Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Deeeelicious!

I had yet another delicious weekend! On Saturday, I spent a long time exploring the Jardin des Plantes, another huge, beautiful, old garden in Paris, and one that I never made it to while I was here last time. It's a pretty cool premise - one of the kings, Louis XIII, I think, had it built as a medicinal garden, and the goal was to grow every species of plant that could possibly be useful medicinally! As I understood it, in my not-so-extensive visit, there's a section of more "officially" (I guess?) medicinal plants, then a section for plants that can be used in tinctures and the like, and then a section on interesting/beautiful plants, so it's a mix of pretty flowers and cool things from the tropics. The Jardin also has an iris garden, a rose garden, an alpine garden, tropical hot houses, a botany school's teaching garden that tries to include plants from all clades and varieties (I STUMBLED UPON THREE TYPES OF EQUISETUM HERE - YEAH THESIS, YEAH!), the Natural History Museum and a couple of other smaller museums, as well as a small zoo (the old royal menagerie) and a cute labyrinth on a hill! The labyrinth is more of a spiral of shrubs that walks you up to a cute little gazebo on top of the hill, unless you're a kid - there are a bunch of little tunnels through the shrubbery that you can scoot up and down, if you're not too big! Super cute.

Next, I went in search of a different kind of cultural exploration: I went nextdoor to l'Institut du Monde Arabe. It was a little late to go to the museum, as it was closing in less than an hour, but I went into the really neat, modern building (that clearly has incorporated Arabian influence, in really beautiful but super modern ways) and went up to the tippy-top. There's a café up there... and an amazing view of the right bank! L'Institut is a bit off towards the eastern side of Paris, so the view didn't extend much past Nôtre Dame, but it was really spectacular nonetheless. Not to mention the great weather! I sat and enjoyed a cup of mint tea that ROCKED my world, and it came with a whole assortment of tiny little treats, including date-flavored mousse, a somewhat-baklava-esque pastry, two sesame seed cookies, and rose-flavored ice cream. NOM. I finished the evening by going to Mariage Frères to pick up a small bag of that same mint tea that I had so so so enjoyed, and then stopped at my favorite crèperie for my favorite beurre/sucre/citron crèpe. Once again, my new friend Yazid (the kind Arabian who runs the place) pulled me inside to have a complimentary cup of mint tea, and then I was on my way. :)

Sunday, I didn't do a whole lot, but I had a nice time soaking up Paris (and some actual sun!!!). I spent a few hours just roaming along the Seine, way up one side and way back down the other side. The bouquinistes (the tiny "shops" that consist of small, green, collapsible, wooden boxes along the banks of the Seine) have such an interesting mix of things that I couldn't help but spend hours just pawing curiously through all their wares. Their collections of things for sale range from the super-repetitive, super-touristy posters/magnets/postcards (all of the touristy bouqinistes seem to use the same suppliers...) to maps, art, trinkets, and more maps that date back a couple of centuries! I found (a reproduction of) a map of Paris in 1615 that I loved, and that reminded me of all the cool things I learned about Paris' history in my class here while I was studying abroad. I also found a legit old map of Haiti from its French colonial days (so it was actually a map of Saint-Domingue), and I was sorely tempted to buy it... until I saw its price of 75 euros!! Interestingly enough, it doesn't look hugely different from a more modern map of Haiti, other than the border with the Dominican Republic - there haven't been many (any?) new major cities built, it would seem.

Anyway, after some additional wandering and soaking it all up, I grabbed some bread to take home for dinner before the boulangeries all closed, and split the rest of my time between reading in Shakespeare & Co. and reading in a little park nearby that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, the fact that Pathologies of Power is a lot of essays (and in fact somewhat repetitive at times, although not necessarily in a bad way) means that I'm not getting through it as quickly as I would like. I'm getting behind on my "reading list" schedule! It's still a pretty incredible book, though - I've realized that it's a good thing I'm already planning on being a physician who spends at least some of her time working abroad in poorer countries/areas, because I might otherwise be feeling a bit guilty after reading this book! It's seriously a call to "arms", if you will. ...Just read it, already.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Huzzah! Mwen genyen!

Mwen genyen! means "I win!" (one of the things I've learned from my Byki Express Creole program)

The reason I feel like a winner today is because I talked to the janitor in my dorm, and he IS from Haiti! :) I overslept a bit today and I usually hear him in the hall between 8 and 9, so I was worried I had missed him, but... luckily he was there, so I went and talked with him for a little while! We talked mostly about Creole (rather than talking in Creole), and I asked a couple questions about Haiti, too. He said there's just one accent throughout Haiti, so I probably shouldn't have to worry about different dialects/accents - although there's the occasional word that has a couple of varients (kitchen is usually kwizin but might also be kwijin... or something like that). We talked about how Creole is a lot simpler grammatically; verbs pretty much don't get conjugated (thank goodness!), and little connector words are rarely used at all. He used some examples here and there, so maybe I can now start getting used to hearing (and hopefully understanding??) Creole. He's there pretty much every weekday, so I just need to wake up early enough so I can have a little hello with him in the mornings and then get to lab...

