Study Abroad: A Gateway Drug

Last week I attended a Study Abroad Returnee conference called Lessons from Abroad.  The point of the conference was to help study abroad returnees reflect upon their time abroad and find ways to translate these life-changing experiences into academic and professional skill sets. Since reintegration is not always the goal, there were also discussions on ways to get another international fix. Study abroad vendors hugged the walls, ready with glossy brochures extolling rewarding internships and international graduate degree programs and, like drug dealers, promising an even better trip than the last one.

(C) 2011 Liane - Harvesting Slugs in Malaysia

Conferences such as these perform an important function. Returning home is often more of a shock than leaving, because while we assume that there will be a period of adjustment in the foreign culture, we often expect to slip back seamlessly into our pre-departure lives. You've changed and the people at home have changed as well. And they don't want to hear about your experienes. Really. An unintentionally amusing guide to "Marketing your International Experience to Employers," by Jean-Marc Hachey, author of The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas, warns that "very few people are interested in or able to understand your international experience." He suggests using language your future employer will be familiar with, for example, "able to deal with change" instead of "cross-cultural adaptability", or "political astuteness" rather than "diplomacy". You should also refrain from any discussion of how you may have learned from failure during your time abroad. Remember, American loves winners. Never mention your desire to travel or work abroad in the future. Focus on fitting in and say you're happy to be home. (He doesn't suggest wearing shiny red shoes and tapping your toes together to show cultural identification, but it may help.)


With suggestions such as these, is it any wonder that study abroad returnees often respond to re-entry by making plans to leave again? Based on anecdotal evidence and student feedback, I would say that 50-80% of students who studied at the University of Florida Paris Research Center either returned to the center for a subsequent program, later participate in another study abroad program, or work abroad through internships, job placements, and international aid organizations like the Peace Corps.

(C) 2010 Emily & Peace Corps: From Florida to Georgia (Republic of)

Study abroad, while not addictive, is undeniably habit-forming and may lead to further exploration and increasing dependence on the thrill of discovery of foreign lands, cultures, peoples, languages, and food. In fact, food figured prominently in almost every readjustment story at the conference, from the young woman who missed the nurturing ritual of her Bangladeshi host mother popping a lovingly prepared morsel of food into her mouth when she came home in the evening, the Senegal returnee who missed dinners sitting on the floor around the national dish that was eaten twice daily, the student who had taught in a Calcutta school whose landlord would bring up dinner to the apartment every night, to the young man who marveled at the weeknight family meals in Paris that would go on for 90 minutes even though everyone still had homework to finish.

Direct Enrollment
Many people are reluctant to study abroad again because of the expense. If you meet the language requirements, consider applying directly to a university of your choice. The cost is much less than going through a traditional study abroad program. The Université de Paris, subdivided into 13 universities, Paris I, II, etc., welcomes both undergraduate and master's level students.You can also apply for laboratory internships or you can audit classes at the University for continuing education credit (Formation Continue). See the Paris VII, Université de Paris Diderot - Paris 7, site for information in English on various programs.


Working and Volunteering Abroad
If you are a student or a recent graduate, you can get a work permit through CIEE.You are responsible for finding your own employment upon arrival.

You can get a head start on job opportunities by checking the online and paper classifieds FUSAC (France USA Contacts). English-speaking babysitters are always sought for summer holidays (and you might have the opportunity to go on vacation with the family).


The French government has a Teaching Assistant Program in France with 10-month paid placements in French schools.


For a list of volunteer international volunteer opportunities, see Volunteer Abroad or, for a long-term committment, the Peace Corps (see Emily above with her host brother, Beqa, in the Republic of Georgia)


Research Opportunities
Sometimes you just get lucky. When Liane returned from her semester in Paris, she applied for a position as an undergraduate lab assistant run by a French biology professor. She got the job, and six months later was part of a group of undergraduate and graduate students who went to Malaysia for six weeks to study snail DNA. Now she's looking forward to more international research expeditions and is considering graduate work abroad.


