I planned for myself next week (since it is my fall vacation) a large, extensive tour of Paris. Here is the schedule of events:
Monday:
10AM- Saint Chappelle
11AM- Notre Dame de Paris
12PM- Market des Fleurs et des Oiseaux (Flowers and Birds)
1PM- Pont Neuf
1:30- Jardin de Louxembourg (Picnic and Explore)
3:00- Place des Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb)
6:00- Walking tour of Montmartre
8:00- Picnic at Sacre Coeur
9:00- Red Light District/ Moulin Rouge
Tuesday:
10:00- Cemetery de Montparnasse
11:30- Cemetery de Montmartre
1:00- Lunch (SUGGESTIONS?)
2:30- La Bastille and Place des Vosges (Victor Hugo's apt.)
3:30- Hotel de Ville
6:30- The Marais
Wednesday:
10AM- Assemblee Nationale
11:00- Place de la Concorde and The Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe
1:00- Lunch at Jardin des Tuileries
6PM- Centre Pompidou
Thursday:
10AM- Maison de Balzac
12:30- Coffee and Lunch at a Cafe
1:30- Stroll down St. Michel (Fontaine de St Michel, The Pantheon (Vic Hugo's Grave), Le Senat)
3:30- Stroll along the Seine
6PM- Musee d'Orsay
Friday: (Market Day)
9AM- Marche Brune
10AM- Marche Mouton Duvernet
11AM- Marche Raspail
12PM- Marche Monge
1PM- Picnic on Champs de Mars and The Eiffel Tower
This is obviously not a set in stone schedule. I will be taking a ton of pictures and if there are any places that anyone back in the States wants me to visit in particular, then just post a comment about where you'd like me to visit and I will fit it in.
A Bientot!
Justin
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Le Week-End
Weekends are interesting here. Saturday is a bustling commotion of activity, while Sunday this town is half alive. Last Saturday we were able to experience the full craziness of Paris' day-off.
Earlier in the week, I got invited to tag along with some friends to a Parisian flea market, and of course couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had recently been to a full flea market for the first time in Michigan with Kaj for the 4th of July and was very much entertained. I was also able to purchase quite a few used DVDs for a very reasonable price. Long story short, I was excited for this flea market.
We took the Metro Line 4 all the way from one end (Porte D'Orleans, where I live) to the other (Porte de Clignacourt). This metro stop is just inside the border of Zone 1, which includes the most part of Paris. Just a few blocks walk and we were in a "suburb" known as Saint Ouen. After following the directions that we had prepared before we left, we ended up at an entrance to what
looked like a small American strip mall. What it turned out to be was rows and rows of antique shops and small single room furniture displays. It's hard to describe, but if you can imagine rows and rows of storage units in America, all about 10 feet tall and about 15 feet wide. And then for everyone of this storage units to be open and have what appears to be a bedroom in each one, and each bedroom has a completely different set of furniture. That's kind of what this was like. Fascinating. There was so much to look at, and some of the places had some really, really old stuff. Of course, some also had a little modern touch, like the one that looked like it had an airplane crashing trough it (sorry I don't have a picture). What I do have a picture of is a moving truck with a hilarious name.
After wandering around this little area, we decided it really wasn't for us, and started to exit. Upon trying to exit, we found another part of the 'flea market' that was more than just antiques. They were discount clothing stands, crazy little trinkets (including marijuana bongs), and small food merchants. We wondered around this shady area for a few minutes, after finally decided to exit for real this time, and got back to the street we came in on. On our way back to the metro station, we passed yet ANOTHER large 'flea market' and decided it check it out as well since it was on our way. This one reminded me very much of the one I saw in Michigan, except the vendors were hustling us more (one guy told me I looked cold and tried to sell me a winter coat). But if you were looking for something specific in Paris, this would be the place to find it, though you might suffer a little bit of quality decrease and would have to look among the rows of stands for a while to find what you were looking for.
After FINALLY making our way out of the flea market area, we hopped back on the metro, which was as crowded as I had ever seen it. It was about 3PM Saturday afternoon, and everyone on the train was in severe violation of the personal space of the 3 or 4 people around them. I'm not sure where everyone was going, but the trained no one seemed to be getting off the train as more people were coming on. Fortunately, I don't believe there are weight limits on trains. We exited at Chateau Rouge in Montmartre, because we decided that we wanted to go to Sacre Coeur for a visit. I had not yet seen Sacre Coeur in the daylight, though I'd been there twice at night.
