So, despite interning for an awesome organization in Paris, I have made some observations about working in France.
It truly is very different from working in the United States. I don't want to say that the French are inefficient...OK, maybe I do. They simply have a mentality about working that is extremely different from ours.
My day is never very stressful in terms of being overloaded with work. I come into the office around 9:30, or 9:45, make myself a cafe, read the newspaper, check my mail and wait for the rest of the office to stroll in around the same time or after 10. I get a few tasks from my maitre de stage and work on them until 1pm we all take a one hour lunch. After lunch, I will make myself another cafe or a tea and get back to work. If I finish my stuff early, there isn't normally anything else for me to do so I can leave early. Or, if there are more things for me to do, I stay until around 6pm.
One of the hardest things about interning is not the work-load itself, but the socializing aspect of it. It is very hard to keep up with the day to day conversation, like during lunch time. Everyone speaks so so so so fast! Sometimes (or more often than not) I have no idea what they are talking about. It is exhausting to sit at a table or sit in our office and either pretend to know what they are saying and laugh along, or ask questions and interrupt people every two minutes in order to get the gist of it. Its truly exhausting either way.
The most frustrating part is the fact that I am 22 years old, I am out-going, intelligent and I can articulate myself.....but it's hard to be that same person in French. It's hard to show your personality in a different language. It's hard to make jokes and laugh along with everyone when you don't know exactly what they are saying (and pretending like you understand gets old very fast). I find myself just sitting back and listening more often than I ever would, if I was in the United States.
This is something that I was not expecting to experience. I have studied French for over 9 years, and four of those years was college level French. So far, this had made me realize truly how long it takes to become fluent in a language. Of course, I am learning a lot and my French is improving, but I thought I was going to return to the States semi-fluent. Now, I'm just realizing that that takes a lot longer than three months!
Despite the difficulty, my ear is starting to get accustomed to how fast they speak and I think I am slowly finding my way. I'm starting to ask more questions, and I'm trying to teach myself how to listen. Really, listen. It sounds silly, but it takes a LOT of concentration to truly listen to what they are saying in French. I'm working on it...slowly but surely. It helps that the people at my work are extremely understanding and encouraging. Haha..even though sometimes they laugh at me...they are very very kind.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Le Travail
So, it has been a while since my last post and I lot has happened since...
I have now been working at my internship for three weeks, and have been in Paris for over a month now. It's hard to believe that the time is going by this fast....
My internship has been going really well. The name of the organization I work for is FASTI (Federation des Assocation de Solidarite avec les Travailleurs Immigres). It is a small non-profit, non-governmental organization located on the East side of Paris near Pere Lachaise cemetery. FASTI advocates for the rights of immigrants and refugees in Paris, France and throughout Europe. My "maitre de stage," or supervisor is Anna and she is wonderful. She is probably late 20s, really tall and skinny and has a hilarious personality. I love having her as my supervisor because she is young and I feel like I can really relate to her and be myself around her. She is very patient with me when I can't find the right words in French and she's interested in what I have to say. She is always asking how I am doing and checking in on me. I really appreciate that!
I have been doing a variety of tasks since I have been at FASTI. I have done french writing for their new website, translations, phone calls, research...pretty much anything they need done I can take on. A big part of the organization right now is mobilizing against a strict immigration law that is going to be read to the Assemble Nationale (like our House of Representatives) in September. This new law, although extremely complex to learn about in French, puts more restrictions for immigrants and even refugees seeking a home in France. I have been to countless meetings and conferences where FASTI alongside other organizations has collaborated on analyzing this law.
FASTI and thirteen other organizations throughout Paris published a booklet analyzing the new law which is called "loi Besson", named for the Minister of Immigration who drafted it. As a collaborative of organizations, we are trying to get the public and other orgs throughout France educated about this law. Today, it is not a law but if it is read and passed in the Assemble Nationale, it will be. The goal is to get mobilization against this law so that it doesn't get passed in September. In the past three weeks I've sat in at least five different meetings about this law and how it will affect not only immigrants but citizens of France as well. This new legislation is truly a turning point for this country. Despite it being very technical to learn about, it has been fascinating to be a part of such a project.
On Thursday I helped out at a very long panel discussion where FASTI and the other organizations presented the booklet to the public. It was quite the event and we had over 200 people show up to learn more about it. On Saturday we hosted another education session within our network of organizations. FASTI is the federation of all other ASTIs (Association de Solidarite avec les Travailleurs Immigrees) throughout France. There is an ASTI in every province of France and we held a forum for all of the ASTIs. It was really neat to meet people
from all over France!
Throughout the few weeks at my internship, I have also been able to witness many manifestations throughout Paris. The French are famous for their manifestations, which can mean strike, march, or rally. It is a huge part of French culture which is linked back to their mobilization and rising up as a people during the French Revolution. I was able to take part in La Marche Mondiale des Femmes (World March for Women) which was June 12th. It was so amazing to be part of something so big!! (Even though my colleagues told me that it was a rather small manifestation...I couldn't really believe that!) It is basically like a big parade through the streets of Paris to advocate for something, in this case women. There are people, banners, singing and chanting! We chanted "So! So! So! Solidarte! Avec des femmes du monde entier!" which means "so! so! so! solidarity! with women of the entire world!" Of course it sounds better in French because it rhymes! It was very moving to be a part of this. I have never seen anything quite like this in the United States.