Like the travel junkie I am, if you hear of any good opportunities, let me know!

Salon de l’Agriculture 2012

The Salon de l’Agriculture is the first big Paris food fair of the year. I try to begin with a scouting mission first thing in the morning on opening day. The crowd buzz, jostling and extreme lack of personal space are reminiscent of a rock concert, except that it’s 9am, the average age is 50 and people like me are rolling over your feet with their grocery carts. When the doors open, it is a rock concert, people darting and scurrying this way and that, some decisively, others carried along with the stream. With five pavilions to choose from, some strategy is required. My favorites are the Animal hall (Pavilion 1) and the two-storied Regions of France food hall (Pavilion 7). Pavilion 2 is devoted to beauty and gardening; Pavilion 3 has an International food hall and booths with information on food and agriculture-related professions; Pavilion 4 showcases house pets and tourism.

Valentine says, "I'm on my way!"

The Animal hall will be, sorry, a zoo on the weekend when families descend en masse to see bovine prize winners from all over France, offering an opportunity to learn the difference between a Charolais and a Blonde d’Aquitaine (both much bigger than your average city dweller imagines).  It's also great fun to see the playful piglets, snoring sows, and other barnyard friends, including some crazy chicken plumage. There will be a huge crowd for the animal parade in the Grand Ring at 2pm on Saturday, opened no doubt by Valentine, this year’s mascot, a seven-year old Gasconne dairy cow.

The animal hall isn't just about showing animals to city people. This is big business. The dairy industry has an especially strong presence with information booths and activities to promote the biggest names in dairy products, les produits laitiers, such as Le Gall, Danone and the supermarket chain, Carrefour. Last year there was a hilarious dance act with hip hop dancers under a banner reading "Lait's danse", an awkward play on milk.  Think "Let's dance" with a very strong French accent.

McDonald's, or MacDo (pronounced "Mac Doh") for the French, is also on hand to promote their coordination with local farmers. After a very rocky start in Paris in the 1970s, and negative publicity from the political activist farmer, José Bové, beginning in1999, McDonald's, has made noteworthy strides in cleaning up its reputation, creating convivial dining spaces (within in the limits of the genre), and contracting directly with French farmers for potatoes and fresh produce, rather than importing potatoes from American facilities.

© 2010 K-Rae Nelson

The real draw of the Salon are the food halls of Pavilion 7. If you go in the morning, it will be fairly calm, but the afternoons are a madhouse. Grab a map from one of the information stands and start wandering. There is a vague regional organization with lots of traffic in the Aquitaine (Bordeaux) and Bourgogne regions (foreshadowing for the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants, the Independent Wine Makers Salon, which will be held March 23-26). Taste your way through both levels.  You'll find duck products galore (confit, cassoulet, magret seché, fumé, duck breast stuffed with foie gras), saucisse (sausage, to be cooked) and saucisson (salami-like sausage) from every region, farm-fresh cheeses, and regional specialties like Aligot, cheesy creamy mashed potatoes (25% Tome de Laguiole cheese, 12% cream), from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France. For immediate gratification, regional restaurants serve their special dishes and beverages.

Five Things to Bring Home

It's difficult to whittle the list down to five, but these are some of the items I regularly purchase, most of which travel well.

-          Eau de vie – Fruit Brandy. Unlike sea salt, it is very difficult to find excellent eau de vie, clear brandy distilled from fermented fruit. Eau de vie has a very fruity nose, but is not sweet to the taste.  It's similar to a grappa, but traditionally made from the Williams pear (poire William), plum (quetsch, or another variety, prune), raspberry (framboise), and the tiny, yellow Mirabelle plum. They are all fabulous, but a good framboise is heaven - the sweet aroma of the fruit with the herbaceous bite of the stem. I see that my last year's favorite, Michel Vosgien is not listed as a having a stand. You might drop by the Distillerie Castan and sample their eaux de vie.

