Release Party, Beaujolais Nouveau

The third Thursday of November in France is the nation-wide release party for this year's batch of French wines. Today, grapes harvested in August and September appeared for the first time transformed into wine with labels sporting the year 2008.

The Beaujolais nouveau celebration is one of mediocrity. Does anyone actually love the Beaujolais nouveau? No. Do people love celebrating with wine? Yes, always. So, on this day one week before Thanksgiving, French are out in restaurants and cafés tasting this year's vintage. Does it taste like raspberry? Banana? Does it matter? Like Christmas, birthdays and Valentine’s, the expectation created by the event might overshadow any enjoyment of the wine itself.

Beaujolais is a light, fruity red wine with little tannin. It comes from the region north of Lyon in central France. Part of the charm of this wine is that it can be drunk immediately and is easy to drink. It is not expensive and is better and more fruity the younger it is. Which is why it is ready right now, just after being bottled, to be quaffed by the thirsty.

My own opinion? Pas mal this year. Raspberry? Banana? Maybe some smoky traces? Does it even matter? You can use it as an excuse to get together with friends, be joyful, complain about the bad wine or just hang out and mark the passage of yet another year.

Dessert in Disguise

This is not a hamburger. . .



. . . this is the dessert my Grandfather ordered while in Toulouse. How very Franco-American of him. The French love presentation, Americans love hamburgers. This dish could help ease cultural misunderstandings between the two countries.

The "coca-cola" is iced coke in a very very miniature glass, the fries are cookies garnished with raspberry "ketchup's" sauce, the "bun" is a macaroon cookie, the "cheese" caramel and the "burger" chocolate. The concoction falls squarely between sounding yummy and awful, no?

Obama Wins Election

Living in France without fellow American expats in my social circle, I had a very different kind of election night.

I was awoken just after 5 AM today with news of the election in the US. Friends, who were nine hours behind me in California, called full of excitement to say that YES!, Obama had passed the 270 votes needed, and, Don’t worry, you can now be proud to be an American abroad! These words proved true almost immediately and it didn’t even take Bush being shoved off the playing field to happen.

Obama’s acceptance speech fed into the deep-rooted values and expectations that define how we as Americans understand ourselves. His climb to the presidency seems to affirm the American dream that we so strongly cling to, that we as individuals, communities and a nation have the power to become something better through hope, energy, and hard work.

Watching Obama speak live in Chicago, I was struck by the power of these values to create change in a positive direction. Far away from the frenzy and awe in Chicago, I burst into tears of relief and joy that we as a country had chosen a black president. I cried because we had chosen someone who includes gays, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and the disabled in his acceptance speech. And I sobbed because we had chosen someone who highlights the need for compassion for others and service. From far away, the dream of moving in a forward direction towards a brighter future seemed kinetic, alive and possible.

I also shed a few tears because I was suddenly aware that I identified so strongly with the unyielding hope that is sewn into our cultural personality, and I felt a part of that hopeful American community. My optimism for Obama and the US put me in strong contrast to the general French perspective. In France, to be optimistic is to be ignorantly blind to the catastrophe that will ultimately arrive. Ask your average French person if he thought Obama would be elected prior to the elections and you would have heard a resounding no, the US is fundamentally racist. Talk to the same person now that Obama has been elected and he will be doubtful that Obama can orchestrate much change before he is assassinated by a gun-wielding backwoodsman.

Hope might not have been a good campaign slogan in France. And yet the words "hope" and "change" have been all over the French media for months thanks to the extensive coverage of the elections. The breadth of this coverage has been astounding by American standards; it is very much everywhere, everyday and puts our coverage of any other country's elections to shame. However, many French have had their fill of such ubiquitous coverage and are relieved to get Obama in office and off the airwaves and news pages.

Despite their lack of hope for the American electorate’s ability to elect Obama, the French do see him as a positive change and are generally Obamamaniacs. Around 85% of the French wanted Obama to win the election! And yet there are some very strong differences between the left here and Obama’s version, and many French might not realize how Obama might not be everything a French leftist party would be. Two differences are Obama’s support of the death penalty, and the French self-proclaimed socialism, a nomenclature Obama avoids.

The question of Obama’s race plays an even larger role in France than in the US. I find France a deeply racist country, but the French think of American racism as more widespread and far-reaching than their version. Thus, the French feel Obama’s election marks a shocking turn away from traditional American racism and is significant mainly for this reason. Obama’s race is part of his appeal for many in the US, while a reason not to vote for him for others. His race actually energized many people, both black and white, to vote for him, a fact that is lost on French cynicism. In the US the fact that he is part Kenyan and black helps him encapsulate the American dream of progressing towards a more ideal version of ourselves. It is just a shame, and ironic, that it took Bush to push us towards Obama.

Fear and Loathing of the “Intello”

A few years ago while living in Paris I was confronted with an American cultural value I hold that, upon closer inspection, is counter intuitive. I was listening to a radio program and heard the guest speaker describing himself as “an intello.” I was left repulsed and revolted by the statement. He was calling himself an intellectual! After my anger at this unknown “intello’s” self-importance calmed down, I had time to evaluate my reaction. His arrogance deeply bothered me. I don’t feel the same anger when faced with a self-described “laborer.” So what was so horrifying about someone identifying himself as a thinker?

In the US, we are nursed by a culture that fears and loathes pretension and elitism. This intello dude represented both. In the US, you should be educated, but should refrain from dangling your knowledge over others in quotes, figures and, most importantly, unfamiliar words. You should be rich, but you have to earn it through hard work and street smarts; the harder you work for your fortune, the better. In the US, it is almost as detestable to be a moneyed pedantic as an unemployed alcoholic. At least the alcoholic is helplessly dependent. The academic has the choice to stop quoting Shakespeare ad nauseum!

Anyone who is too eloquent, too knowledgeable and too polished is considered a threat to the hardworking, straight-talking American. Such traits must mean this person is conniving and capable of malicious activity, not the next-door neighbor type that you can sit down and have a beer with after a long day of work (bring a six-pack and Governor Palin might come along ta chat with ya!)

