Sunday, November 13, 2005
Lies...
To be perfectly honest, Paris isn't as swinging as I had hoped. It isn't really Paris's fault. Mostly, it's mine. If I hadn't been so hell bent on having a 'rocking good' time then maybe I wouldn't be so let down.
I read an article this morning on www.parisconnections.net on why people gripe about Paris. The article was in English so I could understand it perfectly. The writer wrote that it was because we, foreigners, have idealistic views on Paris and in the end, Paris is just like any other cosmopolitan city with its dirt, cranky people and pollution. Ultimately, we are let down because we don't see anything all that different from the New Yorks, Chicagoes and HongKongs of the world.
Although I agree with what the writer says there is one thing that I must mention for it irks me so. The people in Paris are really as unfriendly as most people say. It is really hard to make friends with Parisien people. It isn't that they're mean. Rude, maybe, but then again, most people are. The problem is that they just aren't open to foreigners. Out of 15 people at a party, you might find one who is patient and willing enough to talk to you in broken french/english. In here, I would like to state that I am talking about normal people and not pedophiles and nymphos who will talk to you for a lifetime if it meant they could touch your boobs.
Sometimes I think it is because I am shy and am not adventurous enough to meet new people. But then I think again and it isn't true. I do try it's just that most Parisiens my age are unresponsive.
However, I must say that one of the reasons why I have been so unsuccessful is due to the fact that this month I have been hanging out a lot with the UIUC girls from the study abroad program. I did have some french guy friends who the aforementioned girls scared away, when I tried to integrate the two parties, due to their ditziness and other 'american' attributes.
So now I sigh and wait for home. I am experiencing the 'dip' in culture shock as they say. I miss home but most of all I miss real friends. I wanted to have a multi-cultural experience here but I've just been shuttling between americans and more americans. Perhaps it would work better if I was alone and not surrounded by so many american girls. All my french teachers advised that but I did not heed them. I think it is better to be by myself for the rest of the time while I am in Paris. I can meet more people this way or at least keep them from getting freaked out by foreigners. Perhaps I will hit up on the comic-book store boy who I randomly started talking with, perhaps I will write to the deaf french guy who hit on me last week. Perhaps.
To be perfectly honest, Paris isn't as swinging as I had hoped. It isn't really Paris's fault. Mostly, it's mine. If I hadn't been so hell bent on having a 'rocking good' time then maybe I wouldn't be so let down.
I read an article this morning on www.parisconnections.net on why people gripe about Paris. The article was in English so I could understand it perfectly. The writer wrote that it was because we, foreigners, have idealistic views on Paris and in the end, Paris is just like any other cosmopolitan city with its dirt, cranky people and pollution. Ultimately, we are let down because we don't see anything all that different from the New Yorks, Chicagoes and HongKongs of the world.
Although I agree with what the writer says there is one thing that I must mention for it irks me so. The people in Paris are really as unfriendly as most people say. It is really hard to make friends with Parisien people. It isn't that they're mean. Rude, maybe, but then again, most people are. The problem is that they just aren't open to foreigners. Out of 15 people at a party, you might find one who is patient and willing enough to talk to you in broken french/english. In here, I would like to state that I am talking about normal people and not pedophiles and nymphos who will talk to you for a lifetime if it meant they could touch your boobs.
Sometimes I think it is because I am shy and am not adventurous enough to meet new people. But then I think again and it isn't true. I do try it's just that most Parisiens my age are unresponsive.
However, I must say that one of the reasons why I have been so unsuccessful is due to the fact that this month I have been hanging out a lot with the UIUC girls from the study abroad program. I did have some french guy friends who the aforementioned girls scared away, when I tried to integrate the two parties, due to their ditziness and other 'american' attributes.
So now I sigh and wait for home. I am experiencing the 'dip' in culture shock as they say. I miss home but most of all I miss real friends. I wanted to have a multi-cultural experience here but I've just been shuttling between americans and more americans. Perhaps it would work better if I was alone and not surrounded by so many american girls. All my french teachers advised that but I did not heed them. I think it is better to be by myself for the rest of the time while I am in Paris. I can meet more people this way or at least keep them from getting freaked out by foreigners. Perhaps I will hit up on the comic-book store boy who I randomly started talking with, perhaps I will write to the deaf french guy who hit on me last week. Perhaps.
# posted by Mare @ 12:37 PM 