o       Distillerie Castan 7.1, K32

© 2012 K-Rae Nelson

-          Sel de Mer - Sea Salt. You can buy sea salt from the Camargue on the Meditteranean; the Guerande Peninsula, or Noirmoutier Island both on the Atlantic coast.  I like the crunchy grey Gros sel de Guérande which I buy in bulk (about 10 pounds per year) and split between Paris and San Diego. You can also pick up Fleur de Sel, the fine and highly prized top layer of salt, as well as seaweed or fennel-flavored sea salts. While you're chatting with the paludier about their salt harvesting profession, be sure to sample one of the caramels au beurre sale salty butter caramels that they're always pushing. You'll be delighted to find that sea salt in France is a great buy. The markup in the US is about 4000%. (Note: you can also buy the same sea salt in most grocery stores in Paris.)
Gros sel de Guérande, Fleur de Sel, flavored salts, salty caramels

o       Les Salines de Guérande Pavilion 7.2, Stand J40

-          Ail Rose de Lautrec Label Rouge – Red Label Lautrec Pink Garlic. Garlic seems a bit of a homely offering in the midst of all of these delicacies. These braids of pink-skinned garlic with 6 or 12 heads per braid travel well and make great gifts. This pink garlic has a protected name and a quality label to boot.

o       Ail Rose de Lautrec Pavilion 7.1, Stand L31

-          Pruneaux – Prunes. Prunes, or dried plums don't have a particularly high sexy rating, but Pruneaux d'Agen, Agen prunes are pitted, dried and then rehydrated and pasteurized. They are very moist, delicious alone, but even better covered in chocolate (what isn't?), or filled with crème de pruneaux. Prunes are good in Armagnac (sweetish prune brandy or wine, as prune eau de vie and liqueurs. Who knew?

o       La Maison du Pruneau Pavilion 7.1 Stand F42

-          Noir de Bigorre - Bigorre Black Pig. This is the French answer to Spain's Bellotta ham made from free-range Gasconny black pigs in the Pyrenees. Sliced thin, and served at room temperature, this finely marbled, cured ham has a soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

o       Noir de Bigorre Pavilion 7.1, Stand M40

Salon de l’Agriculture February 25^th – March 4^th, 2012

Informations Pratiques - Practical information
Paris Expo: Porte de Versailles 9am-7pm
Nocturne/Late Opening Friday, March 2^nd, until 11pm.

1 place de la Porte de Versailles, 15^th

M: Porte de Versailles, Balard ; Tramway T2, T3 – Porte de Versailles

Plein Tarif – Full Price: Adults - 12€

Tarif Réduit – Reduced Price: Students, Children and Nocturne after 7pm - 6€

Movies in Paris: On se fait un ciné ?

I discovered classic American movies on rue Christine in Paris - adorable Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan in Ernst Lubitsch’s The Shop Around the Corner, terrifying Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter, and desperate Gena Rowlands filmed by her husband John Cassavetes in A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night - all in v.o. (‘vey oh’), or version originale with French subtitles.  As my French improved, I added French subtitled Russian, Chinese and Spanish-language movies, and finally, French movies. Trois hommes et un couffin, the hilarious misadventures of a playboy turned father and his pals whose lives are turned inside out with the unexpected arrival of a baby, later adapted into a cringe-worthy remake with Ted Danson and Tom Selleck, was my first French movie without subtitles. There were, in fact, side titles since I was in Tokyo, but that’s another story.

© Fédération Nationale du Cinéma

With 376 screens, almost half of which are in independent theaters, and 450-500 different movies playing each week, many of them in English, Paris is a cinéphile’s paradise. Strolling down the Champs-Elysées or in the Latin Quarter you can’t miss the small cinémas and people crammed together, hugging the narrow curbs in lines snaking down side streets on a Wednesday night, when new films are released. Last spring I encountered a traffic-clogging line for Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. The French love Woody Allen, and it’s set in Paris, so that was perhaps to be expected. But I didn’t expect to have to pick my way around knees and toes to reach my seat in an almost sold-out showing of The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu, made up entirely of archival footage.  Did I mention that it’s three hours long?  

