6 Octobre 2007
Today is Nuit Blanche! It’s the night where everyone in Paris stays out late, the metro doesn’t close and everyone parties! Firstly, my lovely bank card has arrived and now I can use it, because I’m getting paid at the end of the month and my debits don’t come out until the 5th of the following month! During the day, Liz and I got together to meet with some of the assistants from her département to go to the Père Lachaise, one of the largest cemeteries in Paris and it features many famous people, like Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Charles Baudelaire, Balzac, etc. I had been in contact with Pierre, a former student from Miami, to see about meeting up. He agreed to meet Liz and me at the Père Lachaise early and to walk around with us. However, true to his French self, he ended up canceling until later in the afternoon, when we were to meet him for a drink. Since we arrived early, Liz and I walked around the neighborhood, which honestly wasn’t much to look at, only there was a market going on, which we decided to check out. On our way into the market, an elderly man (with a cane!) told me I looked pretty and asked me if I wanted to join him for a cup of coffee. I told him thank you but no; Liz just laughed. Throughout the market, there were so many things to look at and smell and taste. Flowers, cheese, fish, bread, meat, vegetables, fruits, clothes, etc. Some of the (younger) vendors started cat-calling to Liz and me, but we just ignored and kept moving with the flow of the buyers. Eventually, we made our way back to the entrance to the Père Lachaise, where we meet up with Lorna and Rachel. We ended up walking around the cemetery (felt more like getting lost) for a couple of hours. Eventually, we found the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison. The Père Lachaise is beautiful; there are many gardens and flowers everywhere. The ironic thing is that couples sit in the cemetery and make out. Not exactly the most romantic place to be, I’d have to say. We left Liz’s fellow assistants because we had an appointment to meet Pierre at Pigalle, which is right near Montmartre. Liz and I wanted to buy scarfs before meeting up with him, so we made the hike up through the hills until we found the shop we had visited previously. We purchased what we wanted and then went back to the metro station where Pierre was waiting for us, right on time. (Thank goodness!) We had a nice drink with him and we reminisced about the “good old Miami days”. Of course, I teased him about anything like I always do. It was just nice to see one of my French friends in Paris. We parted in the metro, with a promise to get together again soon. Liz and I headed home so that we could get ready for Nuit Blanche! I wanted to wear a dress (I was in a dressy mood) but I opted for jeans and my striped tube top and my new scarf. I also opted to wear my high heels. What a dumb decision when you’re walking in Paris. It was somewhat cold that night, but we managed to find a nice restaurant not too far from the Centre Pompidou. Liz had a calzone and tiramisu; Mickel had a seafood appetizer, rabbit as his dinner, chocolate cake and coffee!!; I had small raviolis in a cream sauce for an appetizer, home cut french fry wedges (they were so good!) and chocolate ice cream. Afterwards, we headed towards the Louvre, where there was a lot of commotion. Apparently, France had won their game of rugby and everyone was in the street yelling or singing. Many cars and scooters were honking their horns and displaying the French flag. It was certainly crazy. We ended up meeting again with Lorna and we all walked to the Eiffel Tower, which was lit up, but every 5 mins before and after the hour, the Eiffel Tower has a light display that makes it look glittery/sparkly. We stayed at the Eiffel Tower until people started leaving and we tried to take the RER but it was closed, so we had to walk to Bir Hakim to take the metro home. I had to take off my shoes because my poor feet were killing me! I decided that I was disappointed with the Nuit Blanche because supposedly there were supposed to be great parties going on, but nothing much seemed to be different or we just couldn’t find them. The Louvre was open late to people, but it was so crowded that it was worth trying to enter. I was glad when Mickel and I were home. After making some calls to his family in Costa Rica, he and I talked until late in the morning.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Try To Relax = Make Dinner For Your Friends
5 Octobre 2007
Today, I had no classes to teach, because my teacher (Rozenn Etienne) was sick. I tried to meet up with some of the English profs who were in so that I could talk to them about what exactly they wanted me to do for their classes. They felt like I was freaking out or too worried and they said that they would provide me with prompts or documents to work with. This still didn’t help, especially when I already felt confused from the training the previous day before. One of my teachers’ also made a comment about how I should relax like my roommate because he wasn’t getting “worked up”. What I had to point out to her was that Mickel already received instruction in Costa Rica on how to prep himself for the French classroom. She apologized and said that she would help me in whatever way I needed. I still feel confused on what my actual role is. I want to do a good job and I don’t want to walk away at the end of the year and have the teachers think I did a poor job. I don’t know why but this concerns me. I wish that they could understand that this is just how I function. Liz came over and we went for a walk. I had her and Mickel (during the day before) that I wanted to make dinner for them this evening. While on our walk, I bought some cute little chocolates for dessert from a little chocolatier (chocolate shop) near my home. Later in the evening, Liz, Mickel and I went to the library (again!) to check our emails. While I was there, I had put my keys in my backpack, because entrance to the library is first done through a metal detector. When we were getting ready to go, I started looking though my bag for my keys to put in my pockets. I started to become panicked because I couldn’t find them. I remembered that during my visit that there was a public service announcement, letting people know that pit pockets were functioning in the library and to keep bags off the floor. I kept my backpack on the desk the whole time and didn’t remember anyone coming near me or my bag. Then I thought that maybe one of the security guards who had checked my bag, had maybe knocked the keys out and had them for me. We asked one and he said he had no keys. That’s when I freaked out. I started crying and saying that I was going to have to replace the keys. (And my keys are expensive! 50€ for just the key to the salle des profs/classrooms alone!) After Mickel helped me look through my bag, I found them hidden in a pocket that they had slipped into. I felt SO stupid and idiotic that I got so worked up. I wanted to melt into the floor right then and there. The security guards gave me a hard time (but only in jest). I didn’t feel like I could walk back into the library again. The three of us returned home, where I made dinner (a nice pasta dish with mushrooms and olives, bread, green beans) and dessert (chocolates). At least the dinner was nice.
