One of the most difficult things about my trip so far has been the fact that I don't speak French. I took Spanish in high school, so before coming to Paris I only knew a few key phrases like "Je ne parle pas français" which means "I don't speak French" and "Où sont les toilettes?" for "Where is the bathroom?" Although we had one French survival class where we were taught key phrases and were able to ask how to say specific things we had run into, an hour of French class is obviously not enough. I'm consistently lost when trying to do simple things such as a make a purchase. Just recently when trying to buy bananas, the employee ringing me up held up the bananas and spoke quickly in French. Because of the language barrier, I had no idea what was wrong. After awhile with a lot of hand motions, I figured out she was trying to say that I was supposed to weigh the bananas. When at a cafe, I tried to use my credit card to pay for a croissant. After a few minutes of attempted communication with the employee, I realized that my total purchase must equal a certain amount to use a card and I had to use cash.
Another time, I experienced difficulties while grocery shopping. Since many of the brands are different from the brands I'm used to at home, I've had to read the labels to figure out what the product is. However, I can't understand the labels either! Grocery shopping took me about 3 times as long as it should have because of this problem. I've also had problems at restaurants- I waited for about ten minutes at the table before the waiter had to use hand motions to convey that I was supposed to pay at the register.
I anticipated my lack of French knowledge would be a problem, but I didn't anticipate having this much difficulty when trying to complete everyday tasks like grocery shopping. This experience has opened my eyes to people in America who do not speak English or are not completely fluent- being in an area where you don't speak the language is hard! Oftentimes at home I would get frustrated if I tried to interact with someone who didn't speak English. Because of this experience, I am now prepared to have more patience with non-native English speakers.
Bonjour!
I have now been Paris for about four days and I am loving it so far! I have started to get adjusted to hearing French speakers all around me and even managed to communicate by using a few phrases from our survival French class. I've really enjoyed attending Paris American Academy and getting to know everyone in the group. A lot of things I've experienced are similar to my previous expectations, but there have been many surprises as well.
My prediction that I would see beautiful landscapes and elegant architecture was absolutely correct! On Sunday, our group took a bus tour around Paris. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of different parts of the city, both at tourist locations and less famous areas. I'm from a Chicago suburb, so most of the architecture I'm used to seeing is very robust and predictable. In Paris, the buildings date further back than buildings in Chicago, so they have a more established historic, vintage look. The stereotypical French curly, winding pattern I was expecting is evident in many of the railings on balconies. Many places reminded me of the royal aura I experienced when I traveled to London two summers ago. I couldn't stop taking pictures!
However, the street wear was one of the things that surprised me. Before coming to Paris, we discussed what we should wear to fit in with the French people: no jeans, no bright colors, mostly black clothing, scarves, etc. Our group talked about how the French usually dress up more than we would, and how we would easily be marked as tourists if we did not pack similar clothing. In my experiences so far, though, the French dress very similarly to how we do at home! Although there have been many fashionably dressed people, there are just as many people in jeans, t-shirts, and colors of all kinds. When we traveled to typical tourist locations like the Eiffel Tower there were obviously many tourists dressed casually, but I was shocked when this casual look extended into the Paris American Academy area at the grocery store Dia and surrounding areas where there are less tourists. I have seen just as much variety between the extremely fashionable and the more casual looks that I am used to seeing at home. Maybe this observation will change as I explore more of Paris, but as of right now I'm thinking I could have packed more casual clothes and fit in just fine!
After all the anticipation of our upcoming trip to Paris, I can't believe it is finally almost here! While studying for finals, I can't help but get a burst of excitement every time I realize that I will be in Paris this Saturday. It's the only thing getting me through finals!
When I think of Paris, I think of elegance. I think of charm, beauty, simplicity, sophistication, and art all at the same time. I think of delicate and neutral fashion but innovative at the same time. For as long as I can remember, I have been mesmerized by French culture and anxious to experience it myself. To be able to combine this dream with my love of fashion and retailing on this trip is amazing. I expect that I will see a lot of boutiques, cafes, beautiful landscapes, and innovative architecture in Paris, not to mention many fashionably dressed people. I can't wait to people watch and take in the culture!
I'm looking forward to immersing myself in French culture, but I hope that I am not perceived as a tourist by the French people. While packing, I'm realizing that my wardrobe is probably much more casual than what I've heard is typically worn in Paris. I hope that I'll be able to put together outfits that will be acceptable so I won't stand out. I'm also nervous about my complete lack of ability to speak French since I took Spanish in high school - hopefully the survival French courses will be enough to communicate! Maybe I'll bring a book with French key phrases on the long plane ride.
The next time I post I'll be in PARIS! As Thomas Jefferson once said, "“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life." I can't wait for my adventure to begin!