It’s somewhat of a Paris tradition to get lost in the darkness of the movie theater. The American film director Bob Swaim came to Paris in the mid-sixties to study anthropology with Claude Lévi-Strauss, but ended up spending so much time at the movies that he decided to go to film school instead. David Sedaris, in his book Me Talk Pretty One Day, writes about the allure of the Parisian revival house, and his visitors’ quizzical looks when he tries to tempt them into seeing a movie rather than the sights. “I didn’t come to Paris to sit in the dark,” they say. “But it’s French dark,” Sedaris wheedles. Invariably, his guests trot off to Notre Dame, and he heads to the movies.

Twenty years ago on hot summer nights, we’d scour the Pariscope for air-conditioned movie houses and select our movies accordingly. For almost thirty years, the Fête du Cinéma at the end of June has brought throngs of people out to the movies for reduced rates.  The event has been so successful that one night was extended to three, and now there is a springtime version, le Printemps du Cinéma, as well as the Festival du Cinéma at the beginning of July, and the month-long outdoor Cinéma en Plein Air at the Parc de la Villette.  

© 2012 Première

Going to the movies is a huge Parisian tradition that shows no sign of abating.  Unlike in the U.S. where annual ticket sales are declining, 2011 was the best year for French cinemas since 1966 with an 8% increase in ticket sales over 2010, itself a banner year. The French film industry courts movie goers with unlimited annual passes valid anywhere in France for a bit more than $25 per month along with a host of other reductions. The French government finances the renovation of historical movie houses and the Ministry of Culture promotes many of the more than 166 film festivals held every year in France.

You can visit the French Cinema Museum, the Cinémathèque Francaise, located in a Frank Gehry building that had been built for the American Center, or the François Truffaut Cinema Library and film space next door, the Forum des Images on ‘Cinema Street’ in the Les Halles Shopping Center.

On se fait un ciné ? How about a movie? Whether you go to a mega UGC Ciné Cité at Les Halles or Bercy for a blockbuster, new release film, or try a cozy art house theater in the Latin Quarter, to guide your choice it’s useful to buy a Pariscope which appears every Wednesday at Paris newsstands. The Pariscope is your 40 centime passport to theater, music, museums and art galleries, flea markets and fairs, and most of all, to cinema.  If you don’t speak French, make sure that the film you choose is shown in its original version (v.o.), in a language that you understand. Pariscope lists the time of the séance, when the previews and commercials begin.  Projection of the film begins 10-25 minutes later.

The films are listed at the beginning of the middle Cinéscope section.  Current release films are listed first, then second run films (reprises) and film festivals.  Under the name of the film and its French translation is a short synopsis with the name of the theater and a number.  Flip to the section ‘Salles Paris’, look up the number of the theater and find the location of the theater, ticket prices, and show times.

© Cinémathèque Française

Cinémathèque Francaise, http://www.cinematheque.fr/

51 rue de Bercy, 12^th, M: Bercy. Closed Tuesday. Library, Exhibits, Screenings. 

Bibliothèque du cinéma François Truffaut, 4 rue du Cinéma, Forum des Halles, 1st, M: Les Halles. Closed Monday.

Forum des Images, 2 rue du Cinéma, Forum des Halles, 1st, M : Les Halles. Closed Monday. www.forumdesimages.fr, http://www.forumdesimages.fr/fdi/English

David Sedaris’ NPR segments on his time in Paris. http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/lists/sedaris/

Vocabulaire du Cinéma/Movie Vocabulary

On se fait un ciné ?                                        

How about a movie?

Une place pour Le Dernier Métro, s’il vous plaît.

One ticket for The Last Metro.

Une place tarif réduit/étudiant, s’il vous plaît.