A brief explanation about getting to Sacre Coeur, you know you're going the right way if you are
going uphill. Sometimes you'll encounter hills and sometimes you will encounter steps, but if you're going up, you'll get there. We walked through the small park at the foot of the mount where Sacre Coeur is situated and found some enchanting stairs to climb (see left). They were like out of a story book. Alas, the place was filled with tourists. A lot of them were just sitting on the steps in front of Sacre Coeur watching a musician play the guitar or looking out along the Paris skyline. It's truly one of my favorite spots in Paris, but I'm not alone in feeling this way.
We actually got to go inside of Sacre Coeur since we were there in the afternoon, and it is quite
impressive. Massive ceilings, a huge mural of Jesus and Mary at the front of the church, candles lit in one of the corners of the church, and ornate decorations on the pulpit and the other furniture found at the front of the church. Sitting in the pews and looking behind us, a massive pipe organ loomed in the shadows. We sat down in the pews and marveled at it for a bit and then exited.
Our trip to Sacre Coeur was followed by a brief walk through the area that is Montmartre. We were hoping to stumble across the cafe that Amelie Poulin fictionally worked in (the film Amelie de Montmartre), but did not have much luck. After grabbing a sandwish from a boulangerie, we headed back home on the metro for some rest for the night's shennanigans.
Seeing as I've written a lot already, I'm going to conclude this post at this point. What I would like to mention, for those of you active readers, is what I'm planning for next week. I have most of it drawn up already, but what I am doing is a complete Parisian experience in one week. Anything that you can think of that's stereotypical of Paris, I will hopefully be experiencing it Monday-Friday. What I'd like to give you the opportunity to do is suggest to me something that you would like me to see or take extensive photographs for you to see. Or if there's some activity (that's not horribly pricey) that you'd like me to do and write about, I'd be happy to do that. Grandpa Grover has already asked for a trip to the markets with some pictures, and I will humbly oblige. So if you have something, throw it at me.
A la prochaine!
Justin
Earlier in the week, I got invited to tag along with some friends to a Parisian flea market, and of course couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had recently been to a full flea market for the first time in Michigan with Kaj for the 4th of July and was very much entertained. I was also able to purchase quite a few used DVDs for a very reasonable price. Long story short, I was excited for this flea market.
We took the Metro Line 4 all the way from one end (Porte D'Orleans, where I live) to the other (Porte de Clignacourt). This metro stop is just inside the border of Zone 1, which includes the most part of Paris. Just a few blocks walk and we were in a "suburb" known as Saint Ouen. After following the directions that we had prepared before we left, we ended up at an entrance to what
looked like a small American strip mall. What it turned out to be was rows and rows of antique shops and small single room furniture displays. It's hard to describe, but if you can imagine rows and rows of storage units in America, all about 10 feet tall and about 15 feet wide. And then for everyone of this storage units to be open and have what appears to be a bedroom in each one, and each bedroom has a completely different set of furniture. That's kind of what this was like. Fascinating. There was so much to look at, and some of the places had some really, really old stuff. Of course, some also had a little modern touch, like the one that looked like it had an airplane crashing trough it (sorry I don't have a picture). What I do have a picture of is a moving truck with a hilarious name.After wandering around this little area, we decided it really wasn't for us, and started to exit. Upon trying to exit, we found another part of the 'flea market' that was more than just antiques. They were discount clothing stands, crazy little trinkets (including marijuana bongs), and small food merchants. We wondered around this shady area for a few minutes, after finally decided to exit for real this time, and got back to the street we came in on. On our way back to the metro station, we passed yet ANOTHER large 'flea market' and decided it check it out as well since it was on our way. This one reminded me very much of the one I saw in Michigan, except the vendors were hustling us more (one guy told me I looked cold and tried to sell me a winter coat). But if you were looking for something specific in Paris, this would be the place to find it, though you might suffer a little bit of quality decrease and would have to look among the rows of stands for a while to find what you were looking for.
