La Différence En France: One Month In

Just a little over one month in and I'm fully reminded of the ways in which France is different from the US. Much of it I don't really mind at all but some things do require some adjusting.

1. The number one thing that still drives me crazy is the fact that the French do not pick up their dog "merde." This I do not understand. By big city standards, Paris is actually quite clean. There are trash cans sprinkled liberally throughout the city but alas, no one picks up their dog's crap. Except for us. And every time I pick it up, I wave the little green poop bag in the air showing all of Paris that this is a civilized thing to do. (Not really, but I'd like to start my own French Revolution on this topic).
2. Laundry takes forever in Europe. I really cannot figure out this reality but the machines run on super long cycles and the dryer really takes a long time. I know having a dryer is a luxury so I have learned to plan for the time it takes and I do hang dry quite a few things anyway.

That little drawer on the left of the dryer closes while drying. Since we are in an apartment, the dryer has a "water drawer" where the excess steam and water from drying collect and I have to empty this after each wash.Also, the size of the appliances is quite a bit smaller than US standards! Works for us. I have figured out how to reduce the time on a wash cycle by changing the timer but the shortest wash cycle for non-delicate is still over an hour. All that said, I am super happy for such a nice washer and dryer in the comfort of my own home. The washer and dryer are in the bathroom which is actually quite large. One thing about French design that is kind of interesting is the reality that most of the time, the toilet is not in the same room as the shower or bath. The toilet has a separate room, often with a little sink. Then in another room you have sinks and a shower or tub. It's really kind of nice.

3. Kitchen appliances are small too. My refrigerator is actually a fairly good size by European standards and so is the freezer.

I can actually stock pile a bit in the freezer so I am grateful for that. I would not be able to cook a 20 pound turkey in my oven and that's OK because I would never eat 20 pounds of turkey and it would cost a fortune.

Turkey is not common meat in France. (We are getting a new stove/oven! It won't be bigger but it will function better than the current model!) The stove and oven are also electric which is what I had for all the years in Sweden but I do miss my big gas range sometimes. Alas, no garbage disposal so I'm constantly digging food remains out of the sink but again, that is only a convenience not a necessity. The kitchen is small compared to the rest of the apartment but I am figuring it out. Counter space is sometimes a challenge.

I know for a fact that it is still a lot bigger than many kitchens I have seen in other places. It's odd...I've seen so many large apartments with very small kitchens. One would think in France, the kitchen would hold the seat of honor in any living dwelling.
4. I go to the store often. I am super grateful for 3 really wonderful grocery stores and a street devoted to daily outdoor markets within walking distance of my house. I don't throw away much food anymore because we tend to buy fresh on the day we are going to use it. In CA my nearest grocery store was a 3 mile drive away and so I am grateful for the chance to zip down to the store on foot. I have a nice little grocery cart that I wheel along behind me that makes getting my goods home a bit easier.

I need to master the art of going to the speciality shops for specific items. On the Rue Cler, which is a famous food street in Paris, I have a wonderful cheese shop (fromagerie), butcher (boucher), florist (fleurist), and an amazing display of produce and other delights. All within a 10 minute walk from my house. Of course, the bakery is close...5 minutes. The only way to enjoy bread and pastry in Paris is fresh. But because I am on foot for everything I have succumbed to ordering larger items off Amazon, and a larger grocery store that I get to by bus also delivers, and it really is helpful. Sometimes I have a hard time communicating with the delivery man since he only speaks French but alas, I have always managed to get my food up to my apartment!
5. The food is tastier here. I think it must have to do with preservations and additives that are just not as widely used here as in the US. Food goes bad quicker but since we tend to buy only what we need, we are eating it fresh most of the time.
6. The dog has to be taken out not just let out. Maddie seems to have adjusted to apartment living quite well. I'm sure she misses lounging in the sunshine on the patio but she has made herself quite at home here.

She now understands that she doesn't get up until we get up! Then one of us has to hustle downstairs with her, cross the street to the grass strip that runs beside the road. She's very good about waiting, and we are now alert to her own signals of needing to go out. There's the morning outing, the midday outing, the long walk late in the day, and the end of the day outing. The walks have been delightful as we discover Paris with our sweet lab in tow, but when it's driving rain outside and windy or cold, it's not that fun having to take her out by hand. Still, we'd never have it any other way. It's delightful having Madeline in Paris with us!

7. Out of respect for the culture, I have learned that French people really appreciate being greeted when you enter a shop. A simple bonjour goes a long way in their tolerating my inability to speak their language. Always say merci, which is thank-you and then a polite au revoir (good-bye) on your way out is also necessary. These small niceties are greatly appreciated and exhibit some cultural sensitivity on the part of me, the foreigner. The French get a bad rap for being arrogant or rude. I have not seen this. I see them protecting their culture and wanting foreigners to understand what's important to them, and in my mind, that's OK. I am the outsider here. And I do not speak French. Although I am trying to take in a bit every day with my duolingo app!
8. My main mode of transportation is my feet! It is very freeing to not have a car, both from an expense and responsibility point of view. We also have a monthly card called the carte navigo that allows us to travel on all modes of public transport throughout Paris and so it's very easy to get around town. But walking remains the preferred mode. I have obviously increased my daily average step count and I actually really love not being in a car all the time. There will be times when we will rent a car to go somewhere, especially when taking the dog but that's pretty easy to do here. I get in a some stair climbing as well as we live on the 4th floor of the building. I usually walk up with Maddie in the morning and try to walk up a few times during the work day. I call it croissant combat! But unfortunately, the elevator also breaks down with frequency so then I have no choice! I don't mind walking up that much. I hate having to lug stuff up. C'est la vie when you live in a multi-story flat.

As time goes by, I'm sure I will note even more differences as many of the differences are subtle. But generally speaking, I feel that we are navigating this new life quite well and learning something new every day which is a good thing. We do feel remarkably at home here...the house and our office are starting to feel like ours (photos to come), we are learning the day in day out rigors of our job, we enjoy our colleagues, and are building some friendships. All in all, we are are enjoying notre vie en France.