First, I didn't make RBOC up - it's a commonly used acronym in the blogging world. I’m packing today, but before I leave, I wanted to jot down some interesting notes about my week. Some may become full-fledged blog posts, others are just creamy little îles flottantes (http://images.google.fr/images?hl=fr&source=hp&q=ile%20flottante&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi).
- This week, I went to a vernissage (exhibition opening) held at my school. The lycée evidently has a large art gallery between the janitor’s closet and the broiler room (I couldn’t make this up if I tried). The exposition’s title was “Femmes En Exil” (“Women in Exile”). The artist had interviewed several women from Africa, Eastern Europe, and other regions of the world who had requested refuge in France. Though they are known as sans-papiers (literally “without papers”), each has binders full of forms and empty promises of case reviews. I’m still filling out some forms of my own and this exhibition caused me to pause and ponder the differences between a white, middle-class American male with a job and a poor black Senegalese woman fleeing an oppressive regime.
- One thing I’m looking forward to doing in Geneva is sampling more French-inspired cuisine. My favorite dining options in Nancy include Ali Baba, the Turkish family-owned and operated kebab stand across the street from the train, and the Veng Hour Chinese buffet in the mall. Both provide affordable, delicious meals and I usually stand in a long line of French people to get a seat. Cooking for oneself is great, though it does necessarily inspire one to try new feats of culinary exploration. I’ve branched out in terms of wine and cheese selection, but I don’t cook a boeuf bourgignon every night for myself.
- I’m glad that I have plans to enter the Peace Corps after my stay in France since I can relax, enjoy the European experience, and wait to receive confirmation emails in the US. Some of the other assistants are preparing to take their GREs in Paris, putting together grad school applications, and otherwise trying to prepare for the next stage of their lives. I read at least 2 critical articles a day related to my future research interests and potential advisors and at least one chapter from a French novel.
- A few weeks ago, I stopped by the American library to check it out. While the collection is in arrested development at 1991, they do have a wide selection of British and American fiction, social science, biography, and literary criticism books. I overheard one of the librarians talking to a university student about conversation partners. “The assistants will soon be coming. I heard that they usually land in October and stay until May. We’re trying to attract a few for conversation groups, but it usually takes awhile.” Paris may be full of expatriates and celebrities, but in Nancy, Americans are evidently a rare mythical bird to be trapped.
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