Reise, Reise

It's been already two weeks that we don't have to fill in the paper about the reason why we're out and not staying at home. And we are free to move as far as 100 km instead of 1 km and 1 hour. However, during the rush-hour, if one doesn't have an official job, one cannot use the public transport in Île-de-France in the morning and in the evening. The employees can be asked to present a special document from their employers allowing them to use the transport. When I go for a walk, it's so strikingly horrible to see all these people who, like the flies attracted by jam, are sitting on the boards of the popular channels Saint Martin or La Villette inspired by the weather and freedom. Everybody is tired of death. The roads are full too. This awful urban noise and smell are back too. There are however more quiet streets, and the center of Paris is still almost empty and it's strange to see no crowds of tourists running in all the directions. But it takes one hour...

I made an nice acquaintance. It's a guy from Algeria. He looks completely like a French, at least not like a Muslim. His slight accent, though, betrays his foreign origin. He's a painter but he cannot make money as an artist so he, mathematician, works at the same time at a famous French gas company. He loves blue colors and all the time makes jokes about his 'manias' and about everything around reacting vividly to any comment or phrase of mine. His and our manias concern everything in our everyday life; I think the way we organize space we inhabit is marked to a great extant by our phobias and manias. I came to his perfectly clean flat in a close South Parisian suburb, and my mission was to clean it even better. "Don't you regret of coming here?" he asked. "Of course not. I'll always find what to do even when there's nothing to do". He explained meanwhile his philosophy of the "fainéant", of a lazy man: "I hate doing a lo...

It's the Indian summer here in Paris. I've stayed THREE weeks in the city without my long walks in the fields 40 km from it: it was raining, and I had to finish my dissertation and to send it to my professors. Yesterday, though, I went there. Coming back to the fields is like listening to eternity. Nothing changes, almost no movement, no people for sure. There's a striking difference between urban noise and serenity of nature. You also can feel the purity of its air. And if your eyes get used to beauty so that you are not able to amire it with the same intensity, silence for your ears would always be a great and precious surprise. You have to make breaks. Hear silence. This is our mental and bodily hygene. A road from Oinville to La Chartre, 12 oct 2019 This week I managed to spend 40 euros on food. That's about 5 euros per day. My colleague asks me why I don't eat with them at the restaurant. 'Cause it's expensive. - How much? - It's not the quest...

I am an angry bird today. The representative of the Saudi family called me this morning again. Again, they propose me to give French lessons for 20 euros / 1,5h, or for 15 euros / 1h. So, once again, we're at the beginning of our highly diplomatic dialogue . For those who doesn't know: in Paris, this is more or less what one can earn as a housecleaner. NOT as a professor speaking 5 languages and having his/her PhD degree. And although I do need money at the moment and I love money, the principle is much more important: if there is no respect for the teacher's work, adieu! Burning from anger, I've made all the way back home by foot, from 2e to 19e arrondissement. The weather is changing all the time, and there are very few people outside.

самое занимательное в этой нынешней работе - что она голову совершенно не занимает, но зато язык это ужас, на целый день я - попугай, одни и те же фразы приходится повторять миллион раз, и слишком их варьировать не получается, потому что надо быстро, телеграфически, и понятно. так что язык к концу дня сильно путается как пьяный и извиняется. я и так не особо говорлива, но по возвращении домой рот без извинений захлопывается насовсем (на вечер) нравятся китайцы. в предыдущем тексте я никоим образом не негативно о них, если кому почудилось. в основном это бабушки и дедушки, натрудившиеся в своей жизни, а может, и все еще. молодежь чаще всего уже холеная, упитанная, гладкая. лица у старичков морщинистые, сухие, похоже, всю жизнь пробывшие на солнце и ветрах. они перелетают с места на место стайками, не дай бог оторваться кому от всех! есть греки, но редко. "а греческого нет?" - "нет. только я тут по-гречески." - они хохочут: "прекрасно!" и я веселюсь...

This is perhaps the most beautiful, quiet and long (25 km) route not far from Paris for the one who loves grandes espaces… One summer day, I thought if it were possible to reach Vétheuil from Juziers. Yes, it was, phisically. But I worked also every Saturday, while the only possibility to go to Vétheuil was that one could come back home only taking a bus from this charmful village. The last bus from Vétheuil every weekend is at 16.45 pm on Saturday. As Sunday is usually the only day for my randonnées, I did not have this bus option. There are no busses at all in Vexin on Sunday. Now however I can escape from Paris on Saturday and on Sunday, and thanks gods autumn this year was dry. So the last Saturday I walked from Juziers to Montalet-le-Bois, and then reached Lainville-en-Vexin. This part of the trip was extremely quiet, there was no one except me, neither cyclists (perhaps because of the « gilets jaunes » manifestation), nor hunters. The blue sky is closer here, on t...

s" According to what the Mavrommatis’ clients love and eat and drink every time they come, I would give them the following names: Mister Ouzo Missis Mediterranean Sandwich and a Glass of Goumenissa Mister Two Glasses of Retsina Mister Octopus and Dolmades Missis Stuffed Aubergine Future mom Mrs. Three Souvlaki with A Lot of Rice me: Mrs. Vegetarian Cypriote Sandwich

Our team at Mavrommatis is not big, I feel comfortable with them and at the Cave and Boutique located 70 av. Paul Doumer. Almost all of them are younger than me, most of them are Greeks. - Two beautiful and handsome Athenians, kouros and kora - One fragile, tall and skinny guy is West Macedonian from Fl. - East Macedonian is tough and rather looks like a Thracian. I don't remember where E. and M. are from, but A. is an Austrian girl whose Greek is awesome... because she studies Modern Greek literature at Inalco.

I will try to write here from time to time little drafts, tiny fragments about my life and work in Paris, or my life at work, or others life at my workplace in the ville de l'amour, Paris. Since june 2016, I've been working at the library of ANHIMA, where me and others used to and still use to study Greek and Roman and other ancient Antiquities. This quiet happiness lasted for two years, but in june 2018, the administration kindly asked me to try to look for another job étudiant, because the unit had not funds for my position any more. So since 13th September, I've been a proud waitress at Mavrommatis Passy/Trocadéro. I replied to an announcement about this position for one and the only reason: there would certainly be some Greeks beside me. M. turned out the only employer who showed interest in my candidacy and who signed contract with me. Sometimes it is a bit difficult and very sportive, but I like it. 70, avenue Paul Doumer