After FINALLY making our way out of the flea market area, we hopped back on the metro, which was as crowded as I had ever seen it. It was about 3PM Saturday afternoon, and everyone on the train was in severe violation of the personal space of the 3 or 4 people around them. I'm not sure where everyone was going, but the trained no one seemed to be getting off the train as more people were coming on. Fortunately, I don't believe there are weight limits on trains. We exited at Chateau Rouge in Montmartre, because we decided that we wanted to go to Sacre Coeur for a visit. I had not yet seen Sacre Coeur in the daylight, though I'd been there twice at night.A brief explanation about getting to Sacre Coeur, you know you're going the right way if you are
going uphill. Sometimes you'll encounter hills and sometimes you will encounter steps, but if you're going up, you'll get there. We walked through the small park at the foot of the mount where Sacre Coeur is situated and found some enchanting stairs to climb (see left). They were like out of a story book. Alas, the place was filled with tourists. A lot of them were just sitting on the steps in front of Sacre Coeur watching a musician play the guitar or looking out along the Paris skyline. It's truly one of my favorite spots in Paris, but I'm not alone in feeling this way.We actually got to go inside of Sacre Coeur since we were there in the afternoon, and it is quite
impressive. Massive ceilings, a huge mural of Jesus and Mary at the front of the church, candles lit in one of the corners of the church, and ornate decorations on the pulpit and the other furniture found at the front of the church. Sitting in the pews and looking behind us, a massive pipe organ loomed in the shadows. We sat down in the pews and marveled at it for a bit and then exited.Our trip to Sacre Coeur was followed by a brief walk through the area that is Montmartre. We were hoping to stumble across the cafe that Amelie Poulin fictionally worked in (the film Amelie de Montmartre), but did not have much luck. After grabbing a sandwish from a boulangerie, we headed back home on the metro for some rest for the night's shennanigans.
Seeing as I've written a lot already, I'm going to conclude this post at this point. What I would like to mention, for those of you active readers, is what I'm planning for next week. I have most of it drawn up already, but what I am doing is a complete Parisian experience in one week. Anything that you can think of that's stereotypical of Paris, I will hopefully be experiencing it Monday-Friday. What I'd like to give you the opportunity to do is suggest to me something that you would like me to see or take extensive photographs for you to see. Or if there's some activity (that's not horribly pricey) that you'd like me to do and write about, I'd be happy to do that. Grandpa Grover has already asked for a trip to the markets with some pictures, and I will humbly oblige. So if you have something, throw it at me.
A la prochaine!
Justin
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Clubbing and Pubbing
Though I have been diligently following my studies and working very hard towards my degree in Commercial French Studies, I have had the infrequent opportunity to attend a few of the hotspots for nightlife here in Paris. Being used to the nightlife in campustown Champaign, I found these hotspots very different from what I am used to and noteworthy enough for a post.
Le Mix
It was a Thursday night, and I had finished my homework and was feeling rested from the gratuitous amounts of sleep I had been getting. The IPP students were abuzz about a club in town that did not charge cover for International Students. I had not yet been there, but a few students decided to attend the previous week, and this past week I decided to join them. The club was called Le Mix and was found just under the Tower of Montparnasse, the only skyscraper that pierces the Southern Parisian skyline.
After a short rendez-vous with a few of my female companions (essential for a night out in Paris to get into the best clubs), and a bottle of wine, we headed to Le Mix for a night of fun and fiascos. Upon arriving to la Place de Montparnasse, I expected to see a small pub like club set into the buildings along the side of the road much like the other cafes and pubs are set. But, much to my surprise, a line of 200-300 people had amassed in front of this one establishment. Alas, it was Le Mix. Turns out there were a few more International Students in Paris than I had previously estimated. After taking our spots at the back of the line, my female companions were craftily able to "do cuttsies" into a more favorable position in the queue, and I joined. After a short wait of 20 minutes and a brief hustle by security, we were able to enter with a flash of our "Cartes d'etudiante" (student cards).
Inside Le Mix is a massive club. I've never been to the downtown Chicago bars, but I'm assuming they look something like this. 3 Levels: the first, a massive dance floor two drink bars on either wing and one bathroom next to one of the drink bars. The second and third floors were relatively similar, with some seating and a private part occupying one of the sections on the second. I believe their was a fourth floor, but unfortunately I was not VIP enough on this night to attend this private party.
The music was loud, the lights flashed different colors, and there had to be around 500 people in this one place, mostly International students and Parisian locals looking to prey on unsuspecting International students. Kindly enough, the establishment was willing to provide "gratuitement" small stickers for international students to wear that diplayed the flag of their country of origin. I proudly displayed the the stars and stripes for a while, but the sticker was unable to hang onto my shirt through the chaos.
All in all the night was fun and entertaining. It was very interesting to see the different students from different countries that indicated to me that Paris is a hotspot for youths around the world. It's reassuring that I am not alone in my love for this city.
