Yes, it's true. MTV Europe sucks. I think they've played reruns of Viva La Bam for two hours straight. Watching French TV hasn't helped my French get any better either. In fact, a majority of French TV here in Geneva are just B-rate American movies that have been dubbed over. Watching TV here can get confusing - there are American broadcasts (CNN International, CNBC Europe), Italian shows, and French shows. It's amazing to see life imitate TV - while at work, I witnessed a person start a conversation in English, switch to French, then end in German. I, for the most part, smiled and nodded.
It took a few days to get used to, but I figured out the bus system. And yes, it's everything you've heard. Clean, efficient, on time. Tickets are sold at kiosks at every stop and they come out on bar-coded receipts. You board a bus and there is no checking - no validation by anyone. You are expected to pay the cost of the bus ticket and everyone does. There are roaming police patrols on the buses to check, but I have yet to see one. The Swiss seem to have a higher expectation of their society and its constituents ante up.
While coming back home from dinner last night on the bus, I had a Firefly moment - a woman answered her cell phone in French and promptly switched to Chinese. For the rest of the conversation, I heard her switch easily between French and Chinese and thought of my own problems trying to integrate the Serenity curse words into my daily lexicon.
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2 comments:
Interesting. Whatever MTV was showing in Paris 2001 was actually pretty good; it's where I first heard The Gorillaz.
Always love the Firefly references. I feel directly responsible. BEE-jway!
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