Singin' the Blues...but only a little.

With the end of the Toussaints holiday at the end of October came the end of the "honeymoon" period of my cultural adjustment. Now my general mood has turned a bit funky, but is most certainly not fresh. I have been trying to keep myself busy, but the appeal of sitting on my couch with some sort of junk/comfort food has become difficult to ignore! I am definitely hoping that the never-ceasing positive attitudes of my friends will pull me out of this wonkiness toute de suite (ASAP) so I can go back to feeling normal again.

I think that one of the major reasons for my current slump, besides the obvious issue of homesickness, has been the sheer amount of stimulation that I have received since arriving in Nice. I took this job as an assistant and came to France to attempt to find some clarity and direction. Instead I now have more options and opportunities at my feet than I ever thought possible! Should I come to Europe for my masters? Should I hang out here for another year to work as a teaching assistant? Should I try my hand at moving here and working without enrolling in school (gasp!)? Then there are the same options in the US...and if you extend even further, the same options in South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. I think that the next six months will most definitely provide some sort of weight that will help to tip the scales in one direction or another, but the waiting is always the hardest part (words of wisdom by Tom Petty).

Another thing that I haven't been able to shake from my brain is the idea of "success". Success, to me, has never meant sitting at a desk, earning a 401K, and completing meaningless tasks. Success means feeling fulfilled from all aspects of your life, including the work you do. I know that it is an idealistic viewpoint, but I do think that it's possible to achieve. I also am trying my hardest to distance myself from the (very American) idea that how much you make determines your level of success--success should be a feeling, not a figure. Now I'm not trying to go all hippy dippy on you (Dad, don't worry), but one of my goals for my time in France is for me to determine what would make me feel satisfied for now, and to pursue it once this year is over. And once whatever "that" is stops fulfilling me, I need to promise myself that I will replace it with something that does.

On another, much lighter note, I went to the Fête des Châtaignes in Cagnes-sur-Mer this past weekend where I got to eat (more) freshly roasted chestnuts, pet a baby pig and some kittens, drink (more) mulled wine, and spend time with a good friend. Pictures of said tiny pig to come!


Hugs and Bisous

Ann

Lessons in Culture

So it should come as no surprise that my Algerian roommates are Muslim. I had the pleasure of being able to experience the holiday of Eid al-Adha with them this year. Essentially, the holiday is meant to commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God. After proving his fidelity and faithfulness, God spared Abraham and commanded him to instead sacrifice a lamb. For this purpose, it is tradition for Muslim families (or at least the Algerian ones) to slaughter, roast, and eat an entire lamb as a symbolic gesture to God. Nazim and his friend procured merely half of a lamb for us to enjoy, but there was definitely still plenty to go around.

My reflection on the day is that it is sort of a mix between Easter and Thanksgiving. It is a celebration of thanks to God, but is also a great feast that involves inviting over friends and family to partake in food, drink (non-alcoholic for some), and conversation. We had about ten people over, one of whom was a cultural outsider like me, to help to cook and enjoy the lamb.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of lamb...but I figured "When in Rome" and dug in. After (accidentally) eating a decent portion of the liver and (willingly) trying a small piece of the heart, I settled on some more traditional cuts of meat: the shanks and the filet. We also had some traditional bread, some baguette, a salad, and merguez which is a type of North African spicy sausage that I would compare to chorizo. I think we literally ate lamb for about three hours--I definitely had bonafide meat sweats going on.

One thing that I think is universal at gatherings like this is the inevitable and divisive dinner-time political conversation. It was quite amusing for me to listen to my roommates' friends discuss and dispute Algerian and Maghrebin (North African) politics. Definitely reminiscent of Thanksgiving with the family...And as per usual, as the meat kept appearing on the table the arguments would cease, which left room for new discussions to pop up during the next lamb-less lull.

