My paris retrospective: One crazy night in Munich

I started out writing this post with the intention of recounting my weekend trip to Munich while I was in Paris.  Then, a friend of mine posted this photo of the pathway to success on facebook. 

Oddly enough, I thought it was a map of my mental process.  I'll take you on a journey to illustrate why I say this:

• I was thinking this morning that my wardrobe seriously needs an update.
• Then I thought, wow, I really didn't buy any clothes in Paris.
• But then I remembered that I was trying to stay within budget and not end up begging on the street in Paris.
• And that led me to think about another Facebook post in which one of my friends from Paris considered creating a prostitution cooperative in Paris in order to finance the things she wants.
• But I think that maybe I made a mistake in not enjoying the food more in Paris, 'cause isn't that what it's renowned for? However, it's not like I didn't enjoy some wonderful meals - just not everyday.  Which leads me to note that I lost 12 lbs while in Paris.
• I go back to my original thought which is that I didn't buy any clothes in Paris, and realize that it's for the following reasons: 1. Clothes are crazy expensive, as are most things when the Euro is kicking ass like it was when I was there. 2. I really was trying to be mindful of what I had to take back.  On the way back, I ended up giving away a blazer and a pair of jeans in order to smuggle my wine and cheese back. 3. I lost some money, at first I thought it was on the train ride back to Paris from Munich, but then I realized that it was while I was dancing my heart out at M Bar in Munich.
• This lead me to think about my trip to Munich.  Which was what this post was supposed to be about before I got sidetracked looking at the facebook post on the journey to success.

See what I'm sayin'...

My trip to Munich - next post

My Paris Retrospective - Day 1 Morning

It felt surreal getting on the plane...  I almost couldn't believe I was actually going to accomplish a dream of mine for some time.  Call me a bit pessimistic (I like to think I'm a realistic optimist) but I had slowly begun to buy into the idea that after a certain time in your life, you should give up your dreams and "face reality".  I have always wanted to travel extensively, but had put those dreams on hold since I started my family relatively young (at 22). 

I made the mistake of taking United Airlines to Paris AND not taking the $99 upgrade to Economy Plus when it was offered to me.  Needless to say, every muscle and joint was aching by the time I arrived at 7 am Paris-time.

With my one carry-on bag and one personal bag stuffed to the brim with shoes, I proceed to a machine to get my tickets for the RER train going from Charles De Gaulle to Clichy, where I will be staying.  At this point, I'm feeling very proud, because I didn't have to check any baggage, plus I've studied the Metro and RER map over and over during the flight, and know my route well.

The route:
RER B to Gare du Nord
4 train (direction Porte de Clignancourt) 1 stop to Barbes Rouchouart
3 train (direction Porte Dauphine) 4 stops to Place de Clichy
13 train (direction Asnieres-Gennevilliers) 4 stops to Marie de Clichy

Laura, my host mother's sister (I feel so weird calling Agnes my host mother since we're the same age, but it fits somehow) agrees to meet me at the station once I call her. 

I know that I have to buy a ticket for the RER train, as well as a Navigo weekly pass for the last week of July, and a monthly Navigo pass for the entire month of August.

Fun facts about the RER and Metro.

• The Metro serves Paris, and its immediate suburbs.
• The RER is a suburban high speed train that serves suburbs that are a little further outside of Paris. 
• The RER has many stations within Paris that have direct transfers to Metro stations, so it's very convenient for people who live in the suburbs to get into Paris.
• The Navigo is a pass that offers discounted prices for volume purchases of rides, much like a Metrocard in New York.
• You can buy one week, one month, and I believe one year options (but don't quote me on the yearly one).
• It's graded by zones 1-5. The further out you need to travel regularly, the more expensive the pass.  Most of Paris proper is served by zones 1 and 2.
• You can rent a bike using the Velib system with your Navigo pass.
• Charles de Gaulle is zone 5.

More story
Being used to New York Metrocard machines, I walk up to a Navigo machine.  Logical, right?  The machines at the airport don't take bills for some reason,  so I then proceed to a ticket agent.  The line is ridiculously long, and I wait for an hour.  Meanwhile, I try to see if my phone will work so I can call Laura.  Of course it won't.  No problem, I try wi-fi, no go.  At this point, I'm chalking it up to my jet lag and overall mental haze.  I don't worry.  I just wait on line and study my map a little more so that I can figure out exactly where I need to go once I get of the train at Mairie de Clichy...

When it's my turn, the agent doesn't speak English!

Ok, I'm in Paris, it makes sense.  It's just that I quickly realize that my one semester of college French in no way prepares me to hold a conversation with someone.

Surprisingly, I'm able to secure my ticket, and find where I'm supposed to go.  I get on the train, and the announcer starts rattling off something in French.  No idea what she's saying... So I sit there, and slowly, everyone starts huffing and then exits the train.  So I get off too, not sure where I'm going, so I follow everyone to the train across the platform.  The mental haze is starting to lift, and I realize that I'm going to learn quite a lot during this trip.

Thankfully it starts moving, and I'm able to get to Clichy, albeit 3 hours later than I'm supposed to, where my host's mother's sister is waiting for me to arrive.

Laura speaks English with an almost imperceptible accent (due to her family's 4 year sojourn in California when she was young), and is warm and friendly despite operating on a few hours of sleep.  She quickly shows me to my room, gives me a quick tour, and allows me to use her laptop to email friends and family.

