Tuesday, September 28, 2010
rose in paris
jj has a friend, rose, who moved to india with her family. jj and she are doing a joint blog, called “postcards from india and france”. rose was actually in france with her french class doing an exchange to a small village for a week. they were passing through paris on their way home and jj was hoping she would be able to go see her. the class was to be at the eiffel tower this evening and rose was going to call with more info. jj was waiting for the phone call. meanwhile, i wanted to go to a school meeting, but told jj that i would have my phone on vibrate, to be ready to come home and escort her wherever she might need to go. p was still in london. sadly, but understandably, it was not easy for rose to coordinate a meeting, but, in the end, she did call and jj and she had a long conversation.
Monday, September 27, 2010
london
we went over to london to attend a luncheon for p's parents' 50th anniversary. we got up early saturday, took the eurostar train and arrived in london in 2.5 hours. pretty amazing how quickly you can get there now. it just makes the difference between the 2 cultures so much more striking. up until the eurostar, the 2 cities were so far apart. the cities really feel so different.
we met up with p’s brother and family and then went to take a walk to buckingham palace and it’s park. it was a beautiful warm day. the park was crowded, but i rarely heard any english spoken! lots and lots of tourists.
the luncheon was held in the oxford and cambridge club, a "greek revival" building built in 1838. it was a lovely event, attended by 56 people. we started with champagne and mingling in a large living room. jj’s cousins and aunts and uncle were there. in addition, she got to meet p's 2 godfathers and various other people who had worked with p's parents (who had been diplomats) around the world . jj was thrilled to meet so many people who knew her dad as a child. afterwards, we went to the beautiful banquet room, with high ceilings, chandeliers and lots of rich details. we had a fresh mozzeralla/tomato salad, then lamb and potatoes, and finished with a wonderful poached pear in caramel sauce with mint leaf garnish. it was very delicious. p’s dad made a speech, as well as did p‘s 2 godfathers. it was very touching. it was easy to imagine these guys as young buddies in college.
afterwards, we walked around the area and then caught a train back to p’s parents home in the suburbs. jj and i returned to paris on sunday and p was to stay until wednesday. the nice thing about being here for this year is that jj will be able to see p’s side of the family much more. jj will see her grandparents at least 3 times in these first 4 months.
we met up with p’s brother and family and then went to take a walk to buckingham palace and it’s park. it was a beautiful warm day. the park was crowded, but i rarely heard any english spoken! lots and lots of tourists.
the luncheon was held in the oxford and cambridge club, a "greek revival" building built in 1838. it was a lovely event, attended by 56 people. we started with champagne and mingling in a large living room. jj’s cousins and aunts and uncle were there. in addition, she got to meet p's 2 godfathers and various other people who had worked with p's parents (who had been diplomats) around the world . jj was thrilled to meet so many people who knew her dad as a child. afterwards, we went to the beautiful banquet room, with high ceilings, chandeliers and lots of rich details. we had a fresh mozzeralla/tomato salad, then lamb and potatoes, and finished with a wonderful poached pear in caramel sauce with mint leaf garnish. it was very delicious. p’s dad made a speech, as well as did p‘s 2 godfathers. it was very touching. it was easy to imagine these guys as young buddies in college.
afterwards, we walked around the area and then caught a train back to p’s parents home in the suburbs. jj and i returned to paris on sunday and p was to stay until wednesday. the nice thing about being here for this year is that jj will be able to see p’s side of the family much more. jj will see her grandparents at least 3 times in these first 4 months.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
crisis, resolved
crisis, day 2
according to jj, the day proceeded as follows: the kids were gathered and the principal spoke to them, again scolding them for their behavior. she then got upset that one of the girls in the class “grinned rudely” at her. later, the head of the program told them that the person who whistled yesterday and the girl who grinned rudely, should give themselves up – and apologize. then all would be forgiven but if they did not step forward, the head of the program would show all the id pictures of the students to the principal and she would identify the guilty parties. they would then get a “red mark” in their book and 2 red marks would mean suspension from the school. (though this was what jj understood of the conversation - according to the school handbook, a student could get a “mise en garde” (a warning) and 2 “mise en garde” (sounds like fencing!) would become an “avertissement” (official warning) and 3 avertissements would lead to a suspension.) anyway, jj’s group of friends, most of whom are well behaved, never-been-in-trouble types, were thrown into confusion. they didn’t know if perhaps one of them had made a reflex grimace of fear that might have been misconstrued as a “rude grin”. they discussed this among themselves and then went to the head of the program to ask her advice. she said that they should go apologize to the principal. so they decided to go as a group – which i thought was brilliant.
meanwhile, one of the moms had called me up to ask what i thought of this crisis. her husband was out of town and she had no one to discuss this with. i told her i thought it was mostly a cultural thing, but recommended that we go ask an experienced “adaptation” mom. there is a cafe across the street from the school which is the official hang-out for the school. every morning there are many moms and a few dads having coffee there. they even have an official session for the first 3 weeks of school, where they have an experienced mom sitting there to receive questions any new parent might have – relating to anything about school or living in paris. so we went and there was an italian mom whom i had already met, who is very accomplished and very kind. she had some wise information and advice. she said: yes, the school culture is very different in france. france is very strict, america is very relaxed and italy is somewhere between. she has 2 sons in the school and in the last 2 years there have been 5 similar crisis for them. for the teachers, it is important to punish an infraction – regardless of whether the punished child is the guilty child. an example – someone in her son’s class dropped a book loudly on the floor while the teacher had her back to them, writing on the board. she wheeled around and pointed at the son (an innocent party) and said “you, out.” they don’t want a discussion about it. they don’t care who did it, just that someone is punished. at first this sounds so unfair, but consider that a discussion would include excuses, whining, back and forth and time wasted, whereas a quick punishment inflicted makes the point. plus, the actual guilty party would feel remorse for someone else getting punished. then the event is done and the crime forgotten. there are no long held grudges against the child. as a parent, don’t get involved. don’t call the teacher and ask for a meeting to explain your child’s innocence. they will just look at you blankly and say, “what do you want to discuss?”. the event happened long ago for them and is a non-issue. she also said that, for now, the kids are learning the culture, but in 6 months they will know it. heed their advice in regards to your interaction with the school. when they say “no, mom, don’t call...”, listen to them. her american doctor has said that in america, they find something good in each child, to praise them, whereas in france they find something bad in each child to scold them. the mom also told me that the principal has a particular problem with the teenage girls who dress too provocatively. i guess i have to agree with her on that one.
