La Fête de la Musique et un Portable

Tonight is La Fête de la Musique-or World Music Festival- here in France. Those who went on the French Trip last year should remember it from Bordeaux. We had such a wonderful time last year it became one of my favorite memories from that trip. I am deintely looking forward to it tonight! Here is a brief overview from wikipedia:

“The Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, is a music festival taking place on June 21, which is usually the summer solstice.

The Fête de la Musique began in France and has since spread to Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Israel (in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv), China, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Colombia, Venezuela and other countries. New York City held its first festival in 2007.

Its purpose is to promote music in two ways:

• Amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets. The slogan Faites de la musique (Make music), a homophone of Fête de la Musique, is used to promote this goal.
• Many free concerts are organized, making all genres of music accessible to the public. One of the caveats to being sancioned by the official Fete de la Musique organization in Paris that all concerts must be free to the public. It’s not required that musicians play for free, though many do so.”

I think tonight I am meeting some other expat and new friend hopefuls at the river to enjoy the music. It should be a really fun time. I will blog more about it tomorrow!

In other news, I bought a cell phone today (un portable-because its a PORTABLE phone! Same word applies to a laptop). This is quite a feat for me since it took me forever to find a place to buy one and to actually conduct business in French! There seemed to be a few places near me, but the were so packed and hurried. They did not make me feel comfortable. But the man behind the counter was very kind and helpful. When I asked him to repeat things, he would, and he would add the English word for some of the more technical terms like LCD or PIN NUMBER (which by the way is le numero du PUK. weird huh?). He also set my phone into English for me; as well as telling me where to find a Tabac (a place where you can by minute cards for your phone, lotto tickets, and there is usually a bar-but they sell like sodas, wine, beer, and sometimes sandwiches). I bought the cheapest phone there- a very very basic Nokia for about 39 Euros. It also costs about another 30Euros for the sim card. You then go to a Tabac and buy the minutes. I bought about 15 Euros worth and I haven’t figured out how much credit that is yet. I know it costs 10cents to send a a texto (text message-which my Belgian friend Toby sent me my first one!). I also have to figure out if it costs anything to dial a 0800 number (like a 1800 number). But still, I bought it by myself and the guy behind the counter was extremely helpful.

Unlike the 19 year old behind the counter at MacDough (McDonald’s). My Dad said there is no shame at eating at McD’s the first week or so you’re there just because it’s food you recognize. He did add that if I was eating there my last week here, that’s not so good. lol. But there happened to be one by the Tabac, so I decided to stop in. I hadn’t really had a real meal since my first experience at the Brassièrie-partly because my stomach has been upset from the jet lag and all the butter in the croissants! (And I have only had a few!). So I thought I’d settle it with some food I at least am a little familiar with-which of you who know me, I don’t really eat at McD’s a lot, and if I do it’s just fries! So I ordered my hamburger (said with a French accent) simplement avec du moutard et du ketchup, un frites moyenne, un coca grand, et un evian grand. (A hamburger with only mustard and ketchup, medium fries, a large coke, and a large Evian water- hey I was soif!-thirsty.) And the 19 yr old behind the counter just looked at me. Quoi? (What?) she said. So i repeated my order. And then because I wanted a special burger (only Ketchup and mustard) she looked at my funny again and then disappeared-I think, to inform the cooks of the special burger. She then reappeared and filled the rest of my order. The whole meal cost me like 8Euros!! That’s $12!!!!! I’m sure it doesn’t help that I am in Paris, and I’m sure like New York City and $4 meal becomes an $8 meal, but seriously! It was a tiny hamburger!!

But I asked her where to find the Tabac which i said, but she didn’t care to try and understand me. Finally she did and told me it was down the street near by. I got my food, sat down and ate. It tasted a little funky-as does everything here (yes they have the same food we do-eggs, milk, beef, etc but the water and the soil are different here than in the US so even Cocoa Krispies have a funky difference to them. Sometimes good, sometimes bad!). But I had a real meal, went to the Tabac and came home.

I need to go get dressed now! Time to go meet my fellow expats for La Fete! Wish me luck!