In France, the “I’m an intellectual” comment is not exactly common either and verges on arrogance. However, there isn’t the same resistance here to looking to writers, academics or philosophers for insight and answers. Being an intellectual in France doesn’t diminish the value of your opinions and doesn’t necessarily place you out of touch with real life and real problems. In fact, being an intellectual might mean you can think questions through thoroughly, contemplate nuances and communicate ideas coherently.

American resistance to public displays of knowledge might account for the past 8 years of jumbled English coming directly from the White House. W. doesn’t sound like the elite he comes from, and we Americans like that. But then of course, he doesn’t speak as well as your average middle-school child, and that is a bit more difficult to swallow.

I’m going to let Maureen Dowd wail away at the speaking style of Pappa Bush, son W. and newcomer maverick speaker, Sarah Palin. But after you stop admiring just how exquisite Dowd's English is and your laughter (or anger) at her cutting jabs at Republicans has calmed, you might consider where our anti-intellectual values lead us. Is this path really the best road for the pragmatic American to take? Eloquence doesn’t necessarily make a good president, but then again, neither does your next door neighbor. Even if she does enjoy a six-pack.

A French Cultural Lens Turned on the US

Picture taken from "Le Monde"

From the French perspective, “Americans are reckless optimists, incurably blind to the tragedy of life, to the weary convolutions of history and thus to the need for lengthy August vacations and financial regulations.” So reads “The New York Time’s” “Memo from Paris” from earlier this week.

This article, titled “Gazing at America, the French Still See a Wild Frontier,” gives an interesting and funny counterpoint to an American point of view. We Americans all know how to pick out the French: they are the well dressed snobs, smoking away in the corner of the world party as they philosophize about the grandeur of their (lost?) Culture.

Seeing ourselves from their eyes is more difficult. This “Memo from Paris” helps Americans turn the cultural lens on ourselves. We thought we were hardworking, practical, honest and energetic. But we emerge from French scrutiny looking like boorish, over confident and under knowledgeable upstarts from the backwoods. Add our perceived ignorance and our superficial capitalism, and the French aren’t surprised by the current economic crisis in the US. Hey, it might even teach us a lesson.

The “Memo from Paris” also illustrates the French interest in US elections. Let’s not confuse this with an affection for the good 'ol US of A and especially not our government. There isn’t any. But that being said, news about the US is constantly playing on the radio, printed in the newspapers and sprinkled in French conversations. The French know what is going on in the US, though news is inevitably written from a French point of view.

As the representative American, I am constantly asked the question, “Who will it be, McCain or Obama?” Often my interlocutor has two things to say after I posit the response that I think it will be Obama. First, Obama will not be elected, the US is too racist. Second, it is a shame that Obama won’t be elected. He would have been a good president. I have not spoken with a single French person that is excited about "McCain the maverick."

French pessimism for Obama’s possible ascension to the presidency shows a little something about French optimism. Don’t they know that one of the Obama themes is “Hope”? It also helps show how influenced people are by their culture. The cultural lens through which we understand the world is large and strong, and most people have a hard time seeing without it.

Parisian Eye-Candy

Above photos from the "Paris Breakfasts" blog.

Want a taste of something classically French? Check out the beautifully artistic eye-candy on the blog Paris Breakfasts. It is ex-New Yorker Carol Gillot's watercolor and photo adventure through Parisian pastry and chocolate shops. "Paris Breakfasts" offers up the fantasy side of Paris full of pastels, delicious edibles and beauty. I love the gritty side of Paris as well, but Gillot's blog is delicious!

Thanks to Maitresse for posting her top 10 Paris blogs which led me to "Paris Breakfasts."

Become a Fan of French Toast!

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The Award Winning Film "The Class" and the Differences it Shows Between the French and American School Systems

“The Class” came out in France last week and has been generating much hype and debate. It is a film about a French teacher’s struggle to engage, teach and discipline a class full of 14-year olds from different cultural backgrounds. “The Class,” in French called “Entre les murs,” was the winner at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and will be coming out in the States later this year.

The film is particularly interesting because of its flirtation with documentary. There are no professional actors in the film. Instead, the roles are played by school children and teachers themselves. François Bégaudeau, who plays the insecure but good intentioned French teacher, taught French in a Parisian middle school for several years, wrote a book about his experience and then went on to co-direct the film with Laurent Cantet. Cantet auditioned students at François Dolto middle school for the student roles, a so-called “difficult school” in a rough Paris neighborhood that has a culturally diverse student body. The newly minted actors agreed to come in on weekends to film throughout the course of the year. The amateur acting is amazingly good, and the film is all the more powerful for the fact that it is a direct creation of the environment it represents.


This film gives the viewer access to a French classroom, and the differences between the French educational system and the American one abound. A general difference between the two systems is the educational philosophy on how to best prompt children forward. The French get out the stick of chastisement to motivate students, while Americans tend to pull out a carrot of encouragement.

Teachers in France are supposed to have power and to flex it. At one point in the film, the principle chastises a student for sitting before being told to and tells the student to stand only to then hae him sit back down again on the principle's orders. We can see exactly who needs to be in charge and just how little voice French students are supposed to have.

This love of hierarchy can also be seen in the first lesson taught in “The Class.” The primary lesson here is one of discipline and control. We see the teenagers coming into the classroom like teenagers: they laugh, they hit each other, they talk, they don’t settle down. Teacher Bégaudeau thus begins his first course of the year with a long monologue berating his students on their rowdiness. His class will start on time, not 15 minutes late, no exceptions. Unfortunately for Bégaudeau, a plucky girl quickly reminds him that no class in the school starts on time. We see how Bégaudeau’s power over the class is much more tenuous than he would hope.

My French friend was shocked by the disrespect of the class as they came into the room, and uttered a few gasps of disbelief at the nerve of the children. I was shocked instead by the teacher deciding to start the year off with chastisement. My educational experience would say that Bégaudeau should begin his first class with an attempt at an inspiring introduction to the material to be covered that year. Throughout the following classes, Bégaudeau is prone to chastise and tease students who cannot get the right answers despite the fact that Bégaudeau is clearly dedicated to his students and wants the best for them. This kind of chastisement from the good intentioned teacher seems entirely out of line from an American perspective.


