london...

this weekend was spent in london with some of my best friends from maryland. Unfortunately, if I stay here to describe it, I will miss the metro home. Thank you, Paris.

song of the day

So, last time I posted The Luckiest by Ben Folds, which as I said, I think is probably the most real, the most poignant love song out there. Well, It Ain't Me, Babe by Bob Dylan is another one of my favorites, for the same reasons. The emotions in the words are what make the song. The sappiness will soon stop, I promise...

Go 'way from my window,
Leave at your own chosen speed.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I'm not the one you need.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong,
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong,
Someone to open each and every door,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
Go lightly on the ground.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I will only let you down.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part,
Someone to close his eyes for you,
Someone to close his heart,
Someone who will die for you an' more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go melt back into the night, babe,
Everything inside is made of stone.
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone.
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call,
A lover for your life an' nothing more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

ben folds

http://www.umd.edu/features/benfolds.html

this fucking kills me. All I've wanted to for the past two years was to see Ben Folds and I wasn't able to last summer in Boston and last fall in Maryland. And now he's coming to the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND and I won't be there.

In honor of me NOT seeing him, below is my favorite song and the song that I thought at one point I would want to be the song played while I walked down the aisle at my (future) wedding... It's probably the most real, moving love song ever written.

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

friends in paris, riots in the streets and st. patty's in dublin... oh my!

Happy Spring! So much has happened in the past three weeks... every day is a new adventure.

The trip to Normandie was a lot of fun. It actually reminded me more of Birthright than of a frat formal, though. We visited the Bayeux Tapestry, and several D-Day beaches. We also visited the American cemetery, a world war two museum and a farm, where got to buy some yummy jam and got to try Calvados, a really, really strong alcohol only made in Normandie. The american cemetery is a really powerful experience: white crosses (and stars of david) everywhere. From any perspective, it looks like the gravestones are aligned. Apparently, this is called "the last formation". I went out with a couple of friends (big surprise?) in Normandie, while everyone else in a program decided to stay in. We found a random bowling alley, that also served as the town's pool hall, pub, karoake bar and dance club. When we played pool, the balls where only red and yellow, and didn't have any numbers (I'm told that that's billiards?)

Lesley, one of my best friends from home, came to visit last week. It was amazing having a friend here and I finally got to do all that tourist stuff: going up the Arc de Triomphe, shopping on the Champs-Elysees, going up the Eiffel Tower...

On a different topic, as you may have heard on the news, Paris is in a little bit of political turmoil right now. If I can't go to the riots, I guess they come to me! The french government passed the CPE which says that young people - those under 26 - can be fired, without any reason, for up to two years into their employment. Now, for Americans, that doesn't seem to be a big deal because that's the way it is in the US. However, in the US you can be fired for any reason, unless it's discriminatory. This law is inherently discriminatory by targeting only those under 26. And it also means that people can be fired because of their skin color, their gender... you get the idea.

The Sorbonne has been closed for the past couple days. First there was a sit-in, which the police broke up, using force... then, the government decided to close the institute for reasons of security. Because I'm in the International Students department, I still have classes, but I haven't given up hope that our teachers will go on strike, too. There have been a few demonstrations all around the city, and now they are saying that the government might actually amend or repeal the law. The students on the streets are gaining power!

I was in McDonalds last week... I turned and saw Deborah Wohls trying to figure out how to get to the Catacombs. And yesterday, I went to the Highlander, one of our usual bars, and saw a kid who I did a french immersion program with in Nova Scotia Summer 2001. Small world. I guess that doesn't only happen in Israel, that you bump into the entire world!

Anyway, this weekend, I flew to Dublin to celebrate St. Patty's day. I met up with Missy, who is studying in Florence. Friday night we went to a traditional Irish pub at Temple Bar (think Adams Morgan or Faneuil Hall). I discovered a downstairs with a dance club. At the end of the night, the club turned into a deaf club. It was definitely an interesting experience not being able to communicate with people there because they couldn't hear me, not because they couldn't understand my language. Good thing Missy knows American Sign Language. :) Saturday, we went to the Guinness factory, where we stayed for five hours, "sampling" the beer. Apparently, it goes really well with oysters, but I just couldn't bring myself to try them. Saturday night we went out to another traditional Irish pub (music and drunkies and all). Sunday, we had a quick tour of the rest of the city and then it was back to Paris.

Caitlin, another one of my best friends from home, was here this weekend and left yesterday. I took her to Queen which I would say is the most famous club in Paris. It's a gay bar and it's on the Champs-Elysees. Monday night, it's disco night and straight night. We got to go into the VIP section! It was an experience, let me tell you!

So, now that I've bored you all thoroughly, it's time for me to sign off. Thanks for the e-mails, I'm doing my best to answer them (have I mentioned how much it sucks not having internet!?!). Enjoy your spring breaks! Keep in touch!