The whole experience was extremely touching. My roommates wanted to share with me a piece of their culture and a piece of their lives. They are such inviting, nice people and I feel so lucky to be able to spend the year with them. We learn from each other, ask each other about our cultural differences, and listen to each other. There was a toast in the honor of Roberta, aka the other outsider--an Italian girl, and myself to say "thank you" for being able to share this day with us. After the dinner was finished, Nazim gave me a huge hug and thanked me again for being able and willing to learn and share in the experience. But I feel as though I should be the one saying thank you to them. Their hospitality is humbling, and their willingness to accept the differences between us and treat them not as barriers but as learning opportunities has made me feel so welcome and, quite simply, happy.

blurry Farouk playing the guitar
Nazim dancing it out in our living room to what else: Michael Jackson

To that, I say a big THANK YOU to Nazim and Farouk for being so awesome. I hope that I can pull myself together enough to organize something for Thanksgiving so they can learn a little about American culture. Also...bring on the Christmas Tree! :-)


Bisous!

Ann

Pourquoi tu rigoles?

Me getting my giggle on in Paris, 2009

Pourquoi tu rigoles? Aka: Why are you laughing? A question that is asked of me at least on a daily, if not hourly basis. This is another one of those stereotypes that we learn about in French class in the USA--the French need a reason to smile and even more of a reason to laugh.

Unfortunately for me, I am a gigglebox.

This means that I frequently confuse and amuse my roommates and anyone else I meet who isn't from the US. What is even more frustrating for me is the fact that I have no idea how to explain why I am laughing. Usually it's because I see something that makes me think of something else, which makes me laugh or smile. So I've, for the most part, resorted to just telling people that I laugh because I'm American for lack of a better explanation or time to attempt a translation.

One thing is certain, if I don't try to get a grip on this goofy little habit of mine, the entire population of Nice will surely think that I am completely insane by the end of my stay here.

Love <3

Ann

Vienna Vacation

Me with the ducks in Stadtpark, Vienna, Austria

So after two weeks of basically introducing myself to each of my groups and doing some minor practice for their oral exams at the end of the year, I had ten days off. Yay France! This was for the "Toussaints" vacation--literally "all saint's"--but I guess we would call it "fall break" in the USA. I made plans about three weeks prior to go to Vienna to see a long-lost friend (Ridge) and to meet my sister's/my friend Dina.

The vacation was upset by my being ill and a few other bumps in the road, but I can honestly say that Vienna is one of the cleanest, most beautiful cities I've ever had the privilege of visiting. There is no dog crap strewn about the streets (hey, I'm looking at you, France). I didn't see much trash (and you, SF, NYC, and Chicago), and the people were friendly as a whole. Dina and I received help more than once from friendly strangers on the S-Bahn or the U-Bahn who were listening to us discuss our confusion.

Also, being from Minnesota, it was great to be somewhere that had the crispness of the transition from autumn into winter in the air. I could almost smell the snow and loved the fact that I needed to wear gloves and even purchase a hat! With the cold weather comes comfort food. I ate so much hearty soup (goulash, pumpkin soup), stewed red meat, and potatoes that it was border-line ridiculous. After my return to France, I ate raw vegetables for two days just to make myself feel better.

Another thing that Vienna has over Nice (and France in general) is that it is so affordable! For the first few days, Dina and I had purchased some items at the supermarket so we could make sandwiches and grab things to go. Four or five packages of meat, a giant loaf of bread, cheese, some vegetables, and 2 kg of apples cost us 10 euros. So good. In addition to the affordability of food is the affordability of beer with FLAVOR. I don't remember if I've discussed this yet on the blog, but here in France the beer is pretty flavorless and then they add grenadine, lemonade, and/or peach syrup to it to make it sweet and fruity. It's just not my scene. Thankfully for me, my friend Ridge knew of a bar in Vienna (it's called 1516) that brews their own IPAs and a hopped oatmeal stout. Pints in Nice cost upwards of 7-8 euros, but in Vienna an "expensive" pint was half that. Cheap beer with flavor. I was saved for a few days!

Here is a breakdown of the things I saw in Vienna:
The Naschtmarkt and the Flohmarkt--great outdoor markets to buy food stuffs, jewelry, furniture, and collectables. (see photo down and to the left of all of the different kinds of vinegar)
The Leopold--really great collection of art especially Klimt and Schiele
Stadtpark--Great place to go during the day. They have a pond filled with ducks and swans and it's a beautiful place to stroll around!
The Opera--Beautiful building and it's central to everything
Cafe Sacher--->overrated, over priced, and you can find Sacher torte everywhere--not just there.
Cafe Hawelka--my favorite cafe that we visited. The inside is warm and cozy and it's not overpriced
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra--can't go wrong with 5euro standing seat tickets to hear some lovely music
AVOID THE DUDES SELLING MUSIC TICKETS EVERYWHERE!
Stephansplatz--great shopping and, for the most part, seemed to be a pedestrian only zone.
National Day (October 26)--this is a holiday in Austria and the way that we saw it celebrated was sort of an exposition of the military in Maria-Theresien-Platz. It was a strange mix of food vendors, military expos, various sports teams, and eighties pop music. But it was a happy accident to stumble upon it! Creepy man in camouflage----->
The U-Bahn--Vienna's version of a subway. It is intuitive and well marked. Very easy and affordable to use (a 1-week pass was 15 euros)