Another major difference between the two school systems is the French acceptance of publicly discussing students’ success or failure. At one point in the film, teachers hold a meeting to discuss student results and progress. During the course of this meeting Bégaudeau says that a particular student is a lost cause and is worthless. This shocked me, especially because he made these comment in front of two students who had been nominated to attend the teachers' meeting. Word eventually gets back to the difficult “Souleymane” in question, and Souleymane is hurt by his teacher’s poor opinion of him and eventually acts out as a result.

Apparently, students in teacher meetings is a common practice in French schools. Children are nominated to attend teachers' conferences in order to hold teachers accountable for what they say. In the US, this type of public discussion of students is considered highly detrimental to the educational process. According to an American viewpoint, if a student knows that he or she is either at the top or at the bottom of a class, the student will not try as hard nor be as inspired. Americans would (ideally) give constructive criticism and encouragement directly to the student and only talk about student failure to the student, the student’s parent and peer teachers.

One challenge in the film is highly relevant to both French and American cultures : when does discipline go too far? Souleymane is one of Bégaudeau’s most difficult students. He is a tall, handsome boy full of barely contained rage and belligerence. For most of the year Bégadeau has difficulty making Souleymane participate in class. Part of the problem is that Souleymane, who is the son of Malian immigrants who do not speak French, has difficulty writing and reading. Souleymane only becomes inspired when Bégaudeau encourages him to “write” his autobiographical essay with photos instead of through an essay. But Souleymane’s hostile attitude and constant challenge to Bégaudeau’s authority finally get him kicked out of class. The major conflict of the film turns around whether or not Souleymane will be expelled. This leads to questions of the benefit of discipline: Is it better to punish and expel, or to pass over a student’s bad behavior? Should a 14-year old be held responsible for difficult behavior and to what point? What if a school’s decision to punish will result in the student being cut off from the education system completely? (In Souleymane’s case, we are led to believe that if he is expelled, Souleymane's father will send him back to Mali). These questions are not answered in the film, and both arguments for and against towing the discipline line are introduced, discussed and challenged.

"The Class" puts the subject of the French classroom under a lens and brings up many questions of how best to educate children as well as the challenges of the children of immigrant parents. It is a thought provoking film and relevant wherever you live. Go see it when it comes out in the US later this year. Until then, you can write your reactions and responses to this post below.

Staying Skinny in France.

While living in Paris I took the Metro often. This meant I had to walk up and down a lot of steps and stare at the legs of people in front of me. I was constantly struck by the same thought, What skinny legs they have! This was an especially painful thought when I realized the stick legs in front of me belonged to a man. I am all for women loving their bodies at any size, but seeing a country full of men smaller than you is depressing.

Men and women in France are skinnier than in the US. This is not just a stereotype, it is really true. I am constantly stopping myself from assuming that the incredibly thin women I see on the street are anorexic because the men look this way too. An entire country can’t be anorexic, so what is going on here?

The skinny condition in France can be baffling. At the cafeteria at my work I am constantly shocked by the austere whiteness of the just-eaten-off-of plates filing down the conveyor belt to the kitchen. Almost every single one has been eaten sparkling clean. French co-workers eat away plates of steak, veggies, dessert, breads and coffee, and many have thrown in a fruit or yogurt for good measure. The good eating / skinny body paradox makes you wonder, Is the French government putting a weight loss drug in the water?

No, that is one thing the French government is not paying for. France culture does, however, encourage a different relationship to eating than Americans are used to. This is good news for Americans tired of the same arduous get-slim-quick diets that seldom work. If you play by the French rules you get to eat better food AND win the calorie game for an entire lifetime. Here are the three major differences that help the French stay slim and eat all that cheese :

#1. Savoring Food.
French food is great. The country is overflowing with wonderful bread, cheese, wine, meat, sauces and tarts. In order to take advantage of this, the French won’t be seen eating and doing anything else. This means I stick out like a sore thumb when I eat and walk in France even though I have no problem doing so in the US. In the US you constantly see people eating and driving, but this would not fly in France. Here, there are meal times in which you sit down and eat, and then there is the rest of the day with only coffee to pull you through. (And in my American opinion, the French do not consider breakfast a meal as they eat like birds, nibbling on a few crumbs of bread or a sliver of cake and drowning down yet another coffee. You can say "adieu" to your four-stack of pancakes and your eggs and bacon if you come to la France.) These eating boundaries give people the time to enjoy food and also stay cognizant of how much they consume as their attention isn't taken up with something else. No snacking and no food on the run means that at meal times the French can eat rich food and not gain weight.

#2. Eating smaller portions.
In the US we have instituted the doggie bag to help deal with the excess of food on our plates. In France, no such thing exists and waiters would have no idea what you are talking about if you asked for one. Throughout the course of a French meal you enjoy several different food items, but in much smaller quantities than in the US. Small portion sizes make it possible to enjoy a variety of food without getting too full. Almost all portions are surprisingly small in France. I recently baked a cake to take to work and was horrified to see how small it was; my French recipe made what looked to me like a loaf for two people. It ended up being enough small pieces for about eight co-workers, so go figure!

#3. Walk!
Towns built before the age of cars means you can, and sometimes must, walk. Unlike our suburban sprawl in the US, French towns are designed for people to get around on foot. Bakeries, grocery stores and cafés, everything is concentrated in the same area in a French town and you’ll see both the young and very old walking around at all hours of the day. This provides great exercise. In Paris, getting to school for me meant crawling through dark passageways underground for 30 minutes, or speed walking for 40 minutes along boulevards and parks. I choose the open-air route. This meant, like it or not, I had almost an hour-and-a-half of exercise per day. In Toulouse, the grocery store provides me with my bi-weekly work-out as I have to hike my heavy bags 20 minutes back to my apartment and then up three floors of stairs. Pas mal comme exercice!

Transferring French eating values back to the Starbucks induced US can be tricky. But remembering that the calorie war can be won while still enjoying good food is heartening. Take it from the skinny French : quality trumps quantity and walking works.

Toulouse. European Capital of Culture 2013?

Children hide their ears near Place du Capitole as firecrackers attempt to blast Toulouse to cultural fame and fortune.

A dragon-dressed firework dancer.

Festivities continue with costumes straight out of Harry Potter.

