Paris Reflections: What I Like Most

As much as I enjoy being in Paris, I miss my husband and my puppy so much it hurts! There is something about the tail wag, loving eyes, and fluffy fur of a puppy that can brighten my most sour moods. And my puppy, Huxley, loves me so unconditionally. Dogs are great. Luckily, Paris is full of them! As I was walking around looking at art galleries, I mentioned how much the French seem to love their dogs and he says the French don't love their dogs as much as the English, but that they were probably second on the list of countries who love their dogs most. 

It Olivier Roux's talk about shopping districts in Paris, he said almost all stores allow dogs, but they ask that the owners carry them. In some of the most expensive and luxurious stores, dogs are allowed to walk on the floor and the sales associates will even cater to the dog, getting it water or food or whatever the owner desires for the dog. If a sales associate was kind and playful with my dog, I would certainly be inclined to spend more!

Dogs are also allowed at all restaurants! Restaurants even have "house dogs" which often greet customers at the door and have their own beds in the restaurants. I adore crossing people with their dogs on the sidewalks. One man even let me pet his little dog when I was feeling particularly sad about being away from Huxley. Yorkshire Terrier mixes and Rack Russell Terriers seem to be the most popular.

So Huxley, if Dad is reading this to you, I want you to know how much I miss you! I've been saying "Bonjour" to all of your French friends. They sniff me and wag their tails and ask me to to say "Bonjour" to you when I see you next! I think you would enjoy being a Paris dog. You would love the long walks and puppy-watching at the cafes. I bet you would make lots of friends and love it when strangers smile at you. I hope you're having fun at home! All my love.

Paris Reflections: The French are Serious About Fashion

Earlier this week we heard a lecture about the Shopping Districts in Paris by Olivier Roux. He began his lecture with the "rules" of shopping in Paris. They are as follows:

1. The store hours are 10am to 7pm
2. The stores hate tourists, the shops are not for sightseeing they are for making purchases
3. Absolutely no food in the stores
4. Absolutely no drink in the stores
5. Do not speak loudly
6. Do not expect good service

He continued his lecture by reviewing 5 maps he gave us of 4 different shopping areas. He went store by store and explained whether the store was good for fashion or not, how bad the service was, and why the shop is important to fashion (or not important in some cases.)

For example, Armani is easy to wear and fashion should be a challenge, which makes Armani neither interesting nor considered fashion. Only foreigners shop at Armani, a Parisian would never be caught shopping there. Ellie Saab is only for the wealthy, but not the extremely wealthy. Go to Celine to touch the materials. She is the Queen of leather and her shoes are "mad." Saline is sophisticated and pure. Lancel is terrible, go there to learn what not to do. Observe what they are doing as a fashion business and do the opposite to be successful. Abercrombie and Fitch is "gross" and "shocking." Colette is no longer "the" store of Paris. His list goes on and on.

A window display for perfume

The most disturbing part of the lecture was when he was trying to describe the ideal Parisian "look" and used the Obamas as an example. President Obama, with his lean and tall build is attractive to Parisians, but his wife, Michelle Obama, is too large and very unattractive. As Mr. Roux was telling this story, I could feel my blood boiling. Michelle Obama does a lot of good for our country and she is very well liked. Who cares what she looks like or if the Parisians think she is attractive? I understand Mr. Roux's point, but he should have used a different couple as an example. We have many celebrities that we, as Americans, are willing to make fun of. I don't think our Presidential Couple should be one of them.

Shortly after the Obama story, Mr. Roux goes on to explain what we should wear while shopping in order to get the most attentive service: all black. Why, might you ask, would shoppers wear all black when they could wear something from one of the designers that Mr. Roux considers "challenging" and "interesting"? Because, and I quote, "It isn't about how you look, it is whether or not what you have to say is interesting."

At this point I'm completely at a loss for the point of Mr. Roux's lecture. We just spent an hour and half learning which designers are best and which ones are a joke. Why would we spend that time if it "isn't about how you look, it is whether or not what you have to say is interesting"?

In addition, Mr. Roux provides our students with a few insults that will demand respect of the store owners who are notorious for their poor service. Some of these insults include, "The difference between you and me, is that I can afford what you sell" and "My dog cost two months worth of your salary." This just seems to be to be fanning fashion's already bad reputation for being elitist and frivolous.

A shopping area and restaurants

So I wonder... 

• Am I experiencing Ethnocentrism? 
• Is this the part of Culture Shock that I was warned about, the part where I start focusing on our cultural differences? 
• If I stick it out will I become accepting of this part of French culture? 
• Was Olivier Roux speaking of France's view of fashion or his own?

