The Strike Strikes Back!

Let me summarize the last few days for you...

Monday (night): Finally ordered Speed Rabbit Pizza, the place under my apartment! It was really good--tried a barbecue/onion/ground beef/pickles and a chicken/curry/potato/bacon bits. Both yummy!

Tuesday: Went to Vitré in the afternoon to get my haircut with Caitlin! It was 19euros at a walk-in place... I have some funky layers at the moment, but it looks and feels soooooo much better short again! We spluged and bought 16euros worth of fancy chocolates at a shop we passed and spent the evening eating chocolates and these gratin potatos:

Serves 6

Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1/2 pound (225 g) Gruyère cheese (either Emmental or Comté –Comté being stronger, or Beaufort if you can find some –it's very expensive in the US)
• 8 oz. (225 g) crème fraîche (french cultured cream), or heavy cream if you can't find crème fraîche
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (20 cL) milk
• salt and black pepper
• butter (just enough to butter the dish –no oil please!)
• 2 garlic cloves

1. Peel the potatoes. Slice them thinly (about 1/8") and place in water to remove excess starch.
2. Butter a deep oven-safe dish. Peel and press the garlic cloves or chop them very finely. Spread at the bottom of the dish.
3. Preheat your oven at 390F (200C).
4. Dry the potato slices in a clean cotton cloth. Place a first layer of potato slices in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
5. Add a new layer of potato and proceed as described above. Repeat until all the potatoes are layered. Make sure to keep 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche for later. Finish with cheese.
6. Pour the milk on the potatoes.
7. Bake for 1 hour at 390F.
8. Beat the egg with the remaining crème fraîche and pour this mix on the gratin. Bake for 15 more minutes. 

Wednesday: After some stovetop oatmeal, I took the train back to Rennes to drop off my stuff then headed back to the station at 12:30 to meet Pierre-Antoine for a trip to Paris. His interview was right next to the Eiffel Tower, so we wandered around the park there for a few hours beforehand. The interview itself took only 15 minutes and seemed to go well, but he will not know anything until April!!! After that, we metroed to Opera and my favorite steet in Paris--Rue Sainte-Anne in the Japanese quarter! Had a delicious Oyokodon dinner and metroed back to the Montparnasse Station where there is a STARBUCKS!!! Needless to say, I was content with the day ;)

Thursday: Another STRIKE day! It's about the same things as back in October, but recently, the government said that all retiring professors will not be replaced in order to cut jobs... One prof was saying that next year was going to be all messed up since they won't have enough profs for their current student grouping system. So out of my three classes, I had three students, two, and zero... I bought groceries and then went to the CAF office to sort out why I am not yet getting my housing aid money. I was there almost an hour, and the lady just made yet another photocopy of my salary bulletin (I had already mailed them two). Hopefully, nothing else will be messed up.

I was so happy to have a busy day! I really am not a person who is content doing nothing :/

So now I am enjoying some tea with my new favorite snack of baguette with fig jam and brie cheese. SOOOO DELICIOUS! All of my high-class blog readers should jump on this bandwagon!

Pictures to come when my camera is recharged, lol!

Perspective on the strikes last fall

I just read this New York Times article: Europe’s Young Grow Agitated Over Future Prospects.

Though the article focuses on Southern Europe and features stories on young Italians and Spaniards, it does make me think about the problem of raising the retirement age in France. As I wrote before, I was given strike literature all last fall by teachers at my school, and most of it used the justification of our students struggling to find jobs in a market full of 65 year olds hanging on for a few more years to get their retirement benefits!

Another interesting bit in this article is that the featured youth are all highly educated and underutilized: one is a PhD who could only make $750 a month teaching kids drama, and another has a masters and a law degree in addition to speaking five languages and worked for the government unpaid! I couldn't help but think about my friends that have graduated in the last two years in the US recession mess and couldn't find decent jobs. Many of them are going to grad schools or doing Americorps to buy some time and experience. Especially coming from the hyper-competitive Furman, I feel like we were all told that we were going to be business executives, doctors, lawyers, and general movers-and-shakers in the world, but I'm afraid we'll all just be working as bank tellers or at McDonalds in the end!