I really enjoy the people that I work with. I work with all women in my office, although there are a few men that come in and out of the office for regional work. Everyone at FASTI is so kind, dynamic and passionate about what they do. It is pretty awesome to be around such intelligent people! It is interesting first working in the U.S. and now working in France. In Lansing, I worked at a small organization which advocated for children's health issues and even though the theme is different, it is very much the same environment--being surrounded by people who are very dedicated to what they do, passionate and driven. It is actually hilarious because there are people in the United States that remind me so much of people in France. Sometimes I feel like I'm in bizzaro world or something because I feel like I'm talking to their French twin!
So now that I've told you about all of the cool stuff about working in France, I'll tell you about some of the interesting/aggravating things about working in France.....
I have now been working at my internship for three weeks, and have been in Paris for over a month now. It's hard to believe that the time is going by this fast....
My internship has been going really well. The name of the organization I work for is FASTI (Federation des Assocation de Solidarite avec les Travailleurs Immigres). It is a small non-profit, non-governmental organization located on the East side of Paris near Pere Lachaise cemetery. FASTI advocates for the rights of immigrants and refugees in Paris, France and throughout Europe. My "maitre de stage," or supervisor is Anna and she is wonderful. She is probably late 20s, really tall and skinny and has a hilarious personality. I love having her as my supervisor because she is young and I feel like I can really relate to her and be myself around her. She is very patient with me when I can't find the right words in French and she's interested in what I have to say. She is always asking how I am doing and checking in on me. I really appreciate that!
I have been doing a variety of tasks since I have been at FASTI. I have done french writing for their new website, translations, phone calls, research...pretty much anything they need done I can take on. A big part of the organization right now is mobilizing against a strict immigration law that is going to be read to the Assemble Nationale (like our House of Representatives) in September. This new law, although extremely complex to learn about in French, puts more restrictions for immigrants and even refugees seeking a home in France. I have been to countless meetings and conferences where FASTI alongside other organizations has collaborated on analyzing this law.
FASTI and thirteen other organizations throughout Paris published a booklet analyzing the new law which is called "loi Besson", named for the Minister of Immigration who drafted it. As a collaborative of organizations, we are trying to get the public and other orgs throughout France educated about this law. Today, it is not a law but if it is read and passed in the Assemble Nationale, it will be. The goal is to get mobilization against this law so that it doesn't get passed in September. In the past three weeks I've sat in at least five different meetings about this law and how it will affect not only immigrants but citizens of France as well. This new legislation is truly a turning point for this country. Despite it being very technical to learn about, it has been fascinating to be a part of such a project.
On Thursday I helped out at a very long panel discussion where FASTI and the other organizations presented the booklet to the public. It was quite the event and we had over 200 people show up to learn more about it. On Saturday we hosted another education session within our network of organizations. FASTI is the federation of all other ASTIs (Association de Solidarite avec les Travailleurs Immigrees) throughout France. There is an ASTI in every province of France and we held a forum for all of the ASTIs. It was really neat to meet people
from all over France!Throughout the few weeks at my internship, I have also been able to witness many manifestations throughout Paris. The French are famous for their manifestations, which can mean strike, march, or rally. It is a huge part of French culture which is linked back to their mobilization and rising up as a people during the French Revolution. I was able to take part in La Marche Mondiale des Femmes (World March for Women) which was June 12th. It was so amazing to be part of something so big!! (Even though my colleagues told me that it was a rather small manifestation...I couldn't really believe that!) It is basically like a big parade through the streets of Paris to advocate for something, in this case women. There are people, banners, singing and chanting! We chanted "So! So! So! Solidarte! Avec des femmes du monde entier!" which means "so! so! so! solidarity! with women of the entire world!" Of course it sounds better in French because it rhymes! It was very moving to be a part of this. I have never seen anything quite like this in the United States.
I really enjoy the people that I work with. I work with all women in my office, although there are a few men that come in and out of the office for regional work. Everyone at FASTI is so kind, dynamic and passionate about what they do. It is pretty awesome to be around such intelligent people! It is interesting first working in the U.S. and now working in France. In Lansing, I worked at a small organization which advocated for children's health issues and even though the theme is different, it is very much the same environment--being surrounded by people who are very dedicated to what they do, passionate and driven. It is actually hilarious because there are people in the United States that remind me so much of people in France. Sometimes I feel like I'm in bizzaro world or something because I feel like I'm talking to their French twin!
So now that I've told you about all of the cool stuff about working in France, I'll tell you about some of the interesting/aggravating things about working in France.....
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Un Super Week-end
This weekend was amazing! Katie and I decided to take a trip to the French countryside. I think we were both itching to get out of the city. We got up really early and went to the town, Auvers-sur-Oise, famous for its history of impressionists. This town is exactly what I expected it to be, and more. A beautiful, charming, quaint French town outside of the big city of Paris. The houses were CHARMING, with their colored shutters, flowers, vines, and cute wooden doors. For some reason, I kept thinking about the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. Katie and I kept talking about that and so we had to stop and listen to the song, "Belle" on her iPod..haha! "There goes the baker with his tray like always..."
This town is most famous because it was where Van Gogh took recluse when he fell sick. He moved to Auver-sur-Oise and fell in love with its tranquility and its beauty. Sadly, this is also the town where he committed suicide and where he and his brother, Theo were
buried. Katie and I saw the cemetery where he and his brother are buried side by side. We also saw the room he lived in, very small and simple. We then went inside the Chateau (castle) in the city which is now a museum. It was a very interesting, interactive museum and we learned a lot about the impressionist movement and its history. Some bits of the history that I found most interesting..........The impressionist movement started in the city of Paris in the late 1800s. This new kind of art was not appreciated by anyone in society. Impressionists were mocked because of their new technique. Many people didn't even consider it art! Most referred to it as sloppy art. If only those critics knew that these beautiful works are worth millions today. In the museum they described
the art technique of impressionist as a snapshot, or a glimpse of real life. If you look at something quickly once, you see light, colors, and shapes. This is exactly what impressionists painted and this is what makes it so amazing.All around town there are the reprints of the paintings of a lot of the greats--Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, Monet--right next to the actual scene they painted. It was amazing!! Almost a little eery to think that the scene you are looking at in real life was what inspired so many of the most famous impressionist painters. It was very moving to put yourself in their shoes to see what they saw. So cool!!
