'd certainly not be working this low-paying job. And if I got upset every time a kid mocked my French or my accent? Well I'd be pissed off until next October.
Interwebs. I can't draw stuff. I can't even write in a straight line. Even knowing this, for some reason at the beginnning, I actually tried to make my own worksheets. Terrible idea. Google images does it so much better.
One idealistic American can't fight the system. I find the French school system much too academic for these poor little kids. And I wanted so badly to show them that learning could be fun. That we could play games and learn via interactive activities, and hell, even color with markers!!!!! But when it comes down to it, even the youngest kids have adapted to this dry, creativity-stiffling method of learning: every school day spent copying off the chalkboard, not questioning the answer given to you, and always underlining the date, in red ink, using your ruler. So I had to toss my off-the-wall fun learning games out the window quite often. The kids just didn't know how to deal. If I had more energy, I would have pushed more upbeat, move-around-the-classroom lessons. But I was tired of trying. The system doesn't work like that. And I learned that I couldn't change the system in a 45-minute lesson period.
Friday, June 26, 2009
People in Paris I Like
I haven't been fair. Lately I've been griping about things and people I find annoying. But the fact of the matter is, I wouldn't still be here if there weren't good things and people here, too.
I've been tutoring two little girls all year, and this past Wednesday was our last session. The moms threw a going-away dinner party, complete with some other English speaking friends and another family I babysit for. The girls and I surprised everyone with our production of "Three Billy Goats Gruff" (there was a bit of trouble with my flimpsy cardboard-and-tape bridge. It kind of fell down several times). And then all the moms surprised me with a gift of their own.
They gave me three lithographs of Paris monuments, sketched by an artist named Bernard Buffet. Here's the one of Sacre Coeur:
I wish I could find a better way to describe the sketches other than that they are absolutely perfect. But that is all I can think to say. They are a perfect combination of contemporary art and ancient Paris architecture. And they are perfect because they are gifts from people who I care about, and people who care about me.
These aren't the only families who kept their eyes on me these past several months to make sure I was getting along okay. I still stay in touch with the family I lived with when I first arrived, and occasionally stop over for lunch or dinner. Another family I used to babysit for also showered me with gifts when I "retired," one which was a cookbook of traditional French dishes.
So yeah, I don't have too much to complain about. When I leave Paris, I will definitely thave some great souvenirs to remember these people by.
I've been tutoring two little girls all year, and this past Wednesday was our last session. The moms threw a going-away dinner party, complete with some other English speaking friends and another family I babysit for. The girls and I surprised everyone with our production of "Three Billy Goats Gruff" (there was a bit of trouble with my flimpsy cardboard-and-tape bridge. It kind of fell down several times). And then all the moms surprised me with a gift of their own.
They gave me three lithographs of Paris monuments, sketched by an artist named Bernard Buffet. Here's the one of Sacre Coeur:
I wish I could find a better way to describe the sketches other than that they are absolutely perfect. But that is all I can think to say. They are a perfect combination of contemporary art and ancient Paris architecture. And they are perfect because they are gifts from people who I care about, and people who care about me.These aren't the only families who kept their eyes on me these past several months to make sure I was getting along okay. I still stay in touch with the family I lived with when I first arrived, and occasionally stop over for lunch or dinner. Another family I used to babysit for also showered me with gifts when I "retired," one which was a cookbook of traditional French dishes.
So yeah, I don't have too much to complain about. When I leave Paris, I will definitely thave some great souvenirs to remember these people by.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Fleeting Moment of Anger
Today, I bumped into this woman who works at the administration office for my schools. Back in the day, she was to be my go-to person. The one who was supposed to put me in touch with my schools and see that everything went smoothly.
She never really helped me much. In fact, I think she lost an important letter I needed months back for my residency card. Early on, I realized she wasn't too concerned with any problems I might have, so I never bothered her with them.
So today I saw her for the first time in months, and she asked how the school year was going. Thanks for asking. It's three days from being over. And then she mentioned that of the three of girls who came to this town to teach for the year, I'm the only one who is still here.