Then poor PA was heckled by his family at Christmas about all of his Master's degrees... Let us hope that we get into a good US program and find internships that lead to interesting careers! All of this youth anger at the systems in Europe is scaring me!

Anyway, read it, and remind yourself that the US is a land of opportunity :)

Working in France v. the US

I suppose holiday nostalgia is just making me miss all things about home... I've been very reflective this week!

My thought of the day is about American v. French work ethic. I miss the teamwork and striving for excellence that the US encourages. I don't see creativity or passion in the workplace here, or at least not yet. None of the teachers care what I do with their students; only one has even asked me about it! Here in France at my school I feel like no one cares much about their students--maybe that is also related to lack of school spirit and community. I remember Mrs. G from my high school, the kind of teacher who gets to know you and who goes the extra mile to take care of you.

Another issue hs been PA asking his professors here for recommendation letters for US graduate school applications. Professors and students have no personal relationship here--you don't chat with them, you don't have department picnics with them. While I could ask professors who knew me and my dreams, PA has to rely on professors who have just read his masters work and seen him in class. It seems rather cold to me after the experience of my university.

A tangent off of this: the strikes in October made me angry because I felt like it was silly and selfish to be out protesting when children needed to be in class learning. I thought of my high school experience when I wouldn't dare miss a class because I needed every second of learning for the AP exams! And these kids here lost three weeks with no tangible consequences, just their own intellectual losses! Vacation be damned, kids need structure.

And now I'm off to work, hehe!

Plans for this weekend: maybe dancing tonight at an international student party, lunch with Caitlin tomorrow, a Thanksgiving meal on Saturday with the other assistants in Rennes.

Vacation cont'd. cont'd.

Just a little update: Laetitia kindly took me to IKEA yesterday where I purchased two lamps, two tables, and a clothes rack. Today, everything is fully assembled and organized, so I feel like I'm home now! Pictures will come from Sunday's Halloween party, I promise ;)

More strikes predicted... Boo!!! And that's a sad boo, not a scary one! Laetitia said that she doubted students will show up back to class on Wednesday..

I started reading the French paper Le Monde to keep myself educated. Here are President Sarkozy's recent words on the retirement age issue, followed by a rough translation by me:

Interrogé sur le recours que le Parti socialiste veut déposer contre le projet de loi sur les retraites, M. Sarkozy a répondu : "Attendons que le recours soit déposé, attendons sereinement que le Conseil constitutionnel se prononce". 

[Questioned about the appeal that the Socialist Party wants to present against the bill on retirement, M. Sarkozy responded: “Let’s wait for the appeal to be presented, let’s wait serenely for the Constitutional Council to rule.”]

"Dans cette affaire, il n'y a qu'un seul vainqueur, la sécurité sociale", a estimé le président français. "Ce sont les Français, qui, une fois la loi promulguée, sauront que leurs retraites seront financées, que la solidarité ne sera pas un vain mot, que les retraités pourront compter sur leurs pensions de retraite."

 
[“In this affair, there is only one winner, social security,” assessed the French President. “These are the French, who, once the law is in place, will know that their retirement will be financed, that solidarity will not be a vain word, that the retired will be able to count on their retirement pensions.”] 

"Tous ceux qui partiront à la retraite dans les années qui viennent sauront que le système français de sécurité sociale, fondée sur la solidarité entre les générations, fonctionne. C'est tout", a insisté M. Sarkozy. "Pour le reste, des inquiétudes, souvent légitimes, ont été exprimées. Je les ai entendues, j'y ai réfléchi et je prendrai le moment venu des initiatives pour y répondre."

[“All those who are retiring in the coming years will know that the French system of social security, founded on the solidarity between generations, functions. That’s all,” insisted M. Sarkozy. “For the rest, the worries, often legitimate, have been expressed. I heard them, I reflected on them, and I will take the coming time of initiatives in order to respond to them.”]

The strike and its problems...

