Let's Get Physical!
Okay, not the song, but it seems Europeans, especially the people here in France, are quite comfortable/less uncomfortable with less personal space than people in the US are. Actually, it seems like a trend in Europe in general: most people don't seem to need as much personal space. Part of it could be public transport where, a lot of times, there isn't a lot of space... sometimes, you can be crammed like a sardine (like the one time on the Metro/U-Bahn in Bonn). It's a bit hard to get used to, but I think I've gotten a lot better with it over the past 6 months. Going back to the States, though, will take some getting used to.
Frenchmen, of course, also seem rather physical and public with displays of affection. Or at least the younger ones... moreso than most of the Americans I know.
To Thou or To You, That Is the Question
In French, there are two words for you: vous, which is normally used in formal contexts and as a plural, and tu, used towards children and friends. At least it isn't like German which has three different forms (du, Sie, ihr/Ihr) or Spanish with four or five (tu, vós, Usted, Ustedes, vosotros), but, being the native speaker of a language which has all but eliminated the distinction between formal and informal you, the distinction is a bit difficult.
I work at a school. Or, rather, several schools. So I work with teachers. The normal rule with dealing with teachers, at least as a student, is that one always uses vous and polite language. I'm still younger than all the teachers here, so, when I originally came here, I just used the default vous. One teacher, however, insists that I use the tu form of address with her and said that, indeed, one can tutoie (use tu to refer to a person) the teachers here... simply put, it feels strange. Yeah, I'm not a student anymore, I'm a teacher of sorts, but I'm still so much younger than practically everyone else here, so it doesn't feel right to. In any event, it's just one of the interesting things that arise from using a language other than my own native language. Maybe I'll be more comfortable with using tu as the year progresses.
Rolling Out, Shipping Off
Tomorrow, I leave for Paris and, a few days after that, I'll be off to the US. It's going to be an interesting time, to say the least: I've not been to Paris in about 9 years (okay, I passed through earlier this year, but just for an hour) and never at Christmastime. Clermont-Ferrand is certainly pretty at this time of year, and I definitely don't expect any less from the "City of Lights".
I'm not sure where exactly I want to go while I'm there. Probably a few museums, lots of wandering and roaming around... maybe not up the Eiffel Tower, but, hey, that could change. Plus, pretty pictures are important.
As for the US, I'll be there 12 days. It'll be a good chance to buy stuff, recharge, get a lot of rest, maybe a driver's license, and pick up things that I should have originally brought with me (flags, money, literature, etc.). Since I'm a native from an Anglophone country, it's somewhat expected that I bring some of that country with me to my lessons, but I also like talking about other countries and places I've visited. To me, it's just surprising to see/hear how little people travel outside France and to other countries in Europe... then again, they live here and I'm only here for a very limited time, so I feel a bit more pressed.
French Sports: Manifestations and Grèves
Unlike in the US, the French are used to having a lot of benefits with work. One of the things about working here is, generally speaking, job security. One is entitled to a lot as a worker: at minimum, four weeks of vacation, general protection from termination at will, pay increases and promotions for good work, and the such. Naturally, if something threatens this security, one is very vocal. And that's where the strikes (grèves) come into play. Today, for example, there's a grève des professeurs where a lot of teachers decided to go on strike. Apparently, this happens several times a year. And it's a part of being in France... and I should expect more as the elections approach. Fortunately, the grèves are rather peaceful and don't involve too much violence, but they're certainly inconvenient. Especially for public transport!
While I'm not one for striking, though, it is something one can appreciate: the fact that the people here are very vocal and committed to preserving their quality of life and jobs or fighting for what they believe. I've seen several demonstrations outside the Préfecture for a wide variety of topics and, really, it's that, along with other cultural bits, which make this stay in France completely unlike my other stays in foreign countries.
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