Solidarity and the Paris Metro

There is another strike in Paris (shocker!) but this time, it got personal. I was aware that the SNCF (the company that controls all transportation within France) is planning a strike of just the tram workers in the next couple of weeks, but this morning I made my way to the RER and discovered that either I was wrong or there is another one going on.

Normally, every other train on the blue line goes without stopping to Charles de Gaulle airport, with pretty regular trains in between. Well, this morning all the RER trains werent going past Gare du Nord (after my usual stop, thank goodness) but only half as many were running - and only half of those running properly. I waited for 20 minutes to get on a train that went exceptionally slowly and was 20 minutes late for class. Sometimes the strikes will keep me from even leaving Arcueil (or so Im told) which Im sure I wont mind as much, but I hate being late. Also, a really strange, incredibly overly perfumed French man kept looking over my shoulder at my book the whole train ride and did not seem to care one bit about my lack personal space.

The rain today was miserable and it was very cold, but we did have a lecture on contemporary French politics so I got to use all the random detailed opinions and facts stored in my head.

A totally uneventful day except for a couple of small, not out of the ordinary things:

I discovered an Alcatraz mug in my host family's cabinet and had a good laugh - also because it is the only mug they own besides one that says Texas and has a giant gun holster around it. I decided to finally explain the somewhat vulgar reality of the Gamecocks to my host dad, who laughed but then it ended awkwardly when there was nothing left to talk about and I left the room.

My host mom also saved a pad of Post-It notes for me in case I needed something to write on in my room. I tried to explain that I have about 2300 pads of paper my Grandfather made for me but that, too, turned into a blind ramble when I realized that story is really only interesting to me - and in English.

I have also taken to muttering to myself in English when I get frustrated or fed up while speaking French. I figured out today that my host mom always laughs when I do that but she has absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. (She hardly speaks any English.)

All in all, a pretty run of the mill day. Tomorrow I think we are going to an upscale salsa club for my friend Clay's birthday, although a lot of the group isn't here because they are in Munich for Oktoberfest (aka Cheap Beer Week). I think there were only like 7 people out of 20-something in class today. Although to be fair, a lot of them played hooky.

Classes start next week at a few of the universities. Most of mine start the week after.

My friend Aaron from GWU is coming on Nov 23! I have no idea how to pick him up at the airport.

And....I get to sleep in tomorrow! I think I might try to wake up a little early, though, and buy my first textbook and see a sight. Maybe Pere Lachaise Cemetary.

Love you guys!