Nutmeggers in Paris

Timeframe: Nov 23, 2008

I found it very interesting to see how many different languages I heard while in Paris. Of course I heard people speaking French, and English, but along with that there were Spanish, German, Russian, Eastern European (of some sort), along with many oriental languages I can't distinguish. I even had to help a French guy explain to a Japanese lady (in English) how to get somewhere in the city, and what stop to get off at (because he didn't speak English very well).

So, to cap off all this multiculturalism, I met a group of young people on the way back from Versailles on the subway. These 3 people (2 guys and a girl) sat down next to me and the French guy I had helped. I listened to the French guy and one of the young people go on about Lyons (where the French guy was from) and then noticed the other French guy turned to the really pretty girl next to me and started talking in English.

It's the perfect way to start a conversation, "So, are you from the States?". Everyone in a foreign country loves to find someone or something that reminds them of home, and they all love to talk. So we were chatting a bit and found out that she's on an exchange studying French at a school in Rennes. Sound familiar? It should, that's the same city I'm staying in right now. Not only that, but it turns out she's visiting here from Hartford Connecticut, and laughed that I said "New Britain" the correct way. So, meeting a fellow nutmegger on a train through Paris. What a really small world.

Unfortunately I didn't get any information about how to contact her (no number, email, or even a name). I completely lost track of time while we were talking that I didn't notice I was at my metro station until the train was almost leaving. So I had to jump out of the seat and out the door before I even said goodbye.

The only saving grace is that halfway through the conversation I mentioned that I knew French but didn't practice it much. Her French friend over heard me and asked for my phone number because he had a friend that's also in school here in Rennes who's looking to practice his English. So her friend has my phone number, which means she can get it if she's so inclined. And if not, it's still a nice memory to have :)