Here are some reflections I made on the people of Vienna vs. the people of Nice:
Viennese people are much more aware of how their actions affect other people. For instance, when people are on an escalator, those who want to stand stay to the right so as to make room for those who need to hurry. That sort of thing does not happen in Nice. People walk in your way, stand in your way, and will bump into you on the street as if it is your responsibility to avoid certain collision. As mentioned before, we received unsolicited help more than once during our lost wanderings around the city. I have literally had people in Nice ignore me on the street as I am asking them for help. Lastly, I had to re-learn how to not be on guard all the time at night. During the whole week I only had one man be inappropriate to me on the street which would only happen in Nice if all of the men mysteriously disappeared. During my first night, I was trying to navigate Vienna with a girl that I met on the subway and some men were walking down the street. They stopped and asked us if we needed help. Initially I didn't respond out of habit, but then finally I said "No, thank you" and they, miraculously, just walked away! No following, no prodding, no bothering...just "Ok! Have a good night!". What a nice change.

I suppose the only real downside of Vienna is that folks can still smoke in bars. Blech.

Anyway, that was my Vienna adventure in a nutshell and for the most part. I left out some of the hairier details, of course. It was a great time in a great city with great people. I hope to see it again some day!

Bisous

Ann

Awesome sign in the bar at my hostel aimed at lessening the amount of drunkards who collide with the window, thinking it's an open space.
Way to be considerate, guys! :-)

Already behind!

Many, oh so many things have happened in the last month! I went through some anxiety-inducing training, orientation, started teaching, and took a week-long vacation to Vienna! singin' with the roomie at the pub ------->

Other than my kids talking about my booty behind my back and me having to remind them that I understand what they're saying, the teaching part has been fine. My students range from ages 17-23, which was a happy surprise for me! The reason some of them are so much older is because there is an option in France to complete a 2-year degree, but there are no community colleges. Therefore, the classes are held on high school campuses. After which they can be completely finished or they can decide to go to the university for one year to finish the French equivalent of a bachelor's degree--here it's called a "license" and it's a 3-year program. Since most of my students in this program (it is called BTS) are studying commerce, finance, marketing, etc. they are very interested in participating and learning English. The high school seniors are pretty hit and miss. But that's ok...I hope to have made some sort of difference by the time the year is up!

Living in Nice has been quite the adventure, too. It's so easy to be hanging out just chit chatting with the roomies, look down, and realize that it's 2am. Or to go out with friends to a bar, look at your phone and realize it's 4am. Luckily, the city isn't very big and I never go out alone, so the walk home is never too daunting. The city really has two faces though: day-time Nice at night time Nice.

Day time Nice is a place of wonderful open-air markets, beach-side strolls, and cafe culture complete with sunshine and little to no risk of danger.

Night time Nice is a whole different ball park. It is sketchy, dangerous, hooker-laden, and not a place to find yourself alone. I was out with my roommate and saw a fight (ironically in front of the courthouse) of 15 vs. 15--throwing punches, throwing bottles, not caring that there were other people around. It was insanity. The cops showed up by car, on foot, on segway, sprayed some sort of tear gas or pepper spray, and arrested two bloodied-up hooligans. I also know at least two or three other assistants who have been physically assaulted at night because they decided to talk back to the men hassling them. I know this will alarm anyone back home reading, but I'd rather tell the good with the bad and not paint Nice as some sort of idyllic, sleepy, sea-side town. It definitely has a hard edge that people planning a visit, or even people daydreaming of how wonderful it is here, should be aware of. The best thing to do is go out in a group, leave when there's trouble a-brewin', and ignore the cat callers.