Today, I had no classes to teach, because my teacher (Rozenn Etienne) was sick. I tried to meet up with some of the English profs who were in so that I could talk to them about what exactly they wanted me to do for their classes. They felt like I was freaking out or too worried and they said that they would provide me with prompts or documents to work with. This still didn’t help, especially when I already felt confused from the training the previous day before. One of my teachers’ also made a comment about how I should relax like my roommate because he wasn’t getting “worked up”. What I had to point out to her was that Mickel already received instruction in Costa Rica on how to prep himself for the French classroom. She apologized and said that she would help me in whatever way I needed. I still feel confused on what my actual role is. I want to do a good job and I don’t want to walk away at the end of the year and have the teachers think I did a poor job. I don’t know why but this concerns me. I wish that they could understand that this is just how I function. Liz came over and we went for a walk. I had her and Mickel (during the day before) that I wanted to make dinner for them this evening. While on our walk, I bought some cute little chocolates for dessert from a little chocolatier (chocolate shop) near my home. Later in the evening, Liz, Mickel and I went to the library (again!) to check our emails. While I was there, I had put my keys in my backpack, because entrance to the library is first done through a metal detector. When we were getting ready to go, I started looking though my bag for my keys to put in my pockets. I started to become panicked because I couldn’t find them. I remembered that during my visit that there was a public service announcement, letting people know that pit pockets were functioning in the library and to keep bags off the floor. I kept my backpack on the desk the whole time and didn’t remember anyone coming near me or my bag. Then I thought that maybe one of the security guards who had checked my bag, had maybe knocked the keys out and had them for me. We asked one and he said he had no keys. That’s when I freaked out. I started crying and saying that I was going to have to replace the keys. (And my keys are expensive! 50€ for just the key to the salle des profs/classrooms alone!) After Mickel helped me look through my bag, I found them hidden in a pocket that they had slipped into. I felt SO stupid and idiotic that I got so worked up. I wanted to melt into the floor right then and there. The security guards gave me a hard time (but only in jest). I didn’t feel like I could walk back into the library again. The three of us returned home, where I made dinner (a nice pasta dish with mushrooms and olives, bread, green beans) and dessert (chocolates). At least the dinner was nice.
Another Stupid Meeting!
