France - Post 6 - Metro life

Hey everyone!

First I want to just say happy 21st birthday again to my Michigander Caitlyn Fitzgerald (yesterdat)! And to a night well spent!

Back to the blog...

            So I’ve finally decided a layout for my blog posts; I will choose one or two topics and just talk about those. I’ll be doing it this way in order that I can spend less time on a single post and just get all the experiences up on here in multiple posts. That being said, my posts are going to be subsequently shorter but there will be more of them. If I decide to write longer ones, I will. The blogs may not even being connected like this one isn't with the previous (sorry) but I will be writing about what I promised just not in this post. Anyways, on to the topic of this post: Metros, the problems the pose to us, & how I’ve dealt with these.

            For the people who haven’t left the country but have been to big cities like NYC, most of this you may already know especially if you’re a brought up city kid/person. I will go by mentioning things that people who are not accustomed to the city life should expect and then my ways of dealing with them here in France. First of all, it is much faster: The majority of people walks faster & will remain in their own world by keeping a set of headphones on.

Second, there are lots beggars and vagrants some of which not only sit around with a sign asking for money and others who will get directly on the trains or buses and personally go up to each person and ask for money. I advise and have also been advised to not give these people money. I’m not implying to be stingy, however. The fact of the matter is that yes, some of these people are legitimately homeless and need the money but on the other hand, a good handful are not even from here or in true need of that money. To relate to another aspect of city life of which you will need to be aware, thieves, these “beggars” work within a network and come from other countries trying to make money. Thieves, as I only briefly mentioned, work in the same way but with little kids as their tool to turn you into a defenseless patsy since they work well with their small hands and cannot be legally put into jail.

Third, don’t get too close to the walls unless you want your nasal cavities bombarded with the unpleasant smell of urine.

Fourth, if you want to not look so much like a foreigner, here are a couple things I’ve done to blend in; Always look like you know where you are going even though you won’t upon your first visit, toss on a scarf (girls AND guys) and a cardigan or blazer with some cords for more conservative/business casual look and tights for women while avoiding flip flops, short skirts, and hoodies. Remember, this is just from what I’ve personally seen and experienced so I’m allowed to make a generalization but this does not mean I do not see people wearing the latter clothing, I just see in much, much less in comparison to the former several.

And finally, I will end the post with a metro story and one situation where it is impossible to be picked out as a foreigner: Speech. So yesterday evening, as I am passing through the ticket gates and walking down the stairs to the platform, I notice some type of security with C.S.A. marked on the jackets asking the people passing through for something. I get there and they ask me also. Since there was a term for the procedure that would only be known to native French speakers or possibly only people who live in Paris, when I asked what was going on I did not and could not completely understand the two word response. Upon asking again I was repeated the same information as if I had a hearing problem and not a language problem. After still not understanding what was going on, I was pull aside by three people and demanded to pay some €45 fee. I did my best to complain and the only English any of them knew was the word for “ticket.” Being the nervous wreck I am and having the past not-so-pleasant experiences with authority figures, I panic and start to freeze up. I gave them another fresh ticket from my 10-pk and explained that when I went through the gate I had thrown away my ticket in the garbage since I didn’t need it anymore but they wanted THAT particular ticket or my NaviGo pass (a rechargeable card used by frequent train goers, mine having been recently bought and only filled for the month of June and, thus, left at home). I somehow got them to lower the fee to €30 and when I asked what would happen if I didn’t have the money, they said I’d have to pay €60. Apart from being in a state of panic, this particular evening I didn’t have my documents on me and so I didn’t argue as much as I normally would have for fear of being detained and only God knows what else. Their purpose was not only to catch people who were jumping the gate because if it were, they would be positioned closer to the gate, but also to suck money out of people who don’t know of this procedure and still use the paper tickets instead of a card since there are conveniently placed trashcans between the platform and gate. This is a form of corruption where people who have power will abuse it when the risks are low and benefits are high. There is a point and a moral to my story: Always have copies of your documents so you can fight the system when they try to steal from you, always ask for complete clarification like I tried to do so that you fully understand what is going before you submit to anything, and as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do and try not to stick out when away from home because you can get targeted “legally” and illegally.

Thanks for reading and check out my next post!