Also, a note to anyone reading this, The G-20 is in Cannes in the next few days, but the rioters are coming to Nice. I'm really not planning on being out much...but if you see craziness on the news don't freak out. If I see craziness on the news, I promise I will call home immediately.

Next post will be all about Vienna :-)

Biz just so you do know it is beautiful and not all scary ---->

Nice: Finding Lodging, Exploration

I was actually really lucky to have a safe, comfortable place to stay while I searched for my apartment. Sophie and Raphael were so accommodating and wonderful--I almost felt like I was taking advantage of their hospitality.

I was also very lucky to have found an apartment so quickly! I am living with two Algerian lawyers who are studying/working in Nice. Farouk is 32, plays the guitar, and is really laid back and fun. Nazim is more high-strung (but still very very nice), obsessed with Michael Jackson, and loves to dance. I fit right in! Additionally, they cook for me (while wearing an apron which is adorable) and do the dishes. Fantastic.

I quickly found a few of the other assistants by a keen use of Facebook and my prompt purchase of a phone in Paris. I began hanging out with Molly, an American from the Chicago area, and Katie, an English girl from Newcastle. Our days have been filled to the brim with going to the beach, swimming, using the diving mask that they found in their apartment, walking around, and going out in the evenings. Not a bad way to spend the days before we start working! After spending my time in Paris and now living in Nice I have come to the conclusion that I need to buy a lighter. This is not because I am planning on starting to smoke, but rather because I am asked at least 2-3X/day whether or not I have "du feu" ie: a light.

Over the last week our posse has grown as more and more people arrive and buy phones. It has been great having this time before work starts to get to know each other and have a little fun while we're at it!

I don't have any photos of the people I have met or my roommates, but here are a few touristy photos I took while walking around Nice. Enjoy!
This is my attempt at being artsy. I thought these dudes on the bench, gazing out at the sea looked interesting
Pretty soaps at the outdoor market in the Cours Saleya
Nice from "Le Chateau"
The port side of Nice
Flowers at the market

Last day in Paris, Nice arrival

Our last full day in Paris we did the boring, obligatory stuff like buy train tickets and call our coordinating professors to ensure that we had places to stay when we arrived to our destinations (Tracy is an assistant in Bordeaux). We convinced both of the guys in the ticket office to speak to us in French. Bonus points!

After those logistics were taken care of, we headed up to Montmartre to walk around in the hills and see Sacre Coeur and the Moulin Rouge. The lines were massive, so we didn't go in (which stinks because I really wanted to!). The outside is super gorgeous though and since it's on a giant hill the view of Paris from up there is awesome. We just mozied around, bought some post cards and other trinkets and headed back to the room to drop off our tourist-y impulse buys (magnets for me, a mug for Tracy)

We took a little detour on our way out to the pub that night and went through Parc Monceau, which is a decent sized park where people go to hang out and go jogging. It is, in my opinion, one of the better parks in Paris because it's removed from the big tourist attractions and has really beautiful and interesting landscaping. Then it was off to the pub for more live music, beer, and conversation with random strangers.

Nice Arrival:
The next day we packed up our things, said goodbye the Persiaux and went off to our respective train stations. We decided to spend the money for a cab and it was *the best* ten euros I have ever spent. Not having to drag my crap through the metro alone (again) was my little "welcome to France" present to myself. I was meeting Sophie, my coordinating professor, at the train station in Nice. The train ride took six hours, and was uneventful. I didn't really sleep because I was so nervous about my stuff being in the little baggage storage area and having it stolen. Luckily nothing bad happened and me and my stuff all arrived in one piece.

Sophie and her fiance, Raphael, picked me up in their car and took me to their apartment which was actually a pretty big two-bedroom place. We talked for a while and they asked me questions about Minnesota and my time in Paris, etc. Let me tell you, trying to explain to French people what food on a stick is is hilarious and really hard! Over dinner, which was a delicious salmon filet and a side of extremely buttered noodles, they told me a little bit more about themselves. They have been together since they were in high school and he proposed in Barcelona this summer. Super duper cute. We stayed up too late chatting and finally went to sleep because Sophie wanted to bring me to school with her so I could see where it was and meet some of the other teachers. More to come on that tomorrow!

*a picture of Sophie and Raphael's cat "Grisboy" who was terrified of me the entire time I was there and would peer at me every night from behind the wall. Too bad because he's so damn cute!