I'm still working on FAQs Part II. But here's another one that gets its own. Do I prefer London or Paris? I get asked this a lot. A LOT. This is probably the third most frequently asked question aside from "Why did you move?" and "How's London?"
This is kind of a funny question to me. I don't know how to compare two totally different cities. But here we go. We're going to stack them against one another. Warning: this post contains lots of stereotypes (both real ones and the word).
Area #1: Well. . .AREA
Here's the deal. Our first apartment in Paris was freaking awesome. The location, the size. . .everything. But we didn't appreciate it, mostly because we suck like that. I'd love to transplant that apartment to London in a comparable location, and life would be SO good. Even our second apartment in France rocked, even though it was the size of my dad's walk-in closet.
Now we live in London. And our flat is nice. Mortlake is Nice. Richmond-upon-Thames is NICE. But it's so white bread. Someone used the term "yummy mummy" to describe the women here, and while that sounds totally gross, it makes me laugh, and now I can't help but think it every time I pass the women pushing their Maclarens in their black spandex pants, puffer coats and booties. Even so, laughing at your neighbors doesn't make an area worth living in.
WINNER: Paris, by a longshot
Area #2: General People
Don't hate on the lack of accents.Oh, this is a fun one. Would I rather deal with the French or the English? It really depends on my mood. The French. . .are really not as bad as everyone makes them out to be. I don't really find them rude as much as almost apathetic about 80% of the time, which I guess can come off as rude. They're very into following rules, though, even if it's rules they've just made up.
On the other hand, 20% of the time, they're very alive and animated, which is great fun. That's the stereotypical passionate side, which I find very engaging, because I think I may be part psychic vampire. I like watching the French fight.
Besides, I can tune them out if it gets to be too much.
Then we have the English. What can you say when you really can't say anything bad? It's not bad. They're not bad. They're very lovely people. They're just so. . .proper. I've been told I'm rather infuriating at times because I'm an expert on talking without really saying anything. I've got nothing on the English. I remember someone saying once something like, "I would hate to be German. Could you imagine calling your wife 'Sie' while in bed? *shudder*" Hilarious! (For the semi-dense: yes, it was a joke.) But the English are like one step below that. Do they ever get mad? No, really. Do they ever show real emotion? No, really.
The best example of what I'm talking about is when someone dies, especially after being kidnapped or something. The newspaper reports, "The family is understandably distressed and requests privacy during this time." Distressed? Seriously, distressed? Distressed is like, I have a £50 voucher for Gap, and I don't know what I did with it (this is true). I think about it on occasion, and it stresses me out that a) I'm still fairly irresponsible with things and b) I'm cold and I want a real sweatshirt. So you could say I'm distressed. If someone I know dies, I'm devastated.
Add to this that I'm naturally fairly loud and I'm extremely animated when I really get going. I think this is a problem. I've never really felt stereotypically American when I'm out of the country, but I do here. I should buy a pair of white trainers, some sweat pants, and a bum bag. And surgically attach a McDonald's bag to my hand. I don't really see having an extra appendage as being a problem with writing my dissertation, because I'm probably too stupid to understand what I'm supposed to be doing anyway, and it won't get done. Or I'll end up writing it in crayon and turn it in with french fry (sorry, chips) grease all over the paper.
Yet for some odd reason (read: I'm stupid), I like the English anyway, and often stick up for them when many (read: all) of the other immigrants I've met have told me how distant and awful "the British" (American code word for something that probably is English) are.
WINNER: I don't know. It's between people who make me feel bad for talking to them and people who make me feel like I'm offending them for talking at all. Fine line. Let's call this one a tie.
Area #3: Scenery
There's an area of Paris by Ile de la Cite where heaven and earth collide to produce the most breathtaking pop-up of gargoyle-topped marble-chiseled (not really) buildings parted by the emerald serpentine Seine. That's really all I have to say about that. I have an amazing picture of Alex with it as the background, but I can't find it right now.
At first, I thought this would be an easy point to Paris. But then spring hit England, and like the Grinch, my cold, black heart grew three times that day (March 21, which ironically, I think was a rainy day). Besides, the English always give things fun names which increases the chances I'm going to find it somewhat endearing. Like Dorking. And Yorkey's Knob. Or they call their food spotted dick or clapshot. I'm obsessed.
Even within London, we've got Canary Wharf (yellow water birds), Elephant and Castle (the circus), Canada Water (Niagara Falls), Kentish Town (a Renaissance Faire), Chalk Farm (petting zoo). . .Those sound like fun places. Some of them aren't, but that's not the point. (For those who are lost, my incredibly awesome and somewhat childish associations are in parentheses.)
I can't think if many areas that compare to Soho and Camden Town.
WINNER: Overall. . .I don't know. I want to say London, especially because it's spring, but then I think of Pere Lachaise, and it all sort of goes out the window again. I'll tentatively say London.
CONCLUSION: There are so many other areas I could get into (language, for example, and accents), but I'll stop, because this might be incredibly boring. If there's any interest, we'll revisit in the future. So, we have Paris-tie-London. That doesn't solve anything.
