The Dance Begins...

So lets see whats new with me...

This past weekend I went to this sushi restaurant, Matsuyama with some girls I met in French class. The food was surprisingly good and reasonably priced. Afterwards we hit up a bar in the Latin Quarter for a few drinks. Later on, after a lot of walking we found a fun pub in the 9th district where we pounded some more drinks. I still haven't gotten used to all the cigarette smoke in bars. Its a small price to pay for a good time, but the smoke in this pub you could cut with a knife. I left around 3:30am and tried to hail a taxi in the rain. You never know in Paris where you will be stranded and unable to catch a taxi. Walking home in the rain at 3am for a few hours is jolly good fun, but I'd rather splurge for a taxi. All's well that ends well, I guess.

Last week my French class finally started. I was eager to see how easily I would absorb the language. It's very surreal to be back in a classroom after so long, and even more suprising that I haven't dropped out of school yet! lol Its only been 7 days but thats 6 more than I thought I would last. Those who know me, know that I have turned dropping out practically into an art form. Naturally the course is taught entirely in French and it definitely takes some getting used to since I have no background with the language.

Some days are more difficult than others. I would probably say I'm often the most lost student in the class, but at least I think I have the best accent of anybody there. The teacher is pretty cool, but its frustrating at times when he won't clarify things in English or that he won't let you ask him questions in English. But being forced to speak the language is perhaps the best way to absorb it. Some days are easier than others. Some days I understand 80% of what the teacher says. And others I feel like I'm watching a Chinese movie dubbed in Vietnamese with Thai subtitles.. I've had more than my share of moments in class where I've been totally lost. I like to call them Monday-Friday. j/k I give myself 6 months to become conversational before I snap and climb a clocktower with a high powered rifle. We shall see...

A bientôt!

Another shot of Grappa

Took these pics after a night of drinks. I don't know what Grappa is exactly but its got a kick to it. (40% alc) Drink some red wine, then have white, then top it off with champagne and to wash it down, Grappa is a must.


Grappa


More Grappa!


No More Grappa

Sorbonne Schedule

Today I went to the 5th arrondissement to pick up my class schedule at the Sorbonne. As I was hoping, I got the 10am-Noon time slot which is pefect after a late night of drinking. They were going to place me in the Advanced Conversational French Level IV class, but they decided it was best to put me in the beginner level course so that I could make sure the other students didn't fall behind. LOL

I took these pictures while walking around the 5th near the Panthéon which has a lot of prestigious schools in close proximity. Hope you enjoy.


5th arrondissement 1


5th arrondissement 2


5th arrondissement 3


Panthéon 1


Panthéon 2


Panthéon 3


Panthéon 4


St-Etienne Du-Mont 1


St-Etienne Du-Mont 2

Paris Cinéma

Munich Film

A few days ago I went to see the film, Munich. It was my 2nd time seeing this movie but still found it as dramatic and emotionally difficult to watch as the first time. The movie was in English but with French subtitles. The subtitles helped me practice my French. Its funny how the little differences stand out between different cultures. In a French movie theatre, there are many more commercials than you have in the United States and they're for everything from cars to food. I also noticed how French people are much more reserved, ie. respectful when watching a movie than Americans. Maybe it was partly due to the serious subject matter, but nevertheless made the movie more enjoyable to watch without listening to people applaud or comment after watching scenes they enjoyed. One last thing I noticed was that even in a serious
movie such as Munich, there were occasional jokes in the movie, but nobody in the theatre laughed. Maybe that was due to the language barrier or perhaps its the French lacking a sense of humor. I know these are trivial differences between cultures, but again they were just things that I noticed.

Regarding the movie, I'll try not to go off on too long of a tangent. I'm not going to explain the story behind the movie, because its common knowledge and widely available online. I loved the way the film was shot by Spielberg. It was very authentic regarding the props and set he used. I think the perspective it was told from could best be described as apolitical. A friend who saw the movie with our group remarked afterwards that he enjoyed it because it wasn't Pro-Israeli or Pro-Palestinian. It just tells the story of the Munich events and lets the viewer judge for him/herself what they think about the story.

The movie raises a lot of moral and philosophical questions about terrorism and the pursuit of people who engage in it. I'm not going to stand here and claim I have all the answers. I just have my opinions. I think its important to mention that the film was INSPIRED by real events but not meant to be seen as a documentary. Not everything that occured in the movie was historically accurate, so people should not view the movie as a history lesson. That being said, Spielberg was criticized a lot for how he chose to tell the story. Here's an excerpt from an interview he gave recently.

**
Spielberg, 59, told German news weekly Der Spiegel that "Munich" aims to reclaim the debate about the moral costs of the struggle against terror from "extremists" and engage moderate forces in the West and the Middle East.