On Sunday, Katie and I went to the French Open, or as it is known in Paris, Rolland Garros. The stadium is a fifteen minute walk from where I
live, so it was super convenient! We got tickets for 20 euros, which gave us access to all the outside courts, but none of the bigger stadiums sadly. We were able to see lots of matches on the outside courts though, and the players were all amazing! There were quite a few juniors matches going on as well, so we saw some younger guys and girls from all over the world playing. Very cool to see young kids from the U.S. playing at the French Open--I can't even imagine! It definitely made me want to play tennis though. I'll have to get my racket out once I'm back in the states. :)I was supposed to start my internship this Monday, but I was still waiting to receive a confirmation that I was accepted at the organization I interviewed with. I found out on Tuesday that I was accepted to work for FASTI (Federation des Associations de Solidarite des Travailleurs des Immigres)! I am very happy to be working for this non-governmental, non-profit organization which advocates for immigrant and refugee rights. I will be looking closely at French immigration policies and laws. I hope I learn a lot and I am sure it will be relevant to the immigration politics happening in the U.S. and all over the world. I'm pretty anxious for my first day of work tomorrow...
Yesterday and today I wandered around the city. On Monday I went for a run to the Eiffel Tower. I wasn't able to run the whole way though, I think I was tired out from the weekend (AND I might be eating too many baguettes). I then wen
t to the Marais--an area in Paris that has a large Jewish population and it is also a growing lesbian and gay community. I took the walking tour from the book Stef got me for graduation (THANK YOU) and it was a very cool part of the city! My book suggested a falafel sandwich place, but I had already ate lunch. The line for this place was out the door! I will HAVE to take Stef to this place so we both can try it! Haha..we both have an unhealthy obsession with falafel! The Marais is also great for shopping and not too expensive either! When I walked by the Bastille--a monument to mark where the Bastille once stood--there was a market going on and I had to look. I found the leather purse of my dreams and had to buy it for my birthday present. Thanks Mom and Dad!! :) I even talked to merchant down from 55 euro to 40 euro! wooo hooo! Thanks to Dad for those bargaining skills.Today was another wandering day. I saw les Invalides--the place where Napoleon held injured soldiers and I also saw the Sorbonne--Paris' most famous university. I'm going to spend the rest of the evening preparing for my first day of work--looking at FASTI's website, and researching some of the organizations they are associated with. I'm looking forward for my first day of work despite my nerves. I am ready to have a regular schedule in my day and to start feeling like a true Parisian. I have liked wandering around the city the last few weeks, but I am ready to start working. I think it will be nice to stay busy during the day. Wandering throughout the city is nice, but I can only stand it for so long...and I can only stand it alone for so long. I think (I hope) once I start working it will feel as if I am a part of French society and culture. Wish me luck for my first day of work tomorrow or as we say in french, MERDE!
22 ans a Paris
Well, a lot has happened since my last post...
Today marks my third week in Paris. I think I am starting to get out of the "honey moon" stage as they call it and starting to feel less and less like a tourist--which is a good thing! We finished up our last week of class at France Langue and I was sad to say good-bye to our wonderful professor. On the last day of class I did a presentation about my life and about Michigan. I put together some pictures of my home, family and friends and showed them to my class. My professor thought it was absolutely HILARIOUS that Michiganeans can show others where they live by pointing to their hand. Haha! I think I'm really going to miss having class and having Michelle as our professor. Even though classes lasted four hours, they were always entertaining and I learned a lot!
On Tuesday it was my birthday!!! 22 in Paris was pretty amazing! I ate the BEST birthday macaron EVER!!!! (Please see picture)
After class, we did a tour of the St. Germain area, which is historically a literary and artistic part of the city. We learned a lot about Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. It also took us to one of the cafes where the leaders of the French Revolution met--really neat! That night, we went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant--my choice :) and it was delicious! We also had to split some pitchers of margaritas, of course! Later, we went to our favorite gellato place for dessert. Katie and I had to split the Grandissimo size again. (This size is almost the size of a pint, but it is SO worth it because you can get as many flavors as you want
AAND it's cheaper to split than to get our own)!! By the way Mom, Dad and Stef, YES we are going there when you are here. Then, we went to Rue Princesse which is a very fun place to go out in Paris and we went to the Little Temple Bar, quickly becoming one of our favorites. All around, it was an amazing birthday and still can't believe I'm 22...feels like I'm getting older by the second.
When I got home from my night out, there was a gift on my bed. It was a long necklace with a goldish heart pendant from my host mother. It was a very special surprise!
The day after my birthday I was sitting in my room after class and just checking my email. In walks Charlotte, Philippine, Antoine and Maxime with a tarte aux pommes (apple tart pie) filled with candles and singing happy birthday. It. was. so. touching. We all sat down in the kitchen and ate the whole pie :) We sat and talked for a while and it was just a very nice thing for my host brothers and sisters to do. So sweet!