Carrs
The next night was Friday and more terror was to be wrought on this quant ville located in the Central Northern part of France. Some brief escapades with the Turkish Delights preceeded our bar of choice for the night involving an offer for some "sniff" (which we respectfully declined), a delightful pizza place resembling the Antonio's of Champaign, and a solo head in a plaza in front of a large church. After we had amused ourselves with these little surprises and, of course, finished our bottles of wine, we proceeded to the small pub known as Carrs.
This bar is in deep contrast to Le Mix, for it is an Irish Pub more than a crazy international dance fest. Most of the people and the personnel in the pub spoke English, which was refreshing to those of us who tire of fighting with comprehension day in and day out. What was not so refreshing was the price of the beer at this establishment. 7 Euros for a draft. I have indeed been spoiled by the cheap prices of beer the past 2-4 years and not terribly excited about the price. However, a friend of Lauren's, a British fellow by the name of Alec, was kind enough to buy the first round and introduce us to the bartender, which is always a plus anywhere in a bar.
We sat down and started to converse with Alec and his friends, a few of which were from France. After they left, Alec gave me an indepth analysis of the game of Rugby, which I had always enjoyed but never fully understood. And though I was slightly inebriated, I still comprehend more of the game than I did. Cheers to Alec for that.
After a few free shots from the bartender and another round, the ambiance of Carrs had become delightfully quaint to me and I began to appreciate the subtleties of a small pub atmosphere, much as I had back in the States. Just goes to show that loud music and sweaty dancing isn't the only type of fun that one can have here in the great city of Paris.
So, in summary, during those two nights I was able to see the two extremes of the Parisian nightlife, the crazy clubbing and the mild-mannered pubbing. What I am very much looking forward to now is discovering what there's left to explore in the middle.
A la prochaine,
Justin
Le Mix
It was a Thursday night, and I had finished my homework and was feeling rested from the gratuitous amounts of sleep I had been getting. The IPP students were abuzz about a club in town that did not charge cover for International Students. I had not yet been there, but a few students decided to attend the previous week, and this past week I decided to join them. The club was called Le Mix and was found just under the Tower of Montparnasse, the only skyscraper that pierces the Southern Parisian skyline.
After a short rendez-vous with a few of my female companions (essential for a night out in Paris to get into the best clubs), and a bottle of wine, we headed to Le Mix for a night of fun and fiascos. Upon arriving to la Place de Montparnasse, I expected to see a small pub like club set into the buildings along the side of the road much like the other cafes and pubs are set. But, much to my surprise, a line of 200-300 people had amassed in front of this one establishment. Alas, it was Le Mix. Turns out there were a few more International Students in Paris than I had previously estimated. After taking our spots at the back of the line, my female companions were craftily able to "do cuttsies" into a more favorable position in the queue, and I joined. After a short wait of 20 minutes and a brief hustle by security, we were able to enter with a flash of our "Cartes d'etudiante" (student cards).
Inside Le Mix is a massive club. I've never been to the downtown Chicago bars, but I'm assuming they look something like this. 3 Levels: the first, a massive dance floor two drink bars on either wing and one bathroom next to one of the drink bars. The second and third floors were relatively similar, with some seating and a private part occupying one of the sections on the second. I believe their was a fourth floor, but unfortunately I was not VIP enough on this night to attend this private party.
The music was loud, the lights flashed different colors, and there had to be around 500 people in this one place, mostly International students and Parisian locals looking to prey on unsuspecting International students. Kindly enough, the establishment was willing to provide "gratuitement" small stickers for international students to wear that diplayed the flag of their country of origin. I proudly displayed the the stars and stripes for a while, but the sticker was unable to hang onto my shirt through the chaos.
All in all the night was fun and entertaining. It was very interesting to see the different students from different countries that indicated to me that Paris is a hotspot for youths around the world. It's reassuring that I am not alone in my love for this city.
Carrs
The next night was Friday and more terror was to be wrought on this quant ville located in the Central Northern part of France. Some brief escapades with the Turkish Delights preceeded our bar of choice for the night involving an offer for some "sniff" (which we respectfully declined), a delightful pizza place resembling the Antonio's of Champaign, and a solo head in a plaza in front of a large church. After we had amused ourselves with these little surprises and, of course, finished our bottles of wine, we proceeded to the small pub known as Carrs.