I know why one girl went home, and I can assume about the other. It has a lot to do with how poorly organized this program is. When you arrive to a foreign country and have nowhere to live, thus no way to open a bank account, thus no way to get paid, meanwhile you don't know where or when you work or even how to do your job... this all really sucks. And when the person designated to help you with this stuff simply doesn't? That kinda sucks, too.
So I'm one of three who stuck out the year, and she seemed entertained. Nonchalant. Not even wondering what might have happened or why they found it so unbearable that they went back to America. Her lack of caring made me so angry.
But what was I going to say? I don't have the power to change the program's faults. I don't have power to make this woman do her job better. So I cut the conversation short, went to school, and concerned myself with more important matters. We are singing Old McDonald today. Does anyone know what sound a rabbit makes?
She never really helped me much. In fact, I think she lost an important letter I needed months back for my residency card. Early on, I realized she wasn't too concerned with any problems I might have, so I never bothered her with them.
So today I saw her for the first time in months, and she asked how the school year was going. Thanks for asking. It's three days from being over. And then she mentioned that of the three of girls who came to this town to teach for the year, I'm the only one who is still here.
I know why one girl went home, and I can assume about the other. It has a lot to do with how poorly organized this program is. When you arrive to a foreign country and have nowhere to live, thus no way to open a bank account, thus no way to get paid, meanwhile you don't know where or when you work or even how to do your job... this all really sucks. And when the person designated to help you with this stuff simply doesn't? That kinda sucks, too.
So I'm one of three who stuck out the year, and she seemed entertained. Nonchalant. Not even wondering what might have happened or why they found it so unbearable that they went back to America. Her lack of caring made me so angry.
But what was I going to say? I don't have the power to change the program's faults. I don't have power to make this woman do her job better. So I cut the conversation short, went to school, and concerned myself with more important matters. We are singing Old McDonald today. Does anyone know what sound a rabbit makes?
Sunday, June 14, 2009
These Things Peeve Me
Generally, I think I've adapted pretty well to life here. I even ate a restaurant cheeseburger with a knife and fork once, because I guess that's how they do it here. But here are some things that I absoutely cannot get used to.
- Garbage bags. In my country, garbage bags have built-in handles. When it comes time to prepare the bag for its journey to the dumpster, you simply tie the handles together. Here, each bag comes equipped with a flimsy little red tie thingy. Sometimes the flimsy little red tie thingy mysteriously disappears. Or it will break in two. Even if neither of those things happen, it's just awkward to have to deal with a little red tie thingy when you are trying to quickly close a smelly bag of garbage.
- Square pillows. These are for hiding stains on/decorating your couch. Square pillows also make nice seat cushions for your lawn furniture. But square pillows are not for your bed. I can't explain why, that's just how it works. I slept horribly for months until I bought some rectangular pillows off Craigslist.
- Street cleaners wasting water. There are these fire hydrants type devices that exist for the sole purpose of dumping gallons and gallons of water onto the streets, supposedly to clean them. At the same time, the streets are eternally filthy. Cuz Paris is a filthy city. No one respects the cleanliness. So what is the street cleaner people's logic? Why waste all this water for no reason?
- Shower heads not being attached to the wall. It makes showers so much easier. I don't understand why this concept never caught on over here.
- PDA. Why do I have to trip over people making out everywhere I go? Those metro poles are for maintaining your balance, not for making out against. Park benches are for sitting on, not for making out on. Sidewalks are for walking on, not for making out. Crosswalks are for crossing the street, not for making out.
- Poorly designed ads. It would be better if I had some pictures to show you. But I'd say 75% of the metro ads look really, really bad. Design isn't my speciality. Yet I do know one ad should not randomly switch between italic and bolded type, nor should it contain three different fonts. It's also a good idea to choose an image that makes sense. Additionally, ads should not be an opportunity to smush as much type and as many pictures as can possibly fit in the space. Newsflash: all that stuff confuses people. I learned these basics in my design for dummies class in college. I wonder where the people that design these ads went to school.
