Before taking a flight back to Japan, two things that have been obsessed.
One thing is that about the amount of my luggage. The luggage which I can carry onto the plain limitted up to 20kg. As you know, I will fly with my bicycle which is about 15kg and which means only 5kg left that I can carry with aeroplain.
The flight company which I am going to take with is Scandinavian Airline System (SAS).
Acoording to the ticket agency in Paris where I bought a ticket told me that almost all company except for BA (with a few) cannot allowed to carry on your luggage more than 20kg. Even so, I can carry my bag up to 8kg into the cabin which I hope that is not strictly limited.
However, since I took a French lesson as well as reading some books in Paris, my luggage must be heavy more than that I thought.
Few days ago, I went to post office to buy a cardboard which I can send it to Japan (40 Euro up to 7kg). And I sent it with 7.5 kg. The madan at the post office was fine.
Even so, still I have a tent and sleeping bags and clothes which are supposed to bulk if I try to pack into my bag.
Yesterday I was walking on the street in the sentral part of Paris.
There were several homeless who are begging for money from the people on the street. I asked a man who was sitting on the street if he need my clothes and sleeping bag with in English. Whether he could understand or not, he told me "Yes" and I gave it to him the one I had. Before giving it to him, I felt that I was little bit scared to communicate with those people.(Even it's normal that I am asked at least once in a day from the begger that I can give them money on the street.) Mostly, because of the language I know.
I was almost started to cry when I gave those things to him (actually those cloth to him were given from the Japanese man who I met in Paris), I feel so sad that a lots of people begging for money or something on the street in Paris. That is reality.
Things happens sometimes without any reason.
I lost my teddy bear which I have been traveling from Bulgaria. The name of the bear called Bul. I don't know where I forgot to take that one and even I didn't noticed before few hours ago when I started to packing for tomorrow. I called to the hostel I stayed if they've got the bear but they didn't. For the rest of the day, I will ask those places where I've been in Paris in the past one week in order to find Bul. Probably he was in my bag a week ago but I am not sure since when he left from my place.
Yuji @ Paris France, 47
4.2.10
1.2.10
First of February
The last day of January, I went to St.Denis to meet Beate again.
She has gone to back to Germanty with evening flight and I met her yesterday again just before she took the flight.
Sometimes people are meeting with new people but at the same time we have to say good bye at some point.
I learned a lots from her. She is very open minded and honest. We talked a lots whatever we want.
Yesterday after we said good-bye I felt that I really sad and want to do something different to.
Firstly, I went to a bar to take a beer(It's very rare for me to go to a ber especially when I am alone). I watched a football match and hand-ball match between Croatia and France. Since I didn't feel that I wanted to stay there I left to my hostel close to Bastille, which is the hostel I really love.
After that at Nord station, I bought a tabacco, actually that was my time in my life to buy that one and then I took it with walking though I normally really hate the people who walks to take a cigarette.
Then I bought a wine to drink for a night. It was a moment that I did whatever I want.
At hostel fortunately I met a Japanese people and we started to talk with Japanese drinking wine and talking what we each other have done in Europe. I know that I am supposed to go back to Japan in a week but even so, I really miss to speak Japanese.
With him and with a girl also from Japan today we went to musse de Rouvre.
Talking with Japanese people with same language as well as same culture makes my sometimes happy!!
January was the month to study French but February seems to be a month to enjoy with Japanese people.
Yuji @ Paris, France 44
She has gone to back to Germanty with evening flight and I met her yesterday again just before she took the flight.
Sometimes people are meeting with new people but at the same time we have to say good bye at some point.
I learned a lots from her. She is very open minded and honest. We talked a lots whatever we want.
Yesterday after we said good-bye I felt that I really sad and want to do something different to.
Firstly, I went to a bar to take a beer(It's very rare for me to go to a ber especially when I am alone). I watched a football match and hand-ball match between Croatia and France. Since I didn't feel that I wanted to stay there I left to my hostel close to Bastille, which is the hostel I really love.
After that at Nord station, I bought a tabacco, actually that was my time in my life to buy that one and then I took it with walking though I normally really hate the people who walks to take a cigarette.
Then I bought a wine to drink for a night. It was a moment that I did whatever I want.
At hostel fortunately I met a Japanese people and we started to talk with Japanese drinking wine and talking what we each other have done in Europe. I know that I am supposed to go back to Japan in a week but even so, I really miss to speak Japanese.
With him and with a girl also from Japan today we went to musse de Rouvre.
Talking with Japanese people with same language as well as same culture makes my sometimes happy!!
January was the month to study French but February seems to be a month to enjoy with Japanese people.
Yuji @ Paris, France 44
29.1.10
The Last Class
I've just done the last class for the French lesson which I had been taken in Paris.
It has been great and I learned a lots from the school.
The teacher told us at the last part of lecture that French is the language which is not easy to learn (Though not only for me), but one week is enough to forget if you won't study further.
Whether you've known or not, I have already decided that I am going to keep studying French for the next few years in order to speak and communicate who are speaking French. The biggest problem for me is that to find the oppertunity to learn French in Japan. English is the first foreign language for us and we sometimes can tough English of our life. Although not a lots of Japanese people can speak English, but I am sure that almost all Japanese people, they know some words such as; OK, thank you, hello which are, yes we use OK(Okkei), arigatou, Konnichiwa. However, when it comes to French we don't know even those easy words; d'accords(?), merci, bonjour.