4 Octobre 2007
Today, I have another meeting with some of the English assistants, only this time, the meeting consists of the assistants who work in my département, which is Val et Marne (94). I had to ride the RER A again, only this time I took it south and got off at Joinville-le-Pont. Then I had to ride the bus 108/110 until the stop JB Clement, which fortunately, is right in front of our school where we are to meet. I had a slight snafu on the bus; since I only bought a ticket for the RER, mine didn’t work. Fortunately, the bus driver still let me on. There were about 20-25 students, most coming from England/UK or USA. It was nice to meet with them, but honestly, the meeting was a complete bore. It was supposed to be a training session with two teachers on how to teach or improve French students’ English. I just felt more confused by the end of the day. The nicest parts of the meeting were actually getting to talk with some of the assistants, although I never really “bonded” with one person. Once the meeting was over, we received a contact list of everyone’s emails and phone numbers so we could talk with one another. We headed back to the bus stop and managed to get our entire group onto one bus, but it was crowded throughout our ride back to the RER station. (And of course, the bus driver still let me on with my bad ticket.) By the time I got to the station, I realized that someone had stolen my Coach umbrella, that I received a few years previously and of course, I was pissed off! Already I was feeling frustrated and confused about the training, but now this made me even more upset because I felt like someone who had been taken advantage of. I had to buy another RER ticket to get home, only this time, the RER didn’t stop at Vincennes and went directly to Nation, which is a station on line 1 (remember this line because it’s the one you might be riding if you come visit me!!!). I got of the RER and went to take the metro but my ticket wouldn’t let me on the metro or even out of the station. Out of desperation, I went to a help counter with my ticket, and in my best French, I ask why my ticket wouldn’t work. I could tell that the woman behind the counter really felt bad for me and she told me to take the RER A again heading towards Marne la Vallée and that it would drop me off at Vincennes. I thanked her for her help and, after a couple frustrating minutes of trying to find the direction, I was back on the right RER and heading home. Overall, what a crappy way to spend the day. When I got back to Vincennes, I went to the salle des profs and Mickel was there. He asked me what was wrong and tried to cheer me up when I told him I had a bad day. I’m lucky to have such a nice roommate.
Today, I have another meeting with some of the English assistants, only this time, the meeting consists of the assistants who work in my département, which is Val et Marne (94). I had to ride the RER A again, only this time I took it south and got off at Joinville-le-Pont. Then I had to ride the bus 108/110 until the stop JB Clement, which fortunately, is right in front of our school where we are to meet. I had a slight snafu on the bus; since I only bought a ticket for the RER, mine didn’t work. Fortunately, the bus driver still let me on. There were about 20-25 students, most coming from England/UK or USA. It was nice to meet with them, but honestly, the meeting was a complete bore. It was supposed to be a training session with two teachers on how to teach or improve French students’ English. I just felt more confused by the end of the day. The nicest parts of the meeting were actually getting to talk with some of the assistants, although I never really “bonded” with one person. Once the meeting was over, we received a contact list of everyone’s emails and phone numbers so we could talk with one another. We headed back to the bus stop and managed to get our entire group onto one bus, but it was crowded throughout our ride back to the RER station. (And of course, the bus driver still let me on with my bad ticket.) By the time I got to the station, I realized that someone had stolen my Coach umbrella, that I received a few years previously and of course, I was pissed off! Already I was feeling frustrated and confused about the training, but now this made me even more upset because I felt like someone who had been taken advantage of. I had to buy another RER ticket to get home, only this time, the RER didn’t stop at Vincennes and went directly to Nation, which is a station on line 1 (remember this line because it’s the one you might be riding if you come visit me!!!). I got of the RER and went to take the metro but my ticket wouldn’t let me on the metro or even out of the station. Out of desperation, I went to a help counter with my ticket, and in my best French, I ask why my ticket wouldn’t work. I could tell that the woman behind the counter really felt bad for me and she told me to take the RER A again heading towards Marne la Vallée and that it would drop me off at Vincennes. I thanked her for her help and, after a couple frustrating minutes of trying to find the direction, I was back on the right RER and heading home. Overall, what a crappy way to spend the day. When I got back to Vincennes, I went to the salle des profs and Mickel was there. He asked me what was wrong and tried to cheer me up when I told him I had a bad day. I’m lucky to have such a nice roommate.
See, Going To The Grocery Store Can Be An Adventure...
