Tuesday, September 27, 2005
French Kiss
The arrival of other UIUC students to Paris has certianly put a new spin on life in Paris. For one, I have people who can grieve with me as the French language slowly slips from within my grasp. Secondly, it is now okay to walk along the Seine carrying a camera because , in a group, being 'touristy' does not really seem all that bad. Thirdly, along with the students, came the start of Orientation week.
Orientation started yesterday, although for me, it was 10 days ago. It commenced with an hour's lecture on the metro, safety and other such issues , all of which I did not really listen to because I had already 'been there, done that'. The director of the study abroad program, Edward Costello, who is also our semi-tour guide, is an amusing man to watch when he speaks. He is like a squirrel that is on speed but is also hilarious. When it came to issues of safety he warned us not to go to some places because people did drugs there and at night you might get 'pushed' and that one must not be ethical when someone tried to 'passer avec vous' through the turnstiles of the metro or you might get knuckled.
After the tedious lecture we (director, students and moi) went on a boat tour on the River Seine. As we were walking I noticed just how loud American girls can be. They laugh loudly, talk loudly, in essence, exist loudly. I can understand how most Europeans will be put off by that, although I may describe the same when it comes to Germans. Or, at least, German tourists in Paris. In our group there was one particularly obnoxious student (male) who, I suppose, was trying to hit on another one of the students by saying such lovely things very loudly like, "Do you know that "sein" means 'breast' in French? haha!*snort* I wonder if that is why the called this river "the Seine" (Do notice that the two words are spelt differently and therefore, pronounced, differently and so do not mean the same thing.)
The boat tour, however, was lovely and not corny at all but got over with quickly. I was terribly sleepy because the steady speed and splashing water lulled me and taking photos of buildings is never a really exciting task.
Anyway, while I was on the boat, I talked to a couple of the girls. Lisa, was particularly interested in the fact that I had gone out two nights ago. Since I had planned to go for drinks with Nicholas in the evening, I asked her to come, along with Katie, and asked Nicholas to call some of his friends.
In the evening, all went well. There were 5 guys to 3 girls and Lisa (from the Phi Mu sorority) was apparently smitten by Sebastian, although I believe she would have been smitten by just anyone who is French.
Today, I met up with the two girls who told me that they had a fabulous time. During my coversation with them as well as some others, I realized that the number 1 thing that most of these girls would like to have, during their stay in Paris, is a fling with a French guy. That is mostly what the girls talk about, "French men are so slim! They are so cultured! Oh, they speak so cute!" I can't blame them, mostFrench men are awfully handsome, gentle and, above all, have manners. To them, away from the redneckery of Champaign and the fraternity brotherhood of disgusting men, French men are a species that they have never touched before; something so new and mysterious, like a new brand of candy. It just amuses me that to explore the French culture , to them, means to have a real French kiss. Not that there is anything wrong with that, although, with the 'chops-licking & predatory' way Lisa was eyeing him, Sebastian have better watch out!
The arrival of other UIUC students to Paris has certianly put a new spin on life in Paris. For one, I have people who can grieve with me as the French language slowly slips from within my grasp. Secondly, it is now okay to walk along the Seine carrying a camera because , in a group, being 'touristy' does not really seem all that bad. Thirdly, along with the students, came the start of Orientation week.
Orientation started yesterday, although for me, it was 10 days ago. It commenced with an hour's lecture on the metro, safety and other such issues , all of which I did not really listen to because I had already 'been there, done that'. The director of the study abroad program, Edward Costello, who is also our semi-tour guide, is an amusing man to watch when he speaks. He is like a squirrel that is on speed but is also hilarious. When it came to issues of safety he warned us not to go to some places because people did drugs there and at night you might get 'pushed' and that one must not be ethical when someone tried to 'passer avec vous' through the turnstiles of the metro or you might get knuckled.
After the tedious lecture we (director, students and moi) went on a boat tour on the River Seine. As we were walking I noticed just how loud American girls can be. They laugh loudly, talk loudly, in essence, exist loudly. I can understand how most Europeans will be put off by that, although I may describe the same when it comes to Germans. Or, at least, German tourists in Paris. In our group there was one particularly obnoxious student (male) who, I suppose, was trying to hit on another one of the students by saying such lovely things very loudly like, "Do you know that "sein" means 'breast' in French? haha!*snort* I wonder if that is why the called this river "the Seine" (Do notice that the two words are spelt differently and therefore, pronounced, differently and so do not mean the same thing.)
The boat tour, however, was lovely and not corny at all but got over with quickly. I was terribly sleepy because the steady speed and splashing water lulled me and taking photos of buildings is never a really exciting task.
Anyway, while I was on the boat, I talked to a couple of the girls. Lisa, was particularly interested in the fact that I had gone out two nights ago. Since I had planned to go for drinks with Nicholas in the evening, I asked her to come, along with Katie, and asked Nicholas to call some of his friends.
In the evening, all went well. There were 5 guys to 3 girls and Lisa (from the Phi Mu sorority) was apparently smitten by Sebastian, although I believe she would have been smitten by just anyone who is French.
Today, I met up with the two girls who told me that they had a fabulous time. During my coversation with them as well as some others, I realized that the number 1 thing that most of these girls would like to have, during their stay in Paris, is a fling with a French guy. That is mostly what the girls talk about, "French men are so slim! They are so cultured! Oh, they speak so cute!" I can't blame them, mostFrench men are awfully handsome, gentle and, above all, have manners. To them, away from the redneckery of Champaign and the fraternity brotherhood of disgusting men, French men are a species that they have never touched before; something so new and mysterious, like a new brand of candy. It just amuses me that to explore the French culture , to them, means to have a real French kiss. Not that there is anything wrong with that, although, with the 'chops-licking & predatory' way Lisa was eyeing him, Sebastian have better watch out!
# posted by Mare @ 5:33 AM 
