Parislog 6
Mar.7, 2006


Yesterday I finally went to the city center in which I had spent the majority of my visit 4 years ago. It was as amazing as I remember. I found the hotel that
I had stayed at and loved and the price has since jumped markedly. I spent something like $50 a night, but that was when it was still Francs, and now it is 66€ which is about $80 a night. Whew! It is still a gorgeous little street right near the Seine and the Notre Dame.

I went to this huge store called BHV “Bazar de Hotel de Ville” that is 8 floors of everything that you can imagine. The basement is like a Home Depot, including the wood. I went for a little insulation for the door of the apartment as you can practically read the newspaper through the gap at the floor and head of the door. I needed to stop the draft on my poor
California body. This morning I put it all up and it feels much better. Yeah!

After that I walked rue Rivoli and could have shopped until I dropped. There were so many shoe and clothing stores. And only a couple that most of you would recognize. I have seen 2 Starbucks, 2 McDonald's, and one Gap. The clothes are very cool and stylish. Then
I came back on rue St. Honoré and got the feeling that
I could have been back in the middle ages. The streets were very narrow and curving like a trail rather than the streets we think of the states. While walking around this area, I found a very strange sight indeed. The outside of one of the buildings had been very strangely decorated. Apparently it is some sort of an artist's squat.

It was getting dark and I was tired so I began heading back and went to rue St. Michel where one can find great used bookstores. I remember buying books there the last time I visited. I found a "bande dessinée" (hard cover comic books) which are huge here, called "Salséro et Hollywood Land". How funny is that. It is a little Mexican chap and his friends and their adventures in Hollywood but it is a horror. Weird.

Yesterday was English day with F* and it was such a relief for a day to not be trying to communicate everything in French. It was his turn to suffer.
Today is back to French day. I am back to feeling like a bumbling idiot.

I went to see the headmaster at the International School of Paris this afternoon. I think the interview went well. He does not have anything directly and the only 2 positions that he knows of for sure at this moment are physics and economics. Not my specialty but he did say that this was the time when the people were out looking for new positions and he would keep me in mind. He also said that it was much easier with me here in Paris because there was more flexibility. He also said that he would keep me in mind if they needed a sub. The classes are only 18 students! Can you imagine? The total school population is 560 for all the grades. They are primarily middle and upper middle class backgrounds and therefore neither lacking in educational principles not suffering from snobbishness. Nice!

I guess I will have to look for a meantime job teaching English in the adult schools and the low pay type positions. That's okay.

It is raining today but not as cold. I am feeling a little off again today but that started when the day started. The day started with sun. It is just the continuing rollercoaster of the adjustment period.

I think I will go eat a little junk food and read.