In order to study French in Japan, I am looking for some DVD which has either French-Japanese as a language as well as should be subtitles or English-Fench movies. Actually I bought some DVD, which are some movies of E-F from US and UK as well as anime which is F-J. I think those my favorite movie will help for me French study.
The funny thing which I found while I was looking for DVDs was that I am not really fascinated by French culture. I think I don't know any film from France, actually I am try to buy at least one film which is from France. But I don't know which one is good film which means the film that I want to watch again. Neither I don't know any singer from France that is worse point to study French. Anyway, I think and I hope that those film will be fine for me.
It is really good for me to study French even only one month but I can speak a little bit of French.
Today, before I came to the library after I put my luggedge at the hostel, I asked with French like "Vous aves a palais pour mom velo?"(Do you have a place for my bike?) In Paris, today it has been rain and I wanted to park my bike and the person at the hostel told me "Ce coir(for the eveing)" I only could hear that she told me something for the eveing and I coudn't get it. Then I try to put my bike into the hostel but she told me in English that only for eveing! I decided that I park my bike with rain outside of the hostel.
After I got to the library, I tried again to speak French like this "Vous aves a plais ou je peux regardre mon DVD?" She got it what I was talking! But I coundn't understand what she told me. Something that there is no place to watch DVD I think.
I can speak a little bit of French but the problem is my ears they speak very quickly and I couldn't catch them.
When I back home, I definetely keep studying French to make an eaqual as my English.
One week left for staying in Paris.
Yuji @ Paris, Fr 42
It has been great and I learned a lots from the school.
The teacher told us at the last part of lecture that French is the language which is not easy to learn (Though not only for me), but one week is enough to forget if you won't study further.
Whether you've known or not, I have already decided that I am going to keep studying French for the next few years in order to speak and communicate who are speaking French. The biggest problem for me is that to find the oppertunity to learn French in Japan. English is the first foreign language for us and we sometimes can tough English of our life. Although not a lots of Japanese people can speak English, but I am sure that almost all Japanese people, they know some words such as; OK, thank you, hello which are, yes we use OK(Okkei), arigatou, Konnichiwa. However, when it comes to French we don't know even those easy words; d'accords(?), merci, bonjour.
In order to study French in Japan, I am looking for some DVD which has either French-Japanese as a language as well as should be subtitles or English-Fench movies. Actually I bought some DVD, which are some movies of E-F from US and UK as well as anime which is F-J. I think those my favorite movie will help for me French study.
The funny thing which I found while I was looking for DVDs was that I am not really fascinated by French culture. I think I don't know any film from France, actually I am try to buy at least one film which is from France. But I don't know which one is good film which means the film that I want to watch again. Neither I don't know any singer from France that is worse point to study French. Anyway, I think and I hope that those film will be fine for me.
It is really good for me to study French even only one month but I can speak a little bit of French.
Today, before I came to the library after I put my luggedge at the hostel, I asked with French like "Vous aves a palais pour mom velo?"(Do you have a place for my bike?) In Paris, today it has been rain and I wanted to park my bike and the person at the hostel told me "Ce coir(for the eveing)" I only could hear that she told me something for the eveing and I coudn't get it. Then I try to put my bike into the hostel but she told me in English that only for eveing! I decided that I park my bike with rain outside of the hostel.
After I got to the library, I tried again to speak French like this "Vous aves a plais ou je peux regardre mon DVD?" She got it what I was talking! But I coundn't understand what she told me. Something that there is no place to watch DVD I think.
I can speak a little bit of French but the problem is my ears they speak very quickly and I couldn't catch them.
When I back home, I definetely keep studying French to make an eaqual as my English.
One week left for staying in Paris.
Yuji @ Paris, Fr 42
26.1.10
The Last Week of French Lesson
It has been bad for the last week of French lesson.
Today is Tuesday and which means the second day of the week. Today at the lesson, I argued with the teacher, Claudine then I left at the lesson.
Things happened sometimes with very stupid reason but not for all.
Today I was on time to start the lesson and I took a seat and the lesson started with two other students as I told you.
I had a thing that I couldn't understand from yesterday's homework. I have been thinking why I couldn't understand and try to ask to Francoirse but neither I couldn't get it. Then today I asked to her why in this blanc that I have to put "lui" and try to understand what she was teaching me about.
When I ask that question she told me that "I already explained but I will do it again quickly." And then she started to write something about it with and to explain that why that blank is needed to put "lui" The question is as follows: I have to rewrite to guess from the former sentence.
From "Pierre amie ce film? " to "Oui, ce film ( ) plait." (I have to put a word into () as "lui")
But why "lui" come to the blank??
Firstly, I tried to ask her the meaning of the sentences the first question means that "Does Pierre like this film?" This is no problem to understand it. And then the next sentence is something like "Yes, this film please to him." uh??????
At this moment, I couldn't get it what the meaning of the sentences.
Then I tried to ask how I can understand it. And she told me that "I cannot explain it anymore. Or I would say that there is no suitable translation in English. I did my best so that you can understand of this sentences."
Then I said to her "I took to think about this sentences why I have to put "lui" for an hour in the last eveing! Why you cannot explain it? I really want to know!! " with loudly.