3 Octobre 2007
Today, Serge made an agreement with Mickel to take us to the grocery store, Carrefour, which apparently has cheaper prices that Monoprix. Go figure that I wouldn’t learn this until later. Of course, I had already made arrangements with Liz to get together before going to the library, so Liz got to come along with us. Serge and I rode in the front, Mickel and Liz in the back. When we got to Carrefour, there is special parking under the building, because the grocery store is located inside a centre commercial (smaller mall). When Serge found his spot, he let us out before he parked and we all noticed a heavy urine smell. Mickel made a joke that we would be able to find the car with our noses. We had to get our grocery carts near the garage and they are taken up large mechanical ramps, like the kind you walk on at the airport. After walking around the grocery store for about an hour, Mickel and I found our things and proceeded to check out. For my things, I paid about 44€, which doesn’t seem like a lot based on how much I purchased, but when converted into dollars, it is very expensive. (Thank goodness I’m getting a good exchange to send money back to the US.) Since Serge’s car isn’t very big, we were kind of worried about how we were going to fit all the food into the car, if we found the car. We ended up wandering around the parking lot for a good 20 mins before we found the car. And of course, it had that horrible pee smell we remembered. I was laughing so hard at everything that everyone else started laughing. Once we were all packed into the car, Serge put on some of his favorite music, which included an American jazz singer he loves. He was singing her songs (in English), so I asked him if he understood the lyrics. He said he understood just a little, but honestly, it was so funny to watch this older man sing! He loves jazz music and loves the fact that I like jazz music too. How sweet. While bringing up the groceries, Serge invited Mickel over to have a beer and Liz and I went to the library so we could check our email. I also had an appointment to meet the family that had asked me to be a babysitter for them. Liz accompanied me on this trip, since I didn’t know the neighborhood too well. Luc and Laurence Porta have two children: Gaël (4.5 yrs) and Maïwenn (2.5 yrs). Luc is fluent in English and would like his children to be also. They have asked me to baby-sit for them from 5:30 until 6:45-7, when Laurence returns from work. My only goal is to help the children practice their English by speaking with them. They are willing to pay me 10€ an hour, which will be a nice addition to my income. They children seem nice and they are glad that I can come up to 4 days a week. I admit I’m kind of scared because sometimes I can’t tell what they are saying but the parents admit that even they can’t tell what the kids say because they are so young and Maïwenn is still learning to speak in French. After a successful appointment, I promise to give them an answer by the end of the weekend and Liz and I return to our homes. When I get back to the apartment, Mickel is still out with Serge. A few minutes later, he comes in and tells me that we are having dinner with Serge and his family. I greet them, including Natalie, and we sit down to dinner, which consists of still-bloody hamburger patties and fries. It tasted good, but for those of you who really know me, I hate bloody meat! During the meal, Natalie’s boyfriend joins us and right after the meal, he and Natalie leave the table because Natalie has to study for her driving test, which happens to be tomorrow. Mickel and I stay with Serge and his wife, who serve us dessert and coffee (which makes Mickel very happy). We talk about Brittany and his house there and Serge gets out a book with pictures of Brittany. I talk about wanting to go there and also to Normandy (which is just north of Brittany), Mont-Saint-Michel, going to Normandy beach and tasting fresh made calvados (apple liqueur, known to that region). Serge then offers me some very nice calvados that he has at home. I added it to my coffee, which gives it a nice taste. After finishing our coffee, Serge gives us each a French shot glass (much larger than American ones) and gives us straight calvados to drink. It was very strong, compared to when I had it in my coffee, but it tastes good and felt warm as it went down my throat. Serge offered to take us to Brittany for a vacation with him and his family. He even offered to take me to the places I have asked to go visit. He is a nice guy. The subject changes to music and I retrieved my laptop, because of course, I have some well-known French music we’ve been discussing. Serge is impressed with my music collection. It was getting late, so Mickel and I prepared to leave. As I went to shake Serge’s hand, he took it but instead kissed my hand, like a gentleman with a lady. Of course, I smiled (and probably blushed) and we went into our apartment. I’m lucky to have such nice neighbors!
Today, Serge made an agreement with Mickel to take us to the grocery store, Carrefour, which apparently has cheaper prices that Monoprix. Go figure that I wouldn’t learn this until later. Of course, I had already made arrangements with Liz to get together before going to the library, so Liz got to come along with us. Serge and I rode in the front, Mickel and Liz in the back. When we got to Carrefour, there is special parking under the building, because the grocery store is located inside a centre commercial (smaller mall). When Serge found his spot, he let us out before he parked and we all noticed a heavy urine smell. Mickel made a joke that we would be able to find the car with our noses. We had to get our grocery carts near the garage and they are taken up large mechanical ramps, like the kind you walk on at the airport. After walking around the grocery store for about an hour, Mickel and I found our things and proceeded to check out. For my things, I paid about 44€, which doesn’t seem like