I just read this article about the strike conditions in Marseilles: Bad air and bobbing oil tankers in Marseille

I think I mentioned that transportation is at a minimum, but maybe I failed to point out that the port of Marseilles is blocked so oil ships cannot land, hence the gas shortages for cars and buses! I'm just glad the Rennes garbagemen have not decided to strike--a trash buildup would be miserable.

I managed to meet the last English prof at my school today, Aline. She is older and speaks the best English of all of them! I would have sworn she was British! Luckily, I came on the day when a student had baked cookies and they were having tea as a treat. I introduced myself and they told me about their work in graphic design and printing. This is a group of post-bac students (the bac is the final high school exam) who range in age from 19 to 25. Their English wasn't that great, but at least they try.

After that, I hung around to see Catherine. She wanted to make sure I was coming in every day since we hadn't crossed paths in a week. She also arranged for me to take some groups of Laetitia's students this afternoon. PA will be heading to Vitre today for basketball, and I have an assistant dinner party at Caely's tonight. Tomorrow I will head to Vitre myself for a change of scene and to see PA's home basketball game--undefeated so far!

After this afternoon, I have a vacation until November 3rd. My friend Deepa and I might travel a bit locally to work around the strikes. I'll keep you posted!

STRIKE: Neverending!!!

I mananged to get a class with one student this morning--the prof literally just left us to talk. So obviously I didn't really have anything planned, but she was excited about Las Vegas because of the movie The Hangover. We also talked about the Twilight books that she loves and how she wants to be a librarian. Sweet kid.

Despite my frustrations with the strike, at lease I did something today. I'm heading back in a few minutes to see if anyone else is around. Via facebook I got this article, so here's some food for thought: Like France, will US soon move to boost retirement age? - CSMonitor.com

STRIKE: Day 5

The strike goes on! Even Pierre-Antoine's university is on strike... And next week is a holiday week for Toussaint, or All Saints, so really everyone is just enjoying a nice long vacation with some demonstrations thrown in. I'm sure you've all heard of flights and trains being cancelled. I'm staying put in Rennes for now...

Still, I had to appear at work this morning so that everyone knew I was not striking myself (though why I could possibly care about French retirement ages, I don't understand). I chatted with English teacher Corinne a bit in the teacher's lounge and then headed back to my place. Pierre-Antoine (also free) and I went shopping for a universal remote for my tv and I also found some new black flats. I apparently scared him and the shopkeepers by how fast I picked them out and paid! I know what I want, I suppose...

So my only activity for the day is going to the bank at 4:30 to figure out insurance and how to fix my shower. It is just annoying because there is no leak or anything up here... so I'm probably going to have to coordinate a plumber visit with the neighbors. We'll see...

PA and I are going to try this restaurant called "Back to the 60s" near Place Sainte Anne. It has burgers and shakes in a 50s diner atmosphere! Just don't ask me why they chose the 60s as the diner era :/

STRIKE: Day 2

In four classes today, I saw about ten students total, so the profs let them go early. It is so frustrating to want to work and do something productive with my time and yet have no opportunity to do so! It really does make me angry sometimes to think that I moved to France for nothing. (Nothing professionally, that is. I do very much enjoy spending time with PA and the people I’ve met!)

I read a letter that the school sent home with students that explains why they chose to strike. If the retirement age goes up, unemployment will also go up since people will be keeping their jobs for another two years. The professors see their students as the first victims of this crisis, being young and entering the workforce right at this critical moment. It reminds me of my friends who graduated during the recession and could not find jobs for months—very frustrating indeed.

But at the same time, if the government cannot afford to pay retirement benefits because the age is still at 60, the kids are going to be in trouble anyway… We shall see.

So I didn’t know what to do today with all my free time. I ended up napping. PA’s university was on strike today and maybe tomorrow, so we might head out and buy furniture for my apartment or something on Friday. I could also use a treat like Le Haricot Rouge hot chocolate to get me through this silliness!

