I seem to be having revelations on the daily, albeit small ones. I've realized today that I've lost a certain something in my move to Paris: my desire, need, and will to buy things. Before I left home (and truly for the past 8 months) I took an inventory of my life, of the things that own me (or that I own), and the things that I truly need - and I pared it down. I had a habit when I lived in the states to look at discount websites like bensbargains.net or passwird.com, or the better known woot.com just to see what geeky gadgets were on sale. And as is normal when one develops the habit of looking at merchandise, one also develops the habit to rationalize more purchases than necessary. So I would buy things if they were a good deal, because hell, after all, I couldn't afford NOT to buy it! (that one's for you, Joe). But now, in Paris, I have all my basics.. clothing, food, my computer, some books, and a few video games / movies. Past that, I don't really "want" for anything, so I don't really buy anything.
In fact, I've lost the urge to buy altogether. Now that I don't work, don't earn a twice monthly paycheck, I guard my bank account a little more closely. I earn a bit of money with my part time work, but that's to pay the rent and pay for my activities. The money I have in the bank is my only real savings, and I don't want to see it depleted. Maybe this is a sign of responsibility? I'm not entirely sure... but in any case when you don't earn, when you simply deplete, you begin to regard things in a different way. I still look at my websites, but not on a daily basis, and more for amusement and to keep "current" with the price of things.. but I rarely buy.
Well that's it, nothing too deep, but it's a change I've noticed in myself. And that's why you're reading this blog, isn't it? ;)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Presentation
I've realized something. After giving nearly 4 or 5 presentations in French, I've become a better public speaker... in English. What I mean to say is that I thought it was hard to give presentations in English before I came to France, but after having struggled with a non-native language and adding an additional layer of complexity to the process, I'm fine with presenting in English. I'll take a giant hall filled with uninterested people in front of whom I can speak nervously any day of the week, as long as it's in English. Because there's nothing worse than trying to improvise in a language where you have no words. When you arrive at a dead end, there's no bullshitting, it's just shitting, and that doesn't please anyone, including yourself.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Resident Evil
I almost forgot! I had another brush with French Administration this week, but I can happily report that it was far less painful than usual. And the result... (drum roll please), I have my Carte de Sejour! Probably anticlimactic to most, because the words Carte de Sejour don't evoke much to the English speaking community, but it means that I have my residency card and I can legally live and work in France until the end of my VISA.
Yay! I know. It's a minor technicality, but I'm cheering the fact that I had an appointment on Thursday with the immigration office at 2pm, I arrived, took my shirt off (it was a physical), coughed a few times, spoke french, and left by 3:30pm. 1 hour and 30 minutes is unheard of in France for accomplishing.. well anything really. But especially unheard of with a government agency. I was rather impressed.
Yay! I know. It's a minor technicality, but I'm cheering the fact that I had an appointment on Thursday with the immigration office at 2pm, I arrived, took my shirt off (it was a physical), coughed a few times, spoke french, and left by 3:30pm. 1 hour and 30 minutes is unheard of in France for accomplishing.. well anything really. But especially unheard of with a government agency. I was rather impressed.
Procrastination
So yes, it's been a month without updates. I hope I haven't upset the fan base or convinced anyone that this blog isn't worth reading (when it obviously IS worth reading). Now that I've gotten that out of the way I'm pretty sure I owe the world a little bit of catch-up. So let's begin.
Yes I am a part time nanny, sort of. That line was just a teaser thrown out to inspire wild ideas and images about my sordid lifestyle in Paris, but the reality is much less glamorous. The good news, I'm watching a 3-year old for 10 hours per week and earning enough to pay my rent and earn some spending money, therefore not dipping into my savings - the bad news, I'm watching a 3-year old for 10 hours per week. It's not all bad, per say, since the mother wants me to speak English and simply play with her daughter to instill an English vocabulary in her sponge-like infant mind, but I'm realizing how glad I am that she's not my kid. Part time nanny? No problem. Full time father? No thanks, not yet anyway.
I've also been graced with a great opportunity this week - to learn all about the French healthcare system as an active participant! In other words, I was incredibly sick for the entire week, and like much of the paranoid world I thought it was the dreaded swine flu! AAHH! Run! (those damn porks) Meanwhile, back on planet earth it was a cold, a bad cold, but just a cold. But here's the interesting part (you were hoping for one, I'm sure) - in France, healthcare works. Can you imagine that?? A social system working?! Surely every Republican mind in the US just exploded after hearing an American say that. Because we all know that social systems = socialism = nazis = concentration camps. And my having a cold and visiting a western doctor and purchasing prescription drugs and therefore contributing to the consumerist society I live in definitely qualifies as a donation to terrorism. Well, Mr. Republican, get ready to choke on your chicken bone, my entire experience cost $60, uninsured. That's right, a visit to chez-le-docteur and 4 prescription medications cost in total less than $60. To my American "you must be insured before you can even think about getting sick" mentality, this was a major punch to the gut.
Anyway, I'm not bitter. But please, America, land of the greed - oops, free - please pick up the pace on this health care thing. It's not marxist flag burning, it's universal health care and we're living in the stone age (exaggeration).
So those two paragraphs sum up a month, right? What? No? What was I doing the other 25 days in between? Well let's see. My mom and aunt came to visit which was delightful. It reminded me that yes I can love to see my family but be incredibly stressed to balance my work life, my personal life with Alix, and my family life. I had forgotten about that juggling act. We spent a week together and visited Versailles, rode the bateaus mouches, took a tour bus around Paris, and stopped in Montmartre, at Notre Dame, at at the Musee D'Orsay (which is damn cool). We ate a lot of good food (and I can prove that being 2 lbs fatter), we visited some home goods stores, and eventually decided that every home goods store in Paris charges $90 for a lampshade and went to IKEA. Thank god for the swedish and their flat-ish furniture. I say ish because I notice more and more non-flat variety furniture populating the shelves. I'm onto you IKEA.