I also feel like I've been making good progress in my practice with Byki Express! It's basically a program that shows you flashcards and says each word or phrase out loud in Creole, and you test yourself as you go along. It's organized into topical lists of 6-16 words or phrases, and the free download has about 115 lists. I'm nearly halfway through (that's almost 400 words/phrases that I know!!), and I go back and review old words/phrases most days, too. While it's certainly not the best practice ever for actually communicating and making my own sentences, it's definitely fun and satisfying, and is helping me feel a lot more prepared than I might be otherwise. It's a start! And hopefully Saturday will yield some kind of Creole-learning book... I really need to learn some grammar - the only rules I know now are those I've picked up on and figured out just through learning some phrases.

P.S. Interesting side note about the verb genyen: in Creole, it means both "to win" and "to have". How's that for culturally indicative? That just having something makes you a winner... oof

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Ooh look look looook!

Hey folks! Just a quick update! Three things:
  • Chloe Tucker, awesome head of the International Programs at the CPGC, just sent me this interesting link about Haiti and tourism! As Chloe pointed out to me, they mention Jacmel a couple times. Check it out!
  • An online search and a few bookstore visits later, I may have found a bookstore that sells Haitian Creole language books! It's a French bookstore, so I'd be learning from French instead of from English, but it'll be way better than only learning through my little free-download program! It closes before I can get into Paris on a weekday, so I have to wait until the weekend... so hopefully I'll find what I need!
  • I saved the best for last: Yesterday, as I was waking up, I heard the janitors in the dorm hallway as usual, and one of them is often talking on the phone... I usually don't understand what she's saying, but this time I thought I picked out one of the Haitian Creole words I've been learning/practicing recently!! I wasn't dressed soon enough to go out and talk to her before she left, but this morning I made sure to be up in time. I went and chatted with her (in French, not Creole) and she's from somewhere else in the Caribbean - I actually have no idea what country she said, as it was the French name for one of the places in that area - but I told her I was going to Haiti this summer and she said the other janitor (a man who wasn't there this morning but will be tomorrow) IS from Haiti!! Ahh how cool!! Suddenly a native Haitian turns up on my doorstep! Maybe I can practice my Creole with him... (ha. I say "my Creole" as if I can speak it yet... although I can already say some basic things!) 
More updates to follow!! :D

P.S. In case anyone was lacking in inspiration this morning, here's a 12 minute special on Paul Farmer

Monday, June 11, 2012

A Weekend's Storys and Musings

I had such a lovely weekend! I didn't do much of note, but Saturday and Sunday were full of wonderful moments. I wandered around Paris until I got lost and then stumbled upon a branch of my favorite macaron store - Pierre Hermé - so of course I bought a few (this is my first time back since 2010!). Then I ended up in a café, drinking a café crème, slowly enjoying every nibble of macaron (is it possible to get closer to heaven than a rose or jasmine flavored macaron in Paris??), and reading my Paul Farmer book. I was at a table on the sidewalk, but just protected enough that I could just sit and continue enjoying as it started to rain a bit. Can you say idyllic, much?? I finished Saturday with dinner at a pub with a new Australian friend - yay!

Sunday stared late and slowly, but I ended up back in Paris (of course), wandering past the many art galeries and cafés in Place des Vosges. I had a cup of Mariages Frères tea at one such cafe, and sat and read for a while. A few wanderings later, I was on Rue des Rosiers, so I went to my favorite crèperie and got my favorite crèpe: beurre/sucre/citron (butter/sugar/lemon). It was raining again, so I sat inside - this is one of the rare crèperies with indoor space, rather than just being an outdoor stand, and even then they only have a tiny area with a few stools to perch on. I alternated between reading and watching the EuroCup football game, until the man who works there (I've only ever seen this same guy at this place) came over and poured me a little cup of the most delicious mint tea you'll ever drink! This place serves 2 things: crèpes and mint tea, and they're both amazing. He was pretty busy serving people, but we chatted a few times, and he actually remembers me coming in before! I told him that I took Fourgie there, and told him how much she loved it. :) It was a pretty lively place, too, because his family lives upstairs and his 3 kids would run up and down the staircase as they came and went. So I kept sitting/reading/watching/chatting, and a few hours later (and a few cups of tea later), I finally decided to extricate myself and head home. When I left, I said "à bientôt" and he said it back! YAY! I think I'm now a regular!


