reunion in Paris and more

Sat down at a cafe on the street (I just discovered the sweet part of town) and "Mausam" by Nitin Sawnhey is playing, one of my favorite songs, (which subsequently was followed by Norah Jones, I think they swiped my iPod). So, I've got to go back and recount my Saturday night in Paris. By chance, my friend Drew, fellow student at SOU, was in Paris for a few days on his way to Poitiers for a summer internship. He's got friends in Paris that he met in Guanajuato, where he lived for a year through an exchange program. When he saw my email saying I was in Paris, he mailed back and invited me to a reunion picnic with his friends. It turns out that several of his pals from the program in Guanajuato were flying in that night. So we met up downtown, hit the market for some cheese, baguettes and saucissons secs (salami) and headed for the banks of the Seine, walking distance from his friends' apartment. The Gay Pride parade had made its way down their street that day, so the remnants of celebration lay all around. Happily, the remnants of those celebrating were partying on the Seine that evening. The sun was still making its way past the spire of the looming Cathedral Notre Dame at 9pm, as boats of tourists puttered by, lights twinkling, cameras flashing. There was a group of young, French, queer kids nearby, three of whom were having the greatest time mooning all the tourists as they floated past much to the amusement of all in proximity. The tourists on the boats clapped, cheered and snapped pictures. We laughed a lot. The group I was hanging with were a mélange of French and Spanish people, Drew and myself being the only Americans. I understood as much of the French as I did the Spanish, a new experience.
As the sun went down, little lights on the nearby bridge, the boats and the lights on the cathedral created an air of quintessential Frenchness. If only I could bottle it and send it back. Eventually we met the mooners, and their friends, many of whom spoke English well enough, and for awhile, the parties merged. About the time they decided to head to their next soirée, I was exhausted (still jet lagged) and I headed to the Metro. On the way I saw a huge crowd in front of the cathedral. It turned out that there was a guy with a guitar playing an Oasis song, and everyone was there watching and signing along. It's nothing like I've ever seen in the U.S. Parisians have a sense of community that I can't explain. Perhaps it's all the French, I haven't figured it out yet. Men, even young men, here are generally more willing to show physical affection with each other. And I'm not just taking about my new friends by the river. Even here in Angers, the teenage boys do the kisses on the cheek with each other. I love that way of greeting. It's just generally funny and sweet. I love watching the way different people do it. Some people here do 4 kisses altogether left cheek, then right, then left, then right. I try not to giggle, but it strikes me as funny sometime. I wonder, do you kiss more times depending on how close you are to the person you're greeting. And how do you both know how many times? What if one person tries to stop with three and the other goes for the fourth? Could be embarrassing. So far I've only gotten the two-kiss greeting here. I wonder if I will earn three before I go...
Let's see...what else?
Since my birthday I've started classes, and I love my sweet and dorky teacher. We're reviewing a few things and learning some new in the process. I am not sure that I really like studying French with people who will not speak English. We have a teacher's assistant (our monotrice, Magali) who does speak English, but only under great duress. We don't get English translations for anything, and I truly wonder if it's a better way to learn. The immersion is working, but when it comes to grammar, I feel more frustrated without translation.
A bunch of us went out on Tuesday night and had a good time. We bar hopped a bit and danced at one of them. I have yet to find a place where I'd actually like to hang out at night. I think next week I'll try to find a dance club. The problem is, the busses stop at 12:15 am and taxi cost upwards of $10 Euros, about $15 to my house. I am seriously contemplating a change of lodging. Now that I'm spoiled by being able to walk/bike everywhere in Ashland, I don't want to commute. Last night I went with my group to a big show about an hour away (2 hours by bus) that was one of the most awesome things I've ever seen. And I mean awesome in terms of the size and scope of it. It's called the Puy de Fou. Look it up online, it's insane! You sit in these huge stadium-style bleachers across a lake from this big castle, and I'm talking, thousands of people here. I don't know how to describe it. They put on this show about this particular part of France we're in that starts with medieval times and goes through WWII. Hundreds of performers, horses, sheep, geese, pigs, fires, lights, explosions, wars... it was spectacular. I'm glad it was in French because I think had I understood all the words it would have been more cheesy. If you're ever in France, I think it's worth the trip. The music was original, and it sounded a lot like the soundtrack to Lord of the Rings, which, of course, made me like it more. And it was not totally Disney-ed out. It was really well directed, and only at the end did it start to go overboard. Oh yes, and there were fireworks. Trés cool. I got home at 3:30 in the morning after a ridiculous time trying to tell one of les monotrices how to find my house for about 1/2 an hour. Yay.
Tomorrow it's Mont St.-Michel and Saint Malo. Mont St.-Michel being the Sleeping Beauty type castle on mountain. Can't wait! Castles are cool no matter what.
The pic is the view from our spot on the Seine trhe other night. My connection here is really slow, so more pictures will be posted on Monday...