Buses and Baguettes

Today, I finally got the chance to sleep in late and catch up on some Z's. Before heading to our 2pm language class, we went to cash in on our free daily lunch at the school cafeteria. Unfortunately, showing up at 1pm was too late to get all the good food. Never making that mistake again. Another interesting insight into French culture: there will be a general strike on Thursday. French workers are big into striking, and they do it often and with purpose. This Thursday, the metro and bus systems will be running at half frequency, and the Musée d'Orsay (where we were scheduled to visit that afternoon) will be closed. C'est la vie.

In class today, we presented our general ideas for our final presentation for the program. Ideas varied from the problem of cigarette smoking in France to the popularity of soccer in France for women to the relations between France and the Congo. My topic will cover the francophone (french-speaking world) and its relationship to France itself. I hope to cover the topics of language and culture (music, food, architecture, etc.) in various places like Quebec, Belgium, and, of course, Louisiana/New Orleans.


After class, today I decided to take the bus home instead of the metro. The metro can get very crowded at rush hour, not to mention the lack of air conditioning and the lack of French people who wear deodorant. The bus ride took about 45 minutes, and I only had to change lines once. The buses are clean, fast, frequent, and, most importantly, included on my metro pass for free. It was nice to see a different side of the city via the streets, and my route took me past several landmarks including the Louvre.


On my way from the bus stop to my apartment, I decided to stop by the bakery around the corner to buy a baguette. It only cost 80 cent[ime]s, and it was such a good mid-afternoon snack. I took my baguette with some nutella, butter, and cheese (separately). Baguettes that are fresh and inexpensive are a natural right for the French, and I will be sure to take part in this tradition while I am living here in Paris.

Many of my friends are going to see Les Miserables tonight, but I decided to stay in to relax and save the 25 euros. I may meet up with them later, but who knows. Tomorrow, the class is off to visit BNP-Paribas, one of the largest banks in all of France. It looks to be an interesting visit, and I will update you on that trip tomorrow after classes!