Place de Pont Neuf fireworks illuminate the night.

Free concert by Cali on the Garonne River with Pont Neuf lit up in the background.

Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse have been competing this year to become the European Capital of Culture in 2013. Tomorrow night the decision will be made by a jury at the Musée d'Orsay and three other cities will be given the cultural axe. The city ultimately picked will benefit from increased cultural funding as well as greater publicity for the year 2013.

Toulouse is a possible candidate and has been preparing for some time. The pictures above were taken during Toulouse's two week long "Festa Europa" in early September. The purpose was to showcase Toulouse's cultural spirit to jury members as well as entertain Toulousians. Pictures above show one of the parades held Saturday night, September 6th. The free evening was sprinkled with drummers, street fireworks, art shows and dragons. Other events to be enjoyed along the banks of the Garonne River included live organ music, a firework spectacle (which was a very well done live music, theater and firework show combined) and a concert by the French artist Cali.

My analysis of the night? A little too many ear-blasting street fireworks by event coordinators and not quite enough festive-spirit by the Toulousains themselves. Maybe getting the prize for European Capital of Culture would heat up some positive street energy in the future. We'll have to see if Toulouse gets that chance.

Get Ready for the WOW! The Music Hole of Camille.

If you haven’t yet heard the French singer “Camille,” get ready for a WOW. Her music is bursting with creativity and life and will make you remember how interesting, inspiring and funky music can be.

I just bought Camille’s new album “Music Hole” and I can’t stop listening. It’s one part irreverent body slap, one part a capella heart song, one part funky beat and one part animal yelp. Camille’s goal was, in her own words, “to mix the storytelling ‘chansons’ feel from musicals with something more tribal: body percussions, minimalist trance, sub bass and throat singing.” The result is an audio explosion of new sounds.

“Music Hole” is a shift from the 30 year-old Parisian’s former style. Her first two albums, “Le sac des filles” (2002) and “Le Fil” (2005), fall into a more classic “French” music genre: poetic lyrics in French and wistful, melancholic undertones. You can already start to see Camille’s uniqueness in these two albums. She uses her body as an instrument. Her arms, chest and the lung cavity become drums, while her mouth is used as a noise-maker to create popping, whistling and clicking sounds. “Le Fil” is also interesting in that it is based around the idea of a connective “fil” or "string.” This can most notably be heard in the droning note that is present throughout the album.


Watch “Ta Douleur” film clip from “Le Fil”
Listen to “1,2,3” from “Le Sac des filles”
Watch the body percussions in “Le sac des filles”


“Music Hole” is a slightly different beast and represents some fairly significant shifts in Camille’s musical style. First of all, it is mainly in English and you won’t get a traditional French sound from this album (for more on the French love of music written in English check out my previous post). Secondly, “Music Hole” is more boisterous and adventuresome than Camille’s former work. It gets you going in multiple directions; it makes you want to laugh, clap, get up and walk around, sing and in between all of this contemplate life. And sometimes it makes you stop and think, that’s some funky noise. I, for one, appreciate the unique mixture of a beautiful voice, animal noises and a whole lot of body percussion.

Here are some examples from "Music Hole." This album is better the closer you listen. My advice is to get out the big headphones. Plug them in. And let Camille feed your ears.

“Money Note” makes me simultaneously laugh and dance every time I listen to it. It’s a spoof on both Mariah Carey’s singing style and the money-making music industry. The song starts with the clinking of coins and then gears up with increasingly complex layers of money talk, beat boxing, and percussion instruments. This money-making machine of voices marches on until Camille tells everyone to:

Everyone get up now
Get ready for the WAOW
Move your arms up in the sky
I’ll hit the money note

What’s she’s after?? Camille says it best: “I just want to beat Mariah, Oh! Let me deserve that raise.” If Camille can just reach that piercing note Mariah Carey proved possible, if not desirable, the bling bling will start rolling in. Camille’s going to give it a try and you have a front seat for the show.

When she does, she hits it right on the money with a screech that would make a blackboard cringe. ENTER AIRWAVES: OVERPRODUCED ‘SEXY’ MALE VOICE with confirmation of Camille’s success, “YEAH……SHE HIT THE MONEY NOTE – YEAH THE MONEY NOTE. (…) AND IF SHE HITS C EIGHT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT.” You can’t help but laugh. The song is a satire, has a wealth of innovative sounds, and gets you dancing. What a piece of ear candy. (Watch the video)

Where “Money Note” gets the body moving, “Sanges Sweet” is a contemplative reflection on the vastness of life:

I can’t believe what I have done
Been to the moon, been to the sun,
Of all the dreams I’ve had
Not one of them has come true the same night

The song draws out the ideas of lushness and loss. Again, Camille puts us in a rich audio-bed of sounds – this time loops of bells, clappers, piano, breathing sounds, and a myriad of different voice tones. “Sanges Sweet” falls squarely between joy and sadness and is easy listening. (Listen to the song)

“Gospel With No Lord” is an upbeat and joyful spin-off on Gospel music and has a Walt Whitemanesque, “Song of Myself” message. The music also reflects this with the body itself becoming the main music and percussion instrument in the piece. (Watch the video)

Want more? Get it from the Music Hole herself in this video. She’s funny, sweetly irreverent and speaks in Franglophone (Video is in English after the first 5 seconds).

Do you Have to Sing in English to Rock Out?

French singer.

The first French I learned as a child was an innocent little line straight from the honey-coated lips of Patti LaBelle "Voulez-vous couchez avec moi, ce soir?"

The scene was all-American. I was at a UC Berkeley football game with several different families. (For anyone French we’re talking about the kind of football where you mostly use your hands. Think helmets, dogpiles and very long pauses in between plays. Football is not to be confused with the other “foot” game you actually do play with your feet called soccer.) Anyways, my 12 year old self and a girlfriend of mine decided the post-football game mayhem was a perfect time to start singing at the top of our lungs. Whey not join in the fun? Somehow we landed upon the "voulez-vous couchez avec moi, ce soir" line from "Lady Marmalade." We of course had no idea what the sounds we were mumbling meant.