Cultural aside - AZERTY
I start typing on the keyboard without looking at the letters (I've been typing for a couple of decades now, I'm good).  Only I realize that I'm not typing what I think I'm typing.  It's an AZERTY keyboard not QWERTY. The keyboard is different, not totally but different enough to turn my words into nonsense. 

So I adjust, and over the course of the month, I become pretty good at typing on this keyboard as well.  It shows how easily the mind can adjust to newness...

Quick caveat to explain that I'm not completely inept:  I've planned numerous trips for professionals and executives, who incidentally can be whinier than your worst tired and hungry 2 year old.  With them, every little detail has to be ironed out, because you can be sure they will question you about it over and over again.  I give this quick caveat because I felt totally inept the first day in Paris, but my self-confidence was buffered by the overall haze that is jet lag.

My life in Paris so far

I know it sounds like I'll never be back, but I will, probably, I think.

Just kidding. I'll be back stateside on the 20th of August.

My initial impressions:
1. The city is beautiful. I'm proud to say that with the help of a couple of friends who've been here before, I've been able to get around.

2. It's made for walking. There are plenty of tiny streets that you can get pleasantly lost in but the circular plan of the city and the abundance of Metro stations, make it easy to find your way. My first day I got intentionally lost in l'Opera district while looking for the Apple store. I was mooching the WiFi connection. It was swarming with tourists taking advantage of the sales before August vacations. Between the architecture and the window displays I barely noticed the time and easily walked for an hour before catching the Metro. 3. The people are funny. I mean funny in terms of having a sense of humor. Be prepared to laugh at yourself and others.

Time to put Old Yeller down

Dealing with people who have become ingrained in the narrow minded, stifled corporate culture is like dealing with a dog with rabies. You’ve got to put them down.

There no use to anyone at all.

Brooklyn on the Cheap: The Afropunk Festival has a stellar lineup - Madness in the best possible way

Lineup:
Cee Lo Green
Santigold
Janelle Monae
Fishbone
Jay Electronica
Toro Y Moi
Toshi Reagon
Ninjasonik
Cerebral Ballzy
Gordon Voidwell
Reggie Watts
Res
Joi
Rocky Business
Straight Line Stitch

I'm all about it.

Friday Playlist - Pon De Floor Major Lazer

I've been hearing Beyonce's "Run the World" constantly for weeks now, and although I loved her Billboard Awards performance, I can't help but feel nostalgic for the original.  I remember when the video first debuted, my friends and I fell in love immediately, with the song, the dance, and the videography.

Original Video

Pon De Floor featuring Afro Jack & VYBZ Cartel from Mad Decent on Vimeo.


Beyonce's performance

Brooklyn on the Cheap - Groceries on Food Stamps

Some of you have asked how it was possible for me to receive food stamps if I have a job. 

Well,  I applied in February before I had my current position.

Some background - After finding out that I was not going to get a position I had been interviewing for at a Beauty company, I realized that I would need help paying for food.  It was an all-time low for me.  My sister had been insisting that I try getting Food Stamps and it was no longer going to be a maybe. My husband had cashed out his 401K to pay our mortgage, and zero out our credit card bills and car note, and we were almost tapped out.

Thankfully, I could prescreen online.   By the next day, I received a call from a counselor who told me that based on my income and expenses, I'd qualify for expedited assistance.  24 hours later, I had an EBT card with benefits deposited on it.

Firstly, I could get expedited assistance but I had to travel to my local office to show proof of identity for myself and my family.  I was traveling with my entire family history on my person (social security cards, birth certificate, marriage license, you name it).  I was so paranoid walking around with all that important paperwork on me.

Like any bureaucracy, there was a long line, and a plethora of paperwork to fill out.  During the wait, I looked around and noticed at the types of people on the lines.  It seemed to be a cross-section of New York City.  After 4 hours, during which I completed studying that I could probably not have focused on at home,  I received my card and it had benefits on it.  It seemed relatively easy and too good to be true.

What I learned afterwards, was that the $780 on there would have to last me for 2 months!!!  Unfortunately no one explained that to me at the Food Stamps office, which I learned was their M.O.  I was not sure if it was purposeful, or if it was due to the employee's communication skills (or lack thereof).

Since then, I've received $500 a month, which incidentally I can spend in two weeks to feed a family of 5, and that's if I'm eating food of lesser quality, less frequently than is probably healthy.  Thank God I have a job.

It's fairly obvious if you go to the supermarket that there's a reason why there's an obesity epidemic, particularly among less wealthy people.  It's cheaper to get soda than water, no lie.  I saw a coca cola special 5 2-liters for $5.  A gallon of Poland Spring - $1.25.

OMG - DJ Frank Gossner put it down at Zebulon

I can't stop thinking about his set.

I went to Zebulon a couple of weeks ago based on a recommendation by my brother in law, who is all-things music. I was flabbergasted once the DJ started to play.

I love Fela, have been to countless sets that were Fela/ Afrobeat based parties, and I have to say that DJ Frank Gossner played not one song that I heard at a previous set, and they were all funky and break-beat ready.

It was amazing and I'll definitely be back.  He'll be at Fort Greene Park on July 12th, but unfortunately I'll be out of town.

He's  performing with Antibalas.  I wish I could go, but I got to make that paper...

Some links for DJ Frank Gossner - Thanks Nate!
His Blog
Daily News Article