Then she again told me "I did my best. I don't know how I can explain it anymore. Both Yamili and Beate understand it but you couldn't understand. Why you all the time trying to say with like this! I am fed up to teach you about it and they also feel like bad. And each time when you couldn't understand the sentences you make me feel bad! I will do my best but if you don't want to learn in here, you just move away!"
Then I decided to move out from her school for today not to gave up to learn but I feel like that I wanted to be alone.
Lesson hold 5 days in a week. Everyday people have a different feeling especially in the morning. I know sometimes that she is hard to teach and I also have a time both good and bad day to learn. Past two days from Monday has been bad day and I know because I feel bad to learn and my brain couldn't understand easily.
The reason that she've got a bad feeling from my question is that well, I always trying to understand all sentences because I am doing my best for all the time to learn French especially I only have one month and I am supposed to go back to my home later on. It's normal to try to learn seriously what she is teaching, isn't it?
I know that I am really not a good attention for teachers all the time.(I don't like a teach in Japan who especially trying to make a distance between teacher and student. Cladine is not that kind of teacher who I hate but even so there is a something I cannot stand the attention from her.)I had some argument with a teacher when I was in a high school student. But the differences between the high school and now is that make something bad on purpose or by nature. I think I am the person who make a bad attention towards Cladine but how should I do it. This is me and I just try to understand though the way to asking makes her bad. I cannot chage it. Otherwise, I am just sitting on the class without saying anything but if I do so, I definetely lost a lots that I could learn from her and couldn't keep up with the lesson. I am serious that I want to learn French.
Yesterday, in the morning, my bike chain broke down on the way to class about one third on the way and I feel like that I won't take a but or metro. Instead I decided to push my bike to the class. Of course, I was late for school for 20 minutes. In addition, the night before I was at the hostel and a girl at the same room woak up at 4 am. and my freind from Algentina also wake up at seven.(I was supposed to wake up half passed seven.), which means that I couldn't sleep well that night. That's why I couldn't consentrate on my class.
The problem is that I have to consentrate on the class in order to understand of her explanation in all the time. Even always she explain French grammer with English, but I cannot understand it because of the different style of teaching that I've got in Japan. Then I have to ask "why you are explainig of this sentence at the moment?" which it was really hard for me to catch up with her lesson. But it is really important for me to understand those explanation. Otherwise, I won't understand anything from her lesson just listening some explanation with the word which I couldn't understand from her!! Again, if not, I can take on the seat at the class listening the explanation which I couldn't understand all the time. But yesterday I had no power trying to understand French because of the things from the night before.
But this is the problem of my personal things and shouldn't bring it to the class and it won't be a reason why I couldn't attend her lesson. I knew.
Tomorrow, I will go to the class as the third day before the last lesson.
Yuji @ Paris, Fr. 38
PS. It's pity that I missed a coffee with Beate.
Today is Tuesday and which means the second day of the week. Today at the lesson, I argued with the teacher, Claudine then I left at the lesson.
Things happened sometimes with very stupid reason but not for all.
Today I was on time to start the lesson and I took a seat and the lesson started with two other students as I told you.
I had a thing that I couldn't understand from yesterday's homework. I have been thinking why I couldn't understand and try to ask to Francoirse but neither I couldn't get it. Then today I asked to her why in this blanc that I have to put "lui" and try to understand what she was teaching me about.
When I ask that question she told me that "I already explained but I will do it again quickly." And then she started to write something about it with and to explain that why that blank is needed to put "lui" The question is as follows: I have to rewrite to guess from the former sentence.
From "Pierre amie ce film? " to "Oui, ce film ( ) plait." (I have to put a word into () as "lui")
But why "lui" come to the blank??
Firstly, I tried to ask her the meaning of the sentences the first question means that "Does Pierre like this film?" This is no problem to understand it. And then the next sentence is something like "Yes, this film please to him." uh??????
At this moment, I couldn't get it what the meaning of the sentences.
Then I tried to ask how I can understand it. And she told me that "I cannot explain it anymore. Or I would say that there is no suitable translation in English. I did my best so that you can understand of this sentences."
Then I said to her "I took to think about this sentences why I have to put "lui" for an hour in the last eveing! Why you cannot explain it? I really want to know!! " with loudly.
Then she again told me "I did my best. I don't know how I can explain it anymore. Both Yamili and Beate understand it but you couldn't understand. Why you all the time trying to say with like this! I am fed up to teach you about it and they also feel like bad. And each time when you couldn't understand the sentences you make me feel bad! I will do my best but if you don't want to learn in here, you just move away!"
Then I decided to move out from her school for today not to gave up to learn but I feel like that I wanted to be alone.
Lesson hold 5 days in a week. Everyday people have a different feeling especially in the morning. I know sometimes that she is hard to teach and I also have a time both good and bad day to learn. Past two days from Monday has been bad day and I know because I feel bad to learn and my brain couldn't understand easily.
The reason that she've got a bad feeling from my question is that well, I always trying to understand all sentences because I am doing my best for all the time to learn French especially I only have one month and I am supposed to go back to my home later on. It's normal to try to learn seriously what she is teaching, isn't it?
