East.Side.Back.Street

1st day

Today has got to be one of the worst days of my life. Seriously, not exaggerating at all. I thought that I could be on the TV show ‘Worst Case Scenarios’. Almost everything that could go wrong went wrong.

As most of you know, I had no place to stay. Also, I couldn’t contact Chloe, the girl going on exchange with me because I did not have her number. When I reached Paris, I was scared. Because everything was uncertain and nothing was concrete. After I got all my luggage, I sat down and tried to access to the internet, There was no free wireless connection. I tried to pay but I couldn’t understand the words in French. I tried Macdonald’s too. This was when a guy who was selling stuff began to stare at me. Alone with 40 kg of luggage, I felt really helpless and vulnerable. I told Laura that even if someone wanted to steal my luggage, there was pretty much nothing I could do. It was really like taking a lollipop from a kid.

Laura checked my email for me and told me that Chloe had not replied to my emails. As I could not contact Chloe, I decided to make my way to my school instead to seek help. However, the information counter informed me that the taxi drivers were on strike today. What the hell! I asked how to take the metro then, but when I was walking towards the station, I was stopped by a few military men who did not allow me to continue. I then made my way back and sat down and called my friend in Paris, Terence, instead. He could not offer any practical help, so I tried to take the metro again.

The directions in the RER weren’t clear, but I just went up the train anyway, carrying my bulky and really disgusting luggage and surrounded by queer unfamiliar faces. I started to imagine myself in ‘The Hostel’ scenario where people around wants to cut me up. Suddenly, there was this gypsy girl behind me who started singing very loudly. I was shocked initially but then knew subsequently that she was a performer. As the direction instructions were not clear, I almost missed my stop, had not I asked a helpful person who spoke some English. It was at this time when Laura informed me that Jacq had managed to get hold of Chloe’s number. I called her and told her that I should go to her house to put all my luggage first. She did not sound friendly (but she is a nice person) and she agreed.

The route to Permentier Station was a nightmare. The French do not use escalators. I carried my luggage up and down flights of stairs and pulling them around for 3 to 4 hours, as I was given 4 different sets of directions to the station. Every time I see another stairway, it always seemed daunting and insurmountable. Although the weather was around 15 degree Celsius, my shirt was soaked with perspiration. My hands were already numb, and my spirit was rock bottom thinking that I am stuck in this stupid complicated network of train lines with no escalators. I switched the heavy luggage from my left to my right hand, and over and over again till both were shaking. I even wanted to just sit down and not move anymore.

Finally, I found Chloe. When I first saw her, I was too exhausted to recognize her. She saw me and called my name and really I could see rays of light and hope behind her body. However, it did not help that her apartment was on the 6th floor, without escalator nor elevator again. It seems like the whole of France is preparing for the Tour d’ France. She helped me with the small one, but I was ‘dragging’ the big one up the stairs and totally looked like a wuss, although I did not want that as I was meeting Chloe for the first time. But I couldn’t help it.

Felt 10 times better after hydrating myself and taking a bath. My moral of the story is that, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, or you will suffer like me. Had I taken more precautions and made more backup plans, such as a simple ‘googling’ of a shuttle bus from the airport to Chloe’s place, I wouldn’t have suffered like today.

Days 2 – 5 Barcelona

Every time when I am on the Metro, I make it a point to help people who are struggling with their luggage. Selfish French. Din help me when I need it.

Just got back from Barcelona. It was a great experience and in total contrast with my first day in Paris. The sun was out, the streets were crowded and the people were friendly and many were walking around, shopping, chilling or sightseeing. France is different in a way where people are more cool and well dressed and look a little more aloof, not as warm.

Laura’s apartment is great. Nice neighborhood to live in with many shops and the ‘La Ramblas’ near by, the place where many festive events take place and shopping places are. Sigh. I need to find a place to stay too soon. Although Chloe is nice to put me up temporarily, the feeling of staying under other people’s place is not good. Have been sending out plenty of emails but the responses were not encouraging. Have to see how it goes.

I would love to load some photos. But the cafe's internet connection does not allow me to do it. I'm in a cafe right now where lots of people smoke. Sian. Still no place to stay.

Songjie

Hi my friends,

Dear frens.. todae i did the unthinkable.. something which I always use to luff at weixin.. or get astonished at ivy or my frens who have done it.. i watched a movie alone. the timing was perfect.. so i decided why not.. and i watched 'homesong stories' haha.. anyway it wasn't so bad..

i figured out i would soon do many things on my own in paris, so why not start now and get used to it haha.. i was telling laura that in paris i'll do wad the europeans do.. take some drawing block and sit on the bridge and start drawing.. but i'll be drawing 2-dimensions drawing with stickman on it haha.. weixin the lonely man will surely say me 'aiya watch movie alone only need to announce to the whole world meh?' haha.. ok la lao jiao paiseh la..

anyway i realised that really few of us blog now.. so i think in paris when i upload photos i wun start a new blog.. i'll just blog here.. haha and if when i come back from paris all the blog entries are only from me den i will officially rename the blog as sj.blogspot.com..

enjoy guys..
Songjie

Hi.. it seems like this blog can be renamed as sj.blogspot.com alr cos it seems that only I am blogging.. anyway well, time flies and soon I can start counting down to the day I'll be leaving Sg.. I might as well list down my departure details now: Terminal 1, 25th Sept @ 2255 for those who are coming to see me off.. haha sorry a bit BHB..

todae is the 4th day I have not seen Lola.. to be honest the whole period we have been together this is the longest I have not seen her.. miss her.. todae Akon's 'Lonely' just suddenly sprung into my head.. so guys got time can find the lonely man to watch movie and play ball..

I did some relief teaching for PE a few weeks back.. 7 days to be exact.. and altho the pay and working hours are good.. it was rather stressful and demoralising.. to put it short and straight some of the express stream classes' students had poor attitudes and the normal stream classes' students were not interested in their studies. it was a good experience nonetheless but teaching is definitely not at the top of my priority careers list.. some of the students tried to 'gangster' me.. or some of them said insensitive things.. like saying to other teachers," Teacher, I dun enjoy the PE lesson today at all." It is nothing now but quite demoralising at the point you hear it.. well however in the end Blackie and I agreed that it was perhaps 'Karma' for what we have done in Secondary School.. den anyway it's great cos if it's this way then I would have paid back some for the bad debts haha..

My sister is on her route to recovery.. when she was discharged about a month ago she was only 39kg.. now she's ard 44kg.. feel happy for her.. her attitudes have also improved.. it seems like what Seto said before 'Ppl always need to experience something bad for them to learn..' is true.. but I hope that's not the way for most of us where we would be around to remind one another about our shortcomings so that we can change before the bad things happen..

To all my very good friends Lam,Ue,Sq,Es,Black,Xin,Seto,Qin,Kow.. Pls take good care of your health.. and limit oily food to once per week haha.. and eat more vegetables..

Songjie