- Garbage bags. In my country, garbage bags have built-in handles. When it comes time to prepare the bag for its journey to the dumpster, you simply tie the handles together. Here, each bag comes equipped with a flimsy little red tie thingy. Sometimes the flimsy little red tie thingy mysteriously disappears. Or it will break in two. Even if neither of those things happen, it's just awkward to have to deal with a little red tie thingy when you are trying to quickly close a smelly bag of garbage.
- Square pillows. These are for hiding stains on/decorating your couch. Square pillows also make nice seat cushions for your lawn furniture. But square pillows are not for your bed. I can't explain why, that's just how it works. I slept horribly for months until I bought some rectangular pillows off Craigslist.
- Street cleaners wasting water. There are these fire hydrants type devices that exist for the sole purpose of dumping gallons and gallons of water onto the streets, supposedly to clean them. At the same time, the streets are eternally filthy. Cuz Paris is a filthy city. No one respects the cleanliness. So what is the street cleaner people's logic? Why waste all this water for no reason?
- Shower heads not being attached to the wall. It makes showers so much easier. I don't understand why this concept never caught on over here.
- PDA. Why do I have to trip over people making out everywhere I go? Those metro poles are for maintaining your balance, not for making out against. Park benches are for sitting on, not for making out on. Sidewalks are for walking on, not for making out. Crosswalks are for crossing the street, not for making out.
- Poorly designed ads. It would be better if I had some pictures to show you. But I'd say 75% of the metro ads look really, really bad. Design isn't my speciality. Yet I do know one ad should not randomly switch between italic and bolded type, nor should it contain three different fonts. It's also a good idea to choose an image that makes sense. Additionally, ads should not be an opportunity to smush as much type and as many pictures as can possibly fit in the space. Newsflash: all that stuff confuses people. I learned these basics in my design for dummies class in college. I wonder where the people that design these ads went to school.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Almost The End
Anyone who follows my Twitter account might be familar with my sometimes negative attitude towards my job. Some past tweets:
- Children's joyful voices wafting up from recess are giving me a headache. Weekend vaca can't come soon enough.
- If another child asks Miss Betsy yet another repetitive question, Miss Betsy will punch that child in the face.
- I think I wake up every Monday and think "I don't want to go to school today."
Yup, I am mentally ticking off the remaining days (there are eight). Some reasons: Half of the teachers don't take me seriously, and that attitude trickles down to their students. I despise planning lessons, making worksheets, and dealing with the finicky school printer and/or photocopier. I never studied or learned how to be a teacher. That lack of experience continues to be a challenge. Oh yeah. And one of my students is a thief.
Based on the evidence above, it would make sense to assume that I am so ready to be done and done. I am. But… Okay… I can't actually believe I am saying this. I might miss it just a little bit.
For every little brat who still can't write the date correctly in English, there are three kids who rock. There are kids who are excited to learn and kids who ask me intelligent questions. There are kids who kiss me on the cheek to say hello and kids who write me little notes to tell me they missed me over vaction.
When it comes down to it, I like kids. They have funny kid personalities and say funny kid things. Like the one who asked me if I flew home to Chicago every night after school. Or another who asked me if I could be the new substitute teacher, because he thought the current sub was mean and lame. When I arrive in the morning, I can't deny that 50 kids screaming 'ELLO!!! with their little French accents always, without fail, makes me smile.
Yeah, this year hasn't been half bad. It's been challenging, but no day has ever been the same. Sorry I frequently complained about you, kids. But seriously. You can be such evil fiends sometimes.
- Children's joyful voices wafting up from recess are giving me a headache. Weekend vaca can't come soon enough.
- If another child asks Miss Betsy yet another repetitive question, Miss Betsy will punch that child in the face.
- I think I wake up every Monday and think "I don't want to go to school today."
Yup, I am mentally ticking off the remaining days (there are eight). Some reasons: Half of the teachers don't take me seriously, and that attitude trickles down to their students. I despise planning lessons, making worksheets, and dealing with the finicky school printer and/or photocopier. I never studied or learned how to be a teacher. That lack of experience continues to be a challenge. Oh yeah. And one of my students is a thief.
Based on the evidence above, it would make sense to assume that I am so ready to be done and done. I am. But… Okay… I can't actually believe I am saying this. I might miss it just a little bit.