France - Post 5

Hey everyone,

Before I get started, I just want to mention that today (Sat May 25th) was not the actual day I wrote this blog. I started it yesterday, Friday, and didn't have time to finish it so keep that in mind while reading this and pretend that you are in the past. That said, try not to get confused as all the pictures and stories are from yesterday.

Friday, May 24th:

This post is going to be a little different so, brace yourself.

I'm going to start it out with a story about what happened to me today after class and how it caused me to wonder into other areas of my district which will segue into the second focus of this blog post. This will be a mix of my experience and my own personal feelings by the way so if you are expecting to read just get a first person view of Paris then you might as well just skip this post.

One other thing I think I'd like to mention is that from now on I will be posting nature and site seeing pictures in their original size. The original size pictures are the huge ones by the way.

Anyways, after class I had a rendezvous with a Bulgarian named Katerina whom I had befriended last year while taking an intensive French program through Middlebury College in California (the college is actually located in Vermont and we were located at Mills college location in Oakland), Midd á Mills l'école française. So having arrived in France and been here for the year, she knows more about France and some of the surrounding areas than someone like me who has been here a full week tomorrow.

So she took me to the Cimetière de Montparnasse (Montparnasse Cemetery). And I have to agree as morbid as one may think it sounds that I really like cemeteries, also. Here's one of three pictures I took while there:

 Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we could only take a quick stroll through one of the sectors. Now for the explanation about which you are probably wondering at the mention of cemeteries being a favored place.

First and foremost, you have the peace and tranquility that people dare not disturb. This is comparable to the quiet section in a library except that people will willingly try to maintain a reasonable level of silence out of respect for the dead and not out of fear of getting kicked out even though that is a potential consequence for breaking this social norm since the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and not a playground.

Second, if you've been to as many cemeteries as I have in different parts of the word from various northern and southern regions of the Americas to other grounds in Europe you'd have realized that they are in no way the same just like no country or culture is the same. There are elements of similarity but there will be that since, as I mentioned earlier, the area is specifically designated for the dead and we all as human beings have similarities just as we have differences. The most basic similarity I can mention that everyone would understand is having some form of marker, a headstone, a cross, the star of David, etc., where the person is identified. I don't want to generalize but I use this example just because of my particular readers, which excludes most of the world.

You will see the huge differences that are marked by the cultural practices and religious beliefs regarding the dead all around the world. If this interests you, just look up war cemeteries or differences between cemeteries like Japan, US, Europe (& between these countries), Asia, etc. Each has its distinction.

Sadly, I've visited areas where the dead don't even have that taken for granted privilege of being identified and remembered even in death. There are so many types: Mass graves where one or two crosses will mark 100 or more stolen lives, grave areas which were designated for specific religious minorities whose proximity could be as small as that of a typical college students room which results with bodies eventually being buried on top of each other and tombstones being spaced only inches apart to represent this stacking of bodies.

Thirdly, if you have any appreciation for world renowned buildings and other physical structures both ancient and modern like the Eiffel Tower, Pyramids of Giza, Statue of Liberty, The Freedom Towers, the Coliseum in Rome, and to stick my point I will end with the Taj Mahal (since it is, in effect, a mausoleum which is an elegantly made tomb for a highly respected or rich person), you will appreciate cemeteries since they employ the same type of architecture to create a unique type of beauty that is made to last the lifetime after death. So apart from the peace, culture & tranquility that cemeteries offer, they offer a unique beauty portrayed in their architecture. We see this in the fact that we have catacombs, mausoleums, ossuaries, monumental cemeteries, lawn cemeteries, Calvary cemeteries, columbarium walls which reflect the more modern use of cremation instead of burials & many more.

To end this part I just wanted to say that I had never actually heard someone say that they really liked cemeteries. It's usually reactions of fear that I hear. I hadn't ever said either that I liked them but after thinking about what my friend told me and reflecting on the fact that I've been to so many I started to wonder the reason for going to them and concluded that it was because I like them, also.

The following part and picture are more personal and have less to do with Paris and France and more to do with myself.

The picture is on a little road that separate two of I don't know how many parts of the cemetery (remember I said we did not have time to see the entire cemetery). I'll explain under why I took this picture. 

