After descending from the bus one morning, I was confronted by a gentleman who I recognized from work.. As is typical for French small talk-- it started with the customary “ca va, ca va”s. I feared an awkward silence on our walk from the bus stop to work because I didn’t know him and I had never met him before.. But right away- he asked me what I was holding- for this was his true intention... “Qu’est-ce que c’est? Une lampe? Une torche?” Is it a lamp or a flashlight?? He was referring to my large, metal travel mug that I take to work with me every morning.. I smiled and told him it was “pour le café” and that is was “vraiment Americain”… He was so curious about it- asking me where I found it, how much it cost and if he could find one in France!
This wasn’t the first time I have been interrogated about my coffee mug. A woman at work swears that it’s a beer mug and I start drinking early :)
In France- it is obviously not common to carry liters of coffee to and from work and to hoard it in your office and drink it by yourself. Coffee is enjoyed in the company of friends- it is the excuse to take a break from a hard day’s work and get revived. I honestly don’t know how they manage to have one petite cup of coffee during the day! If you have been to the EU, you know that the coffees are so small!
Change is in the air though- just the other day- I spotted a French girl sporting a Starbucks travel mug and I knew that I had started a trend ;)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Ohh Metro- Tu me manquera ! (I will miss you)
The thing that I will miss the most when I return to the US (besides the wonderful people that I met) is the Public Transportation in France.
Here is the breakdown of my commute to work:
Commute by Public Transportation:
CiteU to St-Cyr = avg 1.1h one way= tram to train to bus to work
Weekly Navigo for 5 zones= 33 Euro (50.04$)*
Upfront cost of pass (one time) = 5 Euro (7.58$)*
Pros- With Navigo- you can go anywhere in Paris with the one pass (including all the way out to the airport and all the way to Versailles- which are in the 5th zone).. Essentially- it’s like having a “Fast Pass” and being able to use fast lanes in the metro stations.
It is geared towards commuters though- as you can only purchase weekly/monthly passes at the beginning of the week/month.
You can read/write/snooze/chat on the commute..
Cons- sometimes cannot get a seat during high commute hours (rare), sometimes you do not like (the smell of) the people sitting next to you (also rare ;)
Commute by car:
22km CiteU to St-Cyr = 26 minutes estimated driving time by Google (in a perfect world)
22km= 13.67 miles
Say you drive a car that gets 21 miles/gallon-
13.67/21= .65 gallons x 2 times a day= 1.3 gallons
1.3 gallons x 8.56 $/gallon ($/gallon Paris France Apr 2008**) = 11.13x5 days a week = 55.65$ (6 days= 66.78)
Just going to work (5-6 days a week) not including other rand and weekend excursions (groceries, entertainment, etc.)
(5) 55.65$ = 36.7 Euro*
(6) 66.78$= 44.03 Euro *
Pros- “faster” when there is no traffic (summer)
Cons- more expensive to own, maintain a car (not including tickets or accidents)
*1 Euro= 1.51 USD (10 August 2008, from Citibank N.A.)
**2008 http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm503658.html
Here is the breakdown of my commute to work:
Commute by Public Transportation:
CiteU to St-Cyr = avg 1.1h one way= tram to train to bus to work
Weekly Navigo for 5 zones= 33 Euro (50.04$)*
Upfront cost of pass (one time) = 5 Euro (7.58$)*
Pros- With Navigo- you can go anywhere in Paris with the one pass (including all the way out to the airport and all the way to Versailles- which are in the 5th zone).. Essentially- it’s like having a “Fast Pass” and being able to use fast lanes in the metro stations.
It is geared towards commuters though- as you can only purchase weekly/monthly passes at the beginning of the week/month.
You can read/write/snooze/chat on the commute..
Cons- sometimes cannot get a seat during high commute hours (rare), sometimes you do not like (the smell of) the people sitting next to you (also rare ;)
Commute by car:
22km CiteU to St-Cyr = 26 minutes estimated driving time by Google (in a perfect world)
22km= 13.67 miles
Say you drive a car that gets 21 miles/gallon-
13.67/21= .65 gallons x 2 times a day= 1.3 gallons
1.3 gallons x 8.56 $/gallon ($/gallon Paris France Apr 2008**) = 11.13x5 days a week = 55.65$ (6 days= 66.78)
Just going to work (5-6 days a week) not including other rand and weekend excursions (groceries, entertainment, etc.)
