School Supplies and Public Transportation

Today was "black Thursday". There was a strike on a bunch of public services in France in response to the economical crisis. I really didn't understand how closing down the metro and the bus would solve an economic crisis, but, I guess that's France's way of doing things. So everyone made a big deal about today and how we wouldn't be able to get around everywhere. I even made plans to go to school with Charles-Henry, who is the son that lives with us. But, alas, this morning came, and Charles-Henry crossed the street to check the status of the metro....and voila! Everything was still going as usual. I guess the strike wasn't as massive as they expected. In fact, I traveled all over Paris today with only a few problems, but that was due to other complications.

This morning, I left early for French class, which meets at 9:00 am. I am not thrilled about such an early class, but I guess it could be even earlier. Before class, I walked to Monoprix, which is a French supermarket chain. I have been on a mission recently to find school supplies (notebooks, pens, etc.) and this has not been easy at all. Of course there are no Targets or Meijers to buy such things, and everyone I ask tells me to go to Monoprix. So I went there and they did not have a good selection of things at all. They had a few packs of paper, some weird piece of folded cardboard that I guess was supposed to be a folder, and that's about it. So I wasn't able to buy anything there, and was very disappointed. I left and walked down the Rue Daguerre towards school. Along the way, I passed an open air market with fruit shops, cheese shops, a horse butcher, wine shops, and a few cafes and bakeries. Each shop that I pass every day gives off a strong smell. The fromagerie has a moldy sour smell. The flower shop smells wonderful of course! The fish market smells like a cold day on Pier 39. Sometimes, I feel like a dog pulling on its leash towards the sights and smells around it.

Class was not interesting. Grammar exercises are never ever fun. Plus, the class is two hours, which is way too long to be talking about verbs and nouns. The only interesting part was at the end of class when we talked about the news surrounding the greve (strike) and a little bit about Sarkozy's government.

After class, I didn't know what to do with myself, so I wandered a lot. I had packed a lunch, but I didn't know where to eat it. The only place I could think of that was near school was the Cemetery of Montparnasse. I thought that might be a little creepy picnicking in a cemetery, next to the graves of Baudelaire and Sartre, so I hopped on the metro to see what I could find. For some reason, I ended up in the Galeries Lafayette, a big shopping mall, so I went to a store called FNAC that is a cross between Best Buy and Borders to look for school stuff. There were about 5 floors there, but none of them had any kind of school supplies. So I left and walked back towards the metro. Of course, as bad with directions as I am, I got myself completely turned around and walked forever to find the metro. I ended up at a different station than I started, but whatever, at least I made it. Before entering the station, I had the salami sandwich and clementine I packed for lunch on a bench.

Entering the metro again, I didn't know where to go, because I had to be back at school by 4 for a meeting with my advisor, so I thought this break might be a good time to explore. I went back to the Eiffel Tower, which is much less crowded on a Thursday during lunch. I walked down the Champs du Mars and then realized that I was far from the nearest metro. I didn't even know where the nearest metro station was. I ended up at the Invalides, but couldn't find a station there, and I couldn't understand my map very well, so I just walked down random streets hoping I'd find the metro. Eventually I found it, and it was the line I needed, which was very convenient. Inside, there was an announcement overhead that of course was in French and I didn't catch most of it. Something about an accident somewhere. Then, all of the people in the station got up and left, so I knew the metro line must be closed or something. I walked to the next station and that, apparently, was the sight of the accident. There were police cars and firemen everywhere, and the station was barred off. So then I didn't know what to do, but I saw a bunch of people at a bus stop, so I jumped on, not knowing where it would take me. I asked an old woman what happened and she said a young woman blahgalghg in the metro and it was very bad. I didn't know what the woman did, because I didn't understand the old woman's French, so that is the whole story I know. I replied to the old woman "Oh that sounds awful!", and then looked away.

Conveniently, the bus stopped at another metro station, so I got off, and realized I didn't know what line to take to get back to school because my line was closed. So I got out my map and figured it out, and then knew I was going to be really late. I had to call IES, and I could barely hear them speaking French to me on the phone. Eventually, they had to use English, but I couldn't even understand that, until finally she yelled "What is your name?!" I told her, and she was all the sudden friendly again and said "Ah, bon, we'll see you later then".

My meeting with the advisor was quick and then I ran into a friend who told me to check out Gilbert Jeune, a bookstore in Place St. Michel, for school supplies. So again, I took the metro across town and ended up at St. Michel with a big beautiful fountain, decorated with sculptures of gold and bronze greeting me at the road. The book store was right next to the metro station, and finally, I found some school supplies! It took all day, but I found some folders and some journals with graph paper (they only have graph paper here, no lines), and then I finally went home and cooked spaghetti for dinner. Now I am so tired and it isn't even that late. I think I'll go to bed early tonight, and then spend the whole day sightseeing Paris again tomorrow. That's all for now! Au Revoir!

Leah