Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
HOME-BASE:
Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris
Jet lagged and hungry, I jumped into a little cab and headed off to the address printed in my itinerary. Once I got situated in the dorm room that would serve as my homestead for the next month, I threw myself on the bed and immediately jumped onto my computer. There can be a lot of anxiety that comes about when traveling, especially internationally and when a change of language is incorporated. Although my life frequently involves a weekend-bag or a small suitcase, an extended stay of 5 weeks requires a little bit of nesting.
Step 1: Scope out your surroundings. This may seem obvious, but it can be very intimidating when thrusted into a new environment. Most likely, your phone is going to be on the fritz for the next couple of days, which means that most communication and geo-tagging accessories are not an option. Google Maps however, can show your location and your surroundings if pre-loaded with wifi before exploring.
View from Cité U - Maison des Provinces de France
Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
Step 2: Locate food sources in close relation to where you are staying. Again, this may seem matter-of-fact, but you will be surprised with how many people will solely rely on restaurants for the first couple of days. In Los Angeles, you can live your whole life eating out or picking up food to go, but trying to do this in Paris can be treacherous. Dining out takes a lot of time, and "to-go" boxes are rarely an option; eating and running is most definitely not a French quality. Many local businesses will also close for both Sunday and Monday, since these are considered weekend days for Parisians - so keep this in mind as well. Supermarkets are limited, only having one to two stores per district or neighborhood depending where about you are in Paris. This might seem strange to those of us growing up in LA, seeing competing grocery chains on many different corners of the same sub-city. What you will find on every corner however, is a pâtisserie or a boulangerie.
Left: Baguette sandwiches from our local Pâtisserie : Thevenin, Porte d'Orleans.
Right: Un café = the morning, midday, and after dinner espresso shot.
Photo by Allison Planck; iPhone 5c
Photo by Allison Planck; iPhone 5c
Pâtisserie and boulangerie shops will sell bread, which is a staple in French households. These little shops are great for picking up breakfast pastries, baguette sandwiches for lunch, and the famous after-work baguette to bring home for dinnertime. It is also common to be able to get a bottle of juice or order a un café in a paper cup from these shops as well. Within the same vicinity is usually a charcuterie (prepared meat shop), a fromagerie (specialty cheeses), and a produce stand somewhere in between. There are separate businesses that specialize in separate aspects of the food culture in France, which is one of the reasons why shopping and cooking becomes such an art form. Morning open-air markets are very common and sell an extensive range of items, with everything from shellfish to flowers to clothes available for purchase. There is one VERY important thing to note when attending a Parisian outdoor market: Do NOT touch! In America, it is normal for us to either point to what we want or to feel items such as produce to ensure we pick the right one. In Paris, however, you will most likely be asked when you intend to eat the item and your response will determine what they choose for you.
Once you have this necessary knowledge jotted down, you can then focus on the fun parts of living (however temporary) in a brand new city.