A few things I noticed in Paris.

   I noticed a few things in Paris, like what Spencer already talked about with the toilets and using the magic words. I have also noticed and missed drinking fountains, I only saw one drinking fountain my week in Paris.
 I have also noticed that it seems like practically everyone smokes. Drivers here are different as well, I have seen parking on side walk and the guard poles are bent from being hit and they are less concernered for the rules of the road. I must also say the metro is incredibly useful for getting around. You can get to practically anywhere in Paris. Paris was fun but I am now looking forward to Nice.

As I finish up my stay here in France I feel I should post something.  It has been a great experience to come here to France.  I was surprised that in many ways the French really aren't that different from us.  There are a few differences that I did note though, some of which I've posted in this blog.
I find it interesting that the French really are closed of to strangers as French or Foe states.  It seems that if they have no business with you, you don't really exist to them.  If they do have business with you they seem reluctant to have it.   However, also stated in French or Foe, if you play your cards right the French will fall all over themselves to help you.  There have been several times that I've had to ask people for help, and it's kind of like waking them up.  They don't seem to notice you at all until you say the magic words, then suddenly they not only notice you, but seem happy to see you.  They answer any question in have in great detail, and will go through a lot of trouble to find the answer if they don't know.
I've enjoyed my time here in France, and I'm sad to leave.  I'm excited to go back to America, but I'm very grateful for the chance I've had to be here.

The Louvre!

Toilets

I figured someone needed to mention the public bathrooms here in France.
In America we take for granted that every major public place has a bathroom for us to use, and for free too.  We kind of feel that that's normal and we're entitled to it. Not so much in France.  Restaurants and stores don't seem to feel that it's a good idea to provide a bathroom.  It's almost like that's a personal problem and you needn't bother them with it.
The place that surprised me the most was the public Library in Nice.  They have this big library that everyone in Nice was so proud of, but there wasn't a bathroom!  I mean the Library at UVU has 6 bathrooms for its patrons, but this library not so much as a unisex toilet room to use.  And that's normal!
Every once in a while you will find a bathroom. Usually they're not connected to a business, but seem to be something the government has set up.  When using these bathrooms, more often than not you'll have to pay for it. 50 centimes is the norm.  Having to pay you'd expect it to be a pleasant experience right? Wrong.  Truthfully I haven't seen a public bathroom here that's not gross.

Excited to be in France

                 

   I arrived yesterday to France bit when I got back to the hotel from Château De Blois (pictures shown) and dinner I was to tired.
   Today we had a 14 mile  I through the French countryside. We also visited two castles Chenonceau and Amboise. I like see the beautiful castles and paintings. They are so full of rich history and is fascinating to learn. I am excited to be in France and explore it's history and culture.

Le Château de Blois

Au revoir, Nice!

Nous adorons Nice !

Windows, who would have thought they would be so different here in France? I mean windows really have only so many functions, right? So wouldn't they be the same from country to country? Here in France windows are such a big part of the incredible architecture that can be found all over the city. Big ones, small ones, square ones, and round ones too, French windows come in so many different ways. A pot of flowers may be just the touch to personalize your window or maybe some colorful shutters or stained glass, what ever it may be windows seem to me to be so much more than just a looking glass to the outside world for the French. Windows seem to be more of a statement for who they are and a glimpse of the personality of the person to who they belong. French windows are always open too, letting in the sweet (and sometimes not so sweet) smells of city life. And when it comes to screens...I don't think a French person would be caught dead with one of those, and why would they when they have such a beautiful city right out side bustling with the cute little French people. I hope this gave you another look into the lives of the French and the beautiful culture that accompanies them.

Musée Masséna

We roamed Rome!

Givemesomespace

Still the thing that surprises me the most is the size of things here.  Everything here is so small, from their streets to their food size.  Personal bubbles too.  There have been a few times that I've had to invade what I thought was someone's personal bubble, but then realized I was probably bothered more then they were.  Apartments are small, parking spaces are smaller, this has definitely taken some getting used to for this American.

Cannes during the Festival

In an olive grove next to the Henri Matisse Museum

Sent from my iPhone

Transportation

During my first week in France I have noticed a large difference between the use of transportation in Nice and back in my hometown. The French use their public transportation much more than the people in Orem. Also, Europeans are much more inclined to walk through their city than are people back home.