I consider myself to be pretty open-minded but I find myself disagreeing with Olivier on his overarching theme and completely ambivalent on his smaller points about each individual store. I just want to say, "Who freaking cares?" Then, I wonder, what did my students think of Olivier Roux's lecture? Did they agree with him? Did they find him entertaining or appalling or something in-between?

This morning I had the incredible privilege to meet with a friend of mine from college who majored in fashion design. She's been living in Paris with her husband for four years and held an internship in the fashion industry for 8 or 9 months. She had similar observations about the fashion industry being obnoxious and frivolous and she ended up leaving the fashion industry for another job. Speaking to her was such a breath of fresh air. It was the first honest conversation I've been able to have in six days. We were able to share our feelings of dissolution with the fashion industry without reservation or filters. I can't thank her enough for meeting with me and allowing me to share with her my inner thoughts and for her sharing her thoughts with me as well. It revitalized me and renewed my energy and passion for this trip.

I'm left asking myself these questions. Should I be teaching fashion if I don't agree with how it works? Or should I be teaching fashion because I don't agree with how it works? 

A window display for shoes

Paris Reflections: Lessons from Hemingway

On the train ride to Brussels, Belgium I read Chapter 17 in A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. The chapter is titled "Scott Fitzgerald" and tells the story of Hemingway and Fitzgerald traveling to Lyon to retrieve Fitzgerald's car.

Upon his return to Paris, Hemingway discusses the trip with his wife and says, "I learned one thing."
"What?"
"Never to go on trips with anyone you do not love" (page 150.)

I'm beginning to understand why Hemingway said this. There is a stark difference between the ones you love and what I've come to call my "stakeholders" on this trip. With the ones you love, you're engaged in a reciprocal relationship, part of their happiness comes from your enjoyment of the trip and vice versa. With stakeholders, you're in a giving relationship, you're enjoyment comes 2nd, or in my case...25th. In fact, my enjoyment may even decrease the enjoyment of some of my stakeholders.

For example, due to limited seating in the regular cabins, my colleague and I were gifted tickets in first class. It was a complete surprise to me, I didn't even realize it until I entered the cabin and found my seat. I was elated. I never ride first class as I am a saver and I like to spend my money in different ways.  I could never justify spending the extra money for a first class ticket anywhere. My husband and I didn't even get first class tickets when we traveled to our honeymoon. So I was thrilled to have this opportunity and was so grateful for this little perk. When we arrived in Belgium, I found out a few of my students were upset that we rode first class when they had to ride in the regular cabins. They were hurt, offended, and they didn't think it was fair. I was crushed. I never in my wildest dreams thought that this little perk would decrease some of my students' enjoyment of the trip. I even felt guilty for enjoying the ride.

Me, in first class, look how excited I was!

Who are my Stakeholders?

• The Department Chair: I must prove to her that I am capable of planning and executing a trip worthy of departmental support and I must represent the department well at The Paris American Academy. If I don't prove the program is worthy of departmental support they won't allow me to continue offering this opportunity to students.
• The College of Arts and Science: I must prove to The College that the program is academically challenging and worthy of 3 academic credits. If the program is rigorous enough then The College can decide that it is not worthy of academic credit and they won't allow me to continue offering this opportunity to students.
• Overseas Studies: I must prove to Overseas Studies that the program prepares to students for the study-abroad experience outside of the classroom including safety, exposure to culture, culture-shock, etc. If the program does not meet the criteria for Overseas Studies then they won't allow me to continue offering this opportunity to students.
• The Students: I must ensure that the program is fun and educational for the students. They expect a trip that they will never forget, something life-changing, something memorable. They want to explore the country, enjoy themselves, and learn interesting things. I consider these my most important stakeholders, I desire to please them the most! If I don't satisfy the wants and needs of the students, they won't WANT me to continue offering this opportunity to them.
• The Parents: I must prove to the students' parents that I will keep their children safe, provide them a fun and educational experience, and prove to them that this opportunity is worth their money. If I don't, they won't pay for this opportunity for their children.
• Paris American Academy: I must prove to Paris American Academy that the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design at Indiana University is worth working with. As I mentioned before, I represent the department and my students represent the department. If I don't prove to PAA that we are worth working with, then I won't be able to offer this opportunity to students for logistical reasons. I'm not able to book the kind of talent that PAA has access to.
• My Colleague: I must prove that I am capable of holding up my end of the bargain, that I am professional, that I am easy to work with, that I am agreeable, and that I am enjoyable to work with. If I don't prove this to my colleague, then she may not want to work with me again and won't want to travel to Paris with me again. Thus, I wouldn't be able to offer this opportunity to students in the future.
• My Husband: I must prove to my husband that this experience is worth the time, energy, and stress. He is the one back home, taking care of the house and the dog, and listening to my experience here. If he doesn't think this opportunity is worth it, then he won't be supportive. Without his support, I wouldn't be able to emotionally handle offering this opportunity to students.
• Myself: Finally, I must ensure that I enjoy myself. If I don't enjoy offering this opportunity to my students, then I won't WANT to continue offering this opportunity to my students.