One student/discounted ticket.

A quelle heure commence le film ?

At what time does the film start ?

Paris For Film Buffs: On the couch and on the street

A great way to prepare for a trip to Paris, or just to get your Paris fix, is to watch some movies. Approximately 10 movie crews are filming in location in Paris every day, so there is no shortage of films set in the City of Light, including the classic An American in Paris, the historical Jefferson in Paris, French New Wave A Bout de Souffle (Breathless), for Julie Delpy fans, Before Sunset and 2 Days in Paris, and for yet another American in Paris, Le Divorce.

It’s hard to resist Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, especially for students of Americans in Paris in the 1920s.  Fluffy and clichéd, it fits perfectly into the American dream of Paris.  I particularly recommend watching Paris je t’aime, less dessert and more food for thought, although with its share of wackiness.  The film is a series of five-minute vignettes about love set in 18 Paris neighborhoods, each filmed by a different director.

For more films set in Paris, see French film critic Agnès Poirier’s list of 10 of the best movies  filmed in Paris: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/jun/03/top-10-films-on-paris .

   

Capitalizing on the enthusiasm for Paris and the movies, the Paris City Hall has put together a series of walks, called Paris Film Trails, Parcours Cinéma in French, highlighting scenes from crowd pleasers such as Midnight in Paris (Minuit à Paris), the Edith Piaf story, La Môme, everyone’s favorite rat, Ratatouille, The Devil Wears Prada (Le diable s’habille en Prada) and Spielberg’s new blockbuster, Hugo. 

The walks, available at the link below, can be downloaded in pdf format and include information on the story, the filming, and a map of the locations discussed.  When you open the link, scroll down and click télécharger (download) on the selected film.  

http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/paris-et-le-cinema/parcours-cinema/rub_8358_stand_11911_port_19409

Like in the Movies

© 2004 Victor Vianu

Doisneau: Paris Les Halles - Photos at the Hôtel de Ville

This is one of those exhibits that makes me so happy to be in Paris - 150 of Robert Doisneau’s photos of Les Halles Central Market from 1933 until its dismantling in 1971.  And, even better, entry is free.  The exhibits here are often excellent, almost always free, and unless you drop by on Sunday afternoon, lines are rare. Below is a link to a slide show of Doisneau’s incredible portraits and then a link to a French-language video about this exhibit with an interview from an American gentlemen remembering his summer in Paris in 1960.



https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/getEmbed

http://dai.ly/wCanC8

Hôtel de Ville – Doisneau Paris Les Halles
Du 8 février au 28 avril 2012/From February 8 – April 28, 2012
Tous les jours sauf dimanches et fêtes de 10h à 19h. Dernier accès à 18h30. Every day except Sunday and holidays from 10am to 7pm. Last entry at 6:30pm
Salon d'accueil de la Mairie de Paris/Welcome Hall of the Paris City Hall
29 rue de Rivoli, 4th; Métro: Hôtel de Ville across from the BHV Department Store
Entrée libre./Free Entry

Accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite   Handicapped accessible.

© Atelier Robert Doisneau

Museum Vocabulary

Infos Pratiques            Practical Information such as opening hours, address, entry fee.

Tous les jours sauf       Every day except – followed by the day or days the museum is closed. 

Tlj sf.                          Abbreviation for tous les jours sauf.

Entrée libre                 Free entry.

Gratuit pour les moins de 18 ans, étudiants, chômeurs

Free entry for under 18, students, unemployed

Accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite   Handicapped accessible. 

Note : Paris is not the most accessible city in Europe for people with physical limitations. 

Some busses have wheelchair ramps.The metro system has a ridiculous number of stairs

and very few stations are equipped with elevators. Below is a link to a web site with 

information on reduced mobility access in the Paris transportation system.  

http://parisbytrain.com/map-paris-wheelchair-reduced-mobility-accessibility-metro-rer-bus-tram/