a lot based on how much I purchased, but when converted into dollars, it is very expensive. (Thank goodness I’m getting a good exchange to send money back to the US.) Since Serge’s car isn’t very big, we were kind of worried about how we were going to fit all the food into the car, if we found the car. We ended up wandering around the parking lot for a good 20 mins before we found the car. And of course, it had that horrible pee smell we remembered. I was laughing so hard at everything that everyone else started laughing. Once we were all packed into the car, Serge put on some of his favorite music, which included an American jazz singer he loves. He was singing her songs (in English), so I asked him if he understood the lyrics. He said he understood just a little, but honestly, it was so funny to watch this older man sing! He loves jazz music and loves the fact that I like jazz music too. How sweet. While bringing up the groceries, Serge invited Mickel over to have a beer and Liz and I went to the library so we could check our email. I also had an appointment to meet the family that had asked me to be a babysitter for them. Liz accompanied me on this trip, since I didn’t know the neighborhood too well. Luc and Laurence Porta have two children: Gaël (4.5 yrs) and Maïwenn (2.5 yrs). Luc is fluent in English and would like his children to be also. They have asked me to baby-sit for them from 5:30 until 6:45-7, when Laurence returns from work. My only goal is to help the children practice their English by speaking with them. They are willing to pay me 10€ an hour, which will be a nice addition to my income. They children seem nice and they are glad that I can come up to 4 days a week. I admit I’m kind of scared because sometimes I can’t tell what they are saying but the parents admit that even they can’t tell what the kids say because they are so young and Maïwenn is still learning to speak in French. After a successful appointment, I promise to give them an answer by the end of the weekend and Liz and I return to our homes. When I get back to the apartment, Mickel is still out with Serge. A few minutes later, he comes in and tells me that we are having dinner with Serge and his family. I greet them, including Natalie, and we sit down to dinner, which consists of still-bloody hamburger patties and fries. It tasted good, but for those of you who really know me, I hate bloody meat! During the meal, Natalie’s boyfriend joins us and right after the meal, he and Natalie leave the table because Natalie has to study for her driving test, which happens to be tomorrow. Mickel and I stay with Serge and his wife, who serve us dessert and coffee (which makes Mickel very happy). We talk about Brittany and his house there and Serge gets out a book with pictures of Brittany. I talk about wanting to go there and also to Normandy (which is just north of Brittany), Mont-Saint-Michel, going to Normandy beach and tasting fresh made calvados (apple liqueur, known to that region). Serge then offers me some very nice calvados that he has at home. I added it to my coffee, which gives it a nice taste. After finishing our coffee, Serge gives us each a French shot glass (much larger than American ones) and gives us straight calvados to drink. It was very strong, compared to when I had it in my coffee, but it tastes good and felt warm as it went down my throat. Serge offered to take us to Brittany for a vacation with him and his family. He even offered to take me to the places I have asked to go visit. He is a nice guy. The subject changes to music and I retrieved my laptop, because of course, I have some well-known French music we’ve been discussing. Serge is impressed with my music collection. It was getting late, so Mickel and I prepared to leave. As I went to shake Serge’s hand, he took it but instead kissed my hand, like a gentleman with a lady. Of course, I smiled (and probably blushed) and we went into our apartment. I’m lucky to have such nice neighbors!
Questioning The Foreigner.
2 Octobre 2007
I had my first classes today. Pretty much, I just introduced myself and the students were supposed to ask me questions. This is nice because they can be curious and inquisitive about the US and what Americans think about France and the French. I am frequently asked what I think about Nicolas Sarkozy (new French president) or George Bush or Michael Moore and his films or French food. Other questions included: Do I like French guys? Do I have a boyfriend? Am I married? What American sports or sports teams do I like? Have I been to Paris? What do I like in France? Do we have metros where I live? Where do I live in France? What kind of guys do you like? Are you a vegetarian? What are my favorite movies? (French or American?) What do I think about the French? Do Americans like the French? What stereotypes exist in the US about France? Do I plan to travel while I’m here visiting? Why did I want to come to France in the first place? What do I want to become? (career) Do I have to finish studies when I return to the US? Which do I prefer more: France or US? What kind of music do I like? Why did I study so many languages? Do I have any siblings? What do my parents do? Do I have any pets? If it weren’t so amusing, I’d almost feel like I was in front of the Inquisition in smaller groups. I am looking forward to working with these groups. In the evening, I was looking forward to going to the library with Liz and Mickel. But apparently I wouldn’t be going any other Tuesday night, because every Tuesday, they’re closed! The three of us about cried! (I know; we’re that desperate!) We ventured to the McD’s that was just down the street from the library, hoping that we could pick up a signal. Eventually, we got a really weak one and we each bought dinner so that the staff didn’t think we were loitering like the homeless do. Liz and I decided to try and move closer to the library, so that next time, we could determine if sitting next to building would give us a better signal.
