Some Peppers

Week 6

So how is Paris? Well, I can’t really complain.

So going to start with another flashback, this really should have been the first thing I said but oh well. So on my first day in Paris, just getting out of Gare Du Nord, feeling a bit down after leaving all my friends, and a bit depressed about being all alone in a new country, i had an experience that just made me feel all that much worse!

So was trying to get a taxi – I considered braving the metro but my mountain load of suitcases didn’t really make that an option. So anyway I go to the taxi rank and I notice that the queue is absolutely MASSIVE, my generally icy mood immediately drops several degrees. Then this rather obscure looking man comes up to me and tells me he has a taxi round the corner. I take one look at him, analyze his slightly raggy clothes and bad breath, another look at the EPIC queue, shake my head and thrust my fate into the hands of this slightly dodgy man.

So now we’re walking right past the taxi rank and I’m feeling slightly better, only for Mr X to start waving down taxi’s like no one’s business! It soon becomes quite clear that he has no taxi but is in fact just someone who calls a taxi for you. I have no idea how to label this profession and so we’ll leave it at that. So now feeling on edge because of this dodgy individual, his brusque manner and his slight over familiarity with my luggage. However, all seems to turn out well and I finally manage to escape the cold and get a taxi courtesy of Mr X.

All is gravy until he won’t let me shut the door and keeps demanding for a cue (not sure how to spell it).  Who knew a 3 letter word could be so problematic? As I have no idea what he wants, but his brusque manner has me feeling uneasy so I try and shut the door with increasing force only for him to get further enraged and pry it open with twice the amount.

He soon starts yelling at the taxi driver, who of course yells back at twice the volume, the police soon arrive to sort out the public disturbance as things are starting to get quite heated! I’m in the back feeling ashamed, knowing this is all my fault but not having a clue on earth what I have done. The 40 minute taxi journey ‘home’ cost me a fortune and passed in dead silence. Found out later that night that Mr X just wanted a tip of 5 euros or so for getting me cab. I went to bed having learnt firsthand the problems of a language barrier and wondering what the hell I was doing in France. Who knew 2 months later I wouldn’t want to leave?

Wednesday

So anyway, on Wednesday I didn’t get up too much. As i’ve stated now i’m quite keen to get a job so Wednesday was my CV and cover letter day, which took the better part of it. I also finally went to the nearby shopping centre to fix my housemates bike so I could finally use it and while I was there I took note of a lot of job openings. Although I had been playing around with the idea of getting a job for a while, when I actually got serious about, there were opportunities everywhere if i had bothered to look before. It seems there’s always a way or things are always there once you actually put your mind to it.

Went to a house party that night, was alright but not really my scene with a little bit too much 80’s pop music and unnecessary smoking. Low point of the night was cleaning up a glass break after some stupid blonde knocked down a photo and some even dumber people believed her when she just pointed at me......although I was on the other side of the room. Ahhh sometimes people really do just deserve a slap.

Thursday

Thursday wasn’t really all that eventful either as I woke up quite late from the house party. Did a lot of online applications and more job esque work etc. In the evening I went out to Bastille for a birthday meal which was really nice. Had this duck thing which was ridiculously overpriced (Expected in Paris) but which actually tasted quite nice. Unfortunately the overpriced duck was the least of my worries that night; i had another nightmare with public transport.

Ran at lightning (yes lightning) speed to catch the noctilien (night bus) only for me not to pay attention to which direction it was going in and arrive 50 minutes later at the terminus in the OPPOSITE direction. Yes perhaps I should have paid attention to the stops etc but at 2.30am in the morning, after an unhealthy amount of alcohol, I don’t really function as I normally would okay.  Anyway I finally got to Chatelet after a 90minute bus journey (should take 20) only for somebody to fall out of the next bus like he had been Stone Cold Stunnered! If you don’t know what that this 1. Shame on you. 2. Look it up

And no this is not an exaggeration; there I was shivering and waiting miserably for bus N22, only for it to arrive and slowly open its angelic entrance to heat and comfort and then for a man to drop out head first, (head first indeed) and hit the pavement like he was determined to pass on some trade secrets. At first I had no idea what to think, then I laughed, then I stopped laughing when he stopped moving, froze when no one said a word, and then breathed and got on the bus when his friend started carrying him home, still unconscious im quite sure.