"But it does not excuse the act when you ask what the motives of the perpetrators were and show that they were also individuals with families and a history.... Understanding does not mean forgiving. Understanding does not mean being soft, it is a courageous and strong stance."
**

For an excellent review of the film check out this NY Times article:

Munich Review

The Italian Job @ 7/2005

The following pictures are from my trip to Italy in July 2005. The food was beyond fantastic. I had more caprese salads than I could count on the trip. I was able to visit 3 cities. Rome, Firenze, and this small Italian holiday spot in the north called Viareggio. It would be tough to say which city I prefered. Each had its special moments. One of the most moving parts of my visit to Rome was visiting Rome's largest Jewish synagogue. The interior of the dombed structure was so equisite words cannot describe it. There was a multi colored mural painted on the ceiling in rainbow colors, which I found quite odd for a synagogue but still very special. The synagogue was located in what used to be the Jewish Ghetto.

For a brief history of Rome's Jewish community read the following:

The Jewish community in Rome is known to be the oldest Jewish community in Europe and also one the oldest continuous Jewish settlements in the world, dating back to 161 B.C.E. In imperial times about 30,000 Jews lived and worked in Trastevere, just across the river from the city proper.

In 1215 a law was passed obliging Jews to wear a yellow beret or shawl so that they could be easily distinguished. Hostility towards the community gradually increased, reaching its height in the 16th century, during the period of the Inquisition. In 1555 Pope Paul IV confined all the Jews of Rome to a small area which became known as the Ghetto, taking its name from the Jewish quarter of Venice. High walls were built around it and a curfew was imposed.The ghetto was a 200 to 250 meter, four block area in which 4,800 people lived. Only after the Unity of Italy in 1870 did the Jews finally acquire equal rights.


Rome Jewish Ghetto


Rome's Jewish Synagogue


Rome's Jewish Synagogue 2


Rome Ruins 1


Rome Ruins 2


Rome Ruins 3


Rome Colliseum 1


Rome Colliseum 2


Rome Piazza Repubblica


Firenze, Italy - Ponte Vecchio


Firenze, Italy - Fiume Arno 4


Firenze, Italy - Fiume Arno 3


Firenze, Italy - Fiume Arno 2


Firenze, Italy - Fiume Arno 1


Firenze, Italy - Il Duomo fiorentino 1


Firenze, Italy - Il Duomo fiorentino 2


Firenze, Italy - Il Duomo fiorentino 3


Firenze, Italy - Atop Il Duomo fiorentino 1


Firenze, Italy - Atop Il Duomo fiorentino 2


Firenze, Italy - Atop Il Duomo fiorentino 3

Kangding Ray @ Centre Pompidou, Paris 02-04-06

Pompidou Museum

This past Saturday I was invited by some new friends, Christophe and Cécile to go to a concert of Ambient Trance music at the George Pompidou museum. If you've been to the museum you know what I mean when i say the building is a work of art in and of itself. The concert was surreal. I have never heard music quite like that before with such a calm and quiet audience.

2 Dj's performed for 1.5 hours a blend of electronic ambient trance and synthesized sounds all to the backdrop of hypnotic B/W visual graphics on the cinema size screen in the background. The DJ's were Kangding Ray and Alva Noto, both German going by these pseudonyms which I haven't the foggiest idea how they picked them. I definitely prefered the music of Kangding Ray. The music was quite odd cause for the entire concert you're watching these Atari style graphics going on in the background at what seemed like warp speed. Your mind races to a million different places all at once.

If you want to visit the artists' websites they are:

Kangding Ray

Alva Noto

Afterwards we went out to a pub near the museum and threw back some drinks in a sea of thick cigarette smoke that you can only find in Paris. It reminded me of a typical Parisen bar with 80's American music blaring in the background and people sitting around small tables eating food and having a good time. All things considered, I had a good time...

The Journey Begins

French Mediterranean

Well not exactly. I've been living in Paris, France for one month now. I moved here in the beginning of January and am pretty much settled into my new life. (or what I hope will be the beginning of a new life) I found a great 1 bedroom apartment in the 15th arrondissement which feels like home already. I moved here knowing virtually no French, but wasn't going to let that stop me. People tell me it takes anywhere from 3-9 months to speak a language comfortably. I'm hoping for the former. We shall see...

Very briefly, before Paris, I was living in San Francisco, CA watching paint dry in my apartment. I was getting quite good at that. Why did I choose Paris? I always felt a connection with the French culture and way of life. I love the way the French interact with one another and take the time to enjoy the little things in life, that too often in the States, we either overlook or miss entirely. That's not to say, that there aren't parts of the American culture and sense of identity that I don't embrace. I do very much so.

Anyway... I"m rambling... I'll be writing often on the little yet important differences I notice between the French and American culture and how they affect me. And of course, whatever experiences or lessons I pick up along the way.

If you're not too familiar with sarcasm, you will pick it up very quickly by reading my blog. I have a very dry sense of humor and it will be hard to miss. LOL

As long as I push myself to try new things here in this foreign yet familiar terrain, I should grow spiritually from the experience. (which is what I'm hoping for)