Wednesday, September 9, 2009

C'est pour les hommes....

Hello Everyone!
I have had my first day of orientation/foreign exchange student school. My french student classes don't start until the 14th or 21st. Here I am in my window the night before school. For my entire youth, my family took a first day of school picture. We have them throughout the years of Grace's rad pink glasses, bagheera in the background, my front toothless smile to my braces smile, Grac'es shiny purple eyeshadow and then me solo with Lori. This year it was a little different, as it was taken the night before and I'm alone in my french window with no family anywhere. Oh, where life takes us.





On a funnier, lighter note. I was looking for a bike today to buy for the year. I simply want a used bike to ride around aix in place of the 130 euro bus pass. So I go to the Depot, a pour les trucs utilise. Used items. I find a bike, 68 euro, not too horrible. But its old. I inquire with a man who doesn't really look like he works there, even maybe mentally slow...but he walked up when I rang soooo....

We start talking, en francais and he says.."oh no no no, this is a man's bike" I respond with. Yeah, but I'm tall, I can handle it. He is very adamant and now chuckling. No no no, it for MEN, it is made for MEN. "yes sir, I GET that, ok thanks". SO I go get the head guy, and he sasy teh SAME thing. I ask why now, thinking something huge is lost on me. He simply says see the bar here, it is straight and not slanted. Women's bars are slanted to make it easier to swing you leg up over. It is not as hard to get on"......I am happy! "Oh that's it" I say, then yeah, I can do that! No he says, no c'est pas pour toi. ca marche pas pour toi. NO, it won't work for you. I'm thinking, "sir, I rode HORSES for 4 years..I don't think a bike bar ont eh ground is going to prove too difficult for my delicate female legs to swing over". He is laughing now, no no work for you, les femmes. EXCUUUUUUSE me? Are you trying to sell your bike or not. He started to get a little worked up and so did I, then I remembered that it was a crappy bike for 70 Euro anyway and said merci au revoir and left.

Gender Equality has a whole different mindset in France. Excuse me, I must go to bed and I think my bed might be unisex and so I want to give myself extra time to make the jump up into it....
Mlle C. GORTON
Song:"Technicolor Health" by the Harlem Shakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_x7Njb-JHQ

1 comment:

  1. well, you are five foot eleven and three-fifths inches tall...

    :)

    ReplyDelete