I would like to say that if anyone, may it be teachers or students from the Pathfinder days is reading this post, they will understand exactly what I mean by the Hall of Trees.

The Hall of Trees was very well known by all Pathfinder students, teachers, alum & the like and this is partly why I took the picture here because of the symbolic and personal meaning that Pathfinder had for me. Obviously this one is much bigger than the actually Hall of Trees at Pathfinder but then again so am I in comparison to the Pathfinder days. There are still, however, the walls that enclose the small area (a road here instead of a walking path) and the arching branches that cloud out the already grey and depressing Parisian sky :(

The environmental depression that has plagued Paris for some long time now made me realize that I shouldn't be waiting for a nice day to go out to explore, see, and familiarize myself with the city. So, after bidding goodbye to Katerina, I continued walking around near my house to a park that I had wanted to check out on a nicer day but figured it would give me something else to write about. This is the biggest park near me: First picture is a hybrid map from my iPhone so you can see the entire park and where I walked.

I entered from the SW entrance and mind that the photo has been rotated 90˚counterclockwise. Below is the SW entrance sign:

 I will leave out the translation this time but I found the pictures to be quite interesting; I'm not quite sure what all the pictures mean like the one under the guy throwing away trashing in the trashcan. The big one seems to imply that you are not allowed on the grass between the months of October and April.
I want to say though that seeing the park on a grey day is much different than seeing it on a bright and sunny day just as would be seeing a cemetery. The lack of liveliness and people just creates another equally enjoyable ambiance in which one can just as easily be relaxed. Areas and landscapes are, in the opinion of most, better to see when the sun comes out to accentuate the overt beauty but I walked around at a time during which people tend to avoid these spots because of its gloominess. I must admit though, stepping in puddles is not fun nor is not being able to sit any for fear of walking back wet and uncomfortable. That said, I, too, would normally fall into the same mindset as everyone else but not today!

The calm you rarely experience in more regularly populated areas can more so be appreciated here since there is a lack of kids running around & screaming, birds and other animals making noises, etc. I found it very interesting the mixture of nature and man in this park. The fact that it is a manmade park shows the presumption that people will be there so when there aren't, it is a completely different experience.
The trees you see to the right hide a series of various sized paths for running, walking, and for ducks. You're probably confused on the last one but I did see a mini duck-sized path with an actually duck coming out of it so I'm not crazy.

Here's a photo of the inside of the forested area of the park:

 I guess there isn't much I can say about my day since it has consisted so far in going to class, going out with a friend, and then going home. Actually there is something I can mention that would pertain to potential future visiters. I will continue after the following photo and a couple words to accompany it.

The structure has “Vente á la Criée.” I wish I could tell you it's historical or modern significance but I do not know that. 

Unfortunately I did not venture off into the most southern part of the park which consists of several other joints of small buildings. I've written a lot here though so I'm sure you won't mind.

Now for students of l'école française:

At the little bistro called Cojean across from Victor Hugo right before l'école l'etoile which everyone passes before there is a breakfast deal for €6,50 which I know seem like a lot since right now the equivalant is $8-9 for an orange juice, a breadstick, a fruit mixture thing & a tea but you have to remember that the French do not eat much for breakfast. Something like this is typical for them. 

Another example would be milk/coffee with two pieces of toast with jam or for dipping possibly or with jam and a juice. Sometimes a single serving of eggs may be eaten but it all depends on the person. For example, at my appt here Bruno will cut himself two pieces of bread (a Parisian bread which can be bigger than the typical loaf one might see in the states or else where with a much, much harder crust) with a butter spread and then a cup of coffee. That is all.

Me, I like to have just two eggs with two pieces of toast & hot chocolate with a milk base NOT water. Here, in Paris, I am now eating the following:

It is almost the same. A fruit, one egg, one piece of toast with jam, a glass of juice & a glass of hot chocolate milk. Yum!

By the way, the loaf of bread in the top right corner is the bread the Bruno eats.

That's it for now folks. If I haven't lost your attention yet then keep following my blog! Next post will be in a couple days where I will talk about metro life, what a TRUE public bathroom is in France, some things I probably shouldn't have done & petits discretions that you would not notice unless you were to pay close attention.

Until next post!

Salut!