in the school there are some old fashioned french teachers and some progressive american teachers. they each have their own style. the french teachers expect the kids to stand up when they enter the room. jj’s american science teacher talks to the kids more casually. jj certainly felt more comfortable in this class, though she noticed that the french kids didn’t know how to react to the informality, and were a bit unruly. anyway, the principal is on the top of the heap and expects the most respect. when she entered the hall and the kids didn’t jump to their feet, (they didn’t even know who she was) that, in itself was probably considered rude. then when she complained to the head of the program, well, that is the boss complaining, and of course, there had to be an action.
crisis, day 3
a group of the girls went to apologize to the principal who was charming and smiling and said, “oh how sweet of you, that is very nice, no, no, it was none of you.” crisis gone, at least for now.
according to jj, the day proceeded as follows: the kids were gathered and the principal spoke to them, again scolding them for their behavior. she then got upset that one of the girls in the class “grinned rudely” at her. later, the head of the program told them that the person who whistled yesterday and the girl who grinned rudely, should give themselves up – and apologize. then all would be forgiven but if they did not step forward, the head of the program would show all the id pictures of the students to the principal and she would identify the guilty parties. they would then get a “red mark” in their book and 2 red marks would mean suspension from the school. (though this was what jj understood of the conversation - according to the school handbook, a student could get a “mise en garde” (a warning) and 2 “mise en garde” (sounds like fencing!) would become an “avertissement” (official warning) and 3 avertissements would lead to a suspension.) anyway, jj’s group of friends, most of whom are well behaved, never-been-in-trouble types, were thrown into confusion. they didn’t know if perhaps one of them had made a reflex grimace of fear that might have been misconstrued as a “rude grin”. they discussed this among themselves and then went to the head of the program to ask her advice. she said that they should go apologize to the principal. so they decided to go as a group – which i thought was brilliant.
meanwhile, one of the moms had called me up to ask what i thought of this crisis. her husband was out of town and she had no one to discuss this with. i told her i thought it was mostly a cultural thing, but recommended that we go ask an experienced “adaptation” mom. there is a cafe across the street from the school which is the official hang-out for the school. every morning there are many moms and a few dads having coffee there. they even have an official session for the first 3 weeks of school, where they have an experienced mom sitting there to receive questions any new parent might have – relating to anything about school or living in paris. so we went and there was an italian mom whom i had already met, who is very accomplished and very kind. she had some wise information and advice. she said: yes, the school culture is very different in france. france is very strict, america is very relaxed and italy is somewhere between. she has 2 sons in the school and in the last 2 years there have been 5 similar crisis for them. for the teachers, it is important to punish an infraction – regardless of whether the punished child is the guilty child. an example – someone in her son’s class dropped a book loudly on the floor while the teacher had her back to them, writing on the board. she wheeled around and pointed at the son (an innocent party) and said “you, out.” they don’t want a discussion about it. they don’t care who did it, just that someone is punished. at first this sounds so unfair, but consider that a discussion would include excuses, whining, back and forth and time wasted, whereas a quick punishment inflicted makes the point. plus, the actual guilty party would feel remorse for someone else getting punished. then the event is done and the crime forgotten. there are no long held grudges against the child. as a parent, don’t get involved. don’t call the teacher and ask for a meeting to explain your child’s innocence. they will just look at you blankly and say, “what do you want to discuss?”. the event happened long ago for them and is a non-issue. she also said that, for now, the kids are learning the culture, but in 6 months they will know it. heed their advice in regards to your interaction with the school. when they say “no, mom, don’t call...”, listen to them. her american doctor has said that in america, they find something good in each child, to praise them, whereas in france they find something bad in each child to scold them. the mom also told me that the principal has a particular problem with the teenage girls who dress too provocatively. i guess i have to agree with her on that one.
in the school there are some old fashioned french teachers and some progressive american teachers. they each have their own style. the french teachers expect the kids to stand up when they enter the room. jj’s american science teacher talks to the kids more casually. jj certainly felt more comfortable in this class, though she noticed that the french kids didn’t know how to react to the informality, and were a bit unruly. anyway, the principal is on the top of the heap and expects the most respect. when she entered the hall and the kids didn’t jump to their feet, (they didn’t even know who she was) that, in itself was probably considered rude. then when she complained to the head of the program, well, that is the boss complaining, and of course, there had to be an action.
crisis, day 3
a group of the girls went to apologize to the principal who was charming and smiling and said, “oh how sweet of you, that is very nice, no, no, it was none of you.” crisis gone, at least for now.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
classroom crisis
this is the 2nd week of school for jj (and 3rd of the school year) and we have already had a crisis in the classroom. we got an email from the head of the adaptation program last night of a grave interaction that transpired at school. apparently, the 8th grade science class had “chatting, inattention and lack of focus” and THEN another event. the mixed 8th/9th grade “global issues” class were sitting on the floor of the hall, waiting for their classroom to open. the principal of the school happened to be walking by and had to remind them that this was rude and unacceptable and created a disturbance (understandable since the halls are narrow). apparently she heard someone whistle (jj did not hear this), freaked out and threatened them with suspension. so the conversation in the house has been about the event, but more about the reactions. jj says she really didn’t think it was very bad behavior. since we were not there, we cannot sense the atmosphere at the time which could have been very much more serious than what is conveyed in the email. however, it seems to be a bit of an overreaction. jj says she thinks the principal hates them... perhaps a teenager’s sensitivity, but i’m sure she senses something. we were told that the adaptation class is of core importance to the school, which has as its mission “to develop international understanding through bilingual education”. there is great pride in the students who arrive knowing absolutely no french, who become quickly fluent and go into the mainstream school after one year of adaptation classes. i wonder if it is a pygmalian pride. ‘we took these barbarians and molded them quickly into civilized beings’. so perhaps the principal looks at them at this stage of their french experience as rude, raw material. i wonder if this is a misunderstanding, that the “whistling” was an oblivious american’s expression of “whoa!” and not “hey, babe” or whatever else might have been interpreted. we are just trying to understand. we know that the french school system is more strict and rigid. some of the older american students who acted as our guides told us that they thought the teachers of the younger kids were much more strict than the teachers of higher grades. she figured that they had to get them all well behaved early and then the older kids didn’t need as much obvious discipline or reminders of the authority of the elders. the french school culture seems to involve a lot of yelling and harsh discipline. p had a theory that, as with badly behaved kids everywhere, the more you yell at them, the less effective it is. they develop a thicker skin. this would explain why someone could park blocking a small one way street and be unmoved by the honking from others. it is a constant sound of the city, long term honking. (i was at the open air market the other day and heard extreme honking followed by long tirades of yelling. even the vegetable vendor rolled her eyes and made some remark.) they know the rules and where the line is, that should not be crossed. every year, in protest of some new proposed rule, small business owners will riot and burn cars, which seems to go unpunished – just part of the tradition. whereas, our landlord knew that no one would cash the deposit check he lost, because they would go to prison for that. anyway, it seems that this classroom crisis is much ado about nothing, but that might just be a reflection of this badly behaved american. perhaps the french could point to the incredibly disrespectful and out-of-control american classrooms, though, there seem to be plenty of those in france as well. this is a highly respected school and of course, they expect the highest quality students. i guess, our foreign kids just need to learn the rules.