For every little brat who still can't write the date correctly in English, there are three kids who rock. There are kids who are excited to learn and kids who ask me intelligent questions. There are kids who kiss me on the cheek to say hello and kids who write me little notes to tell me they missed me over vaction.
When it comes down to it, I like kids. They have funny kid personalities and say funny kid things. Like the one who asked me if I flew home to Chicago every night after school. Or another who asked me if I could be the new substitute teacher, because he thought the current sub was mean and lame. When I arrive in the morning, I can't deny that 50 kids screaming 'ELLO!!! with their little French accents always, without fail, makes me smile.
Yeah, this year hasn't been half bad. It's been challenging, but no day has ever been the same. Sorry I frequently complained about you, kids. But seriously. You can be such evil fiends sometimes.
Monday, June 08, 2009
One Week and One Day In
Kelly and I have survived the first week of marathon training. Go us. Making it through one week doesn't really mean anything though. There are four long months ahead. The mileage will slowly increase and soon enough, we'll find ourselves doing those lonely Sunday 20 milers.
I always feel weird talking about this running stuff to people who aren't runners or have no interest in ever running a marathon. How much do people want to know?
Things I would like to talk about: How pretty it was to watch the sunset behind Notre Dame the other night as I was running towards it. That I didn't mind the constant rain on Saturday's 8-mile run, because I had the trail almost to myself, something that never happens in Paris. Also I would like to mention how tired I always am. I fell asleep again on the train today, and someone had to wake me up to tell me we had arrived at the station. And Saturday I decided to shop all day after that long run, and a few hours in, I realized I was kind of limping because my legs were angry at me. That was not fun.
What else? There's lots I could talk about. When you run almost every day and dedicate four months of your life to this one silly really really long race (26.2 miles, in case you didn't know. Or 42 kilometers for you weird European people that don't think in miles), you think about it a lot. You pay more attention to what you eat, and think everyday about whether you are going to squeeze in a few miles before or after work, and you wish you didn't live on the 6th floor, because all those stairs hurt after you are already tired from all those miles.
But you also think about how you're really glad you're doing this. Working towards this goal gives you some sort of purpose in life or something. It feels good to whip your body into this kind of shape. You can eat whatever you want and never gain weight.
Well, I've already said too much. If you want to know about marathons and things, ask me. But that's all for now.
I always feel weird talking about this running stuff to people who aren't runners or have no interest in ever running a marathon. How much do people want to know?
Things I would like to talk about: How pretty it was to watch the sunset behind Notre Dame the other night as I was running towards it. That I didn't mind the constant rain on Saturday's 8-mile run, because I had the trail almost to myself, something that never happens in Paris. Also I would like to mention how tired I always am. I fell asleep again on the train today, and someone had to wake me up to tell me we had arrived at the station. And Saturday I decided to shop all day after that long run, and a few hours in, I realized I was kind of limping because my legs were angry at me. That was not fun.
What else? There's lots I could talk about. When you run almost every day and dedicate four months of your life to this one silly really really long race (26.2 miles, in case you didn't know. Or 42 kilometers for you weird European people that don't think in miles), you think about it a lot. You pay more attention to what you eat, and think everyday about whether you are going to squeeze in a few miles before or after work, and you wish you didn't live on the 6th floor, because all those stairs hurt after you are already tired from all those miles.
But you also think about how you're really glad you're doing this. Working towards this goal gives you some sort of purpose in life or something. It feels good to whip your body into this kind of shape. You can eat whatever you want and never gain weight.
Well, I've already said too much. If you want to know about marathons and things, ask me. But that's all for now.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Apologize To Me Child
Last week a couple of kids were annoying me. They were battling each other Star Wars style with their pens. No matter how many times I told them to stop, they wouldn't. Finally I just took the pens away.
This is nothing new. I confiscate kids' stuff all the time when it's distracting me. Mostly it's rulers, pens (they're supposed to write in pencil) and those little finger skateboards. I usually give the kids their junk back at the end of class. But these two were particularly getting on my nerves.