I had my first classes today. Pretty much, I just introduced myself and the students were supposed to ask me questions. This is nice because they can be curious and inquisitive about the US and what Americans think about France and the French. I am frequently asked what I think about Nicolas Sarkozy (new French president) or George Bush or Michael Moore and his films or French food. Other questions included: Do I like French guys? Do I have a boyfriend? Am I married? What American sports or sports teams do I like? Have I been to Paris? What do I like in France? Do we have metros where I live? Where do I live in France? What kind of guys do you like? Are you a vegetarian? What are my favorite movies? (French or American?) What do I think about the French? Do Americans like the French? What stereotypes exist in the US about France? Do I plan to travel while I’m here visiting? Why did I want to come to France in the first place? What do I want to become? (career) Do I have to finish studies when I return to the US? Which do I prefer more: France or US? What kind of music do I like? Why did I study so many languages? Do I have any siblings? What do my parents do? Do I have any pets? If it weren’t so amusing, I’d almost feel like I was in front of the Inquisition in smaller groups. I am looking forward to working with these groups. In the evening, I was looking forward to going to the library with Liz and Mickel. But apparently I wouldn’t be going any other Tuesday night, because every Tuesday, they’re closed! The three of us about cried! (I know; we’re that desperate!) We ventured to the McD’s that was just down the street from the library, hoping that we could pick up a signal. Eventually, we got a really weak one and we each bought dinner so that the staff didn’t think we were loitering like the homeless do. Liz and I decided to try and move closer to the library, so that next time, we could determine if sitting next to building would give us a better signal.
Buying Tickets For the RER Is A Pain! and I Can Finally Get Internet Access...Of Some Kind
1 Octobre 2007
So, today I had to go to Noissy-Champs, which is a few RER A stops away from Vincennes. The bad thing about my meeting is that I had to go early in the morning and there was such a long line of people to renew their monthly passes! Unfortunately, I had forgotten to get change and I had to run somewhere to buy something quickly, so I could buy a ticket. Ended up that I bought a ticket for the metro and that wasn’t meant for the RER! I was so pissed about being late and not being able to buy the right ticket that I ran through the open gate (meant for people with strollers or large suitcases exiting the station). I felt like a rebel, but a late rebel who was frustrated! I got onto the right RER, fortunately, because my stop at Vincennes, splits into two passages and I had to take the passage heading east instead of south. Once I got off at my exit, a girl saw me and asked if I was here for the assistant meeting. I told her yes and we introduced ourselves and I found out her name was Kate and that she had been to Paris last year, but as a student in college. She told me she was living with a family in the 7th in their very tiny room known in the past as the maid’s quarters. (Basically, it’s one of those 9m2 studios, where if there are more than two people in the room, it’s crowded.) We started looking for the meeting (because the directions weren’t clear…no surprise) and we were eventually joined by some other assistants. After wandering around a bit, we finally found our location and ended up only being like 30 mins late, which wasn’t a big deal as the meeting hadn’t even started yet as they figured people would be late. (How kind.) After two and a half hours, I was more confused and frustrated than before I came. This is because they discussed the documents we received in the US and told us that we were to have brought them to this meeting to drop off. I told them I already resent the documents back to France, as the original letter said they had to be resent. Grrrrr….they make it more difficult that it has to be!!! Kate and I left together for the RER A and when she found out that I had to buy a ticket, she recommended that I get a Navigo Pass (a personal pass that can be used monthly or weekly) to get around on all the metros, trains and RERs that run in Paris. We got on the metro and exchanged information. I invited her to hang out with us for the Nuit Blanche, which was coming up. Later in the evening, I waited for Liz to come back from her meeting (mine was 9-12, hers was 2-5). I agreed to meet her at her apartment around 7-7:30 and we were going to go to the library together. We took the exit that Naomi told us to take (Châtelet) but we got lots, so I asked a police officer where it was located. We finally found it and sure enough, there was free wifi access, but the catch is that you can only access it for 90 mins. Another downside is that not all of the tables have electricity or plugs, so my battery might die after a little over an hour. But hey, it is free Internet access after all. And trust me, even here in beautiful Paris, I feel deprived without it.