Monday, September 20, 2010
minor frustrations
in addition, to hanging out in cafes and shopping in the open air marches, there are other things that make up french life. they are not all wonderful, but i try to appreciate them as part of the experience. this helps me get through some of the more frustrating aspects of life here, without expending too much negative energy. they are just more material for the blog.
firstly, i'll just mention briefly that i went to the bank to change my address and there was one person in front of me and it was 30 minutes before i got to the window. i relished the pain. the good news was that i was able to accomplish my task. p and i have a joint account in another bank, and after several meetings, we have not been able to change that address because i do not yet have the official "identity card".
this official identity card, called the "carte de sejour" will allow me to be an official person in france. i will be able to work and do other official things in france, (like change our address on our bank account). i am entitled to this card because i am the spouse of a european citizen. however, getting the carte de sejour is going to be an epic adventure. i know i will not be the first nor the last to tell a long tale about this quest, but i will tell it all the same. please skip this entry if it gets too boring.
attempt 1: in september, i made my first attempt. i got dressed up, so as to look respectable and not like one of the perceived "teaming masses". i arrived at the office at 1:15, but there was a sign on the door that the office had a special closing that day between 1 and 2:00. (everywhere i go there are "special closings" during normal office hours for whatever reason). i waited till the office reopened and was successful in meeting with an agent who told me that our lease, would not work as a required "lease" to prove that i had a residence. perhaps because it was not the normal 3 year lease. i needed to have an electricity bill in my name. the electricity is in our landlord's name. so she said that his bill might work but we would have to get a copy of HIS identity card. i knew i would need some of p's pay stubs to prove he had a job, and a bank statement to prove we had some backup resources to live on. however, since his job is not in france, those pay stubs won't work and i need a statement from a FRENCH bank. i had proof of health insurance.
attempt 2: a month had passed, i collected various things and thought i'd try again. on friday, i dressed up. i arrived at the office to find a line at the front door on the street. this was expected and i had brought a book. i got in line. it seemed to be moving very slowly. after 1/2 hour, we were told that the computers were down and they didn't know how long it would be. after another 15 minutes, we were told that they were still down and perhaps we should come back monday, so i left. i hadn't even gotten in the front door.
attempt 3: monday i wanted to get to the office before it opened. i did not make that, but did get there early in the day. i waited outside in line for xx mins. i got in and took a number in the office and got to the desk after another xx minutes. to be fair, the lady was very courteous asked me various questions and typed a lot of stuff onto the computer. she said i needed a better proof or residence and told me to get apartment insurance in our name. i also have to go to the town hall with my marriage certificate (luckily it is a french marriage certificate, as p and i were married in paris 15 years ago) and get it authenticated – to have a current status of marriage. might need to bring p as proof. then she gave me an appointment with the big office – prefecture du police on the ile de la cite, in the center of town. this was progress! the appointment is for end of november.
to be continued...
firstly, i'll just mention briefly that i went to the bank to change my address and there was one person in front of me and it was 30 minutes before i got to the window. i relished the pain. the good news was that i was able to accomplish my task. p and i have a joint account in another bank, and after several meetings, we have not been able to change that address because i do not yet have the official "identity card".
this official identity card, called the "carte de sejour" will allow me to be an official person in france. i will be able to work and do other official things in france, (like change our address on our bank account). i am entitled to this card because i am the spouse of a european citizen. however, getting the carte de sejour is going to be an epic adventure. i know i will not be the first nor the last to tell a long tale about this quest, but i will tell it all the same. please skip this entry if it gets too boring.
attempt 1: in september, i made my first attempt. i got dressed up, so as to look respectable and not like one of the perceived "teaming masses". i arrived at the office at 1:15, but there was a sign on the door that the office had a special closing that day between 1 and 2:00. (everywhere i go there are "special closings" during normal office hours for whatever reason). i waited till the office reopened and was successful in meeting with an agent who told me that our lease, would not work as a required "lease" to prove that i had a residence. perhaps because it was not the normal 3 year lease. i needed to have an electricity bill in my name. the electricity is in our landlord's name. so she said that his bill might work but we would have to get a copy of HIS identity card. i knew i would need some of p's pay stubs to prove he had a job, and a bank statement to prove we had some backup resources to live on. however, since his job is not in france, those pay stubs won't work and i need a statement from a FRENCH bank. i had proof of health insurance.
attempt 2: a month had passed, i collected various things and thought i'd try again. on friday, i dressed up. i arrived at the office to find a line at the front door on the street. this was expected and i had brought a book. i got in line. it seemed to be moving very slowly. after 1/2 hour, we were told that the computers were down and they didn't know how long it would be. after another 15 minutes, we were told that they were still down and perhaps we should come back monday, so i left. i hadn't even gotten in the front door.
attempt 3: monday i wanted to get to the office before it opened. i did not make that, but did get there early in the day. i waited outside in line for xx mins. i got in and took a number in the office and got to the desk after another xx minutes. to be fair, the lady was very courteous asked me various questions and typed a lot of stuff onto the computer. she said i needed a better proof or residence and told me to get apartment insurance in our name. i also have to go to the town hall with my marriage certificate (luckily it is a french marriage certificate, as p and i were married in paris 15 years ago) and get it authenticated – to have a current status of marriage. might need to bring p as proof. then she gave me an appointment with the big office – prefecture du police on the ile de la cite, in the center of town. this was progress! the appointment is for end of november.
to be continued...
Sunday, September 19, 2010
heritage day
today was one of the “journees du patrimoine” which takes place throughout europe. it could be translated as “heritage day”. here is a description of the day from england:
“[it] celebrates [the country’s] fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. every year ... in september, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to buddhist temples. it is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.”
we took velib bikes over to the city hall of paris, the “hotel de ville”, to visit. it was another harrowing bike ride for jj. i thought certain roads were to be closed, but they weren’t. anyway, we survived, but in the future we will only pick up the bikes when we are ON the closed roads. the hotel de ville, normally closed to the public, was re-built in the late 1800’s and so was decorated by the artists of that time. don’t know exactly what style they fall under, but the paintings are beautiful and dramatic – sort of pre-raphaelite like style. we walked through the rooms and halls on a guided path and came to a big ballroom which was filled with displays hosted by the maintenance workers of the hotel de ville (who also maintained other period buildings). there were clock makers with display clocks and their innards, flower decorators with exhibits of their work (really beautiful arrangements), historic plumbing specialists, antique hardware (like doorknobs) specialists and locksmiths. there were even the people who maintain the wood floors with their buffing and polishing machines and cleaning people with their mops and buckets displayed!
