Feelings

You Americans. All you ever want to do is talk about your feelings. Bah!! Many of you have emailed and said "Kara, how do you feel about living in Paris? Do you like it? Do the girls like it?" So, in order to satisfy your need to know, I have thought deeply about these important questions.

In spite of spending much of my time making fun of the French, I am very fond of them. Remember, I make fun of everyone (yes, including you). But, it's hard to say I love Paris when the kids are having a bad day. If one of the kids says someone was mean to her at school, or she's running a fever, I don't sit around and say "Trala! We love Paris!" So, we have good days and bad days, but I'm glad we're having them here for a year. There are certain things I miss about the US, besides Rob and all of you. I miss space. We're living in pretty cramped quarters. I miss watching sports in real time. I miss my social life. I miss the kids having a social life. I miss the dogs. I miss takeout.

It's hard watching the girls struggle with French, with navigating a new city, with trying to make friends. When I ask them, Megan loves it, Claire likes it, and Erin says there are good parts and bad parts. They'll be in a better position this time next year to tell you whether they liked it or not.

The French way of life has a lot of advantages. The socialist system is based on the principle of equality and the value of all work. The waiter's job is as important as the CEO's job. When the doctor goes to a restaurant, the waiter doesn't fall all over himself to please the CEO. Ordering dinner is a transaction between equals. While Americans think the French act superior, and are often offended by the attitudes of French service people, I think it's more that the French don't act inferior. Even waiters and cab drivers take a month-long holiday in the summer. By law, most stores can't be open on Sunday. So, even retail employees have Sundays off and can spend them with family and friends.

It's definitely a more paternalistic system of government. The economist in me says if people want to work on Sundays, they should be able to. But if the system is set up so that you make a good living (did I mention the month off during the summer?) without working on Sundays, that seems worthwhile.

The French have clearly chosen equity over efficiency. As an American, I sometimes want to shake them and say "You could be so much more productive and make so much more money!" But of course they know that. They just choose not to. They really are happier knowing the waiter gets a big bonus and six weeks of vacation every year, even if that means they pay 7 dollars for a cup of coffee. They jealously guard their employment benefits and their time off and they will almost always choose more time over more money (of course, the system reinforces that, since the extra money is taxed at a ridiculous rate).


If you think I've gone all soft and mushy, don't worry. I promise I'll get my cynical mojo back in time for next week's blog.