today i took a walk to the post office in the 5th (the latin quarter) because i had a letter waiting for me there. it's been raining here on and off for the last several weeks; today it rained all day. i got out of the metro and a couple of blocks away i saw a woman with a plastic bag on her head. no, not a plastic bonnet made for the rain, but a white bag meant for groceries with the loop handles near her ears. i was kind of staring at her, trying to decide if it would be p.c. for me to take a photo (it was bizarre and funny all at once) when she approached me. in french she asked me where the metro was. i told her "just over there" she thanked me and i said "you're welcome". all in french! i walked away kind of stunned and proud of myself.
previously when someone would stop me for directions i could tell they were asking for directions but it all sounded like charlie brown's teacher (whawhawhawha...or in yiddish yadayadayada). now i actually knew the words! i have also caught myself a couple of times in the metro thinking in french (e.g.: "line deux bleu", not "line two blue"). i have been studying my french on the computer every day. i think it's finally working.
the post office was very close to the pantheon, so i decided to continue up the street to have a look. in all the previous visits i have had to paris (four!) somehow i never visited this building. wow, what a mistake. it is unbelievably beautiful. if you like me have never seen it before, it's a must. some of the most prominent french are buried there (like voltaire, the curies, and even braille).
although i am still looking for work, today was quite satisfying. and what was at the post office waiting for me? two buffett tickets that i ordered! so if any of my parrothead friends decides to come to paris in the fall, keep september 24th open and come with me!
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