I know that I am really not a good attention for teachers all the time.(I don't like a teach in Japan who especially trying to make a distance between teacher and student. Cladine is not that kind of teacher who I hate but even so there is a something I cannot stand the attention from her.)I had some argument with a teacher when I was in a high school student. But the differences between the high school and now is that make something bad on purpose or by nature. I think I am the person who make a bad attention towards Cladine but how should I do it. This is me and I just try to understand though the way to asking makes her bad. I cannot chage it. Otherwise, I am just sitting on the class without saying anything but if I do so, I definetely lost a lots that I could learn from her and couldn't keep up with the lesson. I am serious that I want to learn French.
Yesterday, in the morning, my bike chain broke down on the way to class about one third on the way and I feel like that I won't take a but or metro. Instead I decided to push my bike to the class. Of course, I was late for school for 20 minutes. In addition, the night before I was at the hostel and a girl at the same room woak up at 4 am. and my freind from Algentina also wake up at seven.(I was supposed to wake up half passed seven.), which means that I couldn't sleep well that night. That's why I couldn't consentrate on my class.
The problem is that I have to consentrate on the class in order to understand of her explanation in all the time. Even always she explain French grammer with English, but I cannot understand it because of the different style of teaching that I've got in Japan. Then I have to ask "why you are explainig of this sentence at the moment?" which it was really hard for me to catch up with her lesson. But it is really important for me to understand those explanation. Otherwise, I won't understand anything from her lesson just listening some explanation with the word which I couldn't understand from her!! Again, if not, I can take on the seat at the class listening the explanation which I couldn't understand all the time. But yesterday I had no power trying to understand French because of the things from the night before.
But this is the problem of my personal things and shouldn't bring it to the class and it won't be a reason why I couldn't attend her lesson. I knew.
Tomorrow, I will go to the class as the third day before the last lesson.
Yuji @ Paris, Fr. 38
PS. It's pity that I missed a coffee with Beate.
23.1.10
The Third Flight
On 5th of February, I will be in Narita airport.
That is the day when this European journey is over.
I cannot imagine how I feel when I back home.
Former time when I was back from Tanzania, I've got the feeling that Tokyo, or I will say Japan is the very quiet without any strong impact from both society and people. I felt like empty.
Tokyo is one of the most peaceful capital in the world compared to the capitals in Europe. Without a lots of immigrants, without a lots of homeless people, though we have been a trouble for crazy trains both in the morning and evening.
Who told me that Paris is the one of the beautiful city in the world?
Paris is the multicultural city. People who have different back grounds living in the one big society. In addition, Parisian is the person what we call, city person.
As long as people won't make any trouble I respect the people who are living in here. Sometimes I feel really bad just because I can't understand what the people are thinking.
I will be happy that I can leave from here in a way but I have been doubting if Tokyo is one of the most comfortable capital in the world.
Either, I will continue to study French to be the same as my English! Do I need another 10 years???
Yuji @ Paris, France 36
That is the day when this European journey is over.
I cannot imagine how I feel when I back home.
Former time when I was back from Tanzania, I've got the feeling that Tokyo, or I will say Japan is the very quiet without any strong impact from both society and people. I felt like empty.
Tokyo is one of the most peaceful capital in the world compared to the capitals in Europe. Without a lots of immigrants, without a lots of homeless people, though we have been a trouble for crazy trains both in the morning and evening.
Who told me that Paris is the one of the beautiful city in the world?
Paris is the multicultural city. People who have different back grounds living in the one big society. In addition, Parisian is the person what we call, city person.
As long as people won't make any trouble I respect the people who are living in here. Sometimes I feel really bad just because I can't understand what the people are thinking.
I will be happy that I can leave from here in a way but I have been doubting if Tokyo is one of the most comfortable capital in the world.
Either, I will continue to study French to be the same as my English! Do I need another 10 years???
Yuji @ Paris, France 36
20.1.10
Time to Back Home
I have been thinking about the day of return to Tokyo since I feel like that I won't go further to travel to London neither southen part of France or Spain where there are much more warmer than here, though I have a mind that I want to visit those places.
To be honest, I have been thinking the possibility to travel those places as I wrote above but the past one month in Paris telling me about that "Now is the time to go home." I have several reason to write about it here.
Firstly, simply I have been sartisfied of this traveling though I haven't got to England, or I would say Edinburgh in Scotland where is the place that I had been thought as the final destination of this journey. Of course, I can possible to get there by some public transportation but I cannot go there by bike since I lost my motivation that I can travel by bike in this time of the year.
Secondly, at the moment I have been traveling the money which having been rent from my father and that is not really what I wanted to do. Of course, I really appreciate about him. If he weren't there, I won't traveling by bicycle like this.
Thirdly, this is a little bit similar reason with the first one but I cannot find the place where I want to go now except for Japan at the moment having with those two reasons which I've already wrote before.
I cannot explain where this mentality has started that the traveling by bicycle having been hard for me. (I think somewhere after Oslo) I have been obsessed with this mentality that hard to do something either traveling or just staying at one place. And I've got that I cannot overcome for this mentamity as long as I am staying in somewhere in the world with this motivation.
At the end of this month, my French lesson will finish. The lesson is really great with both teacher as well as class mate. Though French is hard but no other language that can easily to learn for Japanese people I think.
Since I could understand something about French through English, my study French is much easier than that of learing from Japanese. Even though, there is a lots of differences between Englsih and French as I told you before.