This bar is in deep contrast to Le Mix, for it is an Irish Pub more than a crazy international dance fest. Most of the people and the personnel in the pub spoke English, which was refreshing to those of us who tire of fighting with comprehension day in and day out. What was not so refreshing was the price of the beer at this establishment. 7 Euros for a draft. I have indeed been spoiled by the cheap prices of beer the past 2-4 years and not terribly excited about the price. However, a friend of Lauren's, a British fellow by the name of Alec, was kind enough to buy the first round and introduce us to the bartender, which is always a plus anywhere in a bar.
We sat down and started to converse with Alec and his friends, a few of which were from France. After they left, Alec gave me an indepth analysis of the game of Rugby, which I had always enjoyed but never fully understood. And though I was slightly inebriated, I still comprehend more of the game than I did. Cheers to Alec for that.
After a few free shots from the bartender and another round, the ambiance of Carrs had become delightfully quaint to me and I began to appreciate the subtleties of a small pub atmosphere, much as I had back in the States. Just goes to show that loud music and sweaty dancing isn't the only type of fun that one can have here in the great city of Paris.
So, in summary, during those two nights I was able to see the two extremes of the Parisian nightlife, the crazy clubbing and the mild-mannered pubbing. What I am very much looking forward to now is discovering what there's left to explore in the middle.
A la prochaine,
Justin
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Other Reason I'm Here
So today I finished my second week of classes, and I have much to write about. There are, of course, a ton of differences between the classes I am taking at the post-secondary institution and the ones I took at the other post-secondary institution. The material is college level, but the presentation is very different.
Francais des affaires- Monday and Wednesday
First, I should mention that all of my classes start at 2, which is an ideal time for me. Afternoon is when I feel like I have the most of my energy, and if I eat my lunch around noon then I don't get that sleepy feeling after eating, and hence don't waste my precious time here taking naps. This class is about Business in France. It is the central course required for my degree and is course that presents material that leads up to taking the French Commerce exams that will get me certified to practice Business in France. Of course, me actually working in France isn't terribly likely since I have much to come back to in the states, but it looks really nice on a resume and sounds good when explained to potential employers. We get taught everything regarding French business in this course. Everything from basic vocabulary to memos, you name it. It's nice though that I took a few business courses at Illinois last semester because that prepared me a little bit for the business terminology that translates from its French counterparts. This is also a very interesting time for business because of what's happening in the stock market. It's scary to understand, but it's good to be informed.
The coursework in this class is mostly done in class. There are a few projects that we will be doing on our own in groups, but when I saw only a few, I mean it. It's not as extensive work as the projects I did in the states (please see 72 page report made for Int'l Marketing last semester). The work done in class is pretty easy and if there's a concept we don't understand very well the professor is very happy to explain (en francais of course). The class is set up like a discussion section at U of I, with only about 15 people in the class. No huge lecture of 300-500 people. This is true of all of my classes here at the Institut Catholique.
Les Medias en France- Tuesdays
This class is all about the different media outlets in France, including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. It's hasn't been a terribly exciting course yet, but once we get past the newspaper and print section of the media it might be more entertaining. LIke the francais des affaires class, the coursework is very light and I have not yet had homework, except to buy a French newspaper and compare it to the internet website. A few projects, a final test, and that's about it.
Cinema francais contemporain- Thursdays
This is by far my favorite course. It's contemporary french films and an in depth study about them. Unlike the other classes that are 3 hours long, this class is 4 hours long, with a movie being shown for the first two hours and a two hour discussion ensuing. Those of you who know me well know that I looooove to watch movies, and it's becoming more of a favorite thing of mine to analyze them, break them down, and talk about all the little subtleties that directors and writers represent in their work. It's pretty fascinating. Two assignments for this class, one is a paper on a film and the other is the final exam, which is basically a take home test essay.
Communication professionelle- Fridays
I was very unsure about this class after the first week. I knew that it was going to be easy, but I didn't know if it was going to be interesting. The professor has a soft voice which I thought was going to be difficult to follow, but he knows what he's talking about and is always prepared with activities for us to do. We write letters and memos and e-mails, it's pretty much a supplement to francais des affaires. But what is great about this professor is that he is a stickler for our grammar and our pronunciation, which none of the other professors seem to care too much about. If we say something wrong, he will stop us, correct us, and make us repeat it back to him. Seems tedious but it is extremely helpful when trying to learn all of the subtleties to a language. I am more excited for this course than I thought.