(5) 55.65$ = 36.7 Euro*
(6) 66.78$= 44.03 Euro *
Pros- “faster” when there is no traffic (summer)
Cons- more expensive to own, maintain a car (not including tickets or accidents)
*1 Euro= 1.51 USD (10 August 2008, from Citibank N.A.)
**2008 http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm503658.html
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Cinéma au Clair du Lune! 6-24 août
I discovered another great thing to do in the city ! I was running in my favorite parc across the street from CiteU, and I saw a banner for “Cinéma au Clair de Lune” presented by the Mairie de Paris (City Services). I thought about “quand j’etais petite” (when I was little), I used to watch movies outdoors at Greely Park, Nashua NH, in the summer with my parents and the Daniels (my other family :)
This event was different than the ones that I had been to in the States that are mostly for children. There were mostly adults- couples, groups and lone elders.. Not a huge crowd, maybe 100ppl watching “Agnes Browne” on a blow up projector screen.. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160509/ ) The introducer said that normally they watch French films, but this was a great film about another state in the European Union, Ireland.
So- It got dark just before 22h (10pm) and I arrived just in time for the introduction. The Forum des Images has put on these productions for the past 8 years in Paris. Each movie is shown outdoors at a different spot in the city (http://clairdelune.forumdesimages.net/.) I was lucky enough to stumble onto this one on the right night! Overall- a great movie, had the crowd laughing and – not crying, but nearly so :) The movie ended at 23h30ish and everyone gave a hearty, appreciative round of applause for the ciné gratuit (free movie).
Friday, June 27, 2008
Rigolo Privé ?? (private joke)
Two of my French friends were joking around the other day and I went out on a limb, constructed a sentence and asked whether it was a private joke, «une rigolo privé » ..
I thought, surely, they must have private jokes- and they would understand me if I said that.. But they just started laughing hysterically..
I guess they understood but thought it sounded like something a Canadian person speaking French would say :) Turns out- they say “private joke” in English.
In the beginning, you are bound to make many mistakes in communication but if they are funny, you’ll be more likely to remember the words or the grammar.
The same thing happened to me at lunch the other day- I asked “Vous avez mangé bien?” which sounds like- “Did you eat properly” (like with good manners :) when really, I meant to ask “Did you eat well?”, (like did you have a good lunch), which is said “Vous avez bien mangé?”.. Simply changing the place of the adverb changes the meaning of the sentence…
Don’t worry- French people normally help you with your pronunciation and grammar :)
I thought, surely, they must have private jokes- and they would understand me if I said that.. But they just started laughing hysterically..
I guess they understood but thought it sounded like something a Canadian person speaking French would say :) Turns out- they say “private joke” in English.
In the beginning, you are bound to make many mistakes in communication but if they are funny, you’ll be more likely to remember the words or the grammar.
The same thing happened to me at lunch the other day- I asked “Vous avez mangé bien?” which sounds like- “Did you eat properly” (like with good manners :) when really, I meant to ask “Did you eat well?”, (like did you have a good lunch), which is said “Vous avez bien mangé?”.. Simply changing the place of the adverb changes the meaning of the sentence…
Don’t worry- French people normally help you with your pronunciation and grammar :)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
MacDo = McDonalds in France
There is always a line at the MacDo on Denfert Rochereau.. and that is not a big tourist area, so it is not just Americans eating there.. Yeh- I’ve been there at least 5-6 times since I’ve been here- and man.. it’s better than in the US. They’ve got a designer menu called “Le M” with sandwiches like “chicken mythic” and “royal deluxe”… and it is not inexpensive: 7.80Euro for a regular sized value meal!!!!!
In order for MacDo to be successful in France, they have to have good food and a nice environment that completely counters the bad wrap that MacDo gets around Europe (France in particular). There is always a security guard in the Denfert location, kickin’ out bums.. The place is always clean.. There’s a flat screen TV, a children’s TV area, and the staple for all European restaurants: an automatic espresso machine. Lots of people order electronically so that they don’t have to wait in line. Americans beware that your credit cards won’t work in these machines because they take a card with a chip, not a magnetic strip :( So you wait in line and pay in cash..
Mostly- I see young people around but the other day I saw a little girl’s b-day party just like in the US!! Lots of people take it to go- and they have really nice packaging, like happy meal boxes for grownups that hold drinks- not just some flimsy bag and you have to hold your own drink ;) You can get the value meals with the regular fountain soda, but they also offer bottled water (sparkling or no gas) and beer :) Instead of frites (=French fries, try explaining that to a French person) you can get potato wedges.. mmm I’m getting hungry.
What I hear from the locals is that it is better than “Quick”, the other fast food restaurant in town.
