Petites Observations de la France

 I have a camera chord!!! Thanks to the best mom in the whole wide world for sending it! Therefore: more pictures will be coming soon (maybe even in this post, if you're lucky)! Not much has been going on here. I've just been sleeping a lot. And yesterday I decided to go wander around the city a little bit. I ended up getting a coffee and hanging out at Place Bellecour for a little bit, and then by this fountain on one of the main shopping/pedestrian streets, la rue de la Republique.

Just livin' la vie française

I also popped back into what has possibly become my favorite clothing store here, Camaieu. They have super inexpensive clothes, especially during the sales. I've bought a scarf, a nice shirt, and a sweater there so far... This is one of their two locations that I've perused so far. 

Oh, and I also found this store yesterday! It's a wine store named "O'Quai Wine." It's right on the quai (banks) of the Saone river, and the name is thus a clever jeu de mots, or play on words. Get it, like, "okay wine"?! ...Maybe I'm just too easily amused. 

Anyways, other than that I figured I'd just give some random observations about the differences I've noticed between French life and American life - before I become too accustomed to them and forget. And some random stories/things about my life here. So, here goes nothin. Things I've noticed so far, in no particular order. 

- Lyon is a fairly big city, so people don't really say hello to each other in the streets or in passing, and pretty much the only such interactions are to say "pardon." However, everyone always says "bonjour" to the store owner/cashier when walking into a store, and always "au revoir" when leaving. 

- In France, it's polite to eat with your hands ON the table, rather than in your lap or below the table, as is polite in the US (and I think in England). This was weird to get used to, but I think I've adjusted and would feel uncomfortable with my hands under the table now. That was fast...

- Even though I'm in the middle of the city, a rooster lives behind my house. Every once in awhile, if I'm awake at the right time (I've heard it at 10am), I can hear the rooster say good morning: "cocorico" in french!

- People act the same everywhere. The language is just different. But they all interact the same way and have the same mannerisms, etc. (example: the way my host family interacts with each other. or how friends talk and laugh, etc.) This was kind of a weird thing for me to realize, but, duh.. it makes sense. People are people. 

- The movie Bring it On is called American Girls in France. Not Les Filles Americaines, just "American Girls." Because, you know, all american girls are like that, right?

- To all those who were concerned, the professor who said that the french don't like yellow is just crazy, I think. The french are known to wear darker clothing more often, but I have seen my fair share of yellow around this city. And in the stores. And, as my host mom told me, if people didn't buy it, they wouldn't sell it. Also, I found this thing yesterday at a little "Lyon" souvenir store near my house that says (in the middle line on the right) that yellow is my color. So, there's that, I guess. 

- The streets and sidewalks are really tiny. Especially in Vieux Lyon. Like, really tiny. When my host parents first picked me up the day I got here, I saw two guys walking on the sidewalk while we were driving by, and I literally thought to myself, "How are they walking there!? And they're not afraid that they're going to get hit? What!?!" But I've gotten used to that, too. It's just the sidewalk. Sometimes it's too skinny and you have to walk in the street for a second, but you just have to watch for cars. Don't worry, I've been looking both ways!

- There are definitely some foods that I've fallen in love with since I've been here. The obvious ones are bread and cheese. Duh. But also butter. I looooove me some butter. (My host mom confirmed the Julia Childs thing that butter, butter, and butter are the three secrets to french cuisine, as seen in Julie and Julia). Also, spinach, mushrooms, and Indian food. For no particular reason. 

- Speaking of cheese. I got yelled at last night (not really but it freaked me out for a second haha) for almost cutting the cheese the wrong way. Forreal. There was a beautiful piece-of-pie-shaped brie on the plate. I learned that you CAN. NOT. cut the front off like one would take the first bite of pie. You have to cut it diagonally, because otherwise the end piece will be only brine and no cheese. Which makes sense. I guess some things you have to learn the hard way. 

- The French really aren't mean and nasty. Almost every person I've come into contact with has been really friendly. Except for when you're in someone's way in the street, but that's not exclusive to french people; everyone gets grumpy then. I've had an overall positive experience with the French here. and even one or two "Oh, you're American?! How cool!" situations. Mostly, though, if I can't understand what someone in a public place/store is saying, they can pick up my american accent and will try to reply to me in English so I understand. To which I try to reply in French. I've got this system down... Or something.

That's all I can think of for now, although I'm sure there are many, many more things. To follow soon (either today or another day in the near future) will be a post about funny stories that are related to nothing but are funny, and the ever-important french food post. It deserves its own. For now, I'm out to go do something with my day. Hopefully. 

TTFN!