Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Here are some of the complaints I heard from dependent
spouses: “My husband's company said we could bring
whatever we wanted with us, so I brought everything, right
down to soap and toilet paper. Although he said it was silly,
that such things would be available here in France, I knew it
might be difi cult to i nd the things I wanted. For example, I
forgot shampoo and spent two hours and $20 i nding what I
hoped was equivalent to what we use at home. My husband
was furious.”
“As a wife here, the very things which I did at home with
expertise are suddenly a whole new ball game. I have to
reinvent the wheel. None of my expertise in shopping and
keeping house in America applies here.”
“Why didn't anyone tell us it was going to be so hard?”
complains another spouse. “I came to Paris expecting a
Battling Loneliness
You may experience bouts of loneliness, especially in
the middle of Paris. Try some of these...
Go to the movies. All movie houses discount their
prices on Mondays. Read
Pariscope
or
L'Offi ciel
for the
details. If your French isn't great, go to the English or
American ones showing in version original (VO).
Ask your friends to come visit (few will need to be
asked twice) and look up friends-of-friends, who are
often glad to meet another foreigner.
Join English-speaking organisations, as suggested in
the appendix of this topic. They offer activities that
will teach you more about France and the French.
Get yourself established as a 'regular' in one of the
neighbourhood restaurants. They will make you feel
welcomed when you are eating alone. They will even
set you up with other interesting 'singles' so you can
have an interesting conversation as you dine together.
(
see
Chapter 6: Restaurants and Wine—The French
Essentials
on page 128.
)
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