We did a lot of sight-seeing the last week of classes too and got to see some of the parts of Paris we have been neglecting--the Luxembourg Gardens, St. Germain, and the list goes on. One of my favorite moments was sitting in Park Monceau for about five hours last Monday. It was a holiday, so everyone was out enjoying the sunshine! Michael, Katie, Dani and I laid out in the sun all day loooong! I even got sunburnt! Can you even believe it?? This was an amazing day because we had a pic-nic, which is basically my favorite way to eat in Paris because it's cheap and more fun. I loved this day because the park was FILLED with people and families. There were kids playing soccer, tag, make-believe... It was charming to listen to the little kids speak French, yelling, screaming and crying.
I couldn't help but think about these kids growing up in Paris. What a life. What an amazing, different life. It's hard for me to imagine such a life. Growing up on the lake is something that I definitely took for granted. Watching all these kids reminded me of when Stef and I would run around the lake playing outside with all the cousins until the sun went down. For these Parisian kids, Park Monceau is their Hasler Lake. :) Maybe the two places aren't so different after all?...We stayed in the park until about 6pm and then headed home. I'm really missing that hot weather right about now!! Over this past weekend, and into this week it has been so chilly and raining on and off. Yuck!
One of my favorite nights out so far has not been in a bar, surprisingly but on the banks of the Seine. On the weekends, groups of people of all ages will sit along the banks of the Seine and on the bridges over the Seine as the sun goes down. Some people bring their dinner, others just cheese, but one thing that everyone brings with them is WINE. It is such an amazing atmosphere to be in! Groups of French young people discussing politics, others listening to their friend play guitar, laughter, noise and happiness. We took our wine down by the river to sit and be like the locals. We listened to a musical performer sing mostly American classic rock and it was extremely entertaining. Great night!
Another really neat experience we've had over the last week took place on the Champs-Elysee. An agriculture organization shut down the Champs-Elysee, which is one of the busiest streets in Paris, to advocate for farming. It was so incredibly awesome! The Champs-Elysee was basically turned into a jungle with trees, bushes, plants, flowers, with all the explanations as to what this agriculture did for society. The exhibit was amazing and it also cost around 7 million euro--I guess that's the price for shutting down Paris' busiest streets for two days. They are planning on doing the same exhibit next year in New York City. But I saw it first in the city of lights ;)
One of the things I liked most about going to classes for two weeks was obviously everything I've said before, but I also LOVED the morning commute in Paris. There is so much energy, and movement. I love seeing kids of every age either walking, scootering, or taking the metro to school. Scooters are HUGE here in Paris for kids. The kids will scooter to school and the parents will take them back to the apartment. It's hilarious to see the men dressed in their suit and tie ready for work, walking his daughter's pink scooter back to the apartment. Love it! It again just amazed me to think about life in a big city like Paris. Walking outside of your apartment and walking a few blocks to school in the city is almost funny to me. I had to walk that far just to get to the bus stop! And then the bus ride to school was double that--in high school the bus ride would take almost an hour!
Haha...such differences from life in Lapeer, East Lansing and now in Paris. I never thought I would truly enjoy life in a big city. I think I am starting to feel more and more at home...
Today marks my third week in Paris. I think I am starting to get out of the "honey moon" stage as they call it and starting to feel less and less like a tourist--which is a good thing! We finished up our last week of class at France Langue and I was sad to say good-bye to our wonderful professor. On the last day of class I did a presentation about my life and about Michigan. I put together some pictures of my home, family and friends and showed them to my class. My professor thought it was absolutely HILARIOUS that Michiganeans can show others where they live by pointing to their hand. Haha! I think I'm really going to miss having class and having Michelle as our professor. Even though classes lasted four hours, they were always entertaining and I learned a lot!
On Tuesday it was my birthday!!! 22 in Paris was pretty amazing! I ate the BEST birthday macaron EVER!!!! (Please see picture)
After class, we did a tour of the St. Germain area, which is historically a literary and artistic part of the city. We learned a lot about Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. It also took us to one of the cafes where the leaders of the French Revolution met--really neat! That night, we went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant--my choice :) and it was delicious! We also had to split some pitchers of margaritas, of course! Later, we went to our favorite gellato place for dessert. Katie and I had to split the Grandissimo size again. (This size is almost the size of a pint, but it is SO worth it because you can get as many flavors as you want
AAND it's cheaper to split than to get our own)!! By the way Mom, Dad and Stef, YES we are going there when you are here. Then, we went to Rue Princesse which is a very fun place to go out in Paris and we went to the Little Temple Bar, quickly becoming one of our favorites. All around, it was an amazing birthday and still can't believe I'm 22...feels like I'm getting older by the second.When I got home from my night out, there was a gift on my bed. It was a long necklace with a goldish heart pendant from my host mother. It was a very special surprise!
The day after my birthday I was sitting in my room after class and just checking my email. In walks Charlotte, Philippine, Antoine and Maxime with a tarte aux pommes (apple tart pie) filled with candles and singing happy birthday. It. was. so. touching. We all sat down in the kitchen and ate the whole pie :) We sat and talked for a while and it was just a very nice thing for my host brothers and sisters to do. So sweet!
We did a lot of sight-seeing the last week of classes too and got to see some of the parts of Paris we have been neglecting--the Luxembourg Gardens, St. Germain, and the list goes on. One of my favorite moments was sitting in Park Monceau for about five hours last Monday. It was a holiday, so everyone was out enjoying the sunshine! Michael, Katie, Dani and I laid out in the sun all day loooong! I even got sunburnt! Can you even believe it?? This was an amazing day because we had a pic-nic, which is basically my favorite way to eat in Paris because it's cheap and more fun. I loved this day because the park was FILLED with people and families. There were kids playing soccer, tag, make-believe... It was charming to listen to the little kids speak French, yelling, screaming and crying.
