Top 25 observations

So we thought after being here just over a month's time, we should take a shot at putting to words some of our observations. Feb 3rd was actually our month point, but it's taken several days of brainstorming to put it all together. We've also lost track at this point of who we've told what...so this might help fill in some blanks. Alors, in no particular order are our Top 25 observations:

1. Paris is really cold in the winter. I don't think this is because we were living in Dallas before (as we were in Boston for 3 years before that). We think the reason is that 30F feels so cold here is that we are out in it all day long walking around the city. Even with several layers, we are never warm.

2. The cheese, bread, chocolate, wine, shopping and museums are really that good. Seriously, we are spoiled living here.

3. The French aren't rude. In fact, we've had only positive experiences so far. Especially for a big city, people have been friendly and we have definitely seen some smiling going on. And, with the recent US inauguration, the attitude towards America seems to be on the up.

4. It is easy to plateau on our language skills. That means, once you have the basics down of ordering in a restaurant, buying museum tickets and getting around on the metro you can coast the rest of the way using English. Getting from that point to even a decent conversational level requires daily practice. It also means forcing yourself into many awkward conversations where you hold the line in French and run the risk of misunderstanding.

5. There is too much to do and see in Paris for just a year's time. There are probably 25 museums (some you need multiple days to fully cover), a dozen large parks, two operas, ballet, comedy clubs, cabarets, jazz clubs, nightlife areas, shopping areas, probably 200 restaurants that we should really try and hundreds more that are still pretty good, festivals, holidays and associated events, concerts, sports and friends from all different parts of the world. And that's all without even leaving the center city.

6. We haven't experienced "culture shock" and we don't think it's coming. Maybe because we read a lot in advance or that I've been here a couple times, but we haven't really felt hopeless yet.

7. In case you haven't heard it already, the internet, Skype, Facebook and blogs have changed the world. In the case of expats living in Paris, here are 4 quick examples. We research everything on the internet and use google maps on my Blackberry (not physical maps), to get around the city. We Skype (call) friends and family all the time on Skype for $2.95/month. You never have to be far away again. I used Facebook to find a French friend who I met during a summer 10 years ago. I had not talked to or even thought of him in 10 years, found and emailed through Facebook and met for drinks with him last weekend. We followed several "expat in Paris" blogs before coming over here. Once we got here, we met up with one of the bloggers. Her name is Sarah (a fellow Texan!) and she's really friendly and helpful. We had drinks with her and her group of friends this weekend and hope to again in the future.

8. The post office system is actually pretty efficient. The several packages that friends or family have sent to us have arrived from the US in less than 4 days! In addition, Jen has met some really nice folks at our local post office who have helped her figure out which stamps she needed and the best way to send postcards.

9. Americans are everywhere. Not only do we see plenty of tourists out at the museums/sites but we also see them in our little neighborhood area. Case in point - last night we sat down to dinner in a crowded brasserie. Probably no reason for a tourist to be in that particular place. After a few minutes of hushed conversation, we noticed the couple next to us were American. Next to them American. On the other side of us, American. Maybe the waiters seat us all together so we won't upset the French patrons!

10. Paris is really expensive. The last time I looked it was 1.3 dollars to the euro. So, a 7 euro beer (standard price just about anywhere) is $9. That is for a pint of your average beer. Dinner last night was chicken with rice, veggies, rumpsteak (the cheapest on the menu), fries, half bottle house wine, chocolate mouse and one coffee for $100. And that was an average brasserie, nothing special. However, we have discovered the Monoprix grocery store and cook at home most nights during the week. We like to calculate what our dinners cost at home and can eat pretty well for less than 7 euros combined! But stay away from those American cravings...a standard bag of Hershey chocolate chips at a specialty grocery store costs $8.

11. Paris is actually pretty large. Some people might be quick to counter this point, but we can easily walk 5 miles a day on the weekends. It is easy to do and certainly any tourist is going to be close to that as well. For any future visitors out there, we have two tips: make sure you're able to cover at least 3 miles a day and bring good walking shoes (just please leave the white tennis shoes at home).

12. There are ways to catch all our favorite shows over the internet. We used to be good, straight-arrow Itunes people. But...we have just discovered NinjaTV.

13. Always carry a camera. You never know when there will be something worth taking a photo of...a beautiful sunset, amazing architecture you see on the street, Paris at night, the window of a chocolate shop or even the occasional transportation strike.

14. The increase in walking is countered by the increased intake of pastries, chocolate or dishes that have the word "creme" in the them. The scale says that the miles are ahead of the calories, but the year isn't over yet.

15. French TV is really American TV that has been dubbed over. Popular shows that we see on their major stations...CSI (Les Experts), ER (Urgences), Without a trace (FBI: portes disparus), Law and Order (New York Section Criminelle) and The Simpsons (Les Simpsons) to name a few.

16. The monthly Navigo metro pass is like having the key to the city. We can go anywhere/anytime and will never have to dig through our pockets again looking for a metro ticket while holding up the line.

17. It's almost unfair how much Paris has in the way of beauty. If you took the buildings alone in this city, there are probably 40 that if located in most major American cities would be the absolute biggest attraction. Then if you look at all the artwork and sculptures inside the museums, you could probably replace the collections of most museums in the US with what is in Paris alone. Layer in the parks, fashion, galleries and the way it is all put together and you get one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

18. The open air markets are the best we've seen - and they are everywhere. Some open just on the weekends, some all week long. Some indoor, some outside. Some food, some antiques. The Parisian's love their markets and every neighborhood must have one.

19. There really is little you can get in the US that you can't find here. I'm not talking about the exact same thing, but if we have it, the French probably have it. While we have a tough time saying it, the large, new Monoprix near our apartment that has food and department store items is very close to having a Target in France.

20. Meeting new friends has been easy - especially expats. I think it's because we are all in the same boat that we bond easily. The networks of expats is strong too, so if you meet one person you are usually welcome with their friends as well. So far, we have some strong groups of friends through BCG, bloggers, and the American church in Paris. We still need to reach out to our undergrad and grad school networks as well.

21. There are times when you can't get by using English - in which case you turn to charades.

22. The coffee is much stronger and you need only a little before you are totally awake. My general rule is no coffee after 9pm otherwise I won't fall asleep until 2am.

23. We may be adventurous and like to try new things, but there is no way we are going to eat cow tongue, pigs feet or any animal's brains while we are here.

24. The first month has gone by amazing fast. We are sure that the next 11 months will go by just as quickly. If we don't plan things in advance and really make an effort, we might end the year disappointed that we didn't see and do everything we wanted to.

25. While sometimes it's tough to get it done (like this long post!) and it's always a few days delayed, blogging has been the most efficient way to get info out to all our friends and family. We love getting comments on our blog and check it everyday to see what you all have posted. Please keep them coming!