“[it] celebrates [the country’s] fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. every year ... in september, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to buddhist temples. it is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.”
we took velib bikes over to the city hall of paris, the “hotel de ville”, to visit. it was another harrowing bike ride for jj. i thought certain roads were to be closed, but they weren’t. anyway, we survived, but in the future we will only pick up the bikes when we are ON the closed roads. the hotel de ville, normally closed to the public, was re-built in the late 1800’s and so was decorated by the artists of that time. don’t know exactly what style they fall under, but the paintings are beautiful and dramatic – sort of pre-raphaelite like style. we walked through the rooms and halls on a guided path and came to a big ballroom which was filled with displays hosted by the maintenance workers of the hotel de ville (who also maintained other period buildings). there were clock makers with display clocks and their innards, flower decorators with exhibits of their work (really beautiful arrangements), historic plumbing specialists, antique hardware (like doorknobs) specialists and locksmiths. there were even the people who maintain the wood floors with their buffing and polishing machines and cleaning people with their mops and buckets displayed!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
elevator rescue
it was a lazy day. we got up late and hung out. jj decided she wanted to make crepes so she searched the internet for a recipe and made them! they were really good. we were very impressed. afterwards, p and i went to a nearby street antiques fair and then it was evening.
jj had a birthday party to go to near the “etoile” and the arch de triomphe.
it was her twin’s party. we all walked across town to drop her at the metro stop where she was meeting the others. as we approached the metro stop, the 3 korean girls from jj's class emerged from below. jj at this point “shooed” us away. we left without having any other info, not the parents’ address or phone number, not the restaurant they were going to, nor a time that it would end. we assumed it would be fine, but as we walked i got more and more stressed at how we had not properly prepared. since we were going off to another part of town, they might be finished much earlier than us. p told me to lighten up, that it would all be fine. we went to the opera neighborhood. first we had drink in a pub. very enjoyable. it was part of a hotel and they had paintings on the wall of classical renaissance portraits, but with current political leader faces, bush, putin, etc. similar to my “p. van gogh” idea. afterwards we went to eat in the japanese area, full of sushi restaurants. interestingly, sushi is the cheap meal now, possible to eat for about 10-15 euros – so lots of students and other youth filled the streets.
then we headed back to meet jj. great timing, we got a call that she was coming down and would meet us at metro stop. then she called to tell us she was stuck in the elevator. 15 minutes went by and another call came, a bit more panicky. we got the address to the apartment and went over. 5 fourteen year old asian girls jammed into a little glass elevator stuck between floors. jj was nervous that it might fall. i could talk to her through the glass and assured her that there was technology to prevent that. they had tried the emergency button - which only rang a bell in the deserted lobby downstairs. not very helpful. then they tried the phone button which called the elevator company and got a recorded message in french, saying something like: " thank you for your patience, your call is important to us, an operator will be with you shortly" which continued to play for 15 mins. the birthday girl's mom was also on the phone trying to get through to the elevator company. but it was saturday night. p called the "pompier" - the firemen. (confusingly, there is not one emergency number like 911 – there are 3. one for fire, one for life threatening emergencies, one for less threatening emergencies – you have to know which number to call). anyway, very promptly, 3-4 young, handsome, clean-cut french firemen arrived. one opened the outer elevator doors. the others went below and determined that the “parachute” (i assume that means the “brake”) had been triggered which had stopped the elevator. (later i got the full story – one of the girls, to be funny had jumped in the elevator. i HATE when people do that. anyway, that was probably what caused this.) the elevator was between floors, and the brake would prevent it from going down much. however, to pull passengers out of a stuck elevator, you need to have a good amount of space just in case it does slip down a bit (remember this for future reference). so the firemen actually pulled the elevator up by the cable, high enough to enable the girls to climb out (quickly and one at a time). jj was a bit freaked out about the whole thing. the other girls hugged her and we all went home. (this just gives jj one more thing to be afraid of. she's also afraid of flying because, at the end of the last school year, the kids had some extra time and - i don’t know WHY they did this, but - they played an episode of “LOST” with the scene of the plane crash.)
jj had a birthday party to go to near the “etoile” and the arch de triomphe.
it was her twin’s party. we all walked across town to drop her at the metro stop where she was meeting the others. as we approached the metro stop, the 3 korean girls from jj's class emerged from below. jj at this point “shooed” us away. we left without having any other info, not the parents’ address or phone number, not the restaurant they were going to, nor a time that it would end. we assumed it would be fine, but as we walked i got more and more stressed at how we had not properly prepared. since we were going off to another part of town, they might be finished much earlier than us. p told me to lighten up, that it would all be fine. we went to the opera neighborhood. first we had drink in a pub. very enjoyable. it was part of a hotel and they had paintings on the wall of classical renaissance portraits, but with current political leader faces, bush, putin, etc. similar to my “p. van gogh” idea. afterwards we went to eat in the japanese area, full of sushi restaurants. interestingly, sushi is the cheap meal now, possible to eat for about 10-15 euros – so lots of students and other youth filled the streets.
then we headed back to meet jj. great timing, we got a call that she was coming down and would meet us at metro stop. then she called to tell us she was stuck in the elevator. 15 minutes went by and another call came, a bit more panicky. we got the address to the apartment and went over. 5 fourteen year old asian girls jammed into a little glass elevator stuck between floors. jj was nervous that it might fall. i could talk to her through the glass and assured her that there was technology to prevent that. they had tried the emergency button - which only rang a bell in the deserted lobby downstairs. not very helpful. then they tried the phone button which called the elevator company and got a recorded message in french, saying something like: " thank you for your patience, your call is important to us, an operator will be with you shortly" which continued to play for 15 mins. the birthday girl's mom was also on the phone trying to get through to the elevator company. but it was saturday night. p called the "pompier" - the firemen. (confusingly, there is not one emergency number like 911 – there are 3. one for fire, one for life threatening emergencies, one for less threatening emergencies – you have to know which number to call). anyway, very promptly, 3-4 young, handsome, clean-cut french firemen arrived. one opened the outer elevator doors. the others went below and determined that the “parachute” (i assume that means the “brake”) had been triggered which had stopped the elevator. (later i got the full story – one of the girls, to be funny had jumped in the elevator. i HATE when people do that. anyway, that was probably what caused this.) the elevator was between floors, and the brake would prevent it from going down much. however, to pull passengers out of a stuck elevator, you need to have a good amount of space just in case it does slip down a bit (remember this for future reference). so the firemen actually pulled the elevator up by the cable, high enough to enable the girls to climb out (quickly and one at a time). jj was a bit freaked out about the whole thing. the other girls hugged her and we all went home. (this just gives jj one more thing to be afraid of. she's also afraid of flying because, at the end of the last school year, the kids had some extra time and - i don’t know WHY they did this, but - they played an episode of “LOST” with the scene of the plane crash.)