I couldn't help but think about these kids growing up in Paris. What a life. What an amazing, different life. It's hard for me to imagine such a life. Growing up on the lake is something that I definitely took for granted. Watching all these kids reminded me of when Stef and I would run around the lake playing outside with all the cousins until the sun went down. For these Parisian kids, Park Monceau is their Hasler Lake. :) Maybe the two places aren't so different after all?...We stayed in the park until about 6pm and then headed home. I'm really missing that hot weather right about now!! Over this past weekend, and into this week it has been so chilly and raining on and off. Yuck!
One of my favorite nights out so far has not been in a bar, surprisingly but on the banks of the Seine. On the weekends, groups of people of all ages will sit along the banks of the Seine and on the bridges over the Seine as the sun goes down. Some people bring their dinner, others just cheese, but one thing that everyone brings with them is WINE. It is such an amazing atmosphere to be in! Groups of French young people discussing politics, others listening to their friend play guitar, laughter, noise and happiness. We took our wine down by the river to sit and be like the locals. We listened to a musical performer sing mostly American classic rock and it was extremely entertaining. Great night!
Another really neat experience we've had over the last week took place on the Champs-Elysee. An agriculture organization shut down the Champs-Elysee, which is one of the busiest streets in Paris, to advocate for farming. It was so incredibly awesome! The Champs-Elysee was basically turned into a jungle with trees, bushes, plants, flowers, with all the explanations as to what this agriculture did for society. The exhibit was amazing and it also cost around 7 million euro--I guess that's the price for shutting down Paris' busiest streets for two days. They are planning on doing the same exhibit next year in New York City. But I saw it first in the city of lights ;)
One of the things I liked most about going to classes for two weeks was obviously everything I've said before, but I also LOVED the morning commute in Paris. There is so much energy, and movement. I love seeing kids of every age either walking, scootering, or taking the metro to school. Scooters are HUGE here in Paris for kids. The kids will scooter to school and the parents will take them back to the apartment. It's hilarious to see the men dressed in their suit and tie ready for work, walking his daughter's pink scooter back to the apartment. Love it! It again just amazed me to think about life in a big city like Paris. Walking outside of your apartment and walking a few blocks to school in the city is almost funny to me. I had to walk that far just to get to the bus stop! And then the bus ride to school was double that--in high school the bus ride would take almost an hour!
Haha...such differences from life in Lapeer, East Lansing and now in Paris. I never thought I would truly enjoy life in a big city. I think I am starting to feel more and more at home...
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Une Semaine a Paris
It has been almost a week since I have been living in one of the greatest cities in the world! There are so many things I admire about the French people and so many more I am sure I have yet to discover. The metro, for example: I know there are metros in every big city, but there is something so simple and so perfect about the Paris metro. I can get wherever I need to go with only a few connections. (It could also be all the Parisians on the metro that make it so wonderful). Another example? The French are so incredibly polite. It's interesting that Parisians and French people in general get the reputation of being snobs and being rude, because once you figure out their secret, they are truly the most polite people on earth. All it takes is a simple, "Bonjour!" to open the hearts of Parisians across the city. If you walk into a supermarche, or sit down at a cafe and don't say Bonjour do not expect to receive the "politesse" that I have come to know and love. Besides trying to understand and unlock all the secrets of the French in this blog, I also want to recount the day to day events here so I don't forget one single thing from this amazing "sejour" a Paris.
To continue from the last post......we had a great night of eating at a cafe next to Notre Dame to celebrate Michael's birthday. I ate a croque-monsieur and it was delicious! We also went to a creperie after that and I got a nutella and banana crepe--my first crepe in Paris...definitely not my last :) After that, I went back to my apartment to rest up for the next day. I had quite the trouble using the metro that night, though. First I got lost trying to find the correct metro station, and then I got on the metro in the wrong direction. (Wow, I already feel like I have grown a lot from that first night!)
On Thursday we had a pic-nick on the lawn next to Champ de Mars, right by the Eiffel Tower. We had baguette, cheese, and grapes--how much more French can you get?? We then had an orientation to tell us more about life in Paris and how to better understand the French ;) Afterwords, Michael, Katie and I went back to my apartment to hang out for a little bit. We tried some wine that Michael bought, but it wasn't very good. Then, Katie and I walked around the 16th arrondisement, and we also walked around her arrondisement, the 17e.
On Friday we had our orientation to our internships, where we got a better understanding of
business etiquette in France. We also had a mock interview with Ophelie--the internship director at EUSA. While we each waited for our time to interview with Ophelie, we sat in a nearby cafe which had the most beautiful pastries and cookies. I had a DELICIOUS croissant... (Can you see a similar theme throughout each day? hmm...FOOD) That afternoon and into the evening we walked around the Latin Quarter--one of the best places to go out in Paris. The cafes were packed and there were restaurants overflowing with Parisians. It was such a cool sight to see! Later, we went to la Tour Eiffel and hung out for a little bit. It was the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower lit up and sparkling! Now I know I can look out my window starting at 10pm every night to see the tower sparkle. So magical.