My Thoughts
So after the first week, I began commenting to my friends that I felt like I had returned to high school. And I still stand by that. For me, high school was a breeze (besides calculus). The teachers didn't challenge us a whole lot and a lot of the homework could be completed in class. Seems the same way here, though the material is a little more specific and advanced. Also my choice of classes seems to be aiding my lack of out of class work time. I remember taking a literature class two semesters ago in French and the work I had to do for that, the reading and such, was constant. And if I ever got behind I never had a chance to catch up. Amazing how easy things become when you have time on your hands, even in a city as grand as Paris.
I suppose the true test of how effective these classes are will be how much I remember and retain at the end of the semester. If it's more than what I hold onto taking multiple tests and reading a whole bunch, then I will definitely be a proponent of this system. Yes the classes are long (3 hours each session) but they are only once a week and we get a break after about the first hour and a half, at which time I usually go and have a little cup of cafe from the cafe machine.
Such concludes the courses post. I know some of you were concerned that I wasn't actually studying here and just playing around and climbing the Eiffel Tower and such, but there's a little work to be done...
A la prochaine!
Justin
P.S.- Nana! I got your letter today and it brightened my whole morning. Thank you and I will be writing back shortly.
Francais des affaires- Monday and Wednesday
First, I should mention that all of my classes start at 2, which is an ideal time for me. Afternoon is when I feel like I have the most of my energy, and if I eat my lunch around noon then I don't get that sleepy feeling after eating, and hence don't waste my precious time here taking naps. This class is about Business in France. It is the central course required for my degree and is course that presents material that leads up to taking the French Commerce exams that will get me certified to practice Business in France. Of course, me actually working in France isn't terribly likely since I have much to come back to in the states, but it looks really nice on a resume and sounds good when explained to potential employers. We get taught everything regarding French business in this course. Everything from basic vocabulary to memos, you name it. It's nice though that I took a few business courses at Illinois last semester because that prepared me a little bit for the business terminology that translates from its French counterparts. This is also a very interesting time for business because of what's happening in the stock market. It's scary to understand, but it's good to be informed.
The coursework in this class is mostly done in class. There are a few projects that we will be doing on our own in groups, but when I saw only a few, I mean it. It's not as extensive work as the projects I did in the states (please see 72 page report made for Int'l Marketing last semester). The work done in class is pretty easy and if there's a concept we don't understand very well the professor is very happy to explain (en francais of course). The class is set up like a discussion section at U of I, with only about 15 people in the class. No huge lecture of 300-500 people. This is true of all of my classes here at the Institut Catholique.
Les Medias en France- Tuesdays
This class is all about the different media outlets in France, including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. It's hasn't been a terribly exciting course yet, but once we get past the newspaper and print section of the media it might be more entertaining. LIke the francais des affaires class, the coursework is very light and I have not yet had homework, except to buy a French newspaper and compare it to the internet website. A few projects, a final test, and that's about it.
Cinema francais contemporain- Thursdays
This is by far my favorite course. It's contemporary french films and an in depth study about them. Unlike the other classes that are 3 hours long, this class is 4 hours long, with a movie being shown for the first two hours and a two hour discussion ensuing. Those of you who know me well know that I looooove to watch movies, and it's becoming more of a favorite thing of mine to analyze them, break them down, and talk about all the little subtleties that directors and writers represent in their work. It's pretty fascinating. Two assignments for this class, one is a paper on a film and the other is the final exam, which is basically a take home test essay.
Communication professionelle- Fridays
I was very unsure about this class after the first week. I knew that it was going to be easy, but I didn't know if it was going to be interesting. The professor has a soft voice which I thought was going to be difficult to follow, but he knows what he's talking about and is always prepared with activities for us to do. We write letters and memos and e-mails, it's pretty much a supplement to francais des affaires. But what is great about this professor is that he is a stickler for our grammar and our pronunciation, which none of the other professors seem to care too much about. If we say something wrong, he will stop us, correct us, and make us repeat it back to him. Seems tedious but it is extremely helpful when trying to learn all of the subtleties to a language. I am more excited for this course than I thought.
My Thoughts
So after the first week, I began commenting to my friends that I felt like I had returned to high school. And I still stand by that. For me, high school was a breeze (besides calculus). The teachers didn't challenge us a whole lot and a lot of the homework could be completed in class. Seems the same way here, though the material is a little more specific and advanced. Also my choice of classes seems to be aiding my lack of out of class work time. I remember taking a literature class two semesters ago in French and the work I had to do for that, the reading and such, was constant. And if I ever got behind I never had a chance to catch up. Amazing how easy things become when you have time on your hands, even in a city as grand as Paris.