My most important Stakeholders

I include myself as a Stakeholder because I am delicately balancing my desire to give each and every student an amazing study-abroad experience with my need to enjoy the trip so that I will want to continue providing this opportunity. Let me make it clear that I think this is a valuable asset to every student's college experience. I think we should be offering multiple study-aborad experiences. I am thrilled that I was able to offer this opportunity to this group of students. I would say about 75% of my enjoyment comes from seeing them enjoy the trip. The other 25% comes from my own interest in continuing to learn more about fashion and exploring a new country. These past few days I haven't gotten the impression that all 23 students are enjoying the experience as much as I would like them to, therefore, I am not enjoying the experience as much as I would like to.

I'm at a loss. I don't know where all of my stakeholders stand, are they finding this opportunity worth their investment? I don't even know where I stand, do I want to do this again? Is Hemingway right, should we "never go on trips with anyone you do not love"?

I'm left thinking about my own study-abroad experience 7 years ago in Italy. I wonder if I ever verbally expressed my appreciation for the two professors who provided me the opportunity to study-abroad. To those two professors, I want to share with you my most heart-felt appreciation for inviting me to experience one of the most rewarding parts of my college career. I had some of the most amazing experiences, met some of the most incredible people, and created memories I'll never forget. I often think about the opportunities you provided me and the experiences you created for me. I hope that you felt my appreciation then, but if not, I hope you will accept it now.

Paris Reflections: Expectations

What are your expectations of Paris?

What are you most looking forward to and what are you nervous about?

Jane Matranga, a friend and colleague, and I are taking a group of 23 students from Indiana University to Paris, France. We leave in two days. I've assigned each student to keep a blog, posting ten times during their two-week stay. During one of our pre-trip meetings I discussed the importance of journaling and reflecting on experiences and as I gave my students this valuable information I realized I rarely took the time to journal and reflect on my own experiences. This is my attempt to "practice what I preach."

The first assignment was to answer the two questions posed at the top of this post: What are your expectations of Paris? What are you most looking forward to and what are you nervous about?

What are my expectations of Paris? Prior to this trip I read two memoirs about Paris: The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz and The Most Beautiful Walk in the World by John Baxter. These two books, along with French stereotypes, have formed my expectations of Paris. In The Sweet Life in Paris, David describes the differences between French and American cultures. Some examples include common courtesies such as standing in line (the French like to cut) and saying hello when walking into a shop (Americans come and go without saying a word to anyone.) I expect that there will be some cultural differences I will have to get used to. I hope I am able to immerse myself in the French culture without being too judgmental. In a packet produced by the Department of Overseas Studies at Indiana University, there is a section called "Culture Shock." In this section they describe the "normal stages of cultural adaption" and they are as follows:

1. Initial euphoria
2. Irritation and hostility
3. Gradual adjustment
4. Adaption and biculturalism

Seven years ago I studied abroad in Italy, I stayed for one month, and I experienced phase 1 and phase 2. I left feeling irritated and hostile. It was exhausting trying to order food at a restaurant, I was tired of miming and drawing pictures of what I needed, I no longer enjoyed the flirtatious attitudes of Italian men, and I was generally ready to go home. My stay in France will only be for two weeks, so I imagine that I may only reach phase 1, which is okay by me! Bring on the euphoria!

What am I most looking forward to? In The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, John described something he referred to as a griffe "literally 'a claw' but more precisely a signature; a choice of favorite cafes, shops, parks, and the routes that link them." I am most looking forward to designing my own griffe. Perhaps two weeks isn't long enough to draft a well-curated griffe, but I certainly look forward to establishing a bit of a routine with a favorite place to get a croissant, a relaxing park to take photos or sketch, or simple routes that become familiar.

I am also looking forward to learning the art of Flânerie. On page 56 and 57 of The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, John says, "Their promenade exists for itself, irrespective of destination. It may involve little or no movement. One might simply remain in one place- a cafe, for instance- and watch what goes by...It made the difference between simply being present and being there." Apparently, the French are experts at walking or promenading or Flânerie. I am looking forward to becoming a Flâneur while in Paris. I do hope I am able to experience the difference between simply "being present and being there."

