Pardon My French: June 2013

Salut tout le monde!

I have a bit of time before my next class so I thought I'd play another round of catch-up. I'm in my last week of observing and assisting in the French school system. It seems like it's gone by so quickly now that it's getting closer to the end. Weird to be closing this chapter of the trip. I still have a lot to look forward to though. Next Monday, I will be going to Amsterdam, followed by London, before finally having a night cap in Paris for old times sake. It's hard to tell you all what I've gotten from being here, but I can say that despite the ups and downs, it's been nothing short of transformative. I am not the same person I was when I left. I know that sounds really cheesy and cliché, but there's a lot of truth to that statement. Traveling has the power to change a person. It changes the way you see and think about things. I now know how lucky I am to have had this time and I hope to repeat something similar soon. Anything is possible and it's exciting to think about le futur.

I will update you all tomorrow about my time at Collège Jean-Marc Laurent. I want to finish tomorrow before trying to talk too much about my time here. It's been interesting and great to say the least.

In the meantime, I think it's time to talk about some of the French culture I've noticed since being here.

1) La politesse

Politeness is not to be taken lightly in France. France is certainly a country of traditions that have been passed down from century to century, and being aware of some of these rules is very helpful if you plan to visit. They can seriously make the difference between a good trip and a bad trip. First, I'd like to say that the French people as a whole are not rude. They are actually very warm and welcoming if you treat them with the same respect that you expect people to treat you with when visiting your country. I'm not saying you'll never meet a rude person here, but they certainly don't live up to that part of their stereotype.

Bonjour makes a bon jour. This statement is so true. In France, saying hello to everyone is very important. It seems like it takes a long time, but it's very important. Most of the time, saying bonjour is paired with a kiss on both cheeks, but when strangers are concerned, always say bonjour (or bonsoir). Some of these traditions seem a bit old fashioned, but this particular gesture isn't to be messed with. Not saying hello to someone is an easy way to make yourself seem rude and to be alienated because of that. Even if you don't speak French, a simple bonjour Madame or bonsoir Monsieur will get you far.

This part of the culture has become so engrained in my mind that I have started to think like a French person. If someone doesn't say un petit bonjour to me, I feel a little agitated. It will be interesting going back to the states. France should come with a warning label...

2) Le café

Coffee Coffee Coffee. As most of you know, I am a huge fan of the show Gilmore Girls. I never get sick of it. The show centers around a mother and daughter duo who are quirky and coffee obsessed. I always wondered if there were people out there who really needed coffee to survive like the characters of my favorite show.

It turns out that these people do exist and that they're known as the French. I have never really considered myself a big coffee drinker, but I have learned to love it and have developed a little addiction myself. Merci France! The French love their coffee. I have been observing one professor to see how many cups of coffee he has each day. He typically has 4-5 cups before lunch, wine and coffee at lunch, and by the afternoon I've lost count. The scary part is that those hours between the time he wakes up and the time he shows up to school are a mystery. I'd add another 3 cups to the total, and that's being very modest. Yes, this is very general and can't be applied to everyone, but coffee makes the world go round here in France.

Réglise and I. His humans own my favorite café in Amiens, Les 3 Banques.

3) Le vin

Everything you hear about French wine is true. There's a reason they have such a reputation for it. The nice part about being a wine lover in France is that it's possible to go down to the local Carrefour and buy a decent bottle for under 3€. Pas mal. I guess producing it by the masses gives them a little more freedom when it comes to pricing. At a restaurant, a glass of wine could cost around 4€, but coca-cola could cost up to 7€...having a dependency to wine isn't a problem in France because you can still afford to pay the bills.

Don't think the French are above boxed wine either. I found an aisle of it. Not sure who actually drinks it here but there must be someone.

4) La mode

Everyone's heard that France is the fashion hub of the world. This is true and faux. I have seen a lot of really strange fashion...man capris paired with tight shirts and bright scarves. However, last weekend I was in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quartier in Paris and I was amazed at the attractiveness level. This particular neighborhood in Paris is known as being very posh, or bobo as the locals say. Everyone was dressed so perfectly that even the most unattractive French man looked like he walked off a runway. It was here that I understand what they mean by the French being known for their fashion. The fashion is really unique and oh-so-French looking. Can't wait to see more.