I just didn't want to give them the satisfaction of getting their pens back, so I made up a dumb reason to keep them. So I told them I was keeping the pens until they wrote me apologies. I didn't expect them to do it. If I were the kid, I would just get a new pen.
Well today I got this on a scrap of paper: "Je m'excuse pour mon comportement d'éleve mal élevé du Mardi 28/05/09. Miss Betsy, et je promis de ne plus recommencé." Basically it says sorry for having bad manners and I won't do it again. It probably took him eight seconds to write. In French, the note kind of doesn't even make any sense. But I kept my part of the deal and gave him his pen.
The whole thing reminded me of a This American Life episode, "How to Talk to Kids." In the very last act, Dan Savage makes a point as to why sometimes it's okay to show kids that no matter how bad they can be, adults can be badder. My story isn't as dramatic as his was, but I did convince a kid to submit to a dumb punishment for misbehaving in class. I definitely got a little authority kick out of that. I owned you kid. Okay it was over a 4-color BIC, but I still owned you. Kid 0, (Miss) Betsy 1.
This is nothing new. I confiscate kids' stuff all the time when it's distracting me. Mostly it's rulers, pens (they're supposed to write in pencil) and those little finger skateboards. I usually give the kids their junk back at the end of class. But these two were particularly getting on my nerves.
I just didn't want to give them the satisfaction of getting their pens back, so I made up a dumb reason to keep them. So I told them I was keeping the pens until they wrote me apologies. I didn't expect them to do it. If I were the kid, I would just get a new pen.
Well today I got this on a scrap of paper: "Je m'excuse pour mon comportement d'éleve mal élevé du Mardi 28/05/09. Miss Betsy, et je promis de ne plus recommencé." Basically it says sorry for having bad manners and I won't do it again. It probably took him eight seconds to write. In French, the note kind of doesn't even make any sense. But I kept my part of the deal and gave him his pen.
The whole thing reminded me of a This American Life episode, "How to Talk to Kids." In the very last act, Dan Savage makes a point as to why sometimes it's okay to show kids that no matter how bad they can be, adults can be badder. My story isn't as dramatic as his was, but I did convince a kid to submit to a dumb punishment for misbehaving in class. I definitely got a little authority kick out of that. I owned you kid. Okay it was over a 4-color BIC, but I still owned you. Kid 0, (Miss) Betsy 1.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Day 1
Today is the first day of marathon training! Hurrah! I'm excited to get my new shoes dirty.
I didn't get the opportunity today, as Mondays are cross training days. In marathon speak, that means doing any sort of exercise that is not running. So I took advantage of the blue sky and the fact that today is yet another random French holiday and biked to the Bois de Vincennes. It's a huge park/forest just outside Paris. It's about a 20-minute bike ride.
This place is a sporty person's heaven. There are a million trails everywhere with tons of shade. I'm going to do all my long runs there, though I'll have to carry a map. I can already see myself getting lost and having to run an extra 5 miles.
I found a nice place to eat the little picnic I had prepared. I listened to a This American Life podcast and thought deep thoughts. I planned to read or write things too, but I had already gotten quite a bit of sun and was feeling tired. So I biked home. It was a great little excursion. I am ending this post now, because I am boring myself.
I didn't get the opportunity today, as Mondays are cross training days. In marathon speak, that means doing any sort of exercise that is not running. So I took advantage of the blue sky and the fact that today is yet another random French holiday and biked to the Bois de Vincennes. It's a huge park/forest just outside Paris. It's about a 20-minute bike ride.This place is a sporty person's heaven. There are a million trails everywhere with tons of shade. I'm going to do all my long runs there, though I'll have to carry a map. I can already see myself getting lost and having to run an extra 5 miles.
I found a nice place to eat the little picnic I had prepared. I listened to a This American Life podcast and thought deep thoughts. I planned to read or write things too, but I had already gotten quite a bit of sun and was feeling tired. So I biked home. It was a great little excursion. I am ending this post now, because I am boring myself.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Getting Things Done
I applied for a job in Chicago. The tiny chance of maybe, possibly being hired got me thinking. What if I had to leave Paris within the month? Would I be satisfied with everything I did here? Would I have given my time in Paris a good enough shot?
Naturally, the answer will always be no. You can always do more. You can always learn more. You can always see more, especially in this city. But all that aside. Would I have any major regrets if I left tomorrow?
Well… I wanted to go up in the Eiffel Tower again in honor of my late grandpa, who took me on my first France and Paris trip. I wanted to see a ballet and/or an opera. I wanted to eat at Dans le Noir, a pitch-black resturant with blind servers. I wanted to visit an old empty metro station. I'm just naming a few. There are more things I wanted to do.
So I'm going to stop lollygagging. I'm going to make a better effot to get some of this stuff done. Ideally I have until the end of August to cross everything off my list, but you never know. Could be sooner.
To celebrate this new determination of mine, I went to the Grand Palais to see the Andy Warhol exhibit, which I've had my eye on for months and months. I particularly liked the collection of Interview covers, the magazine he started in the '60s. The rest was good, too. I'm glad I went. I have been meaning to for awhile. Today I learned that getting around to doing something means to just go on and do it.
Naturally, the answer will always be no. You can always do more. You can always learn more. You can always see more, especially in this city. But all that aside. Would I have any major regrets if I left tomorrow?
Well… I wanted to go up in the Eiffel Tower again in honor of my late grandpa, who took me on my first France and Paris trip. I wanted to see a ballet and/or an opera. I wanted to eat at Dans le Noir, a pitch-black resturant with blind servers. I wanted to visit an old empty metro station. I'm just naming a few. There are more things I wanted to do.
So I'm going to stop lollygagging. I'm going to make a better effot to get some of this stuff done. Ideally I have until the end of August to cross everything off my list, but you never know. Could be sooner.
To celebrate this new determination of mine, I went to the Grand Palais to see the Andy Warhol exhibit, which I've had my eye on for months and months. I particularly liked the collection of Interview covers, the magazine he started in the '60s. The rest was good, too. I'm glad I went. I have been meaning to for awhile. Today I learned that getting around to doing something means to just go on and do it.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Photo Outtakes
I was editing photos for my little freelance gig, and came across some I never used.
I took this just outside of the Palais de Tokyo. If I had a scooter in Paris, I would want it to look somewhat like this.
This is just around the Centre Pompidou, or Beaubourg, as the locals say. I don't say Beaubourg because I sound stupid thanks to my dumb accent.
This is one of my favorite hipster streets in Paris. It's Rue Tiquetonne. There are a lot of hipster boutiques and even a hipster hair salon, where I got my hair cut once.
I took this just outside of the Palais de Tokyo. If I had a scooter in Paris, I would want it to look somewhat like this.
This is just around the Centre Pompidou, or Beaubourg, as the locals say. I don't say Beaubourg because I sound stupid thanks to my dumb accent.
This is one of my favorite hipster streets in Paris. It's Rue Tiquetonne. There are a lot of hipster boutiques and even a hipster hair salon, where I got my hair cut once.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Bike in Paris
I thought it would always be cool to have a bike in Paris, and an opportunity to buy one presented itself. Another language assistant was leaving the country. She was offering the bike, locks, lights and helmet for €70. So I bought it. It looks like this:
It's not the perfect bike. Its brakes go EEEEEEEEEE!!!, which is a bit embarrassing. But I can get that fixed. It's a bike nonetheless, and I'm excited to cruise around the Paris streets this summer.
Another added benefit was that I paid the seller with $$. I've been holding onto the 20-dollar bills my grandparents send me every few months. As the seller was leaving for the states the next day, she didn't really need any more local currency. So the bike didn't even cost me €1.
I hope my other bike doesn't find out. My blue Schwinn road bike with yellow handlebar tape is sitting in my parents' garage, and I miss it dearly. It is a great bike, and we have been through a lot together. Like when I dropped it off my car during rush hour on Lakeshore Drive. Or when it dropped me on a cement sidewalk, and I thought I had broken my arm. Ahhh… great memories. I haven't forgotten you blue Schwinn with yellow handlebar tape. You are still my favorite. The Peugeot is only temporary. Shhh… just don't tell it.
