Adventures in the City of Lights! (On a rainy day!)

With my recent arrival in Paris, the excitement and challenges my students have so often faced when taking ESL classes in Michigan come to mind as I adjust to living in Paris for the next several years. When the word or idiomatic expression I'm looking for just doesn't come to mind quick enough, or my pronunciation or grammar mistakes cause a moment of puzzlement for my French interlocuteur, I am reminded of the patience and humor my students so generously brought with them to the classroom. They are my inspiration to improve each day!

I love the multicultural experience of being in Paris! Just riding the metro is a multilingual experience with Italian, Chinese, Japanese, German, English and French being spoken from one station stop to the next! It's great being surrounded by such diversity in the streets. The Parisians are very kind; however, in just two days every once in awhile we get a brief gentle reminder to conform to the norms of politesse. The key words "Bonjour Monsieur. or Bonjour Madame" are quintessential to say before requesting assistance from anyone in a store. Even Yves got a subtle reprimand from a young employee at the grocery store when asking where to find the sugar!

We are getting in shape quickly as we take public transportation everyday! Our nearest metro station is located only a short five minute walk, but you have to be ready to climb the 118 steps to get closer to the station stop! We will soon have great cardio and dense calf muscles! Thank goodness we worked out in the US and took on those Kensington sunshine challenges up and down the sledding runs; otherwise we would be quite uncomfortable!

Stay tuned for more adventures in cuisine, some great French advertising campaigns- such as

Our first day-The Eiffel Tower-Trocadero. A bit overcast.

idiomatic expressions for the French marketing campaign on trash and keeping the metro system clean, and the small things we encounter that just make life enjoyable! A bientot!