Ok. so.
I just really gotta get a few things off of my chest here. I've been here for almost four months and I'm getting just a little homesick for my America.
I love you. I do. I am nearly obsessed with speaking your language and getting better all the time. I like my students here. I like your food, your history, etc.
But there are things I could do without.
- The "bise" cheek kiss that everyone does. It's pretty cute and different, yeah- but seriously for an American it is not comfortable. I don't ever actually kiss kiss the cheek- am i supposed to? I don't know. I just go in that direction and make the noise of a kiss and hope for the best.
- Saying hello to strangers. Sometimes, I just want to cruise through the day and just kind of fly under the radar. Sometimes, I just want to say hi to the people that I actually know- is that so ridiculous?
- Having it be an absolute obscene problem when you pay for something with a fifty. It is the definite end of the world. The cashiers love to ask if you "don't at all" have any change. It's like- no. Otherwise, I would of used that. Geezzz.
- The fact that people can hardly believe that it is possible to be American and speak something other than English and even more so, why one of those people would live in Beauvais. I WAS PUT HERE and YES I KNOW THAT PARIS IS BETTER. I've been. Actually, I lived there for 6 months. Thanks.
- I'm not even going to start on the fact that I have yet to receive my official social security card from you even though I got here in September or that when I want to cancel my cellphone contract that I have to WRITE a letter to an address. Oh sure, let me get out my quill pen and ink well.
That is all my ranting.
France, I'm sorry. You know I love you.
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Yes! ATMs only give out $50s and no one will take them!!! I did not understand how no one had recognized this as a problem before. I found one charmed ATM that gave me $20s and I loved it and went far out of my way to visit it.
ReplyDeletefrance has my best friend and that's why i don't like it.
ReplyDeleteim watching old school 90210...brenda and donna are in paris
hahahahaha
1) Don't actually kiss the cheek. Only creepy men do that or like family members.
ReplyDelete2) Learn your ATM's habits. You can usually figure out how much you can take out before you'd get a 50 euro note. Usually you can take out 60 euros and avoid that 50 euro note.
3) You may never get your carte vitale. I got mine in May of my first year. My contract finished in April. I know a lot of assistants who just never received it.
Ah, France. It's a 3rd world country at times. LOL.
Whoops!
ReplyDeleteI've been kissing the cheek for that last 8 years! Does that make me a creepy man? I wish they'd tell you these things when you get off the boat!
Here in deepest Brittany all the ATMs ask how you want your money - perhaps we've got less of it to go round?
All the best
Keith
P.S. Nice mini rant, the way!
I've been living in France for over a year now and I don't know when I'll get used to the cheek kissing. It is uncomfortable for me, not so much with people I know but when I have to kiss someone I've just been introduced to, and one of us has a cold. YUCK! Plus I never know if it's two kisses or three. I usually feel like an idiot.
ReplyDeleteThe worst kissing the cheek scenario is when you go to a party full of new people and you can't just say "hi" or do a general head nod. No. You have to go around and kiss everybody on the cheek and say your name a million times.
ReplyDeleteAlso I stll haven't gotten my carte vitale and I'm on month four of my second year as an assistant... I wonder if I should be harassing somebody about it?