Impressions of a New Culture

Since being here for almost two weeks I have noticed a lot of cultural differences between Paris and San Diego.  One of the main differences is the use public transportation including the metro, RER, buses, and even taxis.  When talking to some French students in Paris they tell us how they automatically buy a metro pass every month without even thinking about it.  They are so used to taking the metro everywhere, where I am used to just jumping in my car.  Although San Diego has the trolley system, when we use it we are only buying one ticket at a time since a majority of students have their own cars.  We have only met one person who had a car who drove us to a club instead of taking the metro and he was very wealthy.  Even when we had to take a taxi home from a bar since the metro was closed one night the French people we met asked if we were rich.  This brings me to my other cultural difference which is daily routines.

One thing that really surprised me was how late people in Paris go out at night.  Coming from SDSU I thought we went out late when we would go to parties at 10pm, but here no one is even out yet that early.  Some of the clubs we have looked at don’t even open until midnight and they stay open until 6am.  The metro is closed from 12-5:30am which is why we had to take a taxi when we left a bar at 3:30am.  We thought this was really late but the French people we were with thought we were going home really early.  I have noticed this difference in routines all throughout the day as well.  When we get up and walk to school at 8:30am, no one else is out, but in the US this is a normal rush hour during the week.  However, when we try to get on the metro around 11am it is completely packed of people trying to get to work.  It seems as if they start and end their days a lot later than what I am used too.  In addition, when we go to get dinner around 6pm the waiters always seem confused when we ask to eat and not just order a drink.  Restaurants don’t get packed until around 9-10pm.  At least we know that when we go to dinner we will always be able to find a table.  

Other cultural differences I have noticed is that customer service doesn’t seem like a big deal here, for instance when you go shopping or out to dinner you aren’t constantly bothered by a sales associate or a waiter which I find to be refreshing.  Also the clothes in the stores are a lot more modest then the types of clothes I find in the states, and coming from the Greek system at SDSU it was really nice to see girls a lot more covered up in bars and clubs, and not just because of the cold. People here also seem a lot more natural, I do not see a lot of makeup, hair dyes, or any plastic surgery like I have seen growing up outside of LA.  

When I compare life in Paris to life in San Diego there are certain things I appreciate about both cultures.  For one I love the fact that public transportation here is so accessible and there is no need for cars or worries about gas prices.  On the other hand, taxis are really expensive and it is inconvenient that the metro closes at those times of night.  When it comes to daily routines I appreciate that here in Paris you are able to sleep in and start your day a little later, but I like how night life in San Diego starts a lot earlier than here. 

First Week Thoughts

Now that I have been living in Paris for almost two weeks I feel like I have been here for a lot longer as I am started to really know my neighborhood and recognize the people that live here.  The first couple of days were really hard, the jet lag made me feel completely out of it and not myself, I was sleeping for hours and hours at random times of the day and I couldn’t sleep through the night, but luckily that is over with.  Once the jet lag was over with, I was able to venture around this the 11 and 12 arrondissements without a map which was an achievement.  I love everything about our neighborhood. Around Ave. Daumesnil there is a long running trail, two grande marches (outdoor markets), a bunch of boulangeries, cafes, and shops, and just down by the Bastille there are a ton of bars, and Accent is only a five minute walk from our apartments. 

The markets are my favorite place to shop and the produce is so fresh; I have been getting the best grapefruits I have ever had and I feel like I’m immersing myself more in French culture when I shop there.  I have been waiting for a croque madame, which is basically a grilled cheese with ham and an egg on top, ever since I took French in high school and I have had two so far and they are amazing!  I’ve been eating my way through Paris and even went to my first fondue dinner last night with accent which was so good.  

I am also getting the hang of the metro system and I have even explored a little by myself (don’t worry mom only during the day).  I am always in awe when I step out of the metro station because there is always an incredible building or statue or something everywhere I go.  It’s fun to pick random metro stops and just see what we find.  I’ve also done a little bit of shopping, mostly window though because clothes here are a lot more expensive than back home especially somewhere like Galleries Lafayette.  

We are starting to get our calendars together and are thinking about doing some weekend trips together.  Oh so the people I am hanging out with are mostly all SDSU students and I have been going out a lot with three other girls from State, my roommate Nikki, Caitlin, and Thuy Tien (“2-10”).  They are really fun and we are basically always all together when we go explore.

I love being here and I am trying to do as much as I can the only thing that is difficult is the weather, it is just so cold and it’s hard to stay out all day when it is in the thirties, so hopefully it warms up soon so we can go explore more of Paris.