What am I most nervous about? Honestly? Communicating. And keeping my students out of trouble. I try not to worry too much about my students getting into trouble. Seven years ago I was a student myself, exploring a new country. We stayed out late. We drank alcohol. We went to discotheques. But we were in class at 8am every morning, not a minute late. I expect the same of my students. They will make their own decisions and I'm beyond the point of influencing those decisions.

I am truly nervous about communicating. I remember that being the most difficult part during my time in Italy. And French words are so darn complicated! David Lebovitz dedicated a chapter in his book, The Sweet Life in Paris, to learning the French language. He said even the French have a difficult time with spelling and grammar. Even the numbers are complicated. Certainly by now they could create a word for the number eighty. I've done my best to learn the proper French greetings so that I appear polite when entering stores. I just hope I encounter forgiving people who are eager to practice their English with me. Haha.


I leave in two days! I'm so excited and I'm feeling particularly blessed. Not many people get paid to go to Paris and learn about art, fashion, design, and culture. I truly have one of the best jobs in the world. 

April 2013 in Photos

1. The weather is getting warmer and Eric and I are doing everything we can to take full advantage. On the first of April we spent time at Oliver Winery and I began reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.

2. I was so excited to see Tom Crean wearing the IU Plaid tie at Senior Night!

3. In case you haven't noticed, Eric and I have a sweet tooth. We love baking cookies but lately we just haven't had the time. So we've been resorting to the break and bake cookies. They aren't the best, but they do the trick.

4. My first spring flower spotting! These daffodils are all over campus and they make me so happy that spring is right around the corner.

5. Mom and Dad sent an "Easter" basket, although it arrived well after Easter and Huxley got this huge bone as his treat! He absolutely loved it.

6. One of my favorite things about living at City Flats at Renwick are all the cool things that happen, including food trucks! The Sweet Claire Food Truck is outside our apartments the first Saturday of every month. Love!

7. Another beautiful day, another outdoor activity. We just discovered IU Baseball this year and we can't get enough. I wish we could attend more games but our schedule just doesn't allow it. We had so much fun at this game and we even got a little sun!

8. I took this photo while stopped at a stoplight on my way to Indianapolis, the sky was absolutely beautiful and the sun was trying desperately to get out from behind the clouds.

9. Eric texted me this photo of 7 deer in the front yard of a house! I don't think I've ever seen so many deer standing around in one location, much less in the front yard of a home!

10. April is Purple Dress Month! I am wearing 10 purple dresses designed by IU fashion design students to raise awareness about Crohn's Disease!

11. Professor Embry and I took Enactus students to Chicago to observe the regionals competition. We ate dinner at The Little Goat and I think Mary became an instant fan!

12. These are our fantastic Enactus students! I can't wait for them to compete next year in St. Louis!

13. We purchased this painting from an artist in Chesterton, IN. We just got it framed and hung in our guest room. I absolutely love it!

14. Eric and I attended the Take Steps Kick-Off Party for the Indianapolis Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. We can't wait to participate in our first Indy Take Steps event in June!

15. I am so excited to see my Kappa Delta Sisters and Stephens College Susies this weekend at our 5th Reunion!

16. Chillin with the Huckster.

17. Chillin with Tru-Dog.

18. I'm back in Columbia and I'm hanging out at my normal spot, Kaldi's. I'm reading The Sweet Life in Paris in preparation of my trip in May!

19. My girls are all back together! We took this photo outside of the Tiger Hotel. It felt so good to back back together with my college girlfriends. They are some of the most talented people I know.

20. During our 5th Reunion Weekend, we toured the Kappa Delta floor and met some of our KD sisters. It felt so strange to be back in our dorm!

21. My PEO group in Bloomington, IN all wore purple to our April meeting in support of those with Crohn's Disease.

22. Huxley and I are playing around and Eric is trying to do homework. We are really good at distracting him. :)

23. More purple dresses!

24. Every few months I have to have blood work taken to make sure I'm still healthy. Fingers crossed for good results!

25. A few friends of mine joined me to see Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues speak at the IU Auditorium. She was an excellent speaker!

26. I had the most decadent espresso drink at Feast, it was called the Tiramisu Vienna.

27. Huxley spent his first day at Camp Bow Wow in Carmel, IN. He had to go through an "interview" process to see if he was compatable with the other dogs. He passed! My favorite part was that we could watch him on the web cameras!

28. I got a new pedicure with OPI's Bastille My Heart. It seemed appropriate with my trip to Paris coming up in just 5 days!

29. I started a new book to complete on the airplane as I travel to Paris, France: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.

30. Eric and I got dinner and the delicious cocktail at The Rail to celebrate the end of finals and another semester at IU!