Smile, and a day is made for someone :)

Today,
I was feeling very bad. I was told that my classes start only next week. So nothing to do for another week, nobody to talk to, just waste time... and the bills pile up...

I went for a java class in french - it was an optional one for me; the original ones start next week only, but I went anyway. Instead of programming, the instructor mainly talked about software engineering principles, and I was terribly bored. I did not understand his french, but since software engineering is so boring, I didnt listen carefully. I left the class at the midway break. (At the break, the instructor told: "di(x) minutes, un cigrette or cafe!) . Then I went to the literature library, where I found a lot of English books, and I was very happy. There is a very good collection of English and American authors, and some 20-25 books of Indian authors (Indian writers in English - dominated by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry and Anita Nair!And only one book of Amitav Ghosh). Anyway I felt like having found a treasure trove - and I read "A street car named Desire" then and there. An accomplishment :-)

But then I was hungry and diffident and lonely and started feeling very bad. I had my lunch, came back to the library, tried to find a murakami or marquez or neruda, but sadly all of them are in their original languages or in french (no english translation :(), so finally I took Life and times of Michael K by Coetzee and got out. I wasnt even sure if I was allowed in the literature library, or if my student card is enough to take books from there (it didnt work at the science library). I was worried, sad...

But at the reception, the only two people I have talked to in the day -two elderly ladies- made my day. One of them at the lending counter nicely told me to go and get registered at another counter. At the other counter, I dont know why, but the lady was simply so helpful, that I couldnt help smiling all the time she was entering my details in the computer. She asked in French, I replied in English, when she asked address I took out the chit from my wallet (I cannot pronounce my address in French!) and showed, and she -so smilingly - noted down the address from it. When she asked phone number I showed her my phone (again I cant say numbers in French with a lot of confidence, but I could have tried this!) and she noted down the number from my contacts list. And finally, she told me the rules, how many books I can take, how to return it back, and handed me some pamphlets. All with a smiling, helpful, adorable face. I felt very happy :)

Then I went back to the lending counter, where I had left the book, and the lady there searched around, and told me - with a very sorry face (it looked like she had hurt someone!) - that the book was sent back to be kept in its place. So I told her politely and smilingly that I will go and pick it up again - and I went upstairs to get it. When I was searching for it, she came panting, and shouting "monsieur!", and she had the book in her hand (turned out that it was at her desk itself). So this elderly lady came running, all the way up stairs, panting and all, and with no claims to having helped (no high moral air), she told pardon and merci, and handed me the book. We went and she put the details in the database, and she told merci au revoir, and I thanked her profusely (my way of saying it is "Thanks a LLLLLot, really appreciate it", which I have tried to change into "Merci, merci beaucoup" , but not satisfied with the french one, I repeated the english one too :)).

I was smiling all the way back to home. I felt so happy and peaceful. I felt that there is no need to feel bad here, and people are always very very helpful.

It is told that the French are very rude. Some say only Parisians are rude. In my opinion, I havent found a single rude guy/lady in Grenoble till now(the closest was a Canadian:)). Everyone has been so forthcoming to help. Even though I dont speak French (but be sure to start English with a "vous parlez anglais"). I am touched :)

"Only the course is in English, the life is in French"

So it has been six days since I reached France.

I am here to do a two years English language masters course in Computer Science. I do not have a scholarship or assistance-ship yet, and I look forward to getting one in the coming days. Till then life is scary :-)

Except for a case of delayed baggage (my 65kg baggage was delayed by two days), and a 20 minute dash over Brussels airport (and immigration) to catch our connecting flight, everything has been nice and easy till now. Thanks to Anil, Celest & the people - who were more than willing to help. Anil is joining the masters course in its second year along with an assitance-ship in INRIA, and he came with me. Celest is helping me to get around and get things done - she is volunteering for an organization called InteGRE.

Some notes about life in Grenoble

* The place is surrounded with mountains. It looks like within walkable distance. One day I started walking out of the city just like that, and reached outside it in 15 minutes! Its very nice! Hope to do some hiking soon.

* The tram-bus network. Absolutely awesome. I have my annual pass made, so I am just hopping around trams and buses to pass time, sometimes! It is very easy to reach anywhere in Grenoble. There are maps all over; you can take home any number of them free, clear maps are there in all bus/tram stops, and trams and buses are rarely crowded. I have never felt so easy to travel around, and that too in such an unknown city! Not in Bangalore, not in Thrissur, or Eranakulam, or Kolkata, or Delhi, or Mumbai, or any other place!

* I find a myth-buster in the Grenoble tram stops - that women cant read maps! The sexiest blonde and the 80 year olds get down from a tram, look at the map, and get into the next one, so easily!

* The sheer number of old men and more than that, the number of old women, and the number of handicapped people (on wheelchair etc), in public spaces. We rarely see old women or handicapped persons traveling by public transport in India (especially by themselves). It will be very tough for them to travel. But in Grenoble, they are everywhere, many people have got automated wheelchairs too. It is so nice.

* The way vehicles patiently stop for you to cross the zebra crossings! You feel so high about yourself! And its so different from India!

* The food - well I am obviously not a fan of French or any western style food, and it costs a heaven to eat at Indian restros, so now need to fasten my seat belts and start cooking (things other than bread and instant noodles)! I dont take to French "pain" or "fromage" very well, though the wine is very nice :D

* I am still not very used to say Bonjour/Bon soir smilingly at everyone you give your eye to (especially in the hostel), so may be I am coming across as a cold, rude guy :D

* The girls in France (most beautiful in the world). The dressings. The mixed hostels, the shared kitchen, shared toilets. Obviously its very different from India, and still I got so easily got used to it very quickly! We used to walk around Thrissur, Calicut or the Malls in Bangalore to get the sight of a single beautiful girl, and now every single girl you see is a Greek goddess :D

* Its tough to get drinking water outside. I am quite amazed by this, that in a country like France with so much government involvement in everything, drinking water is available only in bottles (outside your home that is. at home can drink from the warm water tap), and most people buy Beer or a Coke instead? Also I am yet to find a public toilet.


Well guess thats it for now, more to come later...