We soon learned. Our French performance sent my friend’s dad into stitches. He couldn’t stop laughing at the two of us. In between chuckles he explained that we were asking every slightly tipsy football fan around us to sleep with us. We were just old enough to understand this probably wasn’t a good thing to do.

Musical language confusion rarely happens to us Americans as we have very little contact with music in other languages. It was actually a stroke of luck that I even had one line of French to fumble my way through. Sure, you can catch Manu Chao on the radio from time to time, but you certainly won’t hear French hitting your ears in the form of a rock song.

Interestingly, it is not all that different in France. You certainly have a lot more musical choice than "Lady Marmalade" and "La Vie en Rose." But about half the songs playing on French radio are in English.

The strangeness of this phenomenon hits you when you realize the wealth of obscene English words played out across the airwaves in France. Aren't people shocked and offended? Well, no. Hardly anyone understands the lyrics they are hearing! I am sure many a French girlette has sung English lyrics that would make American ears burn, but no one here seems to realize.

What’s up with the French love of music in English? A recent article in the French paper "Le Monde" says that more and more French artists are singing in English. Seventeen out of 130 artists at the all-French “Francopholies” festival in July sang exclusively in English this year, a big shocker for a country that loves its language and has attempted to stop the infiltration of English words in the past.

Many non-English speaking French artists are turning to English as a way to reach farther and rock harder. The first reason is logical : English is more effective for musicians who want to make it big internationally. The second reason gets more interesting. English, apparently, rocks.

The French singer Sébastien Tellier holds this second opinion. Tellier represented France this year at the annual Eurovision song competition. The song that got him there, "Divine," is in English. Why? As Tellier explains, “Un Français qui chante du rock, ça fait nul.” Well, he doesn’t really speak English all that well, but if he did he might say Rock sung in French ain’t got no soul. Tellier says rock, RnB and rap all grew out of American culture and so when sung in French can’t have the same feeling. To counteract this, Tellier’s solution is simple; choose a few English words that sound good, throw them together, go on "Google translate" to be certain you are actually saying something in English and voilà! Suddenly he has a little English ditty to tempt the masses with.

The innovative French singer Camille has a different reason to sing in English; the language sounds are just more “funky.” In an interview for her new album “Music Hole,” Camille says English is more rockin’ because there are more vowels. French on the other hand has a lot of consonants, especially when sung. Camille says that when she created "Music Hole" she felt like dancing and she does rock it pretty good. She ended up with a much more joyful and energetic album then her previous French language albums. It is much less contemplative than her former style though just as innovative and interesting. Maybe there is no connection between the increased energy of her newest album and the language it is sung in. But it holds true that the French tend to rock out in English.

With more and more French music being sung in English, I’m starting to wonder if any other American children will even have the music material to "voulez-vous??" their way into trouble.

Posting Comments on a Perfect Créme Brulée

Let's say you saw a créme brulée posted on French Toast and you wanted to say a little something like this :

"Stunning! This photo has inspired me to cancel my winter plans and buy a ticket to come to the créme brulée capital of the world."

Well, you can now post such comments! Several people have complained that you have to be registered with Blogspot to post comments. No more! Now anyone can post away to their heart's content.

MORE ON THE CREME BRULEE : If you are inspired by the above photo to buy a ticket to France, you can satisfy your dessert desires at the Café Lunic in the 5th arrondissement in Paris, Rue de la Bucherie. I went there a few weeks ago during a trip to the City of Light. One of the major perks of this cute café is its proximity to Notre Dame. From the café's outdoor terrace you can spy a few glimpses of cascading buttresses on the backside of the cathedral one block away. Rue de la Bucherie is calm, tree-lined and a nice escape from the voracious throngs of tourists at nearby Saint Michel. Check out the prices before you sit down to enjoy though. I realized too late that my afternoon treat cost 9 euro, or almost 13 dollars! But after hours of walking up a very specific craving for a perfect créme brulée, this local is almost worth the price (and OK, I'm also weighing in the fact that it was my birthday). A quiet café just outside the tourist throng and a créme brulée that cracks when hit with a spoon? That is almost perfection!



Back to commenting on said créme brulée. Here is a step by step "how to" for anyone new to the experience. For everyone else, I hope you are already writing something witty back to me!

HOW TO COMMENT ON A POST.

OK. To comment, click on the link "comments" at the bottom of the post that interests you. Here you can also e-mail the post to a friend by clicking on the envelop with the arrow in it, or see other "links to this post."

An example from the end of my first post :



When trying to post a comment be sure to click directly on "comments" and not on the envelope. When you do so a box like this should appear:


Click on the above photo to enlarge. There you will find directions to make your post if you need them. Hope to see your posts soon!

To Kiss or Not to Kiss?

The French often kiss each other on the cheek instead of shaking hands. This is called giving “la bise” and is practiced by almost everyone in particular social interactions.

Kissing as a form of greeting is the cause for much confusion and no small amount of anxiety for Americans. The angst is reminiscent of the teenage embarrassment over the real French kissing, there is a lot of self-doubt, false starts and mustering of courage involved.

Unlike French kissing, giving these cheeky greetings has no romantic overtones. It is, however, a sign of friendship or at least affability. Less engaged than a full-body hug and yet more intimate than a distant wave hello, I find myself missing la bise when forced through the cold formality of anglo greetings.

In France, men kiss women, women kiss everyone and even close male friends can be seen in the streets kissing away. These aren't slobbery kisses, giving bises is more of a cheek press than kissing and a smooching noise can help you figure out the timing of the interaction.

To “faire la bise” you press your cheek to another person’s and then alternate to the other cheek, all the while saying "bonjour" or "au revoir." The number of times you alternate cheeks depends on where you live in France. In Paris people give two kisses, in the North they do three, and some French wait around for four cheek smacks. The direction depends on the region as well, which can result in much head ducking from right to left on the part of an ignorant American trying to figure out where you should be aiming.

The kissing self-doubt really kicks in as a result of the when, where and with whom questions. Is it more of a faux pas to kiss, or not to kiss?

The problem is exacerbated at work where there are the added elements of hierarchy and formality. Since la bise is a sign of friendship, you are not obliged to kiss all of your colleagues. Most French never kiss their boss and instead shake hands to say hello. However, since many people do make friends at work they salute them with a kiss at the office. This means friendships can be uncomfortably transparent and la bise can lead to a sense of insecurity on my part, why doesn't she kiss me like she does Agnes??

