The young Smithies

There was a meeting of the 2nd generation Smithies today and I realized how much living in another country necessitates re-learning or re-orientating yourself to even the most basic knowledge one naturally absorbs from simply living. The first Smith Assembly meeting a couple weeks ago, I made sure I asked some basic questions- what exactly does Bio mean on packaging- there is a whole brand in green packaging called Bio, and everyone throws around bio here- does it mean organic, does it mean additive free, does it mean anything, is it just marketing? But learning how the post office works, figuring out how to buy a mobile phone and not get screwed by buying something overpriced or unnecessary simply because you don't understand the options because frankly these things work differently here, renting a flat, getting your metro pass, and finding a job or getting your paperwork to live and work here are all things that most people find they need some support with.

I have found that Sylvain's friends are warm, welcoming and as likable as my own, but there is something to having an American friend, or a girlfriend that can't be adopted from someone else's brood. So while I frankly don't know any of the Smithie girls well enough to unload anything heavy on, they have been a godsend for practicalities- while all our French friends were telling us I could become president, the Smithies here had been here long enough to know how to navigate through the French bullshit and get what I need without getting screwed- and as much as I hate hearing that I can't be a teacher here, it's nice to hear someone tell me the truth- actually no, all those Frenchies telling you you'll find a teaching job are wrong, you're not EU so you can't.

Last night I met one of Sylvain's pals from Lyon, who respectfully challenged me about whether I could work here, I think he was simply worried I would take Sylvain away from France, using this as an excuse, but the truth is France has a very backward system and whenever our French friends discover how silly it is, they assume England would have the same system- they don't and I doubt anyone does, but they acknowledge, that, yes, it doesn't seem in anyone's best interest to carry on doing things this way. It's a blessing to have some American's who have gone through it all themselves, they know where the dead ends are, and instead of telling me to go chasing after the impossible, they offer advice on what is possible.