So, today I had to go to Noissy-Champs, which is a few RER A stops away from Vincennes. The bad thing about my meeting is that I had to go early in the morning and there was such a long line of people to renew their monthly passes! Unfortunately, I had forgotten to get change and I had to run somewhere to buy something quickly, so I could buy a ticket. Ended up that I bought a ticket for the metro and that wasn’t meant for the RER! I was so pissed about being late and not being able to buy the right ticket that I ran through the open gate (meant for people with strollers or large suitcases exiting the station). I felt like a rebel, but a late rebel who was frustrated! I got onto the right RER, fortunately, because my stop at Vincennes, splits into two passages and I had to take the passage heading east instead of south. Once I got off at my exit, a girl saw me and asked if I was here for the assistant meeting. I told her yes and we introduced ourselves and I found out her name was Kate and that she had been to Paris last year, but as a student in college. She told me she was living with a family in the 7th in their very tiny room known in the past as the maid’s quarters. (Basically, it’s one of those 9m2 studios, where if there are more than two people in the room, it’s crowded.) We started looking for the meeting (because the directions weren’t clear…no surprise) and we were eventually joined by some other assistants. After wandering around a bit, we finally found our location and ended up only being like 30 mins late, which wasn’t a big deal as the meeting hadn’t even started yet as they figured people would be late. (How kind.) After two and a half hours, I was more confused and frustrated than before I came. This is because they discussed the documents we received in the US and told us that we were to have brought them to this meeting to drop off. I told them I already resent the documents back to France, as the original letter said they had to be resent. Grrrrr….they make it more difficult that it has to be!!! Kate and I left together for the RER A and when she found out that I had to buy a ticket, she recommended that I get a Navigo Pass (a personal pass that can be used monthly or weekly) to get around on all the metros, trains and RERs that run in Paris. We got on the metro and exchanged information. I invited her to hang out with us for the Nuit Blanche, which was coming up. Later in the evening, I waited for Liz to come back from her meeting (mine was 9-12, hers was 2-5). I agreed to meet her at her apartment around 7-7:30 and we were going to go to the library together. We took the exit that Naomi told us to take (Châtelet) but we got lots, so I asked a police officer where it was located. We finally found it and sure enough, there was free wifi access, but the catch is that you can only access it for 90 mins. Another downside is that not all of the tables have electricity or plugs, so my battery might die after a little over an hour. But hey, it is free Internet access after all. And trust me, even here in beautiful Paris, I feel deprived without it.
A Lazy Parisian Afternoon
30 Septembre 2007
I meet up with Liz at around 11. I was so happy to see her (she’s becoming a staple in my new French life) and I naturally asked her about her first night with Naomi. She said it was good, that Naomi bought pizza (how funny!!) and that she liked living with her, despite the size of the apartment, especially because she could practice her French. Turns out that Naomi has been living in Paris for awhile, but she is originally from Reunion, a French territory near Africa. She is a student who is looking for a full-time job. She’s also a great resource for Liz, because she has given us advice on getting Internet access. She told Liz that the library at the Centre Pompidou has free wifi access, so Liz and I agreed to check it out tomorrow, after our English assistant meetings during the day. I wanted to go see the site of Napoleon’s tomb, so we went to the Hôtel des Invalides, which also happens to have the Musée de l’Armée. We purchased student tickets and went through the museum first, which houses numerous suits of armor, swords, old-fashioned guns, etc. The second part of the museum, which was going through an update, was for the World Wars. This is especially interesting to view, because it was almost like France’s take on the war and Liz and I were viewing it from our countries’ perspectives. After walking throughout the entire museum, with the exception of the current additional-charge exhibition (titled “Love, Sex and War”), we went into the military church, which has a transparent wall, through which one can see into the location of Napoleon’s tomb. However, to enter the place where Napoleon is buried and actually see his tomb, you have to go around the outside and in through a separate entrance. Once inside, his huge tomb (for such a small man) is located in the center and is surrounded by female guardians who watch over him. There are some other tombs here, such as his nephew (Napoleon III) and other military leaders who died. The exhibit also has some of Napoleon’s memorabilia, like his hat and coat, seen in many pictures that portrait him. After leaving the museum, Liz and I decided that we wanted something to eat, so walked around in Paris until we came to the Champs-Élysées and we bought some sandwiches. We sat on a park bench, under all the trees, and we ate and talked and people watched for a few hours. Honestly, it was nice doing nothing special. I enjoyed watching all the couples walk by or the little kids. After sitting as long as we wanted, I wanted to go see the famous Georges V hotel, which is just off of the Champs-Élysées. While walking there, I got a craving for Haagen-Dazs, and there happens to be one of their biggest ice cream stores here, so I went in and I got a two-scoop (deux boules): Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Carmel Delight. Of course, it was so good! The worst thing about the whole situation though (who’d have thought that getting ice cream could go bad?) was that the seating area outside and the inside of the store was packed! And it top it off, these three older French ladies cut in front of me and the 20 others behind me in line to get their ice cream cones. I had been tolerant of the French and their habits up until this moment, but when they proceeded to behave as thought the rest of us weren’t there and take forever to make their choices, I purposefully acted up to make them feel guilty. This got the attention of one of the workers and it got me my ice cream sooner and cheaper, and I was able to pay before the old ladies (cows, as Liz called them). When Liz and I were walking out, we saw a waiter bringing huge, yummy looking sundaes out to the people sitting in the “dining area” and we decided that one of these days, we were going to come back here and get a dessert just like that! We continued to walk along the Champs-Élysées until we found the street where the Georges V was located, and once we found it, it looked amazing, just as its reputation claims. Outside of the hotel, luxury cars and limos wait for leaving guests to take them wherever they want to go. The ambiance was incredible and of course, it made me think of my good friend Diane and one of our favorite movies, French Kiss. The sad thing about it is that my camera’s battery had died and I couldn’t take a picture! I’m going to return there, if just to take the picture! Liz wanted to go back to the Disney Store, so she could look for the High School Musical 2 soundtrack in French. The store was of course crazy because it was a Sunday, so we didn’t stay there very long. It was getting to be about 6:30, so Liz and I decided to return to our homes. When I got back to the apartment, Mickel wasn’t there, so I decided to take a nap. He woke me up about an hour later and we ended up talking until the middle of night! I had to stop the conversation because I have a meeting tomorrow morning outside of Vincennes, in which all the non-European Union English assistants have to attend.