Here's an example of how complicated the work bise can get. When I first arrived at work I gave no one kisses and no one offered to do so to me. This has more or less continued similarly except for a few interns I know who work in another division. When I encountered someone from my own department in the street I ran into a conundrum; I had never given him la bise at work, but was obliged to go cheek-to-cheek with his friends. One of the golden rules of la bise is that you must give people your age kisses when you meet in a social setting. So I was faced with two options that canceled each other out; on one side it could be seen as jumping the gun on our friendship since we had never given each other bises before, on the other I risked being rude by not acknowledging him in the same way as his friends. I decided it would be best to kiss him as well. Interestingly, after we had seen each other outside of work, the bise followed us back to the office where it has remained ever since.

There are a few rules to follow that can ease the expat’s social and work life and lessen the discomfort with the bise. This very funny and cute film posted by Karambolage helps illustrates some of these rules. It explains to the French how difficult this greeting can be for their German neighbors (though the clip is just as relevant for anyone else unfamiliar with la bise).

Though such rules are helpful many of them have grey areas because the French often go by instinct. When in doubt, I usually wait for the other person to offer their cheek to avoid being too forward. But as giving la bise is very infectious I often find myself sticking out my cheek too often. I have tried several times to give la bise after lunch since I normally do not see my friends again. For me we are saying goodbye for the day. But when I do so they laugh and shake their heads at me. No no no they say, we have to wait until we leave work to kiss goodbye. Such late in the day encounters never happen, but they hold to the principle. Even in the country that is known for "the French kiss" there are limits. You kiss once upon arriving, once upon leaving. No more. Right, so if I want to give more bises, I'll have to make more friends.

Here are some rules taken from the Karambolage link above :

When you should opt for la bise instead of a handshake:

1. When you see people you know in social settings.

2. When you see friends at work for the first time in the day; this depends on the relationship you have with your co-workers and if you consider yourself friends or not.

3. You must always kiss everyone when you arrive at a friend’s house. This can result in a time consuming tour of all the cheeks at a party. You also get to repeat the tour just before you leave to say goodbye!

Who should you give la bise to?

1. You usually kiss close friends, family members, and people of your same age.

2. If someone is much older than you it is best to wait for them to offer their cheek.

3. You never give la bise to your boss. You shake hands. (Give one firm up and down pump. The French do not give long wiggly handshakes.)

4. Men can kiss but usually only when they are longtime friends or if they are in the same family.

5. All children give bises as a form of greeting / goodbye.

Other things to consider:

Goodbye – The bise is not just for hello but for goodbye as well, but you only get to do one hello and one goodbye a day. If you normally give bises on arrival you should do it again before you leave (the exception is at work where you can leave without doing so).

Social class – The more bourgeois you are the fewer number of kisses you give so generally the elite give two.

When given a gift – Women tend to say “thank you” for a gift or a very nice favor with kisses of the same number as the customary bise of the region. A man will do the same when a woman has given a gift to him.

Before going to sleep – Before children go to sleep they are given “bises” by their parents since sleepy time is a short goodbye.

Back to School. Two Different Recess Philosophies.

Children head to the park in the final days of summer in Toulouse.

Children playing in the mist waterpark in Bordeaux over the summer.

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, children will reluctantly pack away rollerblades and bikes and replace toys with newly sharpened pencils and unblemished erasers. It’s back to the classroom.

Recess time in the US has been on the decline in recent years, so students won’t get much of a break to ease their way back into times tables and ABC’s. The Sacramento Bee reported on Monday that recess in the US declined by 20 percent between 2001 and 2007.

Recess breaks in the Sacramento region will now be as short as 10 minutes in some districts. Granted, students will also have a lunch break later in the day. But this 10 minute “recess” seems ready made for a worker bee, not an eight year old hoping to build a sand castle!

Speed recess is not designed to squeeze the fun out of education. It’s the result of school districts reaching over backwards for ways to help students perform better. The theory goes, the more we can teach at these kids, the more they will take in. But these are children and not drones. Do children really learn more when they work more?

The recent response in France has been no, not necessarily. Children in France start a new school year today and they will be welcomed with the “école nouvelle generation." Changes to the old system will include fewer school hours and more individual attention in elementary schools.

Here’s the shocker, most elementary schoolchildren will now go to school four days a week! France is reducing the elementary school week from 26 hours a week to 24, and giving students all Wednesday off to play.

The idea of a Wednesday play day has long been a staple of French education. Traditionally, French primary students stayed in session Wednesday morning, while Wednesday afternoon was reserved for outside of school activities. This Wednesday play luxury meant that children also had to hit the books Saturday morning, in the classroom!

Saturday morning classes have slowly fallen out of fashion in France. Xavier Darcos, the French Minister of Education, made this tendency official beginning this fall. There will be no more six-day weeks for children. They need to play.

An exception will be made however for students identified as needing extra help. Low performing elementary school children will be required to stay two extra hours a week for personalized attention. The timing of such courses will be determined by individual school districts, and might cut into children’s free Wednesdays. This focus on personal help, and not a longer school day, might be the appropriate response to low-scoring students.

The Great Choice that is the French Market

Fruit Stand at Marché Jeanne d'Arc

Spiky Fig at Jeanne d'Arc, called a "Figue de Barbarie".

Butchers at Marché Victor Hugo.

Stingray and other rare sea critters at Marché Victor Hugo.

Give me liberty, give me peace. And then give me the French market.

There is a certain joy that comes with endless abundance and the ability to choose. This is found immediately in the crowded bustle of a French market.

In France there are markets that will make your jaw drop. You have never seen a spiky fig. Yet there it is in front of you. You have seldom seen stingray, yet there they lie staring back at you on ice. The world is your oyster at a French market. And yes, if you like to take things literally, fear not because there will be oysters. You will find wonder and you will find amazement. And you will believe in the good life.

