It's hard to believe that I've just passed my one month anniversary in Paris and haven't had a chance to blog about it yet. It's been hectic. At work, I got sucked into supporting a big deal we're desperately trying to close. It was grueling but rewarding and in about four weeks we should find out if we've landed the largest multi-national insurer in France. Outside of work I'm practically giddy with happiness. Paris is just what I needed. It's just foreign enough that I feel distanced from reality but not so foreign that it's hard to live here. I wouldn't say my social life is booming but I'm seldom bored and never lonely. I spend a lot
of time with my friend Cyril, who has been charming, adorable, and supportive, and I've joined a few expat clubs. These are pretty interesting affairs. Basically, a bunch of people who moved here from other countries get together once a week for drinks or a meal. It's nice, and international, but pretty consistently odd. A bunch of people with little more in common than the fact that we all yield from elsewhere . . . it's a mixed bag for sure. Anyhow, I plan to share stories more regularly but here are a few of the things I've found interesting so far.
Interesting things about Paris
The garbage is collected twice a day. Twice a day! Every morning and every evening those trucks blow by and empty the cans in front of my house. Do Parisians really produce that much garbage or is this yet another example of government spending run amok?
Large companies have cafeterias on-site where employees can eat complete meals – starter, hot entrée, bread, dessert, and beverage of choice – for 2 Euros. My company does not have one of these cafeterias so I go out to lunch. That usually runs about 20 Euros.
Sending your clothes to be dry-cleaned or your pants to be hemmed are luxuries you really ought to learn to live without. Doing these things on a regular basis will jeopardize your retirement plans.
Sales at French clothing stores happen twice a year – for one month in the winter and one month in the summer. You can find clothing at 40, 50 or 60% off. It’s still expensive but palatable. The dates of the sales are government sanctioned so finding discounts outside of these periods will require you to lobby with the French government. Good luck with that.
The French have the same fascination with cute American things that we have with cute French things. All the boutiques in my neighborhood sell tee shirts, soap dishes, fluffy bath towels and door mats with English phrases emblazoned on them.
The French have tired of talking about Obama. I guess he’ll have to actually do something to make headlines again.
Interesting news about my apartment
I have a heated towel rack in the bathroom and a dishwasher with a shelf designed for wine glasses but I do not have an oven. I guess this isn’t the year I’ll learn to bake.
There is a consistent knocking sound coming from the back wall of my bathroom. The first few days I was here I thought my neighbor was hanging pictures but seeing that’s it’s now been a month and the knocking hasn’t stopped, I’m starting to wonder if there isn’t someone behind that wall knocking to be let out. I may have to excavate.
I’m a half block from a sushi place that delivers. Cute little Frenchmen ride around on motorbikes equipped with refrigerated boxes on the back that read “I heart sushi.” Feels like home.
The amount of voltage running into my apartment is sufficient to run the TV, lights and heat at the same time but if I want to run the washing machine or the microwave I have to make some tough choices. Should I turn off the heat for an hour and put on a coat or turn off the TV and read a book? I forgot this a couple of weeks ago and blew out the electricity. It was a Sunday and I had to call an electrician. He replaced three fuses and charged me – are you sitting down? - $1,110.
Tips for speaking French
Affect your best French accent and punctuate long pauses and “uuuuuuh’s” with the phrase “comment dit-on” (how do you say . . .). French men find this irresistible.
When you’re presenting to a very important prospective client, throw out a bunch of words you remember hearing somewhere but whose meanings you’re uncertain of. When you accidentally ask the project sponsor out on a date, the comic relief will work in your favor. I promise.
Learn to get by without ever mentioning yogurt or eggs. These words were designed to trip up foreigners. If you want to order these things, look for restaurants with pictures on the menu.
Things I miss about home:
Pete, my friends, my family, online access to Pandora and Netflix (turns out that 99% of the digital content I like is protected against access outside of the US), In & Out Burger, my oven.