To tell the truth, the aim that I wrote before I came here in Paris was that both for studying French as well as visiting banlieue in Paris. I went to Clicy-Sous-Bois where there are a lots of immigrants live. In order to communicate with the people who are living there, I have to be ready to speak French as well as should be know of that part of the region. I cannot do it at once.
My teacher, cladine to told me that " You cannot try to study French with only one month, it's impossible. I have been teaching French with the people who want to learn for the past 20 years but I never saw that anyone who learned French only one month. People need at least three months in order to communicate with the people."
I feel like fine that I might possible to start to speak a little bit of French with three months. I cannot do that at the moment but I really want to come back not exactly in Paris but in French speaking countries in order to study or use with my French near future.
I am going to fly back home from Paris.
Yuji @ Paris, France 32
To be honest, I have been thinking the possibility to travel those places as I wrote above but the past one month in Paris telling me about that "Now is the time to go home." I have several reason to write about it here.
Firstly, simply I have been sartisfied of this traveling though I haven't got to England, or I would say Edinburgh in Scotland where is the place that I had been thought as the final destination of this journey. Of course, I can possible to get there by some public transportation but I cannot go there by bike since I lost my motivation that I can travel by bike in this time of the year.
Secondly, at the moment I have been traveling the money which having been rent from my father and that is not really what I wanted to do. Of course, I really appreciate about him. If he weren't there, I won't traveling by bicycle like this.
Thirdly, this is a little bit similar reason with the first one but I cannot find the place where I want to go now except for Japan at the moment having with those two reasons which I've already wrote before.
I cannot explain where this mentality has started that the traveling by bicycle having been hard for me. (I think somewhere after Oslo) I have been obsessed with this mentality that hard to do something either traveling or just staying at one place. And I've got that I cannot overcome for this mentamity as long as I am staying in somewhere in the world with this motivation.
At the end of this month, my French lesson will finish. The lesson is really great with both teacher as well as class mate. Though French is hard but no other language that can easily to learn for Japanese people I think.
Since I could understand something about French through English, my study French is much easier than that of learing from Japanese. Even though, there is a lots of differences between Englsih and French as I told you before.
To tell the truth, the aim that I wrote before I came here in Paris was that both for studying French as well as visiting banlieue in Paris. I went to Clicy-Sous-Bois where there are a lots of immigrants live. In order to communicate with the people who are living there, I have to be ready to speak French as well as should be know of that part of the region. I cannot do it at once.
My teacher, cladine to told me that " You cannot try to study French with only one month, it's impossible. I have been teaching French with the people who want to learn for the past 20 years but I never saw that anyone who learned French only one month. People need at least three months in order to communicate with the people."
I feel like fine that I might possible to start to speak a little bit of French with three months. I cannot do that at the moment but I really want to come back not exactly in Paris but in French speaking countries in order to study or use with my French near future.
I am going to fly back home from Paris.
Yuji @ Paris, France 32
16.1.10
St. Denis - Bobigny - Romainvill - Montreuil
According to the book which I am reading titled "Urban Outcasts" written by Loic Wacquant, told me that banlieues in Paris arn't that dengirous to visit compared to Chicago ghetto.
Yestersday after coffee with Beate, I went to St. Denis where is outside of Paris with my bike and from there I cycled to east in order to get to see other part of banlieue in Paris.
Based on my Tanzanian as well as Indonesian Travel, the places where I were yesterday weren't that dengerous. But at the same time, the people living in there reminds me my those travel to developing countries.
I saw a children tried to sell newspapers and to cleaning on the window of a car for drivers who were waiting for the traffic light, what I saw a lots in Tz but never in Japan.
I saw a car on the street which a window has broken and people trying to make with tape instead of buying a new window. Then I also saw some cars which have already got some hole and trace of accident more than that I saw in the circle of Paris.
There was a market which is 90% of the people are black which means both costomers and shopkeepers.
What I feel from there that firstly people are making a different society and community those who are from same part of the world in order to live in Paris. At the same time, I cannot understand why there are a lots of immigrants live in Paris.(I have to learn French history.)
As you suggested I've got a shock. Of course, the people living outside of Paris they are not that big differences between the people who are living inside of the Paris where northern part of 18,19,20 district. On the way back to Paris, I was thinking where is the point that I've got the different feeling to the Paris as a touristic places.
Tourist cannot understand who are the people in Paris only if you go to Effel Tower and Arc of Triump, though those buildings told me about what is Paris as I had before I came.
Yuji @ Paris, France 29
Yestersday after coffee with Beate, I went to St. Denis where is outside of Paris with my bike and from there I cycled to east in order to get to see other part of banlieue in Paris.
Based on my Tanzanian as well as Indonesian Travel, the places where I were yesterday weren't that dengerous. But at the same time, the people living in there reminds me my those travel to developing countries.
I saw a children tried to sell newspapers and to cleaning on the window of a car for drivers who were waiting for the traffic light, what I saw a lots in Tz but never in Japan.
I saw a car on the street which a window has broken and people trying to make with tape instead of buying a new window. Then I also saw some cars which have already got some hole and trace of accident more than that I saw in the circle of Paris.
There was a market which is 90% of the people are black which means both costomers and shopkeepers.
What I feel from there that firstly people are making a different society and community those who are from same part of the world in order to live in Paris. At the same time, I cannot understand why there are a lots of immigrants live in Paris.(I have to learn French history.)
As you suggested I've got a shock. Of course, the people living outside of Paris they are not that big differences between the people who are living inside of the Paris where northern part of 18,19,20 district. On the way back to Paris, I was thinking where is the point that I've got the different feeling to the Paris as a touristic places.
Tourist cannot understand who are the people in Paris only if you go to Effel Tower and Arc of Triump, though those buildings told me about what is Paris as I had before I came.
Yuji @ Paris, France 29
14.1.10
At French Lesson
In this week, tears came out from my eyes while I was taking the French lesson at school. I knew that I am not good at learning any languages. I fail two times of my English lesson at University. Futhermore, I could barely succeeded to pass Chinese lesson that I got two times of "C"(worst pass!).
Claudine, the teacher of my school told me like that "You are Japanese!! Don't worry!! It's normal that you cannot learn easily French compared to other students."
Yamily from Cuba who she speaks Spanish. Generally, for the people who speak Spanish they can easily to learn French since Spanish is one of the closest language to French. In addition, Beata, a girl from Germany (I thought she is from US, but that was my mistake. She is from Alammand, Germany) , she had worked with French people and had learned Italian when sha was in school, which for her learning French isn't that heard as far as I heard from her.
I don't know why but I cannot pronounce the vocablary in French it well, neither I cannot remember conjections in each verbs. In some part, it is true that French is similar to English but at the same time French is the language which is completely different from English.
Today is the forth day of second week which means just before half of the course.
What is worse is that I got a little illness again. I don't exactly know why I got so easily caught a cold. This is the third time that I got this kind of bad feeling since I came to here in Paris.
Different from countrysides, in the city I need a person who can talk and tell something what I am thinking in order to enjoy for daily life. Fortunately, the person who is hosting me at the moment, Francoirse, she is very very nice person and I can tell her a lots what I am thinking and doing for my past life. What's more, with Beata, a class mate , we go to coffee almost everyday for an hour after school. Then of course, we started to speak English (should be in French but...), we talk a lots what we each other have done the day before talking about the lesson, Paris, politics, cinema (since she is working at opera but I am not familier with it) whatever we want I can talk with her.
The reson why I feel sad to study French is that I cannot easily understand that I could done with English. Or even English I have taken a lots of time to learn. As teacher as well as Beata told me that "It is impossible try to learn French only one month." Of course, I know but I want to do my best as much as I can. Yesterday, I really didn't want to study French at home because of the lesson as well as sickness. I slept without doing anything to prepare for today. Today at lesson, I decided to consentrate on the lesson not to try to understand all from the lesson, which was better than the day before yesterday. The teacher told me "Take it easy!!", which is the word I've heard a lots from great journey.
Yesterday at evening, Francoise told me that " When will you go to clicy sous Boi?" I thought that she was trying to make a joke but I didn't feel like that from her and at the same time I recognised that I had another reason to come to here in Paris, that's why both yesterday and today I started to read the book I bought about "banlieue in Paris" (I finally got English version) seriously.
I cannot leave Paris before finishing my French course as well as watching the people who are living in banlieue.
Yuji @ Paris, France 27
Claudine, the teacher of my school told me like that "You are Japanese!! Don't worry!! It's normal that you cannot learn easily French compared to other students."
Yamily from Cuba who she speaks Spanish. Generally, for the people who speak Spanish they can easily to learn French since Spanish is one of the closest language to French. In addition, Beata, a girl from Germany (I thought she is from US, but that was my mistake. She is from Alammand, Germany) , she had worked with French people and had learned Italian when sha was in school, which for her learning French isn't that heard as far as I heard from her.
I don't know why but I cannot pronounce the vocablary in French it well, neither I cannot remember conjections in each verbs. In some part, it is true that French is similar to English but at the same time French is the language which is completely different from English.
Today is the forth day of second week which means just before half of the course.
What is worse is that I got a little illness again. I don't exactly know why I got so easily caught a cold. This is the third time that I got this kind of bad feeling since I came to here in Paris.
Different from countrysides, in the city I need a person who can talk and tell something what I am thinking in order to enjoy for daily life. Fortunately, the person who is hosting me at the moment, Francoirse, she is very very nice person and I can tell her a lots what I am thinking and doing for my past life. What's more, with Beata, a class mate , we go to coffee almost everyday for an hour after school. Then of course, we started to speak English (should be in French but...), we talk a lots what we each other have done the day before talking about the lesson, Paris, politics, cinema (since she is working at opera but I am not familier with it) whatever we want I can talk with her.
The reson why I feel sad to study French is that I cannot easily understand that I could done with English. Or even English I have taken a lots of time to learn. As teacher as well as Beata told me that "It is impossible try to learn French only one month." Of course, I know but I want to do my best as much as I can. Yesterday, I really didn't want to study French at home because of the lesson as well as sickness. I slept without doing anything to prepare for today. Today at lesson, I decided to consentrate on the lesson not to try to understand all from the lesson, which was better than the day before yesterday. The teacher told me "Take it easy!!", which is the word I've heard a lots from great journey.
