Things that are French

Or maybe they are Parisian...who knows?

1. Saying 'bon appétit!'
It sounds like the kind of thing everyone assumes French people say all the time but in reality no one does, right? Wrong. While you don't talk to people in the streets or the metro and you never smile at a a stranger, you do say 'bon appétit' anytime you are with someone who is eating. You all sit down for dinner? Say it to those at your table. You pass someone sitting at a streetside cafe table? Better say to them, too! Today, walking home, I was stuffing my face with a one euro sandwich and a random guy in the cross walk said "bon ap" to me, and it caught me a bit off guard, but hey, lesson learned.

2. The metro. This is so Parisian, that they have a phrase that basically means "The daily grind"- "Metro-boulot-dodo" (commute, work, sleep). Metro customs here are something you learn fast, and there are a lot of them! If the car is full, anyone in a fold down seat must fold it and stand. You don't ever buy tickets from the street scammers, you ignore the people playing awesome music in the station or the car, you don't make eye contact and you don't smile at one another. Of course the standard transit manners apply too, such as giving up your seat for elderly, disabled, or new mothers, not talking loudly on the phone (though many seem to be totally fine with that one), and standing if you are only going a few stops. The metro is always blazing hot inside, because it is heated, and you're in a small space with a few hundred other commuters. Some trains carry up to 1,000 people, and I'm sure we've squished more in that than. But real Parisians don't sweat, ever, even if they are wearing all black head to toe. I really hate that haha. One of the fun things about taking the metro during a busy hour is that there is ALWAYS room for another person or two, so when someone comes running at the closing doors, slides their toe into the crowd and body slams the wall of people, we simply absorb them and make sure their belongings aren't caught in the doors. It gets crazy sometimes, but I kind of like it, it's like a giant hug from the city of Paris. <-creeper status? oh yeah!

3. The classic Parisian attitude. "Non, c'est impossible!" I was warned about getting the cold shoulder in Paris, from people who simply insist that whatever you are asking for cannot be done. I got it for the first time today, though I have witnessed it several times since being here. Today, I went to the post office to pick up a package from my lovely mother. The lady at the counter was kindly helping about 10 people all at once, loaning tape and suggesting inexpensive alternatives etc, she got to me, got everything ready and then told me I needed my passport to pick it up. She said she would hold it and I could come back. Awesome! (wait for it, the attitude is coming). So I went back about an hour later with my passport. I greeted the lady behind the counter, a different one this time, showed her my form and told her I was here to pick up a package please, in pretty dang good French (it was simple, I'm not going to pretend I sound like a local haha). She pointed to the date on my form (Where it says to pick it up today) and told me it was impossible. I told her I had just been there and just needed to bring back my passport and she said she didn't understand, and it was horrible, but I should come back tomorrow. I tried again but she cut me off with 'a demain!' (see you tomorrow). Ok...so I left. I walked back in twenty minutes later and talked to a NEW lady, I greeted her and told her I didn't understand my form (it could have been my misreading, I admit that). She told me it was simple, and with a smile got my package ready, asked for my id, and sent me on my way, all with Madame Snotty Pants hovering over her shoulder saying things like "oh yes, do that, type this here, oh have a good day!". mmmhmm. When they tell you to be persistent and humble in your transactions here, they really mean it, and apologizing for your poor french with a smile will get you MILES.

4. Cheap wine, expensive chocolate.
Chocolate here is a lot harder to come by than in America. I mean, everyone has chocolate, but its going to be 2 euros usually, to start! Wine, on the other hand, can be found for little over one euro, all over the city, in 87 varieties, and it isn't even horrible, apparently. Lame sauce. Also, they believe that peanut butter is why America has an obesity problem, alors, no Reese's. : / (does that name look odd to anyone else? I swear I had no idea that's how it was spelled, I had to google it).

5. For me, sore feet. So much city to explore!

6. Not French, but.... I bought a pair of jean exactly one month ago. I washed them on day one. Wore them, washed them, worse them, washed them (This time, they dyed a shirt blue, cool), etc. To this day, after probably 5 washings, they still leave my legs blue, EVERY SINGLE DAY. What is this??

7. Blah blah blah, honestly I'm exhausted and have no idea what I'm writing, I hope this made some sense...I'm posting it anyway, I'll reread and revise later if needed...night!