Travelling through my mind

I just wanted to reflect on my time living in the area referred to as Place d'Italie in the 13th quarter? (arrondissement). It was affectionately called Place d'It. On a day like this (Saturday) if I ventured out to the mall down the road I'd probably be greeted by the sound of techno music coming from a shopping cart parked outside the mall. There was always this one guy who tried to sell cds in front of Italie 2 (the mall). That section of concrete just near the round a bout was usually filled with activities of some sort: music, people, blood drives, a random lady break dancing... lol. I loved living there cause I'd describe it as a middle class or working class neighbourhood. I was happy I wasn't in too rich of a neighbourhood where the stores were more expensive and the culture a little different. Place d'It was just my speed.

So I'm back to the states now and I have a few more posts to add reflecting on my time in Paris. Of course I had to wait on my dad at the airport for about 2hrs so it made it feel even more real that I'm back in the States. Overall, Paris was a wonderful experience though it was a little shaky at the start. I feel like I met all the awful and mean people in my first week there and then had to decide whether or not I'd make it define the rest of my time there. Thankfully it didn't! The only sad thing is that my computer crashed right at the end of my trip and I probably lost all my data and some photos. You win some you lose some I guess... lol But ye, be back soon with some more thoughts! 

Sexion D'Assaut- I think they're pretty good

The view from their balcony

The other debate was the issue of tutoiement or vousvoiement. In english when we address people we just say you: for example- you (grandmother, sister, friend etc) forgot to call. Grandma knows she's respected, sister and friend know we're being informal etc. In french, you can use either tu or vous but each carries its own meaning and vous is more fromal. My host, Jean, says it's useful to use vous to be polite to strangers but you have to get a feel for the situation to know which to use. For me, it's just a headache because I 'tutoi-ed' him and got the vibe that i shouldn't even though he was being super chill and using tu. I figured that because he felt I was young meant I should be using vous, though his wife didn't seem to mind. I wish there was a manual because everyone seems to treat it differently. Our other debate was about race relations in the States and France but that's another story. Martine, my other host, never seemed to enter our debates for the most part which I also found interesting.

The first is that it takes a while for french people to believe that I actually understand them. Whenever I'm with someone who knows I speak english they ask me if I understand after each sentence. According to the husband, Jean, it's because they are trying to be nice and attentive as I'm a stranger. For me, it just makes me feel stupid because I actually have pretty good comprehension of french. Then I start being nervous to speak because i don't want to sound stupid. I've learnt to get over myself though and just make my mistakes until they realize that though I'm not perfect, I understand.

Here's a lil sumn by Amel Bent

People have been telling me that most people around the world are obsessed with American music anyway. I can say that I agree, but in Jamaica the local music is just as vibrant (that's why there are jamaican artistes touring the world- Tarrus Riley-) so i assumed every country esteemed their own music while listening to other genres. In Paris not so much? or am I just not looking in the right places... ?

Tarrus Riley concert coming up ahhh! lol

When I meet new people I can sometimes be really quiet and observant. Then slowly as I get comfortable I talk more. In a french-speaking setting that seems to translate into: oh she must not understand any french, instead of, okay she's a little quiet right now. Then if I'm not assertive they start trying to translate what I'd call basic phrases, and speaking slowly. The problem is even if I did or didn't understand before, I tend to understand the phrases directed at me, but that's when they try to speak English. And around it goes... Thus voila pourquoi studying abroad in a country where your native tongue is not spoken is a whole other layer of issues...

Henry David Thoreau

Dining alone in a restaurant on a Sunday is un-heard of! yes I'm speaking from experience lol... I'll add more as I notice it!

Recently she said my friend could sleep over- it was against one of her rules. So now I feel it's legit, she trusts that I respect her space and I genuinely look out for her so she knows my friends a) aren't too crazy and b) will be told to respect the space as well... (I think) ... Trust me, this was not easy- french people aren't the having visitors over type of people! I used to complain about my crazy host mom, but now I feel I got the best deal, all the other people in the program who felt sorry for me might just now be finding out the crazy side of their hosts... I got it off the bat and worked through it!

For example, I went over my shopping budget once and was short 5 euros. I tried to explain that I needed to put 2 things back but the cashier wouldn't budge. She starts telling me how much money I have and thinks I don't understand how much I owe. Then the guy behind me started speaking English (but being very condescendingly) and claimed I have to put everything back. So I did it to get out of everyone's way before they guillotined me... I finally got to explain that I was just short 5 euros and then the cashier decides to help, after I rejoin the line. I only put back one thing and gave her my money along with the bunch of coins she previously 'knew' I didn't have. I went back for the meat I left 15 minutes later and joined another line (because it was shorter) and she stared at me... and the other cashier wouldn't speak as if I didn't understand any french at all... It was way too dramatic! But basically french people who speak english (or think they do) are usually bad news 1) because I WANT TO PRACTICE FRENCH and 2) because they are sometimes the rudest people out there, as if your presence gives them a bad name...

Then the weeks passed by and I slowly began to grasp the fact that I'm living in PARIS!!