Saturday we all got some well needed rest, and finally started to catch up on our jet lag. We went to the Champs-Elysee and walked to the Arc de Triomphe. Beware!! There are already a ton of tourists at all the big monuments in Paris...pretty crazy huh? We of course had to go into Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysee, probably the most famous store location in the world. Later, we went to Monmartre and Sacre-Coeur and I led our group on a walking tour around the district. I got the walking tour from the book that Stefanie gave me for graduation--thanks, Stef!! It was wonderful to simply walk and wander through such a dynamic district in Paris. Even later than night, we went to la Nuit des Musees--a night when most musems in Paris and even across Europe open their doors to the public for free. So, even though we had to wait about 45 minutes to get in, and we almost had to tell a creepy Russian man to go away, we went into the Musee D'Orsay for free (you don't hear that often in Paris) and were able to see most all of the impressionist works that we wanted to see. C'etait magnifique!
Sunday was another much needed day of rest, and I did some research on the company that I interviewed with--FASTI (Federation des Associations de Solidarite pour les Travailleurs Immigrees). This is a non-profit/non-governmental organization located in the 20e arrondisement that advocates for immigrants rights. Katie and I met up in the 5e arrondisement (metro Jussieu) and we ate at a small cafe where I had the most amazing croque-fontaine. It was similar to a croque-monsieur (which is similar to a grilled cheese) but the bread was first soaked in a wine, and there was also an egg on it. The melted cheese, and the egg and the bread was absolutely amazing. Encore...mangnifique! Katie and I stayed for a while at this cafe to practice for our interviews. Then, together we went to visit our organization locations for our internships. For me, finding a location after getting off the metro can be a bit confusing, and we both wanted to be sure we knew where we were going before the actual day of our interview. When I went back to my apartment, I was able to meet my two host brothers--Antoine and Maxime--who are absolutely. ADORABLE. Antoine is almost 11 and Maxime is 12. They were both extremely excited to meet me. Antoine has brown hair and Maxime has a very light brown, almost blond colored hair. They both greeted me with huge smiles, a "Bonjour Chelsea!!" and les bises--the traditional French way of saying hello. You kiss your family and your close friends once on both cheeks, always right cheek first. I talked with Anne-Laure, my host mother, about their trip over the weekend. They went to an island in the North of France. They were lucky because they had nothing but sun the entire weekend. In Paris, we weren't that lucky but the sun did peak out behind the clouds once or twice.
Monday we had our french language tests at the organization called France Langue. I was really proud because I got in an elevated level with two other MSU students. Julie--one of the staff at EUSA--took us to what's called a University Restaurant. This is an extremely cheap cafeteria eating style restaurant. Students pay only 3.90 euros which is a complete steal, considering a simple cafe can cost around that same price!!! There are there University Restaurants all around Paris, so we are going to keep going to those. It also might be a good place to meet other French young people because it is filled with university students. After, we went to a big department store in Paris where Katie and I bought some needed hair products: me a blow dryer and Katie a straightener. We then did like the Parisians and sat at a cafe for about two hours and just talked about anything and everything. Walking along the Seine with the sun shining down on us was wonderful. We took our time and just wandered along the river line, taking pictures and laughing at all the crazy things for sale along the Seine. Then, we sat in the sun in the courtyard of the Louvre just taking pictures, speaking French and enjoying life :) We walked through the Jardin des Tuiliers where there were a ton of Parisians sitting on benches, sitting on the grass, sitting in chairs around the fountains. It was such a sight to take in. So beautiful. Later, we met back up at Trocadero and sat on the lawn across from the Eiffel Tower--it was a view of the Eiffel Tower that I have not seen before. Absolutely beautiful! Katie and I practiced for our interviews again and then went back home rather early because we all had to get up early for class the next day.
Tuesday was our first day of class. Our professor is an older French woman named Michelle. She is SO SO SO chic. I absolutely adore her. She makes the class hilarious and completely enjoyable! Which I'm not sure how she does it because it lasts four hours with a break in between. In my classes at MSU I am normally looking at my watch wondering when class will be over, but class is wonderful with Michelle!! She has such personality and such charm. It is strange because she is like the female version of Monsieur Koppisch at MSU. It is actually almost bizarre how similar they are. After class, Katie and I practiced one last time before we both went off to our interviews with our organizations. I had a great interview with Anna Sibley at FASTI. She told me more about the organization, since there is a TON of information on their website. I am very excited because she told me I could have a lot of freedom to do any type of projects I desired. There are so many other organizations that FASTI is associated with that there are many many different paths I can take with this internship. I will wait to her back from her or from my internship director if I got the internship....fingers crossed!!!
I went home after my internship and simply hung out with my family. It has actually been my favorite night so far in Paris. I gave Anne-Laure the two Michigan books for her gift and we were able to talk more about Michigan. It was funny because she said oh its "sauvage." It was hilarious to hear her call Michigan "wild." I guess compared to a huge city like Paris, Michigan can definitely seem wild...haha! I was also able to help Maxime with his English homework. I quizzed him on some vocabulary which was so charming. I sat with Anne-Laure and we both listened to him recite his English words. I love how the French pronounce the English language in their oh-so-French accents. It just makes me smile :) For example: Maxime had to say "The supermarket is next to my house." But, it sounded more like "Zee zoobermarkit iz clews two mya ows." I am smiling even thinking about it now! Anne-Laure invited me to eat dinner with the kids and I was so thrilled that she did. It was hi-lar-i-ous! We talked and laughed and laughed and talked. I told them more about the United States, they told me more about life in Paris. Phillipine kept telling jokes and making all of us laugh harder. It. was. wonderful. I felt so welcome, and so loved by these people who I barely even know. Isn't that amazing?
And today was class again, which is harder and harder to get up for in the morning. I have to wake up at 7am!!!!! I haven't had to do that since high school I think! yuck!! We found a cheap place to eat lunch after class, and just hung out around Paris for the day. We walked to UNESCO and then laid in a park for a while. It was absolutely beautiful today, in the mid 60s with not a cloud in the sky!!! I did not want to go inside! After, we bough a bottle of wine and went to Trocadero to relax and try to fit in as Parisians. After most of the wine was gone, we started playing camp games thanks to Michael--who knew Michael and I had so much in common?? I was laughing so hard it was hard to breathe hahaha! Another amazing day in my summer home :)
So this must be the life, huh? Une joie de vivre.
To continue from the last post......we had a great night of eating at a cafe next to Notre Dame to celebrate Michael's birthday. I ate a croque-monsieur and it was delicious! We also went to a creperie after that and I got a nutella and banana crepe--my first crepe in Paris...definitely not my last :) After that, I went back to my apartment to rest up for the next day. I had quite the trouble using the metro that night, though. First I got lost trying to find the correct metro station, and then I got on the metro in the wrong direction. (Wow, I already feel like I have grown a lot from that first night!)
On Thursday we had a pic-nick on the lawn next to Champ de Mars, right by the Eiffel Tower. We had baguette, cheese, and grapes--how much more French can you get?? We then had an orientation to tell us more about life in Paris and how to better understand the French ;) Afterwords, Michael, Katie and I went back to my apartment to hang out for a little bit. We tried some wine that Michael bought, but it wasn't very good. Then, Katie and I walked around the 16th arrondisement, and we also walked around her arrondisement, the 17e.
On Friday we had our orientation to our internships, where we got a better understanding of
business etiquette in France. We also had a mock interview with Ophelie--the internship director at EUSA. While we each waited for our time to interview with Ophelie, we sat in a nearby cafe which had the most beautiful pastries and cookies. I had a DELICIOUS croissant... (Can you see a similar theme throughout each day? hmm...FOOD) That afternoon and into the evening we walked around the Latin Quarter--one of the best places to go out in Paris. The cafes were packed and there were restaurants overflowing with Parisians. It was such a cool sight to see! Later, we went to la Tour Eiffel and hung out for a little bit. It was the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower lit up and sparkling! Now I know I can look out my window starting at 10pm every night to see the tower sparkle. So magical.
Saturday we all got some well needed rest, and finally started to catch up on our jet lag. We went to the Champs-Elysee and walked to the Arc de Triomphe. Beware!! There are already a ton of tourists at all the big monuments in Paris...pretty crazy huh? We of course had to go into Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysee, probably the most famous store location in the world. Later, we went to Monmartre and Sacre-Coeur and I led our group on a walking tour around the district. I got the walking tour from the book that Stefanie gave me for graduation--thanks, Stef!! It was wonderful to simply walk and wander through such a dynamic district in Paris. Even later than night, we went to la Nuit des Musees--a night when most musems in Paris and even across Europe open their doors to the public for free. So, even though we had to wait about 45 minutes to get in, and we almost had to tell a creepy Russian man to go away, we went into the Musee D'Orsay for free (you don't hear that often in Paris) and were able to see most all of the impressionist works that we wanted to see. C'etait magnifique!
Sunday was another much needed day of rest, and I did some research on the company that I interviewed with--FASTI (Federation des Associations de Solidarite pour les Travailleurs Immigrees). This is a non-profit/non-governmental organization located in the 20e arrondisement that advocates for immigrants rights. Katie and I met up in the 5e arrondisement (metro Jussieu) and we ate at a small cafe where I had the most amazing croque-fontaine. It was similar to a croque-monsieur (which is similar to a grilled cheese) but the bread was first soaked in a wine, and there was also an egg on it. The melted cheese, and the egg and the bread was absolutely amazing. Encore...mangnifique! Katie and I stayed for a while at this cafe to practice for our interviews. Then, together we went to visit our organization locations for our internships. For me, finding a location after getting off the metro can be a bit confusing, and we both wanted to be sure we knew where we were going before the actual day of our interview. When I went back to my apartment, I was able to meet my two host brothers--Antoine and Maxime--who are absolutely. ADORABLE. Antoine is almost 11 and Maxime is 12. They were both extremely excited to meet me. Antoine has brown hair and Maxime has a very light brown, almost blond colored hair. They both greeted me with huge smiles, a "Bonjour Chelsea!!" and les bises--the traditional French way of saying hello. You kiss your family and your close friends once on both cheeks, always right cheek first. I talked with Anne-Laure, my host mother, about their trip over the weekend. They went to an island in the North of France. They were lucky because they had nothing but sun the entire weekend. In Paris, we weren't that lucky but the sun did peak out behind the clouds once or twice.
Monday we had our french language tests at the organization called France Langue. I was really proud because I got in an elevated level with two other MSU students. Julie--one of the staff at EUSA--took us to what's called a University Restaurant. This is an extremely cheap cafeteria eating style restaurant. Students pay only 3.90 euros which is a complete steal, considering a simple cafe can cost around that same price!!! There are there University Restaurants all around Paris, so we are going to keep going to those. It also might be a good place to meet other French young people because it is filled with university students. After, we went to a big department store in Paris where Katie and I bought some needed hair products: me a blow dryer and Katie a straightener. We then did like the Parisians and sat at a cafe for about two hours and just talked about anything and everything. Walking along the Seine with the sun shining down on us was wonderful. We took our time and just wandered along the river line, taking pictures and laughing at all the crazy things for sale along the Seine. Then, we sat in the sun in the courtyard of the Louvre just taking pictures, speaking French and enjoying life :) We walked through the Jardin des Tuiliers where there were a ton of Parisians sitting on benches, sitting on the grass, sitting in chairs around the fountains. It was such a sight to take in. So beautiful. Later, we met back up at Trocadero and sat on the lawn across from the Eiffel Tower--it was a view of the Eiffel Tower that I have not seen before. Absolutely beautiful! Katie and I practiced for our interviews again and then went back home rather early because we all had to get up early for class the next day.