It's not the perfect bike. Its brakes go EEEEEEEEEE!!!, which is a bit embarrassing. But I can get that fixed. It's a bike nonetheless, and I'm excited to cruise around the Paris streets this summer.Another added benefit was that I paid the seller with $$. I've been holding onto the 20-dollar bills my grandparents send me every few months. As the seller was leaving for the states the next day, she didn't really need any more local currency. So the bike didn't even cost me €1.
I hope my other bike doesn't find out. My blue Schwinn road bike with yellow handlebar tape is sitting in my parents' garage, and I miss it dearly. It is a great bike, and we have been through a lot together. Like when I dropped it off my car during rush hour on Lakeshore Drive. Or when it dropped me on a cement sidewalk, and I thought I had broken my arm. Ahhh… great memories. I haven't forgotten you blue Schwinn with yellow handlebar tape. You are still my favorite. The Peugeot is only temporary. Shhh… just don't tell it.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Moving On Up: Maps
Anyone who knows me well knows that I get lost easily. In other words, I can lost in my hometown. In September, I brought the following with me to Paris, ready to battle the directionally challenged aspect of my being:
It's a Paris City Moleskine. A notebook with Paris maps and blank pages for taking notes and writing deep thoughts. Back then, it was a great tool. I had one small convenient notebook for writing addresses and directions and for finding places.
But I've outgrown the notebook. I no longer need any of the information written inside. The old addresses and shopping lists aren't doing me much good. The maps aren't always accurate. Oftentimes they don't name those little pedestrian streets of which Paris has a million. The metro map is missing the last stop on Line 14.
Okay, so no one visiting Paris needs to take Line 14 to its final stop. Which is why the book is really useful for a tourist or newcomer. I, however, needed something more serious. Enter this:
Tourists carry fold-out maps. Parisians carry l'indispensable (the essential) Paris Pratique. It's a book of maps separated by neighborhood. It lists all the metro stops, bike stations, one-way streets, and all sorts of other handy info. It's small, thin, and slips easily into a purse or decently sized pocket.
The problem with my Paris Pratique is its age. It's the 2009 edition, aka too new. It's clear that I haven't been living here long, because the corners aren't worn, the pages arent frayed, and the cover isn't warped. It's getting there. My Paris Pratique got rained on a bit, so some of the pages are a tad-bit water damaged. I'm proud.
It's a Paris City Moleskine. A notebook with Paris maps and blank pages for taking notes and writing deep thoughts. Back then, it was a great tool. I had one small convenient notebook for writing addresses and directions and for finding places.But I've outgrown the notebook. I no longer need any of the information written inside. The old addresses and shopping lists aren't doing me much good. The maps aren't always accurate. Oftentimes they don't name those little pedestrian streets of which Paris has a million. The metro map is missing the last stop on Line 14.
Okay, so no one visiting Paris needs to take Line 14 to its final stop. Which is why the book is really useful for a tourist or newcomer. I, however, needed something more serious. Enter this:
Tourists carry fold-out maps. Parisians carry l'indispensable (the essential) Paris Pratique. It's a book of maps separated by neighborhood. It lists all the metro stops, bike stations, one-way streets, and all sorts of other handy info. It's small, thin, and slips easily into a purse or decently sized pocket. The problem with my Paris Pratique is its age. It's the 2009 edition, aka too new. It's clear that I haven't been living here long, because the corners aren't worn, the pages arent frayed, and the cover isn't warped. It's getting there. My Paris Pratique got rained on a bit, so some of the pages are a tad-bit water damaged. I'm proud.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
So When Are You Coming Home?
I get this question several times a week from my friends, family and pretty much anyone I know back in the states. My teaching contract finishes the end of June, so everyone wants to know how quickly I will hurry back to that whole other life I left in the USA.
Moving here wasn't easy, especially at the beginning. But it also won't be easy to leave. I've worked really hard to carve out a little niche for myself in Paris. Believe it or not, this hasn't been a vacation. I have a life here, too. And I also really like baguettes.