Friday, September 17, 2010
violin teacher
another big task for me was to find a new violin teacher for jj. the mommy network was very helpful. i spoke with an american mom who explained the french music education system to me.
there were 3 ways to go:
1) public conservatories – another wonderful thing provided by the city government. each arrondissement has a music conservatory. kids can get very reasonably priced music lessons subsidized by the city. down side – it is in keeping with the rigid, old fashioned educational system. teachers yell at the kids and tell them all the things they are doing wrong. they are not gentle.
2) private conservatories – higher standard music education, more expensive and also old fashioned french style teachers.
3) private teachers who teach in their homes or yours.
another mom told me that the conservatories were already filled for the year. i had been surfing the web looking for teachers and there were a couple of sites which were specifically advertising music teachers. i didn’t know how to choose without a recommendation. one teacher, though, stood out. she had a website advertising her contemporary music trio (http://www.zodiactrio.com/) made up of a japanese pianist, a russian clarinetist and her, playing violin. she is french, but was partially educated in the u.s. i gave her a call, and wanted to sit in on a lesson – which is how i’ve looked for teachers in the past. this was not possible since she taught in her students’ homes, but she offered to just give a lesson to start. so we tried her out and both j and i liked her. she speaks english well, but i took the advice of one of the moms who said that having a private music teacher was an opportunity to work on language. so the lessons will be in french. it was an intense hour with not a moment of rest. the teacher asks jj to evaluate herself after playing, so she can get in the habit of listening more critically. the teacher’s style is a bit french, but since she has studied in the u.s., i think her approach will be slightly more tempered, which is perfect. her playing is very dynamic and she tries to push jj that way too. the nice thing is that she comes to our home, and there is no commitment, we just schedule a few weeks at a time. when she travels with her trio, there will be no lesson, but more work to cover the missed weeks. so far, so good. we’ll try it for a while and see how it goes.
there were 3 ways to go:
1) public conservatories – another wonderful thing provided by the city government. each arrondissement has a music conservatory. kids can get very reasonably priced music lessons subsidized by the city. down side – it is in keeping with the rigid, old fashioned educational system. teachers yell at the kids and tell them all the things they are doing wrong. they are not gentle.
2) private conservatories – higher standard music education, more expensive and also old fashioned french style teachers.
3) private teachers who teach in their homes or yours.
another mom told me that the conservatories were already filled for the year. i had been surfing the web looking for teachers and there were a couple of sites which were specifically advertising music teachers. i didn’t know how to choose without a recommendation. one teacher, though, stood out. she had a website advertising her contemporary music trio (http://www.zodiactrio.com/) made up of a japanese pianist, a russian clarinetist and her, playing violin. she is french, but was partially educated in the u.s. i gave her a call, and wanted to sit in on a lesson – which is how i’ve looked for teachers in the past. this was not possible since she taught in her students’ homes, but she offered to just give a lesson to start. so we tried her out and both j and i liked her. she speaks english well, but i took the advice of one of the moms who said that having a private music teacher was an opportunity to work on language. so the lessons will be in french. it was an intense hour with not a moment of rest. the teacher asks jj to evaluate herself after playing, so she can get in the habit of listening more critically. the teacher’s style is a bit french, but since she has studied in the u.s., i think her approach will be slightly more tempered, which is perfect. her playing is very dynamic and she tries to push jj that way too. the nice thing is that she comes to our home, and there is no commitment, we just schedule a few weeks at a time. when she travels with her trio, there will be no lesson, but more work to cover the missed weeks. so far, so good. we’ll try it for a while and see how it goes.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
swordfish with pesto
wednesday and sunday is market day in our neighborhood. sunday market is very crowded so i have gotten into the routine that wednesday is fish from the market day.
swordfish with pesto – really simple.
swordfish steak (preferably ¾-1” thick) - put olive oil, salt & pepper on both sides.
grill or put 1” under broiler at highest heat – 4-6 mins/side.
put pesto on top and serve.
you can use pre-made pesto, your own recipe or following simple recipe from jamie oliver:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/basic-pesto
delicious!!! thank you, janet in cambridge for serving this to us last year.
was enjoying dinner so much i forgot to go to school for the curriculum meeting. oh, well.
swordfish with pesto – really simple.
swordfish steak (preferably ¾-1” thick) - put olive oil, salt & pepper on both sides.
grill or put 1” under broiler at highest heat – 4-6 mins/side.
put pesto on top and serve.
you can use pre-made pesto, your own recipe or following simple recipe from jamie oliver:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/basic-pesto
delicious!!! thank you, janet in cambridge for serving this to us last year.
was enjoying dinner so much i forgot to go to school for the curriculum meeting. oh, well.
Monday, September 13, 2010
back to school
hallelujah! jj had her first day of school. she carefully picked out her outfit to not be too informal, yet not too showy. she wore her new blue striped french sailer shirt and jeans. i walked her to the bookshop to help her buy a required book, but then she wanted to walk the rest of the way to school on her own. she does not need to arrive until her first class which starts on mondays at 9:15. the lower grades all start at 8:30, so when she got there, the front door was closed and she wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to enter. luckily her "double" appeared down the street who showed her to ring the doorbell, and she would be buzzed in. as i mentioned before, her double is the other half asian violin playing girl from boston. and guess what she was wearing? yep, a blue striped french sailer shirt and jeans! so, it didn't take long before they were being referred to as "the twins". it was predictable. anyway, jj had a good day. she joined up with her new friends and their new gang, who were mostly other "adaptation" girls (non fluent in french, recently arrived from foreign lands). she went through the day, learning the ropes of where to go, which hallways were one-way and how to get lunch. she said most of the day was in english. the directrice of the adaptation program has encouraged them to speak as much french as they could, knowing that it was actually too easy to speak english.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
recovered
jj is better finally. phew. 6 days of fever and/or tummy problems. she ate a whole plate of home made fried rice last night at 9pm. that's when i knew she was better.
