most people in France, when they go out with their friends or whatnot...usually do so because they cannot host many friends at their homes. pretty much everything in France is smaller than like in the USA, and having get-together's is practically impossible. this is especially true for most students...including people in my program. we are either living in residence halls with strict guidelines prohibiting guests, or living in homestays with French families. neither are very accommodating toward guests.
donc, ("thus" in French...i may toss in random french words every now and then) they pretty much always go out to restaurants, bars, or cafes. restaurants are typically not ideal, unless you are hungry...because food is expensive in France. better yet...EVERYTHING is expensive in France. and restaurants usually get upset when people take up room at their tables and don't eat. the same rule applies in the USA. trust me...i used to work in a restaurant. i know how mad they get.
so, the only good option is to go to bars of cafes. these establishments are built FOR French culture. people go to them to meet friends and to chat. people generally don't get drunk in bars. it's too expensive to get drunk in France. it's too expensive to do ANYTHING in France. haha. that's just where people can sit and talk without being hassled to leave. cafes generally close before dark too, leaving bars as the only option.
being a temporary resident of France, i and my fellow classmates in our study abroad group have also had no choice but to assimilate into this bar/cafe culture. but many of the people that go to bars don't even drink. just because you are at a place, does not mean you are involved in a shady activity.
it's just too cold outside to spend time sitting around outside. in a few weeks, hopefully, it will be warmer.
so, yes...i understand why some people may be upset or whatnot about me going to bars, but if anybody i knew here had a large enough home and no restrictions toward guests...i would be spending time there, and not in bars. so please...you do not need to worry about me. i know my beliefs and my morals, and i will not infringe upon them. and also, i don't like being dishonest in what i say or write, or censoring it...and i would think that people would want to know the truth about this trip and not just the touristy, cute fluff...and this blog is moreso for me (to look back upon in the distant future) than it is for the readers. as rude as that sounds, haha, it's not. it's just the truth.
-----------
today was my first "day off" in France, so far. i don't have any classes on wednesdays...so i was able to sleep in until 11:00 am or so. it was so nice! my friends all have classes today...so they were at school. i, on the other hand, went out walking...just exploring. i went to the Canal Saint-Martin (in the 10th, just north of where i live) and walked up and down each side of it. i got a delicious kebab sandwich and fries from a Turkish place nearby the canal, and sat on a bench there, eating it. sadly...i forgot my memory card in my laptop, so my camera could not take any photos. but here are a few from wikipedia:
it looks like this, but without the leaves. it's still winter now.
i love all the bridges!
i then went to CEA to look up some things, and then ran some errands. i'm back at home now...and going to a small flat-warming dinner/get-together at an apartment that two of the girls in our program are living in. and then tomorrow at 2:00 pm is my first day of l'Histoire Française! i'm really excited about this class. i just hope i can comprehend all of it. :[
- being responsible, i promise
Beni darling, it's okay to go to bars! You are of age by both EU and US standards. You are legally allowed to go to bars, and I imagine things are quite smaller in France and less hospitable to hanging out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place you visited! Good luck with French history...I don't know much aside from Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, etc. Haha!
-Emma