The students completed exit interviews this morning bringing their time in France to a close. We have a free day and farewell dinner tomorrow -- and then, it's off to the airport Saturday morning (or more fun for some who are staying a bit longer!).
In thinking about my own time here, I've created a top 10 list of musings, learnings, and just practical tips.
10. A portable battery charger for my phone was a lifesaver -- I used it almost daily. When you're using a navigation app to get you from place to place -- it drains your battery and fast!
9. Citymapper is the best navigation app ever I liked that it gave me choices to take the Metro, walk, ride a scooter, catch a bus, and more. I'll use it in big cities anytime I travel now.
8. Speaking of the Metro, it was my biggest fear coming into my time here. I made myself get on it the day we arrived -- and that was a good thing because I realized it's not that different from subway systems in the states, just more crowded. I felt very safe here -- just watch your stuff, don't be out too late, and be aware of your surroundings.
7. For me, routine was important. Yes, I went with the flow, but I also went to bed about the same time every night, got up about the same time every morning, ate about the same time every day, and cooked some of my own meals to help me stay grounded. Decision fatigue is a real thing and being able to minimize at least some of the 8 million decisions I had to make each day (and in a foreign language) was key.
6. The best food I ate here was probably the salmon burger in Normandy and the lemon-coconut souffle at Le Souffle.
5. The French healthcare system isn't perfect -- but, it is a lot closer to it than the US system. From streamlining payment and information processes with the Carte Vitale to completely covering serious illnesses to providing social supports like subsidized childcare, the system is more equal to all and that is very important to the French -- our speakers said that over and over again. Yes, they pay higher taxes than we do -- but, the money is turned right around and put back into the system to cover basic needs.
4. Another element in the French culture that I appreciated is the more laid back approach -- to just about everything. There's not the feeling of "go go go" that is so common in the US. I'm sure there are times/spaces where that occur, but it isn't the norm. The work/life balance is also much more pronounced -- when the day is done, work is really done.
3. When traveling (basically) solo, preplanning matters. My head was spinning trying to figure out what I wanted to do from the hundreds of pages of suggestions online. That said, I'm glad I spent the time going through them to at least identify a few things on my "must do" list. It would be too easy to just sit in my apartment if I hadn't. My 3 favorite activities? Monet's Garden, the trip to to Northern France, and my street art tour. My favorite dining activity (and the only one I made reservations for)? Le Souffle!
2. Staying for 3 weeks somewhere gives you plenty of time to do the tourist-y stuff -- and it's perfectly OK to get tired of the tourist-y stuff and want to do "normal" things, too. I've seen more movies here than I've seen in the last year at home. I really enjoyed going to church at St. Michael's and shopping for food for the apartment. And...my fantastic washing machine only worked the first day, so I washed clothes in a spaghetti pot the rest of the trip. But, that's a whole other story.
1. Joe and the kids have had a fabulous month. Since I've been gone, there've been plays and international trips and camps and dog park visits and merit badges and hikes and karate and back to school planning -- and all the things. They've tackled them all with relative ease and it made it easier to be here knowing all was well in KY. And...yet, I'll be excited to get on that plane on Saturday...because there's no place like home!
I'm proud of myself. I'm proud of our students. I'm proud of my family. I'm thankful to have had this opportunity -- and my wheels are turning about where I might like to lead a trip myself in the future. Elder care in Japan? Happiness in Finland? Hmm....
After class, I came back to the apartment for lunch before heading to the Musee d'Orsay (https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en). In crowdsourcing things to do in Paris, this museum came up over and over again. I saw work by many of the masters -- Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir. My favorite piece was Degas's sculpture, "The Dancer." I also liked the 3-D silhouette art -- it was really cool. The first 3 pics are a little like "where's Waldo?" -- except it's where's Sarah?
Stay tuned for tomorrow's wrap-up...
Sarah