another sound of paris - real church bells ringing the hour. makes me happy.
was shopping yesterday and laughed when i realized that the delicious canapes that were served at the school function were from a frozen food shop. of course, that made sense for a school function. just because it's frozen doesn't mean it's bad. just like some of the delicious "trader joe's" foods.
working hard trying to finish new painting. hope to post it in 2 days.
another sound of paris - real church bells ringing the hour. makes me happy.
was shopping yesterday and laughed when i realized that the delicious canapes that were served at the school function were from a frozen food shop. of course, that made sense for a school function. just because it's frozen doesn't mean it's bad. just like some of the delicious "trader joe's" foods.
working hard trying to finish new painting. hope to post it in 2 days.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
missing first week of school
p left this morning early for amsterdam for a conference. there is a subway strike (tis the season for french strikes), but he got to the train station ok.
poor jj has been sick for 4 days now. tummy problems and intense pain, fever and headaches. she's so sad that she's missing the first week of school. luckily, we had a dr appt set up for today for her school medical forms. she was well enough to make the trip. i was nervous about how i'd get her there, but i successfully called a taxi. it seems trivial, but just didn't know what the procedure was or what was the correct number to call. i used google maps to get some phone numbers. i just had to do it once, to be comfortable with the idea. anyway, the doc said it is just a bug that we needed to let play its course. even though it is still terrible, it helps to know that its not serious. i also am able to talk to my sister, the dr, for more advice. (skype and google phone are amazing!)
poor jj has been sick for 4 days now. tummy problems and intense pain, fever and headaches. she's so sad that she's missing the first week of school. luckily, we had a dr appt set up for today for her school medical forms. she was well enough to make the trip. i was nervous about how i'd get her there, but i successfully called a taxi. it seems trivial, but just didn't know what the procedure was or what was the correct number to call. i used google maps to get some phone numbers. i just had to do it once, to be comfortable with the idea. anyway, the doc said it is just a bug that we needed to let play its course. even though it is still terrible, it helps to know that its not serious. i also am able to talk to my sister, the dr, for more advice. (skype and google phone are amazing!)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
this will be fun!
when i was living in paris before, i was working freelance for various companies. my jobs would typically last from 3-8 weeks. during every job i had, there was always a reason for the champagne to come out – whether it be a birthday, an anniversary of the company, whatever excuse. i loved it.
tonight there was a school meeting for all the new parents, hosted by the parent association which started with champagne. we’ve been with the school for a week and a half and i have to say: “what took them so long!”
the meeting was to present all the activities organized by the parents FOR the parents. i have to say that they have really done everything right. this school is made up of an interesting group of people who are predominantly international – whether foreigners living here or french returning from abroad. they all appreciate that time in paris is special. they have organized the parent activities which creates a wonderful and very social community facilitating meeting others and taking advantage of the city and region. they also help newcomers adjust and maneuver the setup process. there are multiple conversation groups for people to practice their french and english (45 mins of each), garden tours, tours with historians or people knowledgeable of whatever specialty, hikes outside of paris, WINE TASTING, WINE trip to Bordeaux, COOKING classes, pot lucks, visits and demonstrations at specialty shops (like the most favorite MACAROON bakery). with every “club” or event that was presented, i just kept thinking “oh my god, this is going to be soooo much fun!”. every parent in the group was smiling broadly. then, the website is very well done and a fabulous resource. along with all the other types of school information, there are places to get help, ask questions, get advice. my favorite is a page called: “carnet d’addresses” which is written by individual parents listing their favorite places to go or eat in paris, or things to do with kids, etc.
after the meeting, we retired to another room for wine and “canapes”. i have to admit, these were the best finger food at any school event i have ever attended. but i’m sure there will be even better ones this year! i am thrilled and we are so lucky.
tonight there was a school meeting for all the new parents, hosted by the parent association which started with champagne. we’ve been with the school for a week and a half and i have to say: “what took them so long!”
the meeting was to present all the activities organized by the parents FOR the parents. i have to say that they have really done everything right. this school is made up of an interesting group of people who are predominantly international – whether foreigners living here or french returning from abroad. they all appreciate that time in paris is special. they have organized the parent activities which creates a wonderful and very social community facilitating meeting others and taking advantage of the city and region. they also help newcomers adjust and maneuver the setup process. there are multiple conversation groups for people to practice their french and english (45 mins of each), garden tours, tours with historians or people knowledgeable of whatever specialty, hikes outside of paris, WINE TASTING, WINE trip to Bordeaux, COOKING classes, pot lucks, visits and demonstrations at specialty shops (like the most favorite MACAROON bakery). with every “club” or event that was presented, i just kept thinking “oh my god, this is going to be soooo much fun!”. every parent in the group was smiling broadly. then, the website is very well done and a fabulous resource. along with all the other types of school information, there are places to get help, ask questions, get advice. my favorite is a page called: “carnet d’addresses” which is written by individual parents listing their favorite places to go or eat in paris, or things to do with kids, etc.
after the meeting, we retired to another room for wine and “canapes”. i have to admit, these were the best finger food at any school event i have ever attended. but i’m sure there will be even better ones this year! i am thrilled and we are so lucky.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
sick/malade
tomorrow is the first day of school. unfortunately, today jj is sick. she woke up with a temperature of 102. looks like she’ll be missing the first day.
mirama
we had chinese food in my favorite "mirama" in the latin quarter (17 rue st jacques,75005.). authentic chinese restaurant with ducks hanging in the steamy window. am a big fan of the shrimp wonton soup with noodles. i found this restaurant when i moved to paris in '92 and had an apt nearby. when i first tasted the food i said that there was no reason to go home to new york anymore. everytime we come to paris, we go to mirama. the same waiters are there, only they look younger every year. must be the msg.
afterwards, we walked around the latin quarter which is now a crowded, touristy area with greek restaurants (should be called the "greek quarter"). visited "shakespeare and co", english bookstore with a history. cool place to hang out and write. will make a point of going back. we walked home, across town and the streets became more deserted. across the street, a drunk man was peeing facing the street. we blocked jj's view, but she was fully aware what was going on. the sound of water running... ahhh, city life.
afterwards, we walked around the latin quarter which is now a crowded, touristy area with greek restaurants (should be called the "greek quarter"). visited "shakespeare and co", english bookstore with a history. cool place to hang out and write. will make a point of going back. we walked home, across town and the streets became more deserted. across the street, a drunk man was peeing facing the street. we blocked jj's view, but she was fully aware what was going on. the sound of water running... ahhh, city life.
