Thoughts from the RER B !

A few days ago when I was coming home, as if my trajet isn't long enought, the RER B decided to shut down. Ok not completely but it seemed like it. I was able to queeze on at Chatelet, only to discover the train would be leaving in 38 minutes !

The police were there circulating in case there were problems, but they didn't have information about the status of the train. And they really didn't help out when 2 men in my car started screaming and shouting at each other, because the one wanted to pull the alarm. But obviously the alarm was not going to work because the train wouldn't be moving anytime soon.

Finally after 15 minutes, the train started but it was only going to gare du nord and not to Aulnay Sous Bois, my stop.

Gare du Nord was a zoo, the police were blocking the entrances and exits to the train that would eventually leave (who knows if the train actually ever left the station, I didn't stick around to see) the platform. I went up to the floor where the train would be leaving and found it to be a mob scene. So, I was forced to take the rer e and the tram, meaning an extra hour and a half and then the bus !

Sometimes living in the suburbs is nice because life is not so busy and stressful as Paris. But it sucks when the transportation system fails because its like "let's see how many people we can squish in a train!"

Do you have any RER B stories ?

Pulled Over

Don't worry, I was not pulled over, I don't even own a car but neither did this guy !

I wish I had a photo to prove that it was true, but I got nothing. So picture this, a guy around 20 on a 4-wheeler trying to pop a wheelie, while the motorcycle cops arepulling him over. This pop-a wheelie is a trend on our street, the dirt bikes go flying up in down day and night. I can never figure out why they do this. Does this really attract and impress  girls ?

Anyway back to the story, I wish I was withing hearing distance to hear how this guy explain to the police what he was doing. Because I am pretty sure they thought the guy was load of crap (excuse my language) !

After about 20 minutes and checking papers, the police decided to search his "car". They were probably looking for drugs, our area doesn't have the best reputation. Obviously they didn't have much luck, I mean where are you going to hide drugs on a four-wheeler?

They told him to go home and walk the bike back on the sidewalk.

Yeah the kid went 500 yards, made sure the police were gone and went right back to doing what he wasn't supposed to. What an idiot !

Commute to Work

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about communiting is a scene from Paris je t'aime.


I feel a lot like this woman, because now that I have the job at rejoyce my commute has changed dramatically. But I am glad that I don't have my own child and have to take care of another, my job involves taking care of musicians (don't know which one is harder, haha). My husband and I have decided that we will figure out our work situation when the time arises to have children.

My commute is crazy ( the bus to rer B to the E to a train at Hausmann saint lazare to Versailles Rive Droite and walk 10 minutes, it's always about 1h30) and most people, probably you, are like why do you do it and not find something closer to home. Well that is a good question, but the answer goes like this : I couldn't find a job in the field I wanted closer to home, especially with the prefecture taking it's lovely time getting back to me on my own future project. But enough complaining, the time in the train gives me enough time to work on my professional and personal projects even if it means being squished between people.

But that's life, we can sleep when we are dead right?

The French Office

I enjoy my job and it is quite different than that of Florence Brunel's. Particulary because there are more people in the office, even though we all are working on different taks. There about 9 of us, and all are men except me and the secretary. So that means all they talk about are soccer, rugby, cars and the lates gadgets, (thanks to the geek squand below us). To be one of the only women in the office is quite the experience.

Now on to the parts that confused me for about the first week. Everyone flocks around the coffee pot around 10 am and it's not optional. My first day, I got there around 9:45 and I was ready to get started but they were like aren't you coming for coffee and I said "no, I'm fine."  But then the secretary was like you have to come. So it was kind of awkward.

Then, around 2 pm is lunch. One person is in charge of making lunch, another sets the table and another washes the dishes.  But because I have a specific eating plan and their favorite meal is pork, we cannot eat the same things. But I am willing to eat with them at their table.

The second coffee break comes about an hour after lunch and it as well is a requirement. It's like everyone flock to the pot because they need a pick me up. But what if I just want to keep working and not lose 20 minutes of my work?

I am not sure if this is what all offices are like but it's all new and French to me! haha!

Do you have experiences to share?

Rejoyce !

 Yes let's REJOYCE ! It's like a real hallejuah (check out the link before continuing any further) because I had two interviews before finally signing a paper saying I would be their intern.

What is Rejoyce?  First, it's an events organizer (anything from a student or business event and weddings), a music label (pop to christian, children's to classique), a music produer and the part where I come in a music agency. For the moment, I am working for Le Parnasse Francais, a baroque French instrumental and vocal ensemble, that I will write about later. Also I am working for one of my artists (my agency is still on the hold, thanks to the Prefecture!), Maude Gratton, who will signing with Rejoyce next week. So let's just say my boss is really happy with me because I already have contacts of my own.

Alos, I will be helping them out with philanthropy and donations particulary from American businesses in France who would like to support the artists. These businesses can host galas or events at many cultural institutions, Invalides for example, around Paris, with the help of Rejoyce.


 So if you are interested in having someone help with your event, do not forget to call or check us out!

Suggestions are welcome !

As you can see by the lack of blog posts these past few months, I have been crazy busy. I work Mondays-Fridays.  Then the weekend is dedicated to spending time with my husband and cleaning the mess in our house that was created during the week.

But no need to fret, I am going to publish when I can. And if you are want to hear about something specific do not hesitate to say something !

Fun Fact!

66 % of French people change their socks everyday according to the directmatin.

My question did people who wore sandals all during the summer answer this survey? or are there this many non-sanitory people?

What about you?

Diploma Exam

Last week, I defended my thesis and my "Rondo à la Flûte" festival from May in front of a very difficult jury and need I remind you it was all en français. Preparing for the presentation that needed to be convincing and studying for an article that was to be drawn out of a hat was hard toaccomplish especially when French isn't my first language.


The dossier turned out to be 90 pages in French, all wrote by me but corrected by a nice friend. The presentation in front of the jury went great, except they asked questions about French copyright law. I tried to hold back saying, "I don't know", and say something like "it seems to me that ..." but the answer "je ne sais pas" just kept coming out. I thought for sure they were going to tell me that I failed.

But I passed! I got a 10/20 - don't freak out that doesn't mean a 50%. It means average, there were quite a number of other people in my class who got around the same grade and also there were students who didn't pass about 30% out of the 20 or so that took the exam.

I am really proud of myself and cannot wait to tell anyone that I have a Masters in French.

Hope that you check out my new posts about my exciting projects to come!


 

I am finally back!

The past month has been hectic!! I had a friend visiting and my parents too, also I was studying for my final Masters exam, and looking for a new job. So, check out the new posts coming in the next weeks, because a lot has happenned during this time and lots of photos to share!