Mwah,

Julie

more cpe info

A bit of History: The CPE (contrat premiere embauche) is a work contract that the government has just voted into place, which is meant for people under 26 years of age. This contract differs from others that exist in France in that for the first 2 years of work, a young person can be fired without the employer having to justify his or her decision to terminate the position or the employee. This may sound pretty normal to you since in the US, employers pretty much have this liberty (this is of course excluding any unlawful discrimination), but in France this idea is brand new. Up until now, all French people have fought for, succeeded in getting, and enjoyed very good job security no matter what the sector of employment or the age of the employee. With this new contract, French people are objecting to the decrease in job security, the touchy issue of age discrimination (this contract is for under 26 year olds), and the obvious issue that there are some sectors where young people will be hit harder than others. Take for example a construction worker and a lawyer. Well, the construction worker probably could start his or her career at age 18 or 19 since there is little schooling/training required before jumping into a job. That person would have to deal with this controversial contract for 7-8 years of his or her career! A lawyer, however, won't finish school until about 25 or 26, so this person could basically avoid ever being a victim of this contract since he or she will be old enough to be considered unaffected by the contract. You all see the socio-professional issues this raises.....time to strike!! And there is more! The issue is obviously more complicated than I have just described...

What is going on now?: Saturday, March 18th is meant to be the largest of the official strike days announced since February. Authorities are expecting 1.5 million protestors on the streets of France. In Paris, these demonstrations will take place throughout the city (basically from Denfert Rochereau to Nation) starting after lunch (must have a good meal first!) The demonstrations have proven quite successful thus far; as yesterday officials announced that while only about 1/2 of French people disapproved of this contract a couple of weeks ago, now 68% of French people wish the government to retract the decision to put the contract in place! Chirac is calling for negotiations now, which is a sign that the demonstrators are making ground! We can be sure that next week will be a turning point in the issue, and more demonstrations and strikes may be put into place.

Advisory for Americans in France-March 17, 2006-U.S. residents and travelers to France are advised that large street demonstrations are planned for Saturday, March 18. Authorities estimate that one million people may turn out in cities across France in opposition to a proposed youth employment plan. Demonstrations already held on March 16 involved several hundred thousand people. Events turned violent as police responded to unruly behavior by firing rubber bullets and tear gas at protestors who pelted them with paving stones, crowd control barriers and Molotov cocktails. There have been over 300 arrests nationwide and injuries on both sides.Americans are warned to avoid any demonstrations and to immediately move away from areas where large congregations of people have gathered, as apparently peaceful demonstrations can quickly turn violent. There is no prediction as to which areas to avoid, as the previous demonstrations have occurred in many areas of Paris, including areas often frequented by tourists, as well as other cities throughout France including Marseilles, Bordeaux, Rennes, Nancy, and Toulouse. Americans should stay informed about the current situation by paying attention to the extensive news coverage of events. U.S. citizens living in France or visiting for even short stays can register with the U.S. Embassy at the website shown below. Americans who find themselves in emergency situations can also find contact information for the U.S. Embassy below.

riots, again

So, here's the deal boys and girls, apparently, if Julie can't go to the riots, the riots come to Julie.

The past week has been full of political talk (although, when is it not??)... The french government passed the CPE which says that young people - those under 26 - can be fired, without any reason, for up to two years into their employment. Understandably, this has the "young" french pissed.

Now, I don't really know where I stand. I'm usually very liberal... so I should support the students by default. Here's the thing, the right says that this law won't actually change anything because there are so many costs involved with firing someone and finding another employee able to do the job. But then, why make a law that is not going to do anything? If you'd like more info about this whole thing, here's a news article in english.

My other little point, is that although maybe rioting isn't the best way to prove your point, at least the young french people are doing something about the fact that they are pissed off! I think what's going on back at home is completely insupportable (unacceptable?). I know that there are many others that feel the same way. So why are we sitting idly by?

The sorbonne has been closed for the past couple days. First there was a sit-in, which the police broke up, using force... then, the government decided to close the institute for reasons of security.

Tuesday night when Lesley and I were heading out, there was tear-gas in the metro station, from which my throat is still irritated. Some metro stops are closed. There have been demonstratoins yesterday and today, and a big one will take place Saturday (but I'll be in DUBLIN for St. Patty's day!) We walked by a demonstration yesterday and it was indeed police with riot gear standing ready for the students to pounce - but they were sitting/standing peacefully around, chatting among themselves...

VIVE LA REPUBLIQUE!

Tags: sorbonne, paris, cpe greve riot

adventures on the metro

I spend a lot of time riding the metro, and I often see some strange things. There are the usual bums, the performers, and the general people riding the subway. I love getting on a train and hearing Russian. I am able to be invisible - I can listen in on the conversation without it ever being known. (It's not that I particurarly care what is being said, but hearing my langue maternelle reminds me that I'm not SO far away).

Anyway, today, after class, on my way to McDonalds (where else), I sat next to young women with an unusual look. She had a buzz cut, except for several green braids that where randomly placed on her head. I didn't really think anything of it... until a rat peeked out from under her hood. My initial reaction was to move away. She reassured me that it wouldn't climb out, and out of politeness I stayed seated, but the guy sitting across from me could see that I was trying not to laugh. It was a little unnerving... but hey, it makes for a great story.

