The French Stuff

Experiences in France and Europe. Cultural information and travel tips.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Chelsea response

It has been so long since my last entry that I might have lost the touch ... I am writing to tell what I saw on tv.
Chelsea Clinton is being asked questions about Monika Lewinski or what was her mother reaction. Let me tell you: She was happy not to deal with it.
It was well done and was over right there. The marriage kept going, they created a loving daughter that loves them back and they all campaign for and support each other.
What else do you want as strength and show of character? Surely there will be no bad blood from her part when the primaries are over. And if elected, count her off for senseless retaliation even if that means break conversations for some time.
And then I saw Bill talking in Oregon in a nurse school. Telling a story of a West point graduate that suffered brain damage in Iraq due to shock waves caused by improvised explosive devices that seems too be the weapon of choice down there. Sadly he can no longer go outside his home without the wife writing him what to do :(
Hope this time when the troops come home, no agressive banners on airports or mistreats in daily live. It is not only the government function to deal with veterans , it's everybody.
The US won the war in Iraq a long ago and now it is facing the challenges of patrolling an extensive area which is a much interest for many criminal organizations.
We cannot let those criminals rule for the sake of our children.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas

It's Christmas day and I wish you all a Merry Merry Christmas. And if you can help homeless people.
Here in Toulouse, I've been out and the streets are basically empty or most of people are homeless. Some teenagers playing or eating, some elderly strolling.
The homeless (sans de foyer) is the easiest group to spot on today. Give yourself a though and a nice hand.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Search for Jobs - Qualifications Required

Sunday has come and gone and no new post, nope. The good part is that I didn't break any promises of updating daily ... hahaha.
Today I want to talk about finding a job in France. The society here is very hierarchical, very different from one in the US or Brazil. The last years of high-school are professional or trade schools, where one learns a job or metier.
If you are young wishing to live abroad for a while, it shouldn't be much difficult to infiltrate yourself in hotels or restaurants, experience at home is always welcomed thou. Otherwise you got yourself trapped in this maze of qualifications.
You can apply for any job you want and it will be politely discarded because you are not of the metier, whether is bank, commerce, hotels or cleaning. Best shot is customer service or real state agent, which are relatively open to people with good communication skills and presentation.
The professionalization is a nice hand to young natives that want to start working and do not wish to proceed with a bachelor degree. For many people from Algeria and other former colonies that are entitled to live here is a drawback.
If they got a college degree they might just have to let aside to open a small shop or business. For foreign teenagers they might to wait in line as the non-professional trying a opening.
As in life, pros and cons, we must be able to do the best of it.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

myLot online community

Well well well. I haven't been out much today as I stayed home cleaning and organizing my place. And of course myLotting.
Do you know myLot? It's an extraordinary online community full of people sharing their views and thoughts. The best part is that you get paid to do that, posting views on the net. Not much thou, a cent for posting in the good days.
Every posting has to meaningful and you increase your gains by logging every day and doing some. You can also earn money by uploading pictures or starting discussions that draws people attentions and postings. Haven't done that so far :(
You can join free here and start immediately. In no time you'll be a fan and wishing for it.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Christmas Food and Recipes

While most of the world is thinking about getting the turkey ready, the french people is more concerned with duck meat (magret de canard) and oysters and scallops (coquilles saint jacques).
Holiday season here is definitively different from other places, it is much more refined than the usual family get-together around. There is lots of fun and playful kids. Just that eating here is not a substitute for lack of better thing to do is a pleasure and it's cultivated.
Found some recipes on the net, the coquille are http://www.completerecipes.com/31152.htm and the canard http://www.completerecipes.com/69514.htm.
Hope you try some of those for a change.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

No More Plastic Bags

If you live in the US you might have heard the question 'paper or plastic?', over here in France there was no such thing, plastic bags are default.
Some years ago they introduced larger bags that I could carry the weekly grocery shop in two. Sized as a glove for me. Auchan made them of fabric which is more resistant and lasts longer. E.Leclerc opted for large plastic bags and now Carrefour followed.
Truth is only small markets keep plastic bags for customers. Your choice is to buy the larger bags or carry your groceries in the trolley to your car. Casino still have the plastic bags and its giving away for free paperbags for frozen products. They have a handle to carry and they are reusable.
Green technology is coming, it is thru this small changes that we see how important the issue is. Sooner or later it will get to your local grocery story.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Looking for Real Estate

No way!!! you say. Well, it is just a small apartment for me, a studio some might say. That's all I need at the moment.
I spent the day going into Real Estate agencies to find a suitable place for me. I learnt the hard way that you shouldn't trust ads in the newspaper or the internet. Why? Here in France, they most of times don't exist, it is just to attract the customer to your phone or agency.
So much for that perfect spot that you saw. I don't like but that's how's done over her. Okay, some of them are true, more chances for direct to owner or small agencies. Guess they aren't afraid of telling their portfolios :)

And this is valid pretty much all over French society,most of times is just to get your attention to something else, usually more expensive.
My feet hurts, my head is swirling and I just might have found what I've been looking for at the end of the day. Fingers crossed.