Sadly, I never got the chocolate… Instead, I brought a few decorations to my apartment and texted people for a dinner party. I ended up eating bread and cheese and galettes at Seth’s apartment with Nick and Serenika, a French girl from Montpelier who is studying political science in Rennes. Serenika and I bonded over time spent in Rome—she did an internship there last fall and I’ve done my art history trips there for multiple summers. And I told them all about the housewarming party I am hosting at my place Saturday night. I can’t wait to hang out with everyone there! (If it seems like I party more than I work here, that is correct. But it is not my fault!)

After grabbing the keys from PA (who was working an international student party downtown), I am safe in his apartment for the night. I am supposed to stop by work tomorrow to see if I can sit in on any classes that show up… We shall see how useful I end up being…

I’ll put up pictures of my apartment tomorrow. I would appreciate cards/letters to put on my walls, if you want to drop me a line!

OSCHMAN Lauren
4 Place Sainte Anne
35000 RENNES
FRANCE

Tired and tired of strikes!

Last night, PA’s friend Antoni invited us to go out to his class party with him—hanging out with people in his master’s program. Apparently, in France, classes of undergrad and grad students have class mixers out at bars and clubs. So we went to… Melody Maker! It was my fourth time there, so I guess it’s becoming my regular spot!

I had good beer and chatted mostly with PA and Antoni. Random classmates of his kept coming by to introduce themselves, and I had to say I was American and not in the master. Sometimes they would speak a bit of English with me. PA and I ended up in a bunch of their photos, even though we’re not in the program, haha!

Sadly, it is getting cold again here after a warm, sunny weekend. I was shivering outside in my fleece jacket last night, and today has a chilly autumn breeze.

This morning, I left around 11 to bring some cleaning supplies over to my apartment. I tried to call the water and electric companies to put them under my name, but I couldn’t understand what the recorded or real voices were saying :/ I enlisted the help of my apartment agent who kindly took care of it for me. She really is nice and helpful except when she has to enforce the rules of the building owner. Anyway, I have water and electricity now!!!

I had to run into work at 3 today, but right before I left PA’s apartment after lunch, I got a phone call from Catherine. My school has gone on strike against the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62! So from now until the end of the month, some teachers will not be in school. This means that a lot of students don’t bother to show up for class even for the teachers who aren’t on strike. I was advised to still make an appearance at the school every day so as to not be considered on strike as well.

For those wondering about the process of a school going on strike: In the teacher’s lounge was a poster proposing the strike followed by columns with dates (today, tomorrow, next week…). If a teacher wants to strike on a certain day, they put an X in the column—no names so that no one gets in trouble. Many teachers, however, do not go on strike because they don’t want to lose pay for the days they miss; instead they support the cause by handing out flyers or demonstrating during their free time. And yes, there are often demonstrations in the street and on the main squares! Buses, trains, and planes are being cut back (but luckily, not the automated metro that I use). It’s a lot of inconvenience.

So I still went to school at 3 and saw Julie and Laetitia. Only two boys showed up for Julie’s class, so I tested my Tennessee powerpoint on them and let them peruse some menus of Cracker Barrel and Mimi’s Café to learn about Southern cuisine. Then, we just chatted in French about the strike and asked if the students were organizing. For the last few minutes we played some charades using English to describe the person. It was really fun!

As far as moving in goes, Laetitia offered her car to help me move things to my apartment tomorrow! And I should get my beds and a small oven from Julie on Sunday or Monday. After work, I scrubbed every surface of the apartment, so it is clean and ready to be inhabited. I definitely need a table and some decorations still…

When PA finished classes, we ran to buy groceries for fajitas (seasoning mix provided by Ma’s care package). I also turned in the last of my grad school applications this evening, so now it is just a waiting game.

I’m sleepy, and I’m supposed to go to school tomorrow at 9:30. Let’s hope some students show up!

Hanging out

Bonjour, y’all!