I suppose the true test of how effective these classes are will be how much I remember and retain at the end of the semester. If it's more than what I hold onto taking multiple tests and reading a whole bunch, then I will definitely be a proponent of this system. Yes the classes are long (3 hours each session) but they are only once a week and we get a break after about the first hour and a half, at which time I usually go and have a little cup of cafe from the cafe machine.
Such concludes the courses post. I know some of you were concerned that I wasn't actually studying here and just playing around and climbing the Eiffel Tower and such, but there's a little work to be done...
A la prochaine!
Justin
P.S.- Nana! I got your letter today and it brightened my whole morning. Thank you and I will be writing back shortly.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Internetness
So we finally got internet at the apartment. No more stinky McDonalds til late at night. We will be getting a phone tomorrow as well so we will be able to make free calls to the U.S., which I know I will be taking full advantage of.
But since we were able to establish our internet connection, I put up all of my pictures on Facebook from Verseilles, the Gardens, Fontainebleau and Vaux, and of the apartment and the first little party we had. So enjoy those!
I will hopefully be writing in the blog on more of a daily basis about the daily grind here. Up next I think will be a post about my classes, which I am sure you will find riveting.
Soo a la prochaine!
Justin
But since we were able to establish our internet connection, I put up all of my pictures on Facebook from Verseilles, the Gardens, Fontainebleau and Vaux, and of the apartment and the first little party we had. So enjoy those!
I will hopefully be writing in the blog on more of a daily basis about the daily grind here. Up next I think will be a post about my classes, which I am sure you will find riveting.
Soo a la prochaine!
Justin
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Food In Paris
Food
It was a lazy day this afternoon. After going to the markets while waiting for the laundry to be done, I had a little time to write about one of my favorite subjects: food. There were quite a few things that had been stirring in my mind about this, so I figured I would type them out, and what came from it was a long-winded post with lots of different topics. So I'll lay them out and you can pick and choose if you don't want to read it all.
1. Learning food in France
2. Quality over Quantity
3. Small stands in Paris/ Crepes
4. Staples of French cuisine
5. Fruits and Veggies and Produce
6. The Markets
7. Cafe (the little I know about it)
8. Dessert of the Gods
(1.)
Food is France. These people define themselves with their cuisine. From their youth, the French are taught the fine points of culinary prowess. This is remarkably different from Americans, especially the male gender, who may or may not learn culinary abilities from their parents at an early age. Just the other day at the small get-together that we had at our apartment, I attempted to refrigerate red wine, and was stopped by one of our French friends. He was flabbergasted that I almost refrigerated a red wine. Never, he said to me. White wine, yes, but never a red wine. Funny, I never learned that from anyone in my 23 years of existence, even after a little bit of culinary education from the Food network.
(2.)
Food is a necessity here. Walking down any major boulevard, one will see at every corner a café or a bistro, and sometimes every other establishment will be a restaurant. And the menu options are remarkably different than that of American food. American cuisine has a tendency to be based on efficiency rather than taste. The reason that the French have such small portions is not because there is a lack of food in the country, that’s exactly the opposite. The reason is that the taste is so much more important than the quantity. The obesity level is much less over here because the portions are small and people are able to control their dietary intakes. At McDonald’s or Wendy’s at home, you can get five chicken sandwiches for 5 dollars. Here, you can’t even get a BigMac for 5 dollars. The French don’t marvel at how much food they can get for a few Euros, they marvel at the quality of the cuisine that each restaurant offers. It’s like a ‘food journey’ where people are searching for their own personal taste and favorite dish, and the hundreds, maybe thousands, of restaurants that are found in the Paris area are guides to this journey.
(3.)
What might be even more fascinating in terms of differences of French and American food are the small stands that are all over the streets here. American food stands that are quick and cheap serve hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, etc. French food stands that are quick and relatively inexpensive compared to their sit down competition sell crêpes, paninis, sandwiches on baguettes, and sugary delights like Nutella, which like a balanced mix between peanut butter and chocolate. Crêpes are not prepared ahead of time. Instead, they are made right in front of you on a hot plate, as opposed to a hot dog which is prepared and then just kept warm. And what’s great about crêpes is that they can be prepared with anything inside. My favorites are the simplest ones, a crêpe with just cheese or ham or egg. They’re so simple but surprisingly inexpensive and filling.
(4.)