5) French Kiss

Yes, the French are very romantic. It's not unusual to see a young couple on the metro sitting a little to close and having a moment that seems a bit too personal for public. It's something you get used to though. It's also something I'm going to miss back home. After being here, I've seen how much more reserved people are in the states. Even if it's at times borderline cringe-worthy, it's nice to see people who are in love and not afraid to shout it from the rooftops. The romanticism has rubbed off on all of us one way or another. Paris for Valentine's Day is best to be avoided by all the single ladies out there.

6) Scarves and Cigarettes

Every women here must have a separate closet to hold all their scarves. Scarves can be worn every day here. I have gotten 3 since being here. I love scarves, so this is right up my alley.

Yes, lots and lots of the French population smokes. However, they are very blunt about their warning labels. The label is huge and it generally says fumer tue. This literally translates as smoking kills. Yes, the French are also very direct. It's another thing you get used to. They can't smoke in bars here though, so they are making changes little by little.

------------------------------------------------ I could probably continue to add to this list, but I'll stop myself for now. It's been a lot of fun learning about the French first hand.

I am definitely missing my friends and family (and birds) back home and I can't wait to see or talk to everyone again. Love you all lots!

Plein de bisous,

Taylor

Hey everyone! Once again, posting on a regular basis has proven to be quite the challenge. I guess I should catch everyone up a bit from where I left off.

So the weekend after my week at École Annexe, we went to Paris for a little day trip. Once again, I'm blown away by this city...as if that's even a surprise. We decided to explore Montmartre a bit. After taking the train into Gare du Nord, we had to get a metro day pass and find our way to that quartier. That part wasn't too difficult, but then we had to walk up these ridiculously steep streets to get to Sacre Coeur, the white basilica that is sort of the unofficial face of Montmartre. Although I've never been to San Francisco, I'd imagine that the streets we were having to walk up were pretty similar. We finally made it up the streets and came out into this clearing that was full of cafés and cute little stores. We were definitely in the right place. Although Montmartre is full of tourists, it's a must-see if you're in Paris. It is so charming and so quintessentially Paris. If you want to have the ideal Parisian experience, this is a good neighborhood to start in. We decided to climb the stairs up to Sacre Coeur. Talk about a work out.

We got to go into Sacre Coeur, which was absolutely incredible. It's amazing how beautiful the architecture is here. It doesn't seem like real life. After, we found a restaurant and had lunch. I had cheese penne, which was a bit strong for my taste. It was good, but the cheeses were all strong, French cheeses. Not a subtle taste, that's for sure. Later on, we were able to go to Notre Dame, Shakespeare and co, and La Sorbonne. It was a great re-introduction to Paris. I left with sore feet and a thirst for more. That sounds silly, but Paris has almost been like this great challenge for me. Just when I think I've seen a lot, I realize I've only seen a fraction. It's kind of like a gift that keeps on giving.

Now, I guess it's time to move past Paris and talk about my second week in French schools. I spent my second week at another primary school called École Delpech. This school is much bigger than École Annexe. Where Annexe has 5 classes, Delpech has about 15 classes. It's much bigger in regards to students and faculty. The principal is the only man in a faculty of all woman. I don't think I've drank so much coffee in my life as I did this week. They have several breaks throughout the day, and it's a normal thing to grab a coffee or two during break. I liked it because it gave me time to practice my French and be social with adults.

The kids are so sweet. They were so eager to learn about where I come from, and were so eager to have me as their new friend. They are all incredibly smart. I'd say they were all exceptionally literate and strong in math. I think that's because they start a few years ahead of kids in the US. I had several little girls who wanted nothing more than to hold my hand all week. They would fight over my two hands to the point where they were satisfied holding a finger each. I'll never forget walking down the hall with about six little girls holding onto a finger. Made walking a bit difficult. I have learned that if I were to teach younger kids, I prefer 1st and 2nd graders. They are still so sweet and eager to learn, and they aren't quite as jaded as some of the older students. Don't get me wrong, I love the older students too, but it's amazing how quick some of these kids learn to have an attitude. :) Here are some pics: