Typisch Französisch

Today, the buses between the RER métro station and the school where I teach weren't running. No warning, no notification, just an unusually large number of people milling about the stop. Thankfully there were a few other teachers who had arrived on the same train, and we set off on the 25-minute walk to the school. As it was still dark, essentially what could be considered the wee hours of the morning for a recent college grad like myself, this was not my idea of a good time. However, I did have some enjoyable, half-asleep-and-can't-believe-I-have-to-speak-in-a-foreign-language conversation with the German assistant and a history prof I work with. I think my favorite part of the morning came as we were scurrying across the street when the light was red (or rather, the German assistant and I were scurrying, while the other profs had naturally noticed the opening earlier and crossed at a more leisurely pace).

"Findest du es nicht komisch, dass man hier immer bei Rot über die Ampel geht?" (Don't you think it's weird that everyone jaywalks here?) I asked.

The German assistant smirked. "Das ist typisch französisch, halt." (That's just typically French.)

Indeed. It's certainly a sharp contrast from Tübingen, where a man once sped up in an apparent attempt to mow me down in the intersection the one time I dared cross on a red light (not achieving this, he instead shook his fist and shouted at me).

Upon reflection, I think the whole morning was very typically French. (Or even this whole week. Or whole month and a half.) The buses weren't running, but no one panicked. No one was even terribly surprised. Everyone passed smoothly to plan B. The heat hasn't been working, but everyone just dresses warm--or organizes to cancel class. It's been taking over a month to get my autorisation de cumul, but the CNRS is still willing to hire me. Delays, mishaps, and inconveniences are taken in stride. It's really quite admirable how patient and and understanding (most) people here are.

Of course I would rather live without the unexpected setbacks (which seem be unusually frequent here...)--but I think there's an important lesson in flexibility to be learned for me.

And I love living in Paris. Just. Love.

:)