In order for MacDo to be successful in France, they have to have good food and a nice environment that completely counters the bad wrap that MacDo gets around Europe (France in particular). There is always a security guard in the Denfert location, kickin’ out bums.. The place is always clean.. There’s a flat screen TV, a children’s TV area, and the staple for all European restaurants: an automatic espresso machine. Lots of people order electronically so that they don’t have to wait in line. Americans beware that your credit cards won’t work in these machines because they take a card with a chip, not a magnetic strip :( So you wait in line and pay in cash..
Mostly- I see young people around but the other day I saw a little girl’s b-day party just like in the US!! Lots of people take it to go- and they have really nice packaging, like happy meal boxes for grownups that hold drinks- not just some flimsy bag and you have to hold your own drink ;) You can get the value meals with the regular fountain soda, but they also offer bottled water (sparkling or no gas) and beer :) Instead of frites (=French fries, try explaining that to a French person) you can get potato wedges.. mmm I’m getting hungry.
What I hear from the locals is that it is better than “Quick”, the other fast food restaurant in town.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Les journals gratuits! (Free Newspapers!)
This might just be my favorite thing about France…
Every weekday morning there are free newspapers for commuters outside the metro stations –Stacks and racks of “Direct Matin” or “Metro” sitting out for anyone to grab- Guys handing out “20 Minutes” - People leaving folded up papers on the train seats for the next commuter to pick up and read. Sometimes it’s difficult for commuters to get a certain paper: for me, I have to catch the train from CiteU at 7am, which is just as the “Direct Matin” van pulls up and wayyy before the “20 minutes” guys arrive :( The “Metro” is never available at my stop so I pick it up outside Montparnasse station while I am waiting for the Train to Versailles. Some people are so serious about getting one paper or another that they’ll ask their buddies to pick one up for them- I’ve seen businessmen on the train rationing out a stack of “20 Minutes” that they grabbed!!
Here is my rating of the 3 “journals gratuits” that I know exist in Paris (all are full color papers with lots of great photos for scrapbooking!!):
3. “Metro” has the most articles and is the largest of the 3 papers. However, on a crowded metro, the last thing you want to be holding is a HUGE newspaper.. Also- it is printed with ink that comes off on your hands very easily and it is les gross. Larger, more complex articles that the foreigner/ French level 2 student CANNOT read easily.
2. “Direct Matin” is magazine sized and generally easier to read than “Metro” as it has smaller articles, but it is also printed with the gross ink.
1. The best paper for foreigners in Paris is “20 Minutes”. The articles are very small and very easy to read. It is tabloid size and is printed in a semi-glossy type paper/ink complex that doesn’t come off on your hands :)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Le GRAND Dejuner (The Big Lunch)
We’ve been eating lunch in a “cantine” or cafeteria in the bottom of Montparnasse Tower/ Les Galeries Lafayette that is for employees of the sassy Montparnasse business district.
When you walk in, you grab a tray and walk over to the long table displaying plates of all of the prepared food available for the day. It is a huge cafeteria and it is very crowded- so this helps you avoid walking around to each of the stations and possibly missing something.. Each day there are 4-5 different cuisines..
The Staples:
Always fresh personal-pan pizzas..
Bowls of salad- greens- or orange (shredded carrots are popular)..
Plates of fresh fruit.
Miles of dessert selections.. and everyone gets a dessert. My fave is the tiramisu (reminds me of State College).
While waiting in line for the cashier, you pick up silverware and a glass for water (there are carafes of water at the tables). There are also baskets full of free rolls! but after two, you must pay :) The food is amazingly priced and there are lots of options- but not anyone can eat here. All transactions are done through the meal cards of each employee. This is pretty typical of French cantines- as this is the same process at the one where I work..
I think that the French Dejuner (lunch) is like the American Dinner- except, for me at least, I get a food comma and want to go to sleep after :(
When you walk in, you grab a tray and walk over to the long table displaying plates of all of the prepared food available for the day. It is a huge cafeteria and it is very crowded- so this helps you avoid walking around to each of the stations and possibly missing something.. Each day there are 4-5 different cuisines..
The Staples:
Always fresh personal-pan pizzas..
Bowls of salad- greens- or orange (shredded carrots are popular)..
Plates of fresh fruit.
Miles of dessert selections.. and everyone gets a dessert. My fave is the tiramisu (reminds me of State College).
While waiting in line for the cashier, you pick up silverware and a glass for water (there are carafes of water at the tables). There are also baskets full of free rolls! but after two, you must pay :) The food is amazingly priced and there are lots of options- but not anyone can eat here. All transactions are done through the meal cards of each employee. This is pretty typical of French cantines- as this is the same process at the one where I work..
