The French Infection

Life in France is good. If it weren't for the cold, the cost, and the difficulties described below, I would say life is approaching perfection. I have been spending much of the past week dealing with a number of less than fun tasks, but thanks to the bounty of breads and the friendliness of the French, I can't really complain.

Issue number one has meant more trips to the doctor. India gave me a parting gift of some sort of fungal infection and perhaps mites. Itching more than I would like, I finally took the plunge and went to the doctor. It was a lengthy and awkward process which involved me walking around a hospital for a long while. Unable to get anyone to understand my description of my symptoms in French, I was reduced to having to gesticulate that my feet, chest, and groin itched to anyone who was willing to look at me. After confusedly getting pointed around in circles for a while I was finally hooked up with an English speaking dermatologist. Two creams, a spray, a pill, many trips to the laundromat, and a week later I have finally been pronounced clean.

I am in Paris to do an apprenticeship with a bakery. Surprisingly, not all of the breads of Paris are quite as sublime as one might hope and while I am determined to get to the bottom of why, how, and with what frequency bakeries here are cutting corners to bake bad breads, my big goal is to be making good bread myself. So with a noble investigation as a side project, I will be spending a bulk of my time apprenticing in the work room of one bakery. Making the transition from India,where everything was possible for a price, to France, where nothing is possible without a form, has taken more adjustment than I expected. After finding a bakery who was willing to take me, I finally yesterday secured and presented the form they wanted. Huzzah.

Along with things to do, I have been in desperate need of a place to be. For my first two weeks in Paris I was bunking with blessed friends while I tried to find myself an apartment or sublet. In the course of two weeks, I heard a lot of 'non' and got to see a wide range of apartments. From miniscule rooms with no shower, sink, kitchen, or windows (all for $600 a month) to slightly less tiny rooms with all the modern conveniences adorably folded into one closet sized space. No one wanted to take me for short periods of time, but I was finally able to get a sublet from a student going away for a bit. Starting on Sunday I will be the proud owner of a little apartment with more than enough stuff to be called home for the next two months.

I have decided to hold off on my boulangerie reviews for little while. Realizing the internet is a pretty open place and giving mediocre reviews to someone I am trying to talk to for research likely wouldn't go over all too well.