France - Post 4 - House & 1st day among new friends

Hey everyone,

I wanted to start out this post by uploading some pictures of the apartment where I am staying.

This first room is the main living room. I learned today that my host brother Ferdinand has claimed this as his den. To the right is the TV but I didn't feel it too necessary to fit that in. The 2 glass doors lead into another small room where Bruno does his work and whatnot. The following photo is of this room.

There's not much to say about this room except I spend absolutely 0 time in here. I think I was moving which is why the picture isn't too clear. Now on to the next picture: 

 The Kitchen: This is where I spend about 20 min of my mornings making breakfast and eating it alone. This is not as sad as it sounds since Bruno is a teacher and so we are on different schedules. Now for other pictures and stories!

This post was originally just going to talk about the first day of classes but I decided to toss in some house pictures. I will put in family pictures at some point also so don't worry about that!

The first day of class was interesting. The climate is unforgiving here. Between walking in the wind and rain, riding in a somewhat hot & crowded subway, back to the wind and ending in a well-heated room you body struggles to adjust at first. That isn't uncommon but I just thought I'd mention it.
The pace for my first day was all right. I have actually switched classes into a supposedly harder one not because I think my French is so good but rather because I want to be pushed as hard as I can in the French courses during these two weeks. I mean, it IS intensive so I would like everything to be intense to push me to my limits and force me out of my comfort zone.

The teacher I had for yesterday is named Anne and the teacher I had today is named Valerie. This leads me to another reason for which I switched courses. After speaking with Anne at the end of the course about the classes I was informed that Valerie is a bit more focused of forcing people to talk in her class and as much as I want to learn how to spell the most basic words which have the most obscure spelling like the word for bird (not even going to try to learn how to spell it), I will be using my words a lot more when expressing myself and communicating here in France than a pencil or a text. That being said, I want to speak more! So I switched from the 1pm-5pm classes to the 9am-1pm classes. Luckily, I am not jet lagged anymore. If I still were, it would comparable to trying to take intensive French from 3am-7am. The second day of class today was still a little rough though but not unbearable.
To finish off the note on classes, we were told that we could participate in both classes, which would equate to a normal school day with a <5 min break every 2 hours. I may have a lot of ambition but even with it, I would not be able to stay awake the entire time. I actually think the 2 classes are very similar though.

This will help me segue into the next part & picture since we have been split between the two classes.

The trainee Gang (several missing): From left to right - Katie (sorry about the face cutoff but you can blame Carolyn :p), Fitz (Who is blocked), Terry, Joseph, Shea, me, Kaitlyn, Elena, Neil. And sorry in advance for any of you that read this and I've misspelled your names. I've had class with almost everyone and from what I've heard all the students have a great comprehension already for French. However, just like with any other language INCLUDING English, a concept that many foreigners to English-speaking regions don't understand even though it still holds true in their own tongue, we don't understand all the accents that Paris has to offer & believe you me, there are a lot due to France also being a mixture of many cultures &, thus, many dialects.

Anyways, those of us who remained after grabbing a couple beers took a walked and ended up on the river Seine. This is where Le Musée du Louvre is located upon which we happened by chance. Funny, eh? Due to the sheer immensity of the area I took it upon myself to take some panorama shots and to really appreciate the shot I posted them up here in the original size!

This first picture is actually L'institut de France if I'm not mistaken on the name or spelling (I remember reading that somewhere on the building). Behind me lays the Pont D'art (I also read this name off of the side so my apologies if I read the wrong sign:$ ).

 You may have noticed that apart from the breathtaking view there is an infinite number of pad locks of various colors, sizes, & styles attached to the gate of the railing. You can purchase on of these from the venders on the bridge, make a design, then place it on the bridge. The bridge is completely filled so consequently we figured that locks are periodically cut off for more to be put on and keep the lock-selling business boomin'.

The next 2 pictures were taken inside the square and on the opposite side where Le Louvre stands and L'arc de Triumph. By this time it was around 10pm or something and no one had any real desire to see it because we were all starving. The purpose of our drink stop was actually for food but then we decided to share our first official cheers on our first official night out. Who can blame us?

With these pictures I will end this post. I already had to re-write it once since I accidently exited out earlier :x

Thanks for reading and I probably won't post again until this weekend.
Until next post! Cheers!