I think that the French Dejuner (lunch) is like the American Dinner- except, for me at least, I get a food comma and want to go to sleep after :(
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
PIGEON SNATCHES BAGUETTE FROM WINDOW IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT
This is a perfectly natural fear that all tourists face when coming to France :) because there are no screens on windows.
Daily, I am “serenaded” by pigeons (disguised as doves) outside my window. So close, I know that they will soon fly to the scent of my fresh baguettes…
Thus, I sleep with the window closed, room stuffy and hot, to prevent a pigeon from entering my room in the dead of night to snatch my delicious French bread.
Daily, I am “serenaded” by pigeons (disguised as doves) outside my window. So close, I know that they will soon fly to the scent of my fresh baguettes…
Thus, I sleep with the window closed, room stuffy and hot, to prevent a pigeon from entering my room in the dead of night to snatch my delicious French bread.
Friday, May 23, 2008
La première semaine (the first week)
I’m trying to speak French- and it is working with a few people in the lab. But there are a lot of people who just speak English after I speak French to them.. I think it’s because they don’t want to hear me butcher their beautiful language
I spent this week meeting lab members and other people in the department and getting trained in electrophysiology and other cool techniques… Fred has some very cool projects going on- and we’ve had some time to make a preliminary plan of action for my research.
I will start my first class on Wednesday: a two-week agriculture protection course in Grignon. Luckily, a few people are putting on a joint birthday party there this weekend- so they’ll be able to show me around the Grignon campus before my first day.
I have loved walking from the Saint-Cyr metro stop to work because there are all kinds of undisturbed grasses on the sidewalk and I have seen beaucoup d’insectes there (see pics on my picassa page!)…
I spent this week meeting lab members and other people in the department and getting trained in electrophysiology and other cool techniques… Fred has some very cool projects going on- and we’ve had some time to make a preliminary plan of action for my research.
I will start my first class on Wednesday: a two-week agriculture protection course in Grignon. Luckily, a few people are putting on a joint birthday party there this weekend- so they’ll be able to show me around the Grignon campus before my first day.
I have loved walking from the Saint-Cyr metro stop to work because there are all kinds of undisturbed grasses on the sidewalk and I have seen beaucoup d’insectes there (see pics on my picassa page!)…
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Je suis arrivée à Paris!
Fred met me at the airport with a big smile. He was so gracious to help me cart all my bags around. We went first to the dorms to drop off my bags.
Les gens at CitéU thought I was arriving tomorrow so they were not prepared for me- either way it is going to take them a few days to get me an internet account. However, Vincent at AgroParisTech finished my registration today and I should be able to get internet access tomorrow at the schools. I will have to get yet another account at Fred’s lab.
We met up with Fred’s Walking buddies from America. We went for a great Vietnamese lunch (pho soup and some poulet (chicken) sauté pimento curry like thing) close to APT- great food- I will have to take my dad there!
Vincent helped me through all of the paper work and the meet and greets at APT. Talked to Maryline and Claude briefly.. I am feeling embarrassed of my French and I can’t seem to get into the right mindset. I was really tired too because I only slept for a half an hour on the plane..
I was very lucky because it was a cool and sunny day for the most part. I walked home from APT (30 min) and it was getting un peu cloudy. It is almost 9:30pm here and it is still light out :) Good to know. Tomorrow I am going to run out early and get some groceries. I should be meeting Fred ~ 11-12 at Versailles, which is a 45min-1hr metro ride…
I will need to get un carte orange- which is a weekly metro pass that I can buy for 5 zones (Fred’s lab is 5 zones from the center of Paris in Versailles). Après la fin de Mai (after the end of may) they will no longer sell these, but instead you’ll have to buy the NAVIGO passes which require you to a) send them a photo online and fill out paperwork and they will mail the card to your address; or b) bring a photo to the accueil/information ticket counter in a train station to get the pass for 5 Euro.
Finished unpacking and rearranging in about 2 hours. I HAD to take a nap.. I was dreadfully tired.. I hope that I can sleep tonight.
At a 0.57 transaction rate, I got 1.000 Euro for over 1,755ish dollars. Ouch.
Laundry is 2,50 Euro wash and 1,50 Euro dry!! Ouch.
There are several irons available at the front desk that I can use so that I don’t have to buy one. My clothes are SOOOOOOOOOOO wrinkly from being jammed like a sausage into my suitcase..
