Monday: I don’t actually have class on mondays but I really wanted to change my french level from elementary two to three so I decided to go to another lady’s class and ask her to add me. She didn’t. She didn’t even let me sit in her class for the day. So I got up early, dressed, took the 30 minute metro to school just to be rejected and go back home. I felt like I was doing a school walk of shame.
When dorene got home from class we decided to go to st. michel to buy folders and notebooks for class. We went to gilbert jeune which is basically the french version of borders and staples combined. They have a small basement full of every french school/office/art supply you could ever think of. Dorene just bought one folder (they use a4 paper here, so none of our notebooks or folders from home fit the photocopies our teachers give us) and I bought three folders, three notebooks, a pad paper (which I found out later was graph paper and not even a4 size!) and two pens. Don’t worry, I bought the cheap brands though so I didn’t spend more than 10 euros. I swear school supply shopping in paris beats any kind of shopping in la.
After spending an hour choosing folder colors we headed upstairs to the book part of the store. The first level was reserved especially for comics, bandes dessinées, as the french call it. The second level had all the kid/teen books, including harry potter and twilight. Dorene found this picture book that was super cute. It was about a duck and a rabbit. I think I might end up buying it for her for christmas because I’ve never seen her that excited since we’ve been here, well besides all the times she’s eating fresh baguette.
The third level had actual novels, romans as the french call it. Dorene was determined to buy a french book to read. The french read a lot of books. Everyone reads on the metro. I don’t know how they do it. I can barely find a spot to stand, focus on what stop we just passed and actually “pardon” my way to the door when I need to get off but they can do all that and more while reading a book! Dorene decided that she would need to read her french book at home but still felt the need to buy one. While she was off figuring out what book she could attempt to read, I looked through the used book section for fun and found gossip girl, in french! I was so excited, excited enough to take a picture of it.
Dorene ended up buying le petit nicholas, a famous children's book in france. They actually just made a movie based on the book so it’s everywhere here. She opted to get the kids version which includes more pictures but still a big props to her attempting to read a french book. I also found the perfect postcard at gilbert jeune which I made both of us buy.
Still in the book buying mood we went to another bookstore nearby and looked through their used book collection. I found the lion king and thanks to my new found Disney obsession felt the need to buy it. It was only 50 cents (they call it cents here too, not euro cents or anything weird like that) and totally worth it.
Since we were near the st. michel fountain we decided to go find this panini place mike told us we had to try. He apparently lived off this panini when he was here last summer and I’m always up for a food adventure. 10 blocks and 93 bbms later we finally found this “red awning” he told us to look for. Excited by the fact that we were finally there I asked for two poulet mexicain (mexican chicken, random I know but I trusted mike) and the guy who took my ordered asked “sandwich?” and I said yes assuming my other choice was salad or something else. So this dude hands us these two not exciting looking sandwiches and then I remember mike told us to ask for oil olive and lettuce. So we ask for it and the guy gets pissed off for no reason but puts oil and lettuce on our sandwiches. It’s at that point that I realize wait, these aren’t paninis! I swore I said paninis. Long story short, after a lot of time of me just standing there not accepting the crap sandwiches when I wanted paninis and the guy saying I said sandwiches he agreed to press our sandwiches a little to make it panini-like.
On the bright side we need to go back now to try the real panini poulet mexicain, assuming the guys that work there don’t deny us service. All in all was the sandwich worth it? Definitely. The adventures me and dorene have even if its just for a panini make everything worth it.
Sound like you 2 are having fun in Paris. Let's hear more about your classes. BTW, Dorene loves pigeons. Luv to see pics of Dorene and pigeons.
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