independance
jj and her double (the other violin playing girl from boston, with asian mom) met today to hang out. the double was coming on her own from the 16th via metro and they would rendezvous at the school at 2:30. as j was leaving, she asked, what time should i be back? i said, “i don’t know, how about 10:00”? she laughed. then i said, “how about 7:00?”
the 2 girls went to get ice cream down the street and then walked around the neighborhood, doing a little shopping.
what we find amazing is how quickly everything has changed. suddenly jj is heading out of the house to go wandering around freely on her own. i remember last year when some of the parents at the school in cambridge were discussing whether they would let their kids go to harvard square on their own and here we are a year later, and she’s free to wander in paris. well, not all of paris yet, but i’m sure soon enough, paris will be her playground.
i had gone out and when i came back, p told me they might be going to a movie. “really? a movie? on their own?” i was a bit taken aback. i imagined them getting on the metro and heading to the center of town, but it turns out there is a little cinema in the neighborhood. it made me realize that we hadn’t discussed parameters. so later, i told her that she should text me if she ever decides to go further afield that our little “quartier”. and she replied “i’ll try to remember”. (meaning she’s so comfortable wandering further that she wouldn’t even think about it?)
she and her friend decided to go to the grocery store to buy a big bottle of nutella, and i told her to pick up some porc at the butchers for dinner. it was a good challenge. i told her to ask for some slices of “porc roti” which i thought was how you said roast pork (because roast chicken is “poulet roti”). the butcher didn’t understand. she said it again “porc roti”. he was confused. then another lady asked “roti de porc?” oh! THAT’s what you want. hard to figure that one out! then he asked something that sounded like “croo-oo-cui” - which stumped her. she didn’t understand. “croo-oo-cui” he asked again. she said she didn’t know. then he showed her a raw one (cru) and a cooked one (cuit) – (“cru ou cuit”). oh! – she guessed that i wanted it cooked. anyway, it was an achievement and great that she had her friend there for support.
the 2 girls went to get ice cream down the street and then walked around the neighborhood, doing a little shopping.
what we find amazing is how quickly everything has changed. suddenly jj is heading out of the house to go wandering around freely on her own. i remember last year when some of the parents at the school in cambridge were discussing whether they would let their kids go to harvard square on their own and here we are a year later, and she’s free to wander in paris. well, not all of paris yet, but i’m sure soon enough, paris will be her playground.
i had gone out and when i came back, p told me they might be going to a movie. “really? a movie? on their own?” i was a bit taken aback. i imagined them getting on the metro and heading to the center of town, but it turns out there is a little cinema in the neighborhood. it made me realize that we hadn’t discussed parameters. so later, i told her that she should text me if she ever decides to go further afield that our little “quartier”. and she replied “i’ll try to remember”. (meaning she’s so comfortable wandering further that she wouldn’t even think about it?)
she and her friend decided to go to the grocery store to buy a big bottle of nutella, and i told her to pick up some porc at the butchers for dinner. it was a good challenge. i told her to ask for some slices of “porc roti” which i thought was how you said roast pork (because roast chicken is “poulet roti”). the butcher didn’t understand. she said it again “porc roti”. he was confused. then another lady asked “roti de porc?” oh! THAT’s what you want. hard to figure that one out! then he asked something that sounded like “croo-oo-cui” - which stumped her. she didn’t understand. “croo-oo-cui” he asked again. she said she didn’t know. then he showed her a raw one (cru) and a cooked one (cuit) – (“cru ou cuit”). oh! – she guessed that i wanted it cooked. anyway, it was an achievement and great that she had her friend there for support.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
lots of orientation
we had 2 orientation meetings of 2 hours each, this week. for the first one, the kids were told to bring a notebook and pen and the parents were told to bring a checkbook! we wrote checks for all kinds of things – cafeteria, book deposit, locker deposit etc. they went over the basic way the school worked (rules on how to enter and exit, what to always carry with you and what never to forget).
the second meeting went over the very complicated schedule – 2 different week schedules A and B and actual day to day class schedule. quite overwhelming. we had another tour of the campus led by a group of seniors called “peer leaders”. they were amazingly confident and well spoken, an impressive example of what these children can become. i learned that the teachers were very strict with the younger kids so that they would all be well behaved when they were older. they also talked about fountain pens. they said some of the teachers were very strict about it – you had to use a fountain pen or your homework would be ripped up. what? this was the first i heard about this. a fountain pen? what do you mean? you don’t mean those ancient pens with the tips you dip into ink – with the big feather? well sort of. the teachers are very adamant that the children use fountain pens – the ones with a real tip – like for calligraphy, with ink cartridges and insist that the writing is better. it forces one to be very neat – because the ink will smudge otherwise. pencils are outlawed. this may be a problem for jj who is left handed.
the second meeting went over the very complicated schedule – 2 different week schedules A and B and actual day to day class schedule. quite overwhelming. we had another tour of the campus led by a group of seniors called “peer leaders”. they were amazingly confident and well spoken, an impressive example of what these children can become. i learned that the teachers were very strict with the younger kids so that they would all be well behaved when they were older. they also talked about fountain pens. they said some of the teachers were very strict about it – you had to use a fountain pen or your homework would be ripped up. what? this was the first i heard about this. a fountain pen? what do you mean? you don’t mean those ancient pens with the tips you dip into ink – with the big feather? well sort of. the teachers are very adamant that the children use fountain pens – the ones with a real tip – like for calligraphy, with ink cartridges and insist that the writing is better. it forces one to be very neat – because the ink will smudge otherwise. pencils are outlawed. this may be a problem for jj who is left handed.
Friday, September 3, 2010
getting outside
i am in a transition stage, of course. moving to paris is a big change. i feel that i had gotten a bit suburban and i see that now as i hang out in the apt. in belmont, i would hang out in the house. all of paris is at my feet, and we are in the apt. i know these are the last few days of summer vacation for j, and she is happy just hanging out, inside. strange, but it is an effort to go out. so i have made that effort.
yesterday, i lured her out to go to a fun “shopping” area – around the odeon. we took the metro, and then we wandered around, exploring little windy, ancient streets. this is one of the things i love most about paris - just walking around and looking at things. she enjoyed it. we made our way home. (p has been working diligently in his makeshift office in the bedroom.)