Sunday markets have done this for me. I normally dread Sundays in France. Most stores close and streets are left deserted. For the French Sunday is a day of leisure; they usually head out of town to enjoy the country or gather with friends and family for a meal. But for newcomers who lack a social network, Sunday can be bland and lonely. The Sunday market is a zesty adventure potent enough to zap such thoughts away and get you looking forward to a week full of good eats.

Today I visited two of Toulouse’s regular Sunday markets, the meat, cheese and fish market at Place Victor Hugo and the vegetable market at Jeanne d’Arc. Both take the posh American love-affair with “Whole Food’s” to another level : fresher quality, personal attention, free tasters and lower prices.

For an American, going to the market here is like stepping into another world. There are no plastic wrappings and no pre-packaged products. There are, however, a staggering multitude of choices. The butchers at Victor Hugo illustrate this difference.

Customers are greeted by mountains of ruby-red cuts of meat, long rolls of uncut sausages, piles of salami and an army of hanging dried meats. A team of crispy-clean butchers help sort out these choices, cut meats and give preparation advice. I’m not a red-meat lover, but the meat here is presented so well that I am thinking of giving sausage a second chance.

There is a similar variety at the roughly 50 produce stands at the daily Jeanne d’Arc market. Here you get to explore free of charge. Want a taste? A vendor will hand you an entire fruit to bite into. Want a whole bagful? The prices are surprisingly low. I ventured forth and tried a spiky looking fruit that turned out to be a fig. I added this to my more common selection of fruit and vegetables and ended up with an entire basketful of goodies that cost under 12 euro. This price bought me a cornucopia of fresh produce: bananas, apples, plums, nectarines, figs, a melon, onions, lettuce, cucumbers and potatoes. And of course, a few hours worth of gastronomic adventures. Now that is something to look forward to!

Going to the Doctor in France.

After a recent visit to “le médecin” in France I left wishing the US could take a hint from the French. The biggest difference is the informality in French medicine. As a result, doctor appointments are almost enjoyable.

The first striking difference in France is the medical facilities. They are comfortable, clean and tend to resemble classy living rooms when compared with the sterile, efficient US facilities. Doctors here often have small private offices that are shared with just one or two other doctors. You won’t necessarily find spotless ammonia scented hallways, overly lit waiting rooms and large-scale facilities in France. If you're used to expecting such conditions don't be put off by the French style.

In my case, the exterior of the doctor's office wasn't comforting; a dark, crumbling stairway welcomed me to my appointment. This ominous entryway immediately triggered warning signals in my American-trained brain, was this some kind of back-alley doctor I was subjecting myself to?

In contrast, the doctor’s office itself was so pleasant I almost forgot I had come to see a doctor. The room had wooden floors, high ceilings, crown molding and lots of natural light. It was both office and check-up room. Art books sat on a marble fireplace and a pink glass chandelier tinkled overhead. The only signs that this was indeed a medical building were a doctor’s table and a sink tucked behind a Japanese screen at the back of the room.

The second major difference in French medicine is the informal manner of the doctors. In France, the distinction between patient and doctor is less defined; they are not far away in a hospital but in the apartment next door and they seem to take interest in your life. French doctors laugh, joke, and ask you about your vacation. In contrast, American doctors are robotic and disinterested.

My new doctor answered phone calls and chatted away with me during my visit. She was thrilled to learn I am an English teacher. In fact, she was looking for someone to help her prepare for her upcoming trip to Australia. Could I meet with her for private lessons? I was shocked by the invitation to break the patient / doctor boundary, but agreed to call her later.

The check-up itself was similar to those in the US, but the payment and paperwork were much simpler. The French health insurance system, called “la Sécurité sociale,” reimburses most medical needs. Even I will benefit from this system and be mostly reimbursed. In order to do so I will simply take the form my doctor gave me and send it into “la Sécurité sociale.” There was no need for a piece of identity and no questions about insurance. This was too easy!

My visit cost me 40€ though similar check-ups usually cost only 28€. As I wrote a check directly to the doctor she conceded that she was expensive. Most doctors’ fees in France are controlled by the state, but some can obtain special licenses to work outside of these regulations. She cut 5€ off my bill and threw in a free medical prescription perhaps taking pity on the fact that I was unfamiliar with the French system.

Going to the doctor in France is cheap and easy, you get quality-care and the doctors are surprisingly friendly. For major medical emergencies and complicated procedures I might feel more secure in the austere American medical environment. The French experience leaves you with an appetite for less medical paperwork, lower fees and a doctor that takes a personal interest in patients. Going to the doctor becomes much less painful this way.

Blood and Beauty. Saint Sernin Basilica

Rue du Taur

In 250 AD Biship Saturnin of Toulouse disobeyed the Roman emperor by refusing to make sacrifices to pagan gods. As punishment, the Bishop was tied to a bull and dragged through the streets of Toulouse. His end was a bloody one, but you wouldn't know that from the serene beauty of the basilica erected in the 9th century to host his remains.

Three major landmarks in Toulouse commemorate the final journey of Saturnin, who later became known as Saint-Sernin. Legend has it that Saint-Sernin's body was dragged along the now popular street "Rue du Taur" or "Street of the Bull." Today Rue du Taur boasts many crêpe and kebab restaurants popular among the younger crowd. Saint Sernin supposedly met his fate along this street and was originally buried where the dark and unimpressive "Eglise du Taur" now stands. Later, however, he was moved to the Saint-Sernin Basilica at the end of Rue du Taur.

The impressive Saint-Sernin Basilica was begun in 1080 and finished a mere 400 years later. It became a stop along the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in the middle ages and many pilgrims still visit the 128 saintly remains that are housed here.

Saint-Sernin Basilica took 400 years for good reason. The building is beautiful. Its simple brick and stonework create a light and airy atmosphere inspiring peaceful reflection. This is a welcome change after the complex and sinister Gothic style church. It is also impressive in size and is the largest Romanesque church still standing in western Europe. If you're visiting Toulouse take a stroll down Rue du Taur after vising the basilica and enjoy the fact that the only red you are seeing is brick, and has very little to do with bulls or blood.

Lunching in France. It’s Not Really About Food.

In France, eating is a sacred activity that is never muddled with other endeavors such as walking, working or checking the Internet. In France, you sit down with other people to eat. And once seated you talk. And you talk. And you talk. In fact, conversation and not food might be the real love affair of the French.