After much deep thought and journal-entry writing, I've decided to stay in Paris at least until the end of the summer. Although making money might be an issue, I'm confident I can figure something out. I'll either keep freelancing or start waiting tables or something.
Why do I want to stay longer? I worry that I haven't given Paris the chance it deserves. There is so much in this city that I haven't gotten around to doing. And I would also like to take a couple months to concentrate on pitching and writing some freelance pieces that have been floating around in my head for some time. Plus I can't deny that my French still needs more work.
So I'll come home, eventually. I just don't know when that eventually is. Probably when I can no longer stand the riduculous level of second-hand smoke here. The first shirt I am pulling out of my wardrobe when I arrive home is this one.
Moving here wasn't easy, especially at the beginning. But it also won't be easy to leave. I've worked really hard to carve out a little niche for myself in Paris. Believe it or not, this hasn't been a vacation. I have a life here, too. And I also really like baguettes.
After much deep thought and journal-entry writing, I've decided to stay in Paris at least until the end of the summer. Although making money might be an issue, I'm confident I can figure something out. I'll either keep freelancing or start waiting tables or something.
Why do I want to stay longer? I worry that I haven't given Paris the chance it deserves. There is so much in this city that I haven't gotten around to doing. And I would also like to take a couple months to concentrate on pitching and writing some freelance pieces that have been floating around in my head for some time. Plus I can't deny that my French still needs more work.
So I'll come home, eventually. I just don't know when that eventually is. Probably when I can no longer stand the riduculous level of second-hand smoke here. The first shirt I am pulling out of my wardrobe when I arrive home is this one.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Missing American Food
This weekend, I was in the neighborhood of the American foods store. So I popped in to take in some familiar sites and smells from the homeland. That Betty Crocker cake mix looks so foreign in Paris.
I walked out with a box of €3.50 Kraft Mac & Cheese. Almost four times the price, but Sooooo good, and equally so bad (For those who don't know: it's a box of pasta with cheese-flavored powder. Cook pasta, add powder, butter and milk. Eat. And get fat, because that powder is extremely high in calories). This got me to thinking about what other foods I really miss from home, mostly unhealthy stuff. Here are some things I never eat here:
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Nerds
- Peanut butter M & Ms
- Junior mints
- Peanut butter that actually tastes good (Can be found in the foreign foods section of the grocery store, but doesn’t take quite right)
- Deep dish pizza (Chicago only)
- Italian beef sandwiches (Chicago only)
- Hot dogs smothered with delicious toppings, not ketchup of course (of the Chicago variety)
- Lakota coffee (Columbia only)
- Chicken wings
- Potato skins
- Chocolate soy milk
- Bagels
- Bacon
- Pie, any kind. cherry, blueberry, pumpkin preferably.
I'm sure there's more. I had to do some thinking to make this long of a list. Like I said, these foods just simply do not exist here, so I kind of forgot about most of them.
Also, for fun, I google imaged "american foods." Basically it's pictures of the worst possible everything you could eat.
I walked out with a box of €3.50 Kraft Mac & Cheese. Almost four times the price, but Sooooo good, and equally so bad (For those who don't know: it's a box of pasta with cheese-flavored powder. Cook pasta, add powder, butter and milk. Eat. And get fat, because that powder is extremely high in calories). This got me to thinking about what other foods I really miss from home, mostly unhealthy stuff. Here are some things I never eat here:
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Nerds
- Peanut butter M & Ms
- Junior mints
- Peanut butter that actually tastes good (Can be found in the foreign foods section of the grocery store, but doesn’t take quite right)
- Deep dish pizza (Chicago only)
- Italian beef sandwiches (Chicago only)
- Hot dogs smothered with delicious toppings, not ketchup of course (of the Chicago variety)
- Lakota coffee (Columbia only)
- Chicken wings
- Potato skins
- Chocolate soy milk
- Bagels
- Bacon
- Pie, any kind. cherry, blueberry, pumpkin preferably.
I'm sure there's more. I had to do some thinking to make this long of a list. Like I said, these foods just simply do not exist here, so I kind of forgot about most of them.
Also, for fun, I google imaged "american foods." Basically it's pictures of the worst possible everything you could eat.
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