A few random tidbits...

about the lab: I would be remiss in my multicultural adventures this summer if I didn't so much as mention the lab members here! The two PIs (principal investigators) of the lab, are American (the Haverford grad) and French (his wife). Then there's me (American) and three PhD students (Greek, Chinese, and Cambodian), plus a few other students that aren't here this summer, none of whom are French, as I understand it. Pretty interesting! Since the Greek and Chinese students don't speak French, everyone just speaks English here in the lab, except occasional exchanges (like when the French PI speaks with the Cambodian). I'll admit that it was a little bit of a relief to discover that I wouldn't have to do all my science in French, since that's a whole vocabulary set I've never delved into. Someday, perhaps...

about Paris: As I was wandering the streets of Paris, I was thinking about how this is my third time in this city, and my second time living here... until I realized - I've never actually lived IN Paris before! My homestay last time was certainly a lot closer to actual Paris, but Neuilly-sur-Seine is just outside actual city limits! And now, I'm way out in Bures-sur-Yvette, not even pretending to technically live in Paris. My conclusion: clearly, I need to come back and live here for real some time, and do it right. (Annie - you still up for that chambre de bonne??)

about Haiti: I haven't gotten through much of Paul Farmer's book yet, because the beginning is full of lots of material like forwards and introductions and other new things that were added to the second addition, etc. But I am already thoroughly impressed, and excited to be reading it! As I started, I kept coming across things I wanted to share on this blog, but it turns out I would just have to copy the whole thing word for word because everything he's saying is so interesting, important, and interrelated. I've never read a book that makes me pause and think this much, or that puts such a weight in my stomach. I get the feeling that if everyone in the world could read this book (or at least just the leaders of the world's superpowers), the world would be a much better place and suffering/poverty could be reduced. But maybe I'm just more easily convinced than others, who knows? Anyway, Pathologies of Power centers on the issues of poverty and human rights and public health (all very closely intertwined), examined through a number of examples from around the world. Paul Farmer has spent many years living and working in Haiti, so he can provide a perspective shaped much more by the experience of individuals and "real" Haitians (rather than the statistics and historical fact upon which the Haiti history book was based). Remember the conflicting feelings I mentioned a couple posts back? About the tendancy of Haitians to blame other world superpowers for their current situation, rather than taking the initiative to try to improve their conditions? Well, Paul Farmer is (indirectly) helping me make sense of that. He hasn't spoken to that exact phenomenon at all, but I am quickly realizing that that is probably something of an exaggerated generalization that mostly applies to (or at least is the fault of) the corrupt governments that have ruled Haiti over the years. At the same time, while I don't think the superpowers necessarily owe a specific debt to Haiti, I am being very quickly convinced that different actions/legislation/attitudes/knowledge surrounding international issues of poverty could have a huge positive impact. ...just read the book, already. :)

Thursday, June 7, 2012

A Few Final Thoughts on Haiti's History

Well, I've finished my book about Haiti's history! It was a surprisingly quick ending to the book, considering how in-depth and detailed the author got as the book entered modern times. It ends on a slightly more hopeful note, as René Préval (president from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2006 to 2011) finally realized that he should try making peace with his enemies rather than using political violence to obliterate all who opposed him. Seems like this paid off, and seemingly for the first time in hundreds of years, maybe Haiti finally has a chance of turning things around, from a more or less continual decline into an uphill battle. The author blames corruption, instability, and xenophobia as the three main causes of Haiti's poverty and decline from when it used to be called the Pearl of the Caribbean (back in colonial/slavery days), so if they can manage to keep their government in shape, maybe things can fall into place (and remain in place). We'll see! Here's hoping!
Jacmel's bay


The conclusion started with a nice description of Haiti's geographical beauty, with Jacmel as the prime example - sounds like I picked the right place to be! Haiti is even described as the most beautiful of the Caribbean islands, with Jacmel as a particular gem of the whole island. :) Apparently there are some shining blue pools (bassin bleu) you can climb up to nearby, and the town is supposed to have some flowering, colorful areas, and "for the particularly adventurous", there's a two-day hike up a mountain to a little chalet village that overlooks the capital! I won't be making that hike, but it sounds like I'm headed to a great place, and I am SO looking forward to this experience and new locale!
Bassin Bleu


Next up: Paul Farmer's Pathologies of Power! woop woop!

(I'm also going to start trying to hunt down a particular book/CD set that is supposed to be a really good/helpful way to learn Creole - there are just a few bookstores that *might* have it... Should've done this while in the states, because Amazon shipping to France is costly and takes a lot of time at this point, but I unfortunately didn't hear about the series until now! Wish me luck!!)

Les Petites Choses :)

- a pain au chocolat (almost) every day for breakfast

- my walk to and from the lab, along the little Yvette river and through woods full of chirping birds

- a fresh yogurt in a little glass bottle, bought at the Bures-sur-Yvette Saturday morning market

- the fabulous jazz group that plays every Sunday in Place des Vosges

- needing my Paris map-book less and less

- a fresh ficelle (small baguette), daily

- a tiny bouquet of roses and wildflowers for my tiny room

- being a regular at the local boulangerie and tiny supermarket

- nutella, nutella, nutella

- having 35-45 minutes to read on the train to/from Paris, even if it means bringing a bigger bag