Some Observations

Bonjour! Wow, there is so much to say about Paris. A few observations from my first few days here:

I am one of the only American students spending the semester at my school (PGSM). All of the people I have met so far have been other Europeans, from Austria, Denmark, Norway, etc. Of the two American girls I have met, one has lived in Norway for the past 10 years, and the other one has her home in America but goes to school in Norway. For them it is normal to be abroad – most of them have already spent a semester somewhere else, like Australia or England. Compared to them, we Americans seem like homebodies. And they all speak English. Oddly enough, they speak almost perfect English and almost no French. We all speak English when we hang out because it is the only language we all have in common. I am the only one who is not bilingual. It is very different! We have talked a lot about how our cultures differ – they all live in countries where health care is free, college is free, and you get money for nearly every life occasion, like giving birth, studying abroad, etc. They complained a little about the tax rate necessary to provide such services (40-60% of their total income) until I told them how much it costs for me to go to school and what hospital bills are like in the US. Then they were very happy to live where they do.

American music is EVERYWHERE here. The French MTV stations play all kinds of American music videos, in fact the video I have seen the most since being here is “I Kissed A Girl” by Katy Perry. Next popular is “So What” by Pink. I went to a dance club the other night and the songs they were playing were remixes of Weezer and Nirvana, and at a pub I was at before that the live band was playing Oasis and DMB. It is so weird! The funniest part is that the French sing along, though they have no idea what they are saying most of the time. It is a really bizarre experience because to me all the music seems outdated and out of place (Weezer at a techno dance club??) but to them it is really hip.

Did you know that Starbucks is in Paris?? I didn’t, until I saw one today. Also, there is a store in France called Monoprix (it is like a Target or Walmart) and I was trying to explain in to my European friends. They had no idea what I was talking about until I said, “It is like Walmart.” Then, of course, they all knew what I was talking about. Other funny things: they have McDonalds all over the place but because the city is so packed together, instead of drive-thrus, they have walk-up windows. They put it all in a bag to go, like in a drive-thru, only you walk up to the window. Haha. Oh and yesterday we were in a mall and there was an underwear store called “Undiz”. Get it? Undies! Haha I love the French.

Today I went to the Sacre-Coeur, then walked along the Champs-Elysee and around the Louvre. It is an odd feeling to be walking around such notable monuments on such a normal day. I think eventually I will become used to it (like all Parisians) and then it will be weird to be home. Hahaha.