School has continued to be a mind-blast. What does that mean? Not sure really, except that it's still 21 hours per week in French and I'm not sure at what speed my level is advancing, but I'm loving the coursework and becoming more and more friendly with my classmates. One of whom held a little get together about a week back which was congenial and welcoming, so much so that I invited Alix to come along and she enjoyed it just as much a I did, if not more.
Today, however, I'm procrasitinating. After a week of vacation which should have been filled with dancing and eating chocolate and oversleeping, it was instead filled with hacking up a lung and feeling like death, and now it's over and I haven't done any of my work. That would be all well and good save the fact that I have a test in French history tomorrow and I feel the old "Procrastinator" emerging in me. It's been long-dormant, but rearing to make a comeback, and here it is. I don't want to do my work. Which is silly, because I'm here firmly by choice, doing this just for me, and yet, I still don't want to do it. I want to play video games. I think that's just nostalgia creeping up because I enjoy gaming and it's been a while since I've wasted my days and nights on some useless quest to save the princess.. but well, there it is.
Past that, life is still amazing. No regrets. I miss my family and friends, a lot. It's slowly building to a whole lot. Nostalgia is winning. But, the holidays are coming up with PERFECT timing and I'm looking for a flight home between Dec 26 and Jan 1, so if you're in town and want to hang out, I'll be there! (I hope!).
Yes I am a part time nanny, sort of. That line was just a teaser thrown out to inspire wild ideas and images about my sordid lifestyle in Paris, but the reality is much less glamorous. The good news, I'm watching a 3-year old for 10 hours per week and earning enough to pay my rent and earn some spending money, therefore not dipping into my savings - the bad news, I'm watching a 3-year old for 10 hours per week. It's not all bad, per say, since the mother wants me to speak English and simply play with her daughter to instill an English vocabulary in her sponge-like infant mind, but I'm realizing how glad I am that she's not my kid. Part time nanny? No problem. Full time father? No thanks, not yet anyway.
I've also been graced with a great opportunity this week - to learn all about the French healthcare system as an active participant! In other words, I was incredibly sick for the entire week, and like much of the paranoid world I thought it was the dreaded swine flu! AAHH! Run! (those damn porks) Meanwhile, back on planet earth it was a cold, a bad cold, but just a cold. But here's the interesting part (you were hoping for one, I'm sure) - in France, healthcare works. Can you imagine that?? A social system working?! Surely every Republican mind in the US just exploded after hearing an American say that. Because we all know that social systems = socialism = nazis = concentration camps. And my having a cold and visiting a western doctor and purchasing prescription drugs and therefore contributing to the consumerist society I live in definitely qualifies as a donation to terrorism. Well, Mr. Republican, get ready to choke on your chicken bone, my entire experience cost $60, uninsured. That's right, a visit to chez-le-docteur and 4 prescription medications cost in total less than $60. To my American "you must be insured before you can even think about getting sick" mentality, this was a major punch to the gut.
Anyway, I'm not bitter. But please, America, land of the greed - oops, free - please pick up the pace on this health care thing. It's not marxist flag burning, it's universal health care and we're living in the stone age (exaggeration).
So those two paragraphs sum up a month, right? What? No? What was I doing the other 25 days in between? Well let's see. My mom and aunt came to visit which was delightful. It reminded me that yes I can love to see my family but be incredibly stressed to balance my work life, my personal life with Alix, and my family life. I had forgotten about that juggling act. We spent a week together and visited Versailles, rode the bateaus mouches, took a tour bus around Paris, and stopped in Montmartre, at Notre Dame, at at the Musee D'Orsay (which is damn cool). We ate a lot of good food (and I can prove that being 2 lbs fatter), we visited some home goods stores, and eventually decided that every home goods store in Paris charges $90 for a lampshade and went to IKEA. Thank god for the swedish and their flat-ish furniture. I say ish because I notice more and more non-flat variety furniture populating the shelves. I'm onto you IKEA.
School has continued to be a mind-blast. What does that mean? Not sure really, except that it's still 21 hours per week in French and I'm not sure at what speed my level is advancing, but I'm loving the coursework and becoming more and more friendly with my classmates. One of whom held a little get together about a week back which was congenial and welcoming, so much so that I invited Alix to come along and she enjoyed it just as much a I did, if not more.
Today, however, I'm procrasitinating. After a week of vacation which should have been filled with dancing and eating chocolate and oversleeping, it was instead filled with hacking up a lung and feeling like death, and now it's over and I haven't done any of my work. That would be all well and good save the fact that I have a test in French history tomorrow and I feel the old "Procrastinator" emerging in me. It's been long-dormant, but rearing to make a comeback, and here it is. I don't want to do my work. Which is silly, because I'm here firmly by choice, doing this just for me, and yet, I still don't want to do it. I want to play video games. I think that's just nostalgia creeping up because I enjoy gaming and it's been a while since I've wasted my days and nights on some useless quest to save the princess.. but well, there it is.
Past that, life is still amazing. No regrets. I miss my family and friends, a lot. It's slowly building to a whole lot. Nostalgia is winning. But, the holidays are coming up with PERFECT timing and I'm looking for a flight home between Dec 26 and Jan 1, so if you're in town and want to hang out, I'll be there! (I hope!).
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