In Orem I see large empty buses driving through the city. People don't use the public transportation because they all have private cars and the bus routes don't cover much of the the city nor do they come frequent enough to make their use practical. A typical drive from home to work would mean entering a car inside an attached garage, using the automatic garage door opener, driving to work, and then walking the short distance from the parking lot to the workplace. This results in a very hidden populace because there are very few pedestrians. If you were to see your neighbor walking along the main street in Orem, you would probably be “concerned” that something is wrong and they need help.

Quite the opposite appears to be true in France. I see many very populated buses driving through the city. The buses come often and the people depend on them for their basic transportation. Also, since a fewer percentage of people own private cars, they are much more visible in their community. There are many people walking on the streets. This makes for a more “community” feel rather than the empty streets of Utah.

"Fetchez la vache!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey0wvGiAH9g

Pickpocketing is real. Title by Klarissa, yes I give her credit to avoid plagarism

Now let me begin by noting that my day started off beautifully. Me, Klarissa, Laura, and Denise had all made plans to go to the beach in Villefranche which I was quite looking forward to as it would have sand (when I say sand I mean smaller rocks compared to the ginormous rocks used at the beach here in Nice).  Now between listening to Abba on the beach and continuing to tan through the stages of white the trip was going great until the train. I had everything in my bag coming back from the beach on the train happy as a clam when at some point on the train my wallet was borrowed with no intention of a return. Of course I didn’t realize it until I came home and realized my wallet was gone along with the about 350 euros, my debit card, and my driver’s license in said wallet. My face just about looked like this:

Now what should be taken away from this post is that pickpocketing is real people and NEVER keep all your money with you in your wallet. Now I did know this before this trip but in my naïve little mind I thought “oh this will never happened to me” and then it did. I also didn’t empty out my wallet beforehand as a result of laziness and overall poor choices. So take it from me and watch your stuff.

Gelato...need I say more?

La Queue

Standing in line is serious business here in France. If you thought the cars on the street were close well be prepared for people to get even closer. I noticed this curious disconect in my use of proximity compared to the French almost as soon as I touched ground in this lovely country. At the airport in Paris I had given the gentleman in front of me his space while standing close enough that people would know I was following him in line, or so I tought. After a couple minutes in line a lady just steped in front of me. I was a little bit confused at the time, but thought that maybe she assumed I was just unaware of her doing it and that she was in a rush to get through at the airport, but then it happened again.

                 

I was standing in line at a bakery across from the train station in Nice and here they came a nice looking coupe that parked themselves right in front of me. This time I was sure it wasn't coincidence, and I remembered reading up about this unique trait of the French in the book "French or Foe" by Polly Platt. My fantastic French friends really just like to get through the line I guess and want to be clear about who is in and who is out of it, so since then I have learned to stand just a bit closer, even if that means I need to "pop my own bubble." 

Les voitures et les vélos

The parking here is insane! Although the cars here are much smaller than in the US, as you can see they park along the streets nearly bumper-to-bumper (which seems to be normal by the way)...better be good at parallel parking!



A few other interesting things to note about the transportation are the 'underground' gas station we found and many places along the streets in Nice where electric cars can 'park and plug'. Commuting by bicycle also seems popular, thanks to the numerous 'Vélo Bleu' stations around town where bikes can easily be rented .Considering the parking nightmare, and fact travel by bike is much safer than in the US because the bike lanes are separated from the street traffic by small island curbs, getting around by bike isn't a bad idea! Vive le France!

Musee de Beaux Arts

I learned quite a bit culturally from le Musee de Beaux Arts.  The French would often paint their authority figures a little dainty looking.  I figured it was probably because to them, especially in the past, you're either born into greatness or you're not.  You don't have to do anything, and by such they don't get strong or tan or scared.  Americans on the other hand will show their authority figures as strong battle proven leaders.  I figure this is because America needed to work for everything it had, it wasn't born with anything.
There was also a section in the museum for old Chinese artworks.  Looking at those art works it kind of reminded me of anime cartoons like Pokemon.  I can easily see how it could've evolved into it.  I realized from these discoveries that things don't just come out of nowhere.  Everything has a past that it stems from.

Au jardin exotique de Monaco

Musée Jules Chéret de Beaux-Arts Nice

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La visite de Vieux Nice

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Nous y sommes! / We're here!

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Speaking French

What I'm looking forward to. . .

Speaking French.



What I'm worried about. . .