On a side note, met some random guy at the bus stop who said he could make me a rich man. Yeah I know.....at a bus stop right? But what can I say, it was cold, I was bored, he was there. So we exchanged details and I guess I’ll find out more about this soon.

Surprise, surprise French Admin continues to piss me off royally. After taking quite a long time choosing what I thought was quite a good phone deal – 25euros a month for 2hours talk time, unlimited texts and unlimited internet access, the French have annoyed me again. My first bill came up to 29.17 and of course my natural response was What the hell is this????!!! After much investigation, several phone calls and lots of walking I am being told it is the VAT???? Since when is VAT not included in the price, I thought they only did that in the USA? Which is SUPER ANNOYING btw and I’m still not convinced and will investigate further when I get my second bill.

On that note of annoying admin, I broke one of my taboo’s and decide to call up French customer services (I hate speaking on the phone in French) to get a free bank item; a rather lush engraved card carrier.  I mean it was all good until the insistent woman, kept insisting I get something else apart from my free leather card wallet. I mean i realize that is the whole scheme of things but when a guy says if I have to pay for it, I don’t want it over and over and over again like some jukebox on the fritz, telling him about the amazing Z or Y he can get really isn’t clever is it? Why do people just not like to listen sometimes jeeezzzz!!!!

Friday

Friday was particularly uneventful. Regular day at work, although I did get the ‘who are you really’ look when I tried to join in the lunch banter. I’ll try again next week L

Spent most of the day chilling at home, trying to organise my life and figure out what I’m going to do for Christmas.

Saturday

Spent most of Saturday at my Uncle’s house in Antony which was great as he prepared a magnificent African feast, invited some French friends over and we ate, drank and spoke French all night. I was pleased. Also watched Salt....it was MEH. The twist was a bit too predictable and some of Jolie’s feats were just silly. Tomb raider or not there’s no way you can keep up with an elevator by JUMPING from level to level? Errrr you would break your legs....several times. Just plain silly.

Sunday

As equally uneventful as Friday except I lost my house keys which annoyed me immensely for 48 hours. You ever notice that when you lose something you look for it in the most RIDICULOUS places? The Fridge (i know right) – check, my shoes check, the dustbin check. You name it, I looked there. And then of course you always find it somewhere where you’re SO SURE you’ve checked. – On the table by the front door. I was so annoyed about where I found them that I didn’t even feel like being happy I found them!!! AAAHHHHHH

Monday

Regular day at work, got really frustrated with one of my students today, as she wasn’t able to understand the concept of ‘Repeat after me’, even when it was explained to her in French, by her classmates??? – Sigh- On the upside, there was a male appearance in the staffroom today. whoop whoop.  Also going to the gym regularly now which I’m happy about, i hate feeling unfit. Went out for drinks in bercy village in the evening, standard.

Tuesday

Good day at work, students nice but giving the same lessons many times over as  I keep switching classes due to stages and absences.

Bercy village again tonight, + more people, + food + drinks = happy me.  Although the unnecessarily small piece of meat I got with my chips was a grievous thorn in my side. I don’t know why posh restaurants employ the tactic of ‘massive plates’ ‘tiny portions’, all it does is piss you off.

Wednesday

Another chilled and uneventful day. Well except I went swimming and was forced to wear ‘the dreaded skimpies!!!!!’ Regular shorts are banned in France because it’s unhygienic????? Someone will have to explain that to me. But anyway because I didn’t feel like going back home and waiting to swim another day I asked to borrow some ........... BIG MISTAKE. Those things were tighter than a straight jacket!!!! I felt naked and exposed and relived the shame of PE class age 8-10, forced to swear skimpies. THE HORROR.

Also saw someone punching his dog in the face on the way home. Wait WHATTTT!!???? Yes giving it full on left and right hooks to the face like Iron mike. Now first of all I repeat, WHAT?? Animal cruelty please. Secondly, the dog wasn’t one of those small chiwawa’s, no it was FLIPPING HUGE. He must be BRAVE or just STUPID to punch such a beast, when it could clearly eat him. Ahh the things I see in this place.

Lastly, although I said I’d explain why my back is allergic to France this week, I’m still not sure so until next week.