Tuesday was our first day of class. Our professor is an older French woman named Michelle. She is SO SO SO chic. I absolutely adore her. She makes the class hilarious and completely enjoyable! Which I'm not sure how she does it because it lasts four hours with a break in between. In my classes at MSU I am normally looking at my watch wondering when class will be over, but class is wonderful with Michelle!! She has such personality and such charm. It is strange because she is like the female version of Monsieur Koppisch at MSU. It is actually almost bizarre how similar they are. After class, Katie and I practiced one last time before we both went off to our interviews with our organizations. I had a great interview with Anna Sibley at FASTI. She told me more about the organization, since there is a TON of information on their website. I am very excited because she told me I could have a lot of freedom to do any type of projects I desired. There are so many other organizations that FASTI is associated with that there are many many different paths I can take with this internship. I will wait to her back from her or from my internship director if I got the internship....fingers crossed!!!
I went home after my internship and simply hung out with my family. It has actually been my favorite night so far in Paris. I gave Anne-Laure the two Michigan books for her gift and we were able to talk more about Michigan. It was funny because she said oh its "sauvage." It was hilarious to hear her call Michigan "wild." I guess compared to a huge city like Paris, Michigan can definitely seem wild...haha! I was also able to help Maxime with his English homework. I quizzed him on some vocabulary which was so charming. I sat with Anne-Laure and we both listened to him recite his English words. I love how the French pronounce the English language in their oh-so-French accents. It just makes me smile :) For example: Maxime had to say "The supermarket is next to my house." But, it sounded more like "Zee zoobermarkit iz clews two mya ows." I am smiling even thinking about it now! Anne-Laure invited me to eat dinner with the kids and I was so thrilled that she did. It was hi-lar-i-ous! We talked and laughed and laughed and talked. I told them more about the United States, they told me more about life in Paris. Phillipine kept telling jokes and making all of us laugh harder. It. was. wonderful. I felt so welcome, and so loved by these people who I barely even know. Isn't that amazing?
And today was class again, which is harder and harder to get up for in the morning. I have to wake up at 7am!!!!! I haven't had to do that since high school I think! yuck!! We found a cheap place to eat lunch after class, and just hung out around Paris for the day. We walked to UNESCO and then laid in a park for a while. It was absolutely beautiful today, in the mid 60s with not a cloud in the sky!!! I did not want to go inside! After, we bough a bottle of wine and went to Trocadero to relax and try to fit in as Parisians. After most of the wine was gone, we started playing camp games thanks to Michael--who knew Michael and I had so much in common?? I was laughing so hard it was hard to breathe hahaha! Another amazing day in my summer home :)
So this must be the life, huh? Une joie de vivre.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Premier Jour a Paris
I truly can't believe how lucky I am to be living in Paris for the summer!! My apartment is in the 16th arrondisement of Paris. This quarter is found in the southeast part of France. I can actually see the Eiffel Tower from my bedroom window balcony. What a dream.
I met most of the family today. The mom, Jean-Laure, the dad, and the two girls, Phillipine and Charlotte. Charlotte is 18 and Phillipine is 16. Charlotte is staying with me for the night, while her family leaves for a long weekend at their country home. Charlotte will leave in the morning to join them.
The apartment is an old beautiful building and the family lives on the fourth floor. That was a lot of steps to carry up my two suitcases! There is the kitchen, the living room, the dining room and the parents bedroom on the main floor. There is a small spiral staircase that winds up to the second floor of the apartment where all the kid's bedrooms are found. Phillipine gave up her room for me for the summer (how wonderful of her) and it is absolutely perfect! Tons of closet space, a desk, a bed and they even have wireless.
The weather is a bit chillier than I expected, but I'm glad I brought enough clothes to layer. I am waiting for Charlotte to return and then she and I are going to walk around the quartier for a bit. She will show me where I can buy groceries and where to find the metro.
At 19h, I am meeting up with the other students on the program to go out to dinner. It is Michael's 20th birthday and he wants to celebrate his birthday and our first night in Paris! I think we are going to head to a cafe near Notre Dame in the Latin Quarter. I can't wait!
I met most of the family today. The mom, Jean-Laure, the dad, and the two girls, Phillipine and Charlotte. Charlotte is 18 and Phillipine is 16. Charlotte is staying with me for the night, while her family leaves for a long weekend at their country home. Charlotte will leave in the morning to join them.
The apartment is an old beautiful building and the family lives on the fourth floor. That was a lot of steps to carry up my two suitcases! There is the kitchen, the living room, the dining room and the parents bedroom on the main floor. There is a small spiral staircase that winds up to the second floor of the apartment where all the kid's bedrooms are found. Phillipine gave up her room for me for the summer (how wonderful of her) and it is absolutely perfect! Tons of closet space, a desk, a bed and they even have wireless.
The weather is a bit chillier than I expected, but I'm glad I brought enough clothes to layer. I am waiting for Charlotte to return and then she and I are going to walk around the quartier for a bit. She will show me where I can buy groceries and where to find the metro.
At 19h, I am meeting up with the other students on the program to go out to dinner. It is Michael's 20th birthday and he wants to celebrate his birthday and our first night in Paris! I think we are going to head to a cafe near Notre Dame in the Latin Quarter. I can't wait!
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