"March is the month of expectation..." - Emily Dickinson, XLVIII

Happy March! Tuesday marked four weeks of being in France... so much has happened, and I'm so excited for the time that I have left here.

March means many things:

1. I'm starting to travel! I've spent the past four weekends in Paris, and while it has been very fun - I've made a good group of friends, I have a set of fall-back bars, I started really being able to find my way in the city, and begun recognizing landmarks - I'm ready to explore other places.

Tomorrow morning, I leave for Normandy, a northwestern region of France. We are going to visit D-day landing beaches ( Omaha Beach, Arromanche and the American Cemetery), the Tapestry of Bayeux (The story of William the Conqueror and Harold, Earl of Wessex, the men who led the Norman and Saxon armies in 1066...) and a local Normand farm to learn about and taste regional products... It's sure to be a good time (ha, ha), but really, everyone in the program is able to go, so it'll be fun to all be together in one hotel, enjoying the nightlife, or creating the nightlife, i should say... (does this remind anyone of aepi formal, freshman year??)

Then, I'm off to Dublin for St. Patty's Day (sure to be a shitshow), and then the next weekend, I reunite with Mindy, Avery and Laura in London!

2. I can use my NaviGo! I use the Metro everyday to get pretty much everywhere. (I do at least three sudoku puzzles per trip!) The Metro here reminds a lot of the Metro in Washington. You buy a ticket (if it's monthly, it's a called a Carte Orange) that you have to pass through when you enter and sometimes when you exit (depends if you are on the local or the express train)... This is going to sound stupid, but every time, it means opening your bag, looking for the little ticket stub - I have a monthly pass - putting it through, putting it back in your bag... meanwhile, you are susceptible to pickpocketing... Anyway, so you can send away for a NaviGo card, which reminds me of a Mobil Speedpass. It looks kind of like a credit card and has a chip in it. You can just put your whole bag on top of the sensor, it goes PING! and you're through. I have been talking about using my NaviGo for the past month and I am so excited that I can finally use it. (I had to wait until March because I had already bought a monthly pass for February and it's not transferable). Wikipedia info: "The Navigo pass is a means of payment for public transportation introduced in the Paris region in 2004. It is implemented as a Smart Card. It is planned to replace the magnetic-strip-based Carte Orange. This new tarification system carries a photo of the user on the card itself and is based on an account that the user has with the RATP. Thus, unlike the Carte orange, when a Navigo pass is lost or stolen, it is replaced (for a fee). (If you're interested in seeing what it looks like - http://www.ratp.fr/corpo/service/navigo.html)

3. I'm going to have a visitor! Lesley is arriving in Paris next Saturday and I am most excited to have a friend from home come see what my Parisian lifestyle is all about...

4. The weather has to get better, right? So, I'm not going to lie, the weather here has pretty much sucked so far. It'll be kind of nice in the morning, and by the time I get out of class (At 2), it's already cold. There have been only three or four days that have been relatively nice and sunny. It's mostly just rain, and my umbrella has become a permanent item in my purse. My french teacher tried to tell me that part of Paris's charm was the rain, and I guess it is, but I'll be liking Paris better on a whole different level once the sun appears. Also, I'm going to really be able to start all that sight-seeing once I don't have to worry about being soaked all day long.


In other news, I switched levels of my French class and am now in the Advanced level. One of my good friends, Beth, who I plan to travel with for spring break is in my class, which makes it go by a lot quicker. I no longer see Notre-Dame coming out of the metro stop I need to take, but I do see the Eiffel tower (when it's not cloudy or rainy) outside my classroom window. Rock on. In order to switch levels, I had to go to the main Sorbonne building (like Maryland's Mitchell Building), which is where the actual famous Sorbonne building is (it looks kind of like the Pantheon)... I don't have any classes there (just like you don't always have classes on the Mall), but I was able to eat lunch and I can't describe the feeling of sitting lunch in the courtyard of the Sorbonne, one of the oldest, most prestigious, famous universities worldwide. The courtyard kind of reminded me of Maryland's mall, which was cool, except there was no grass, just stone...

Also, I don't know if you guys have heard, but there was a young Jewish Parisian who died here last week on the way to hospital, after having been held hostage by a gang called the "Barbarians" for three weeks, who tortured him. Police found him naked in the street with burn marks all over him. He was kidnapped and the gang held a ransom for him. Their thinking was that since Jews have money, even if his family couldn't pay 450,000 EURO, the community would be able to come up with the money. At first, the French government refused to classify this as a hate crime... Jacques Chirac, France's president, went to a memorial at a Synagogue last week, which was quite an unusual thing to see. I obviously do not think that I am in any danger, but this is certainly a reality check and a sad thing to see in 2006. (I urge you to read the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/24/AR2006022402016.html).

I don't want to end on a sad note, and this e-mail is already far too long... People have been asking me for the link to my pictures. They can be found at http://community.webshots.com/user/julieabroad. I tried to describe the things as best as I could... I haven't been so great at taking pictures when I'm out, but there's something to be said about living the experience without worrying about documenting it.

Bisous,

Julie

PS I look foward to reading all your emails. Hint, hint.

Tags: March, paris, NormandyTags: NaviGo