Yesterday at evening, Francoise told me that " When will you go to clicy sous Boi?" I thought that she was trying to make a joke but I didn't feel like that from her and at the same time I recognised that I had another reason to come to here in Paris, that's why both yesterday and today I started to read the book I bought about "banlieue in Paris" (I finally got English version) seriously.
I cannot leave Paris before finishing my French course as well as watching the people who are living in banlieue.
Yuji @ Paris, France 27
10.1.10
Do you miss Japan?
A lots of people who I met on the way they told me that "Do you miss Japan?"
And then, I answered "Yes" for both foods and bath.
Since I have started to stay at Spiek's apartment, I bought some Japanese foods from Chinese store located 13 destrict. Though I ate some Japanese food for a month ago with my friend in Dusseldorf, but still I am starving for Japanese food. Two days ago, I was at the Chinese supermarket and I bought Japanese radisshu(Takuan), furmented beans(Nattou), nori(sea plants for sushi), and of course Japanese rice which is different from Thai-rice niether Indian one. Actually, I had a chance to eat it at Dusseldorf but I was full when I wanted. My stomach has been getting smaller and smaller I thought.
After I bought those food, I made a rice from boiling. Normally in Japan, we have rice cooker to make it but in here they don't have because of the cultural differences. I saw when I was in that Chinese supermarket but I though I wasn't for it.Then I know how to make rice from the boiling since I used to make a rice with boiling while I belonged to mountain club.
Interestingly, Spiek, she has chopsticks and bowl for rice as well as Donburi, which specialized for Japanese noodle such as Soba and Udon. It was interesting for me to hear that when I was using her bowl, that was "This is my bowl!!" I think she loves her bowl. I met some Europeans who are strongly interested in Asian culture. She is not the person but she likes Japanese and Chinese, Asian culture as she like in European culture.
I got a feeling from her that people in France they want to make it clear that the thing is blongs to whom compared to other part of Europe which is close to Japanese culture. Like this "this bowl is mine, you can use but it's mine!!"
Is that because she is by far older than me? Actually, she is a little younger than my mother but I feel she is young for her mentality.
Finally, she told me that "I might not typical Franch woman I know. And I told her "Yes I know since we met!"
Her two cats always disturb my sleeping but they are lovely and cute. At place we don't have any pets but I really like animals though they sometimes make some stupid things.
Tomorrow, is the first day of second week of January. Since I started to take French course, I got the track of what day is it today.
Yuji @ France, Paris, 25
PS. I have been missing for bath!!
And then, I answered "Yes" for both foods and bath.
Since I have started to stay at Spiek's apartment, I bought some Japanese foods from Chinese store located 13 destrict. Though I ate some Japanese food for a month ago with my friend in Dusseldorf, but still I am starving for Japanese food. Two days ago, I was at the Chinese supermarket and I bought Japanese radisshu(Takuan), furmented beans(Nattou), nori(sea plants for sushi), and of course Japanese rice which is different from Thai-rice niether Indian one. Actually, I had a chance to eat it at Dusseldorf but I was full when I wanted. My stomach has been getting smaller and smaller I thought.
After I bought those food, I made a rice from boiling. Normally in Japan, we have rice cooker to make it but in here they don't have because of the cultural differences. I saw when I was in that Chinese supermarket but I though I wasn't for it.Then I know how to make rice from the boiling since I used to make a rice with boiling while I belonged to mountain club.
Interestingly, Spiek, she has chopsticks and bowl for rice as well as Donburi, which specialized for Japanese noodle such as Soba and Udon. It was interesting for me to hear that when I was using her bowl, that was "This is my bowl!!" I think she loves her bowl. I met some Europeans who are strongly interested in Asian culture. She is not the person but she likes Japanese and Chinese, Asian culture as she like in European culture.
I got a feeling from her that people in France they want to make it clear that the thing is blongs to whom compared to other part of Europe which is close to Japanese culture. Like this "this bowl is mine, you can use but it's mine!!"
Is that because she is by far older than me? Actually, she is a little younger than my mother but I feel she is young for her mentality.
Finally, she told me that "I might not typical Franch woman I know. And I told her "Yes I know since we met!"
Her two cats always disturb my sleeping but they are lovely and cute. At place we don't have any pets but I really like animals though they sometimes make some stupid things.
Tomorrow, is the first day of second week of January. Since I started to take French course, I got the track of what day is it today.
Yuji @ France, Paris, 25
PS. I have been missing for bath!!
7.1.10
With Parisienne
Fortunately, I got a place to stay for the next 10 days with freindship!!
I met her at Tromso when I participated in her excebition in Oct. She was the person who showed us about her report about Chechenia in Russia. She is journalist.
To tell the truth, we hadn't known each other before we met again in here, Paris. At the extibion in Tromso, she gave me e-mail adress telling me that "When you come to Paris, I might help you, just send me a message!"
That's why she offered me to stay at her place!
To be honest, I can't imagine if someone offer me to stay at their place in Tokyo. (Actually I got once while I was traveling in Kagoshima, the southern part of Japan and that was countryside.)This is I feel typical and liberal European culture that I really love.
I don't know how it work well for the next ten days but I've got a little bit of her place. She lives with two cats, the name of both cats are from the murder in the States at 1960-70. It sounds wired but I can imagine because of her cats. They are very lovely and friendly. As you know I am not the dog but the cat person.