I meet up with Liz at around 11. I was so happy to see her (she’s becoming a staple in my new French life) and I naturally asked her about her first night with Naomi. She said it was good, that Naomi bought pizza (how funny!!) and that she liked living with her, despite the size of the apartment, especially because she could practice her French. Turns out that Naomi has been living in Paris for awhile, but she is originally from Reunion, a French territory near Africa. She is a student who is looking for a full-time job. She’s also a great resource for Liz, because she has given us advice on getting Internet access. She told Liz that the library at the Centre Pompidou has free wifi access, so Liz and I agreed to check it out tomorrow, after our English assistant meetings during the day. I wanted to go see the site of Napoleon’s tomb, so we went to the Hôtel des Invalides, which also happens to have the Musée de l’Armée. We purchased student tickets and went through the museum first, which houses numerous suits of armor, swords, old-fashioned guns, etc. The second part of the museum, which was going through an update, was for the World Wars. This is especially interesting to view, because it was almost like France’s take on the war and Liz and I were viewing it from our countries’ perspectives. After walking throughout the entire museum, with the exception of the current additional-charge exhibition (titled “Love, Sex and War”), we went into the military church, which has a transparent wall, through which one can see into the location of Napoleon’s tomb. However, to enter the place where Napoleon is buried and actually see his tomb, you have to go around the outside and in through a separate entrance. Once inside, his huge tomb (for such a small man) is located in the center and is surrounded by female guardians who watch over him. There are some other tombs here, such as his nephew (Napoleon III) and other military leaders who died. The exhibit also has some of Napoleon’s memorabilia, like his hat and coat, seen in many pictures that portrait him. After leaving the museum, Liz and I decided that we wanted something to eat, so walked around in Paris until we came to the Champs-Élysées and we bought some sandwiches. We sat on a park bench, under all the trees, and we ate and talked and people watched for a few hours. Honestly, it was nice doing nothing special. I enjoyed watching all the couples walk by or the little kids. After sitting as long as we wanted, I wanted to go see the famous Georges V hotel, which is just off of the Champs-Élysées. While walking there, I got a craving for Haagen-Dazs, and there happens to be one of their biggest ice cream stores here, so I went in and I got a two-scoop (deux boules): Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Carmel Delight. Of course, it was so good! The worst thing about the whole situation though (who’d have thought that getting ice cream could go bad?) was that the seating area outside and the inside of the store was packed! And it top it off, these three older French ladies cut in front of me and the 20 others behind me in line to get their ice cream cones. I had been tolerant of the French and their habits up until this moment, but when they proceeded to behave as thought the rest of us weren’t there and take forever to make their choices, I purposefully acted up to make them feel guilty. This got the attention of one of the workers and it got me my ice cream sooner and cheaper, and I was able to pay before the old ladies (cows, as Liz called them). When Liz and I were walking out, we saw a waiter bringing huge, yummy looking sundaes out to the people sitting in the “dining area” and we decided that one of these days, we were going to come back here and get a dessert just like that! We continued to walk along the Champs-Élysées until we found the street where the Georges V was located, and once we found it, it looked amazing, just as its reputation claims. Outside of the hotel, luxury cars and limos wait for leaving guests to take them wherever they want to go. The ambiance was incredible and of course, it made me think of my good friend Diane and one of our favorite movies, French Kiss. The sad thing about it is that my camera’s battery had died and I couldn’t take a picture! I’m going to return there, if just to take the picture! Liz wanted to go back to the Disney Store, so she could look for the High School Musical 2 soundtrack in French. The store was of course crazy because it was a Sunday, so we didn’t stay there very long. It was getting to be about 6:30, so Liz and I decided to return to our homes. When I got back to the apartment, Mickel wasn’t there, so I decided to take a nap. He woke me up about an hour later and we ended up talking until the middle of night! I had to stop the conversation because I have a meeting tomorrow morning outside of Vincennes, in which all the non-European Union English assistants have to attend.
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