My parents have passed on your compliments, so thank you very much for reading and enjoying my blog :)

I last posted yesterday afternoon. That evening, PA and I rounded up some assistants downtown to go to a bar and play some pool. French pool has smaller balls and uses only red and yellow balls plus the black 8. It’s a random difference, I know… PA and I got to hang out with Seth, Berit, Nicholas, Georgia, and Julien (who actually French and works as a moniter in a school while studying to be a geography teacher). I prefer these smaller, intimate groups for getting to know people rather than the 20+ person mess of Saturday night. It was a good group and a good mix of French and English. Julien told us about his trips to Senegal every summer; he was in the Scouts (Europeans have a ton of different Scouting organizations), and his group works in a village there. Pretty cool! PA and I got back to the apartment early and just hung out with Wajd and Philouze, our roomies, and a girl that was over. A relatively quiet but fun evening overall.

Today, I went to the school for two hours. Actually, today was another strike about the raising of the retirement age, so most professors, staff, and students were out on strike. Catherine wanted me to come in anyway to discuss my schedule and get some administrative things done. By the end of the week, I will have my timetable until Christmas holidays! I will start doing my small group classes tomorrow afternoon, and I even have a key to my classroom. Things are progressing.

I also got the keys to my apartment! My plan is to clean it up tomorrow and start moving things over bit by bit. Mostly, I need my bed, so I’ll arrange things with Julie on its transport tomorrow.

Since then, I’ve been in the apartment reading and getting emails and such done. I’m excited about fajitas for dinner, since Ma sent me a care package of flavors from home. I’m also supposed to hang out with Caely at some point, and watch How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men with Pierre-Antoine.

Oh, the exotic life of France!

Of Grey Skies and Orange Umbrellas

A rainy afternoon in Rennes—the beginning of fall, I suppose. Unfortunately, I too am feeling under the weather with a poor sore throat :(

I braved the grey skies and wind earlier today to meet another assistant who arrived in town on Tuesday--Mark from New York--at Place de la République. We got to chat as we dodged the parade of people on strike downtown protesting the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62. According to PA’s mom Claudine, France has the lowest retirement age besides Italy at 57! I was supposed to meet the teachers at my school this afternoon, but the meeting was cancelled because the teachers themselves were out protesting! I’m sure it won’t be my last brush with a grève (strike), but at least the metro here is automated, so I never have to worry about it shutting down ;)

Mark and I wandered up through the old city through some of the main squares and shopping streets. We ended up at Place Sainte-Anne where there is a small mall, tons of restaurants, and the famous Rue de la Soif (Street of Thirst) lined with tons of little bars. We grabbed tuna salad baguette sandwiches and sat on the church steps to chat. His girlfriend, Tara of New Jersey, joined us after she did a visit to an apartment, so we visited some more. They were both International Relations majors in college, and Mark is actually applying to some of the same grad school programs for next year that I am. They are both Jewish, so when they got to Rennes, they called up the synagogue and found local families that were willing to host them until they could get on their feet. How nice is that! I'm glad I had PA to do that for me too.

I left them around 3pm to head back to Villejean, do some grocery shopping, and get back to the apartment before it started to pour. I even bought myself a bright orange umbrella to represent the Volunteer state and shine a little color into this grey city. Pierre-Antoine was back from a long day of classes soon after and we both just relaxed in the living room. I was excited to be able to make some sweet potato fries for dinner because PA’s mom had a little, old oven that she let us bring to the apartment. A little taste of home can bring so much comfort.

The other two roomies are out at a party, so PA and I just ate our dinner and watched his favorite news program. Then there was a show on called “Tellement Vrai (So True)” with the subject “Cougars: Femmes mûres cherchent jeunes hommes (Cougars: Mature Women Looking for Young Men).” Documentary style, it showed us the lives of a few Frenchwomen in their 50s who were looking for guys in their 20s! It was kind of funny but also informative, I suppose. Goes to show that people are the same everywhere… looking for companionship.

Tomorrow I have another meeting with another recently arrived assistant in the morning, and then a dinner and drinks party with the six or seven assistants now in town. I’m so excited to meet everyone! And since I know by default that these people share my love of the French language and travel abroad, we already have a nice common ground on which to build. This year keeps getting more promising as I adjust to the lifestyle and make connections with more people here. Stay tuned!

Bisous!