PS for international travel they are still allowing you to check two 50lbs bags. So there was a nice fee that I didn’t have to pay (minus one ouch).
Quoi d’autre (what else) ?
I’m sitting in the common area of the dorms and there is a piano recital/show happening in the auditorium :)
Les gens at CitéU thought I was arriving tomorrow so they were not prepared for me- either way it is going to take them a few days to get me an internet account. However, Vincent at AgroParisTech finished my registration today and I should be able to get internet access tomorrow at the schools. I will have to get yet another account at Fred’s lab.
We met up with Fred’s Walking buddies from America. We went for a great Vietnamese lunch (pho soup and some poulet (chicken) sauté pimento curry like thing) close to APT- great food- I will have to take my dad there!
Vincent helped me through all of the paper work and the meet and greets at APT. Talked to Maryline and Claude briefly.. I am feeling embarrassed of my French and I can’t seem to get into the right mindset. I was really tired too because I only slept for a half an hour on the plane..
I was very lucky because it was a cool and sunny day for the most part. I walked home from APT (30 min) and it was getting un peu cloudy. It is almost 9:30pm here and it is still light out :) Good to know. Tomorrow I am going to run out early and get some groceries. I should be meeting Fred ~ 11-12 at Versailles, which is a 45min-1hr metro ride…
I will need to get un carte orange- which is a weekly metro pass that I can buy for 5 zones (Fred’s lab is 5 zones from the center of Paris in Versailles). Après la fin de Mai (after the end of may) they will no longer sell these, but instead you’ll have to buy the NAVIGO passes which require you to a) send them a photo online and fill out paperwork and they will mail the card to your address; or b) bring a photo to the accueil/information ticket counter in a train station to get the pass for 5 Euro.
Finished unpacking and rearranging in about 2 hours. I HAD to take a nap.. I was dreadfully tired.. I hope that I can sleep tonight.
At a 0.57 transaction rate, I got 1.000 Euro for over 1,755ish dollars. Ouch.
Laundry is 2,50 Euro wash and 1,50 Euro dry!! Ouch.
There are several irons available at the front desk that I can use so that I don’t have to buy one. My clothes are SOOOOOOOOOOO wrinkly from being jammed like a sausage into my suitcase..
PS for international travel they are still allowing you to check two 50lbs bags. So there was a nice fee that I didn’t have to pay (minus one ouch).
Quoi d’autre (what else) ?
I’m sitting in the common area of the dorms and there is a piano recital/show happening in the auditorium :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Nettoyer et quitter mon apartment
Today I cleaned and left my apartment… My recommendation is, before leaving, give yourself a couple weeks after school ends to finish up research, packing, cleaning, moving, and last minute visits and good-byes.. I’m feeling a bit rushed en ce moment.
When studying abroad- there are many things to think about regarding housing and such-
1. Where will you store your belongings while you are gone? Storage costs beaucoup d'argent.
2. Where will you stay when you come home? In Penn State you normally have to sign whole year leases.. Otherwise- you’ll be paying for your apartment plus lodging while you’re away (like I am :)
3. etc..
When studying abroad- there are many things to think about regarding housing and such-
1. Where will you store your belongings while you are gone? Storage costs beaucoup d'argent.
2. Where will you stay when you come home? In Penn State you normally have to sign whole year leases.. Otherwise- you’ll be paying for your apartment plus lodging while you’re away (like I am :)
3. etc..
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Faire les valises (packing :)
“US Airways will transport:
• 1 checked bag free of charge, and
• 1 bag as a carry-on
And a second checked bag will be assessed a $25* fee. The new fee applies to travel on or after May 5 for tickets purchased on or after February 26, 2008."
This is not good news. I am going away for nine months and it will be too expensive to buy all the necessities in France because the dollar is so weak right now (en ce moment, 1USD=0.65EUR).
I have everything in a pile of what I want to take, but come Sunday there will be a pile of what I couldn't take when I have to squash it all into one or two bags weighing 50 lbs each :( Quel dommage!
• 1 checked bag free of charge, and
• 1 bag as a carry-on
And a second checked bag will be assessed a $25* fee. The new fee applies to travel on or after May 5 for tickets purchased on or after February 26, 2008."
This is not good news. I am going away for nine months and it will be too expensive to buy all the necessities in France because the dollar is so weak right now (en ce moment, 1USD=0.65EUR).
I have everything in a pile of what I want to take, but come Sunday there will be a pile of what I couldn't take when I have to squash it all into one or two bags weighing 50 lbs each :( Quel dommage!
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