To me there are three stapes of French cuisine: bread, wine, and cheese. I believe that the French could survive on these three things, but still manage to make wonderful combinations out of them that Americans would marvel at. Of course, they don’t need to because of the abundance of fruits and vegetables that are available to them. A baguette is a long loaf of bread that is essential in la vie quotidienne, and I will often see people walking down the streets just holding and munching on a baguette for a snack. I don’t think I would ever see people munching on just bread at home, but that’s because the quality of bread is far superior here. After a while, I got used to the taste of their bread, but I remember the first bite than I took of a French baguette was an enlightening experience. Something so simple as bread could be made better? Thus, it has become a staple of our diet here in the apartment as well. The wine is also abundant in this country and sometimes cheaper than water; this is true. Each of the small stores has a huge wine selection, and the big stores have massive wine collections. And, as I discovered today, there’s a huge difference between the cheese bought in the supermarkets and the cheese bought from actual fromageries, or cheese shops. The French know the difference between a good cheese and a mediocre cheese, and I am still refining my taste to differentiate between the two. But what I have discovered so far is that the cheap cheese is mild. There’s a taste but it’s not strong. The more expensive cheese, the cheese of better quality, has a strong taste; a taste that Americans might consider overwhelming, but a taste that the French would consider ‘superbe’.
(5.)
What someone who comes to France/Paris for the first time will also notice is the loads of fruits and vegetables that are displayed in the streets, small markets, and big markets. Where do they get all of these fruits and vegetables? It is true that there are many fields in the north of France that grow fruits and vegetables and I’m sure the same is true for the south. But in America you would only see such a selection and variety in a supermarket, where as in Paris, each little shop has a great variety of fruits and vegetables. There’s literally a dozen on each boulevard and grand rue in Paris. It’s fun to compare prices between all of the shops and finding the best price for each vegetable that you like the most. For example, I found a small fruits and veggies shop just a block away from the apartment and I was able to get a pound (half a kilo) of white mushrooms for 1.80 euros. That amounted to 27 mushrooms, which would probably cost the equivalent of 5 dollars in America. Maybe more because the mushrooms in America are packaged, but here they are set out just like any other vegetable produce.
(6.)
We’ve only just begun to discover the markets here in Paris, and my initial impression is that they might be a little overpriced, but of a slightly better quality than the small shops found on the streets. I will probably have to ask a French person who is knowledgeable about cuisine if there is a major difference in quality between the markets and the small shops. The markets don’t just have fruit and vegetable produce either; they have almost every food or the ingredient for every food known to man. There are fish stands, meat stands, and bread stands. Maybe the only thing that I haven’t seen at a market yet is a lobster. I’ve seen lots of crabs though, and again I wonder where these people get their goods. It seems so fresh and a great starting point to start a notorious restaurant. There are other stands too at markets, like ones that sells soap, scarves, clothes, and other homemade goods.
(7.)
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to explore French café (coffee) yet. But what I do know is that it is another essential here. Every once in a while when you stop at a rest stop on the highway in America or maybe one in ten places where there are vending machines, you will see a coffee/cappuccino maker. But in France, except in metros, wherever there is a vending machine for a bottled drink, there is a machine for coffee and cappuccino. And the machines that I have used so far sell a small drink of coffee for 50 centîmes or less, which is cheap though you don’t get as much. But it’s still a nice little shot of energy for a class or before a busy day at work. There’s a ton of different types of coffee here which I’ve yet to explore. It’s different than America where you just order a cup of coffee and it’s just the stuff they brew in the pot. There’s café au long, café au court, café crème, café au lait, cappuccino, and even chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). I’m sure the French know the difference between all the different coffees, but I’ve yet to discover the secret. What is also common here though in the coffee machines is lemon tea (thé citron). I don’t think they’ve ever heard of sweet tea here. Though it’s one of my favorites, I do not believe that I will find it anywhere in Paris.
(8.)
The final thing that I need to share (unless of course I think of more differences) is the magnificence of crème broulet. I’m sure the French are used to it and the taste of it, but I have never tasted anything like it in my life. It’s so rich, but served in a manageable portion perfect for sharing with a friend or a date. Again, with this food the taste is what matters, not the size. It’s a desert that I could savor for an hour, just sitting in a café, taking a bite every 5 minutes. If I absolutely had to compare it to an American food, I would tell you to think of the best pudding that you’ve ever had. Multiply that great taste by five, and then add the taste of roasted marshmallows to the top of it. That might get you close, but to truly know you must try it.
I believe that is all about food I have to write about now, just a few differences of course. But there are many more that I will discover throughout my own ‘food journey’ here in France, and each time I find a ‘guide’ that points me in the right direction, I will note it.
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