Observations

Here is a list of things that were noteworthy in my mind that I'd like to share! They're very random things, from everyday life to school to habits at home.

-Unisex bathrooms.
I know this sounds like a silly thing to complain about, but it is rather strange that in some places there are restrooms that are unisex. There are restrooms with individual stalls with lights inside of them. Outside the stalls there are mirrors, counters, and sinks like any other bathroom. The idea of being inside the same washroom as a man is VERY foreign to me, therefore makes me a tad uncomfortable. But it's something I'll have to get used to! Most public and school restrooms are like so.

-No bread on you dinner plate:
The stereotype of eating loads of bread here is entirely true. I have yet to eat a meal that has not had a baguette served with it. But the bread does not go on your plate with the rest of your food- it goes on the table next to your meal!

-Smoking:
The majority of the people I have met here smoke. There's no curiosity with cigarettes and it's very common to see people roll their cigarettes in public. Rather than carrying a carton with them, some people carry a bag of tobacco, skins, and filters so they can roll their own cigarettes when ever they want a smoke (which is quite often). People also smoke around their children like it's no big deal which is something you would NEVER see in the states.

-Dirty streets:
This is sad to say, but it's true; the streets are very dirty for several different reasons. For one, people do not pick up after their dogs. No matter where you walk, weather it's in grass or on the sidewalk, you need to watch your step. People also leave their trash and recycling outside quite often. No big trash cans like in my neighbourhood, just big bags of trash. They eventually get picked up, of course. But it is strange to see streets lined with boxes and recycling and rubbish.

-Lots of markets:
Just like Portland! I've been to two markets so far. One was like a massive garage sale and the other was a farmer's market. The farmer's market not only had produce and homemade goods, but animals! There was a separate part of the market that had rows of farm animals for sale. Everything from rabbits to chickens to ducks. They were incredibly packed together in tiny cages which made me very sad...but that's just how farmers do it. The other one was MASSIVE. At least half a mile long, loads of people, loads of random stuff; furniture, clothes, trinkets, antiques....stuff you would sell at a yard sale. It was really neat but extremely crowded.


9-10-13
-iPhones Don't Dominate:
Finally, a high school where not every student is walking around with their eyes glued to the newest piece of technology! I know this is an odd observation, but when you walk down the hallways of an American high school every day for 2 years and are used to a sea of white iPhone 4's and 5's, it's strange to see that most people here use Blackberries instead.

-Chit-Chat:
Again, another silly observation, but just something that caught my attention; the students chat A LOT while the professor is giving lessons, and they're not very good at whispering. The professors don't really seem to do much about it, aside from the occasional sush between words.

-School Lunch:
I will start by saying that there's already a significant difference with the fact that I can actually EAT this food. At Tigard, I can't even think about putting the school lunch into my mouth. At Lycee David d'Angers, the lunch is not only possible to consume, but enjoyable! There's a large option of vegetables and salad to choose from, a nice entree (today it was a nice piece of chicken, rice, and vegetables), and a choice of ONE dessert (most of the options are fruit). There's a card system where you place in your lunch order at a scanner with your lunch card at any time in the morning BEFORE 10:00. At lunch time, you scan your card again in line and one last time when you receive your tray. It's a very efficient system. The only problem is if you forget to scan your card before 10:00, there will be no lunch for you, so you better hope your professor is grateful enough to let you pop by before class starts!

There's many more things that I will notice as time goes by, so I will most likely add on to this post. Any additional notes will be dated.