Eating lunch can get in the way of work in the States. Americans grab a sandwich to eat alone, or chow down at their desks in order to economize on time. In the US, if you take a full hour to eat every day, you are seen as either very lucky or very lazy. In France, however, the social lunch trumps work most days.

The French generally eat somewhere between 12 and 2 p.m. Linking a major part of these lunch hours is the almighty French conversation. This is a different beast than its American counterpart and it behooves the unwary traveler to study it before launching in.

The worst thing you could do as a work traveler is to venture forth to eat alone. In France, the very point of eating is to socialize. The French are not discriminatory about whom they eat with and value participation in this social event.

Once seated with French colleagues, avoid all personal topics of conversation. The French generally don’t want to hear about your personal life, and will tell you very little about their own. Conversation rarely turns to private family matters, political affiliations or weekend activities. Instead, the French choose general topics. A French lunch conversation might analyze the fabrication of olive oil, the lack of gun control in the US or the best restaurants in town.

The next difference is that the French conversation topic has a tendency to stick around while getting intellectual. In the US, conversation topics change like the direction of a bouncy ball. One topic leads to the next, and by the end of a thirty-minute lunch break we’ve bounced through 10 different topics. In France, you tease a topic apart with a fine-tooth comb, slowly pulling out and examining certain threads. This can seem overly controlled to the American taste. However, the French can make interesting conversation out of topics many Americans would consider banal and pass right over. Topics should be chosen with great consideration. Do you really want to be talking about a subject you just mentioned 30 minutes from now?

The ingredients to the French conversation? Time, a wide knowledge base and determination to keep discussion going. The results of this combination are plentiful.

Bordeaux Pics

Misty Bordeaux

This isn't smoke! It's the waterpark below in action.

Bordeaux Water Park

This is a beautiful water park in front of the Place de la Bourse. Water sprays up in a light mist from the ground periodically and provides children hours of enjoyment.

McDonald's

McDonald's macchiato and brioche in Bordeaux.

McDonald's à la française

When in France, you eat as the French do whether you want to or not. Once while in Paris with my family, a waiter vehemently refused to bring a well-done steak to our table. Our choice was bloody like the French like their steak, or not at all. We decided to opt for the salad.

Sometimes this stubbornness over cuisine quality is a welcomed surprise. While traveling recently in the South of France a friend suggested the McDonald’s breakfast. I’ve managed to avoid McDonald’s for the last several years but I reluctantly consented. It was Sunday and there weren’t many cafés open.

I was surprised to find the McDonald’s restaurant bright and cheery. Even more shocking to me was the stand-alone coffee bar equipped with a barista and a shiny espresso machine. My amazement soared when my macchiato arrived clinking in front of my in a white ceramic cup. It hit the roof when I saw my McDonald’s coffee decorated with an elaborate chocolate-syrup design. Quelle classe!

The French love to hate American fast-food, but for all that noise McDonald's is a huge hit in the country of haut-cuisine. That might be because the French have taken McDonald’s and adapted it to French taste. In France, McDonald's becomes "McDo": a more hip and tasty version of the American standard.

Some changes to the American menu include beer and the Croque McDo, a hot-ham-and-cheese sandwich popular in France.


The restaurant atmosphere is different too. In Paris' classy Champs-Élysées McDo, you can plug into the restaurant's music-listening stations and take your pick between new releases as you chow-down on “le Big Mac.” In Toulouse, customers sit on trendy barstools made of bicycle seats (you might have to search around for this particular McDo as not every restaurant owner boasts such a cycling affinity).


The downsides of the McDo experience in France? It’s more expensive and takes longer than in the States. I waited 5-minutes for my macchiato to be prepared and paid 2€60 for my drink and a slice of brioche. This is a bit cheaper than the normal 3€ for a macchiato in a local café, but not amazingly so.


If you’re ever in a pinch for time in France or trying to save your pennies on that frightening euro / dollar conversion rate, you might want to give McDo à la française a try. You won’t get the same 'ol Golden Arches you’re used to! On the other hand, it is a shame to waste your French eating experience on something that is still, in the end, McDonald’s.

Why Visit France Oustide of Paris?

Why skip Paris for small town France? I’m the first to recommend Paris full heartedly. It is a wonder trove made up of complex layers of history, architecture and people. Many French, however, cringe at the thought of spending time in the City of Lights. It’s dirty, crowded and moves at a hyper-active pace compared to the rest of France. Where does this opinion come from?

Well, it might be coming from people living in the south-western city of Toulouse. Compared with Paris life here is much less of a hassle. It’s cleaner, easier to get from place to place and the people are friendly from the first Bonjour!

All that is needed to understand the appeal of small-town France is a comparison of the Paris metro with Toulouse’s transportation system. The underground stations in Paris require passengers to march up, down, over and through all varieties of underground stairways, tunnels and escalators. Commuting in Paris means metro cars packed to the brim with rush-hour madness and the smell of urine lingering in dank passageways. Times this by two or three for the necessary transfers and you have a public transportation nightmare in the making.

Toulouse, by contrast, has two metro lines. Tiny bright yellow cars arrive every four minutes to shuffle Toulousians throughout the city in under 20 minutes. By the time you enter the station voilà! the trip seems already over.

Another benefit of Toulouse is that it’s quaint and calm. The streets are charming and welcoming. Most are so small and winding that they barely accommodate one-way traffic. Once you leave the busy shopping area you often find yourself alone to contemplate the cats lingering on cobblestone streets. This atmosphere becomes even more relaxed on Sundays, the day of pause. The city slows to a complete halt as families head to the park or out of town leaving streets empty and shops closed.

Most importantly, people in Toulouse are helpful and welcoming. When you’re spotted fumbling with a map, strangers offer to walk you to your destination and hand out their phone number in case you have more questions. I had one stranger give me her ATM card to help me start my cell phone plan! This might be slightly out of the norm even for Toulouse, but it is indicative of how helpful and friendly people are here.

To sum it up, Toulouse is a wonderful town to live in.Visiting smaller French towns like Toulouse allows you to vacation more like the French live, slowly with time to take in the beauty surrounding you. It’s a nice compliment to the more complex Parisian experience.