Lots of Love.

I've been here for a week now and I love it. This week I have French class for 3 hours each morning and next week I'll start my full schedule of semester classes. I’ve been exploring Paris with a few other people this past week. We would get a suggestion from someone else and inevitably decide, “It’s worth checking out.” During all of my exploration, in addition to the walk I make to and from school every day, I've noticed a few things in particular about French (specifically Parisian) people. Aside from the obvious, (they love cheese, wine, and cigarettes) here are 5 more things the French love that are apparent to me:

1. The French love American music. Every store, restaurant, etc. I walk into is blasting some sort of American pop song. I've noticed they especially like Rihanna, Black Eyed Peas, and Katy Perry. Normally I wouldn't feel any particular way about this, however the volume of the music is comparable to that of the music in Abercrombie and Fitch stores in the US - way too loud.

2. The French love Razor scooters as a mode of transportation, seriously….like the kind you push with your feet. While they are obviously popular with little kids, I’ve seen a staggering number of adults, women and men alike, who use a Razor scooter to get around Paris. It’s difficult not to laugh when a grown man in a suit with a briefcase slung across his chest comes tearing around the corner on a small silver scooter.

3. The French love Levi jeans. I can’t say I disagree with their taste in fashion - UGG boots are nowhere to be found.

4. The French love relaxing, taking breaks, not working, whatever you want to call it. I don’t mean to call them lazy, because they’re not. I still haven’t figured out how it works, but at any given time during the day there will undoubtedly be a good number of people sitting at a café, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer/wine. I truly don’t understand how cafes are full of people at 2:30pm. Don’t they have somewhere to be? I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m determined to find out how this is possible.

5. The French love, love. I guess there’s a reason Paris is known as “the City of Love”, there’s PDA everywhere. On the street, on the metro, in cafes, you name it. Chances are there is PDA going on somewhere in your vicinity. Love really is all around. It’s something I’ll just have to get used to because it seems to be widely accepted in French culture. Still, at times it’s a bit shocking and uncomfortable.

That’s what I’ve noticed so far, there will be more to come as discoveries continue to be made. I’ll update again sometime next week. Plans for this weekend include a club/discothèque. They open at 11:30pm and close at 6:00am, let the debauchery begin. Sorry mom and dad.