In addition, I could sleep alone that is really worth different from the past few weeks. Normally at hostel I slept with others who mostly traveling in Paris. Of course it is interesting to exchange our information about traveling but at the same time I couldn't sleep well since someone might wake up early in the morning or late to sleep in the evening. But now, I could sleep fleely that is what I have been wanted.
Today is the day forth for my French course. After the class we the students at the class went to a caffee to talk something about ourselves with a little French. A woman from Cuba, she can't speak English but she speak Spanish. And a girl from Germany, she speaks English and a little Italian from her school. I only can speak English. I myself couldn't understand about 80-90% of what cuban woman talking about but the girl from Germany, she could manage to understand since Spanish and Italian are close laguage as well as French.
Of course, I feel that English is very helpful to study in French but that's not the best language to help to learn French, I think. It was funny that I try to use dictionaly when I try to talk with Cuban woman but she speaks Spanish with a little French. And the girl from Germany she sometimes need a dictionary but not that much. I mostly could hear what they are talking and she gave me an translation in English that I could barely catch up with their conversation.
I know I am the worst student at the lesson but I want to talk with in French by the end of this month.
Yuji @ Paris, France 22
I met her at Tromso when I participated in her excebition in Oct. She was the person who showed us about her report about Chechenia in Russia. She is journalist.
To tell the truth, we hadn't known each other before we met again in here, Paris. At the extibion in Tromso, she gave me e-mail adress telling me that "When you come to Paris, I might help you, just send me a message!"
That's why she offered me to stay at her place!
To be honest, I can't imagine if someone offer me to stay at their place in Tokyo. (Actually I got once while I was traveling in Kagoshima, the southern part of Japan and that was countryside.)This is I feel typical and liberal European culture that I really love.
I don't know how it work well for the next ten days but I've got a little bit of her place. She lives with two cats, the name of both cats are from the murder in the States at 1960-70. It sounds wired but I can imagine because of her cats. They are very lovely and friendly. As you know I am not the dog but the cat person.
In addition, I could sleep alone that is really worth different from the past few weeks. Normally at hostel I slept with others who mostly traveling in Paris. Of course it is interesting to exchange our information about traveling but at the same time I couldn't sleep well since someone might wake up early in the morning or late to sleep in the evening. But now, I could sleep fleely that is what I have been wanted.
Today is the day forth for my French course. After the class we the students at the class went to a caffee to talk something about ourselves with a little French. A woman from Cuba, she can't speak English but she speak Spanish. And a girl from Germany, she speaks English and a little Italian from her school. I only can speak English. I myself couldn't understand about 80-90% of what cuban woman talking about but the girl from Germany, she could manage to understand since Spanish and Italian are close laguage as well as French.
Of course, I feel that English is very helpful to study in French but that's not the best language to help to learn French, I think. It was funny that I try to use dictionaly when I try to talk with Cuban woman but she speaks Spanish with a little French. And the girl from Germany she sometimes need a dictionary but not that much. I mostly could hear what they are talking and she gave me an translation in English that I could barely catch up with their conversation.
I know I am the worst student at the lesson but I want to talk with in French by the end of this month.
Yuji @ Paris, France 22
4.1.10
January in 2010
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Today is the first day of French School in Paris. I will study French in whole January.
The day for new year, I met a woman the day before who is from Japan and we together go to Effel tower to celebrate for the new year! The illumination of the tower was so beautiful and I enjoyed watching and staying there. Since I have been back to the former hostel, I met new Japanese people as well, which I started to speak Japanese more than that in English.
As I told you in above, I finally decided to study French seriously not only studying by myself. The school located close to Italian square. It is very small but student at the school of this month were only three for beginners course which I taken. One woman from Cuba who speak only Spanish and another woman is from the States. It was hard for me to catch up with the lesson even though that was the first day of school. The school starts from 8:45 to 10:15 for weekdays, which I have to wake up before 8 am for the next four days. What's more the pronounciation of French is hard for me and almost everytime when I try to say something the teacher try to correct it to right. I feel that I was afraid of making a mistake with pronounciation that would be worse with my Frnech. I could do that with in English but I have to do manage it in French as well.
I will concentrate on my French for this month and trying to make it up as much as I can!!!
Yuji @ Paris, Franch, 18
Today is the first day of French School in Paris. I will study French in whole January.
The day for new year, I met a woman the day before who is from Japan and we together go to Effel tower to celebrate for the new year! The illumination of the tower was so beautiful and I enjoyed watching and staying there. Since I have been back to the former hostel, I met new Japanese people as well, which I started to speak Japanese more than that in English.
As I told you in above, I finally decided to study French seriously not only studying by myself. The school located close to Italian square. It is very small but student at the school of this month were only three for beginners course which I taken. One woman from Cuba who speak only Spanish and another woman is from the States. It was hard for me to catch up with the lesson even though that was the first day of school. The school starts from 8:45 to 10:15 for weekdays, which I have to wake up before 8 am for the next four days. What's more the pronounciation of French is hard for me and almost everytime when I try to say something the teacher try to correct it to right. I feel that I was afraid of making a mistake with pronounciation that would be worse with my Frnech. I could do that with in English but I have to do manage it in French as well.
I will concentrate on my French for this month and trying to make it up as much as I can!!!
Yuji @ Paris, Franch, 18
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