today, we went to the “orangerie museum” at the base of the tuileries guardens – which used to be the green house for the gardens. we went to see monet’s water lilies that are resident there. they are always beautiful. jj loved seeing them too. they are amazing for several reasons. firstly, monet’s eyesight was deteriorating from cataracts when he was painting them. up close they seem very abstract, with lots of big brushstrokes in various vibrant colors, seemingly random. as you step back you see a beautiful rendition of water lilies in a pond with reflections of trees and sky and clouds. often the reflections are painted in vertical strokes and the lilies in horizontals – so the brushstroke directions differentiate them. it is very clear that the lilies are sitting on top of the water. he did 250-300 canvases of lilies. in the past i had gotten overexposed to monet and thought i didn’t care about his stuff anymore. then i went to see the water lilies, and was blown away. now every time i see them, i am amazed at how beautiful they are. good job, claude. (there’s another group of them at the musee marmottan in the 16th arrondissement)
yesterday, i lured her out to go to a fun “shopping” area – around the odeon. we took the metro, and then we wandered around, exploring little windy, ancient streets. this is one of the things i love most about paris - just walking around and looking at things. she enjoyed it. we made our way home. (p has been working diligently in his makeshift office in the bedroom.)
today, we went to the “orangerie museum” at the base of the tuileries guardens – which used to be the green house for the gardens. we went to see monet’s water lilies that are resident there. they are always beautiful. jj loved seeing them too. they are amazing for several reasons. firstly, monet’s eyesight was deteriorating from cataracts when he was painting them. up close they seem very abstract, with lots of big brushstrokes in various vibrant colors, seemingly random. as you step back you see a beautiful rendition of water lilies in a pond with reflections of trees and sky and clouds. often the reflections are painted in vertical strokes and the lilies in horizontals – so the brushstroke directions differentiate them. it is very clear that the lilies are sitting on top of the water. he did 250-300 canvases of lilies. in the past i had gotten overexposed to monet and thought i didn’t care about his stuff anymore. then i went to see the water lilies, and was blown away. now every time i see them, i am amazed at how beautiful they are. good job, claude. (there’s another group of them at the musee marmottan in the 16th arrondissement)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
blocking traffic
there is a different attitude here. a driver will leave his/her car in the middle of a small road, even though there are parking spaces, because they feel that they will only be a few minutes delivering something or other, and it would be easier to just leave the car there. any car coming down the street from behind, just has to wait. either that or do a very french maneuver which is to back out of the road. the sound of paris to me is the sound of a car accelerating in reverse. you know the sound – when the engine tone just rises and rises? even the parisians curse at the selfishness of the parisian drivers.
our apt is above a small shopping street. it is a narrow one lane, one way. there are often bouts of honking. typically, some delivery truck has ignored the special delivery parking spots lining the street and instead chosen to stop directly in front of its shop blocking all traffic from passing. i am surprised, actually, at the patience sometimes shown by the other drivers who quietly wait. i guess there’s an allowance of 2-3 minutes. this morning, at morning rush hour the honking seemed to be going longer than usual. after about 10 minutes of honking, i poked my head out the window to see what was going on. a truck had decided to park in the INTERSECTION of 2 streets, blocking all traffic from BOTH. there was a delivery space available a very short distance in front, but that didn’t matter. i called jj and p to come watch. it was a big delivery to a clothing store on the corner, so it was a long wait while they unloaded. more and more cars came down the street and lined up and we could see cars on the other street too. the honking continued for 20 minutes, but the truck driver ignored it. unfortunately for him, there was a police car in line waiting, who finally came out and gave him a ticket. he kept unloading anyway. i guess he figured he already had his ticket. jj was laughing hysterically at the selfishness. she couldn’t believe it. she was also thrilled at watching the cars reversing back up the street. she’d watch, waiting for the next car to start reversing, and then laugh, saying “there goes another one”. now, everytime there is honking, she runs to the window to watch.
our apt is above a small shopping street. it is a narrow one lane, one way. there are often bouts of honking. typically, some delivery truck has ignored the special delivery parking spots lining the street and instead chosen to stop directly in front of its shop blocking all traffic from passing. i am surprised, actually, at the patience sometimes shown by the other drivers who quietly wait. i guess there’s an allowance of 2-3 minutes. this morning, at morning rush hour the honking seemed to be going longer than usual. after about 10 minutes of honking, i poked my head out the window to see what was going on. a truck had decided to park in the INTERSECTION of 2 streets, blocking all traffic from BOTH. there was a delivery space available a very short distance in front, but that didn’t matter. i called jj and p to come watch. it was a big delivery to a clothing store on the corner, so it was a long wait while they unloaded. more and more cars came down the street and lined up and we could see cars on the other street too. the honking continued for 20 minutes, but the truck driver ignored it. unfortunately for him, there was a police car in line waiting, who finally came out and gave him a ticket. he kept unloading anyway. i guess he figured he already had his ticket. jj was laughing hysterically at the selfishness. she couldn’t believe it. she was also thrilled at watching the cars reversing back up the street. she’d watch, waiting for the next car to start reversing, and then laugh, saying “there goes another one”. now, everytime there is honking, she runs to the window to watch.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
french language
p is quite fluent, but my command of french is not great. trying to set up all the personal infrastructures for everyday life in a relatively unfamiliar system involves enough contact with bureaucracy and quick speaking natives that is quite challenging for me. but i guess stressing the brain is a good form of exercise. i have already gone to the office to try to get my official residency card, the “carte de sejour”, which will also allow me to work. i brought triplicates of everything i thought they might need, but did not expect to succeed, which was good, because, i didn’t. to prove residency, i brought our lease, but i need a utility bill as well and probably a copy of the landlord’s identity card. we have requested this. this process will not be easy.
j says she is understanding a lot of what is said. she had been in a french school between the ages of 3-6 and has taken french for the last 2 years. we know it will come quickly to her, but it is still very exciting to see her improving. she is still shy in speaking. i try to put her in situations where she will be forced to speak.
in these last days of summer, she has been watching tv. of course, the excuse is to help her french. she has been watching cooking shows – and picked up a bit of the lingo. she complained about the chef who said repeatedly: “et c’est parti!” when he got something going. “and, it’s on its way”. but now she knows that expression.
she has also been tickled to watch the vapid disney teen sitcoms, in french. it sounds as vapid in french as it does in english. it’s not too hard to figure out what they are saying.
j says she is understanding a lot of what is said. she had been in a french school between the ages of 3-6 and has taken french for the last 2 years. we know it will come quickly to her, but it is still very exciting to see her improving. she is still shy in speaking. i try to put her in situations where she will be forced to speak.
in these last days of summer, she has been watching tv. of course, the excuse is to help her french. she has been watching cooking shows – and picked up a bit of the lingo. she complained about the chef who said repeatedly: “et c’est parti!” when he got something going. “and, it’s on its way”. but now she knows that expression.
she has also been tickled to watch the vapid disney teen sitcoms, in french. it sounds as vapid in french as it does in english. it’s not too hard to figure out what they are saying.
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