The Europlug is used in Class II applications throughout continental Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, Slovenia, Poland, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria). It is also used in Middle East, most of Africa, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Indonesia as well as the former Soviet republics, and many developing nations.

This plug is intended for use with devices that require 2.5 A or less. Because it can be inserted in either direction into the socket, live and neutral are connected at random.
Domestic AC Power Plugs and Outlets

I was really shocked when I arrived at the route a couple hours before the start and saw no signs of an event about to happen. Where were the crowds? Where were the signs, the chairs, the families?

I should have known better. This is Paris, not California. this is a country where protests, rallies, and parades are a common occurrence. They are participatory events. There were thousands of people in the parade, just not watching the parade.

The Pride Parade follows the standard parade/rally format. People show up at a designated area to prepare and coordinate. At the scheduled time, or after the standard delays, people start marching/walking/dancing/participating along the route to the final destination. Upon completion of the parade, there will be more music, dancing, eating, talking, and discussions.

If you’ve become bored of the French Pride Parade, take a trip to California or New York for a new perspective. Likewise, the Paris parade is a great alternative to the standard American exhibition.

You’ll have a lot to learn when you move to France. You’ll need French language lessons, pick up the cultural references, and understand the history of Europe to truly appreciate your experience.

But how do you find the time to do all of this studying? Fortunately, we spend many hours each week riding the metro and your trusty Apple iPod or iPhone makes this job much easier.

Note: you cannot go directly to the podcasts or iTunesU material on the internet. The following links will prompt your computer to open your computer’s iTunes program. This is really annoying, but blame Apple, not me.

Podcasts and iTunesU

Podcasts are audio productions that are published on a regular basis. You can subscribe to them via iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPod every time you synchronize. They are free and you’ll find a

huge variety of topics to choose from.

Here are some useful podcasts for the new Parisian.

• The French Pod Class - also visit their web site FrenchPodClass.com.
• Learn French by Podcast
• Discovering Paris along its famous monuments
• Advanced French
• French Podcast - Improving your French language skills by listening to conversations

ITunesU - it’s like going to college without the dorm

ITunesU is a collaboration between Apple and the top Universities and educational organizations around the world. They typically record and publish the symposiums and extended study programs, rather than the normal courses. This gives you access to concentrated information by leading lecturers. I have found UC Berkeley and Stanford University presentations to be of the highest quality. Here are some of the iTunesU courses that I have found particularly interesting.

• UC Berkeley History 5 (entire course) - European Civilization from the Renaissance to the Present
• UC Berkeley Global Affairs - Burn Baby Burn, French Style? Roots of the Riots in Urban France
• Stanford University - Ben Franklin and the World of the Enlightenment
• Stanford University - Hanibal
• Open University - Intermediate French

These are just a sampling of the information you can get on iTunes and iTunesU. The content is free and you’ll find your commutes much more productive as you learn history, language, and culture as you travel to work, school, or the museums. Take some time to explore iTunes, there are a lot of hidden gems.

Related articles

• UK university puts lectures on iTunes [via Zemanta]
• Fête de la Francophonie: Celebrating the francophone world [via Zemanta]

I’ve gotten pretty good at converting temperatures, money, and lengths in my mind, but squaring those measurements just causes a headache. Luckily, I found this simple web page with an easy to use grid for comparing areas. Metric Conversions has several other useful tools as well. Add this bookmark and you’ll find it much easier determining what you need in an apartment.

Metric Conversion Charts

• Square Meters to Square Feet
• Celsius to Fahrenheit
• Inches to Centimeters
• Kilograms to Pounds

Metro stations are the easiest place to buy tickets; you’ll find automated ticket machines and walk up windows. I would recommend using the walk up windows during busy periods. The automated machines can be a bit confusing and it is aggravating to have a group of people line up as you fumble with your ticket purchase.

You may even be tempted to buy tickets from someone standing next to the machine. Avoid these frauds, they’ll sell you used tickets at a premium.

You can purchase single tickets or a pack of 10 (carnet). A ticket will allow you to transfer between multiple metro trains, However it doesn’t allow unlimited transfers of buses. You’ll save money and time buying tickets 10 at a time. These are good options for those visiting Paris for less than a week.

You can purchase weekly tickets that are valid Monday through Sunday. these are not available to purchase every day. if you buy one on Friday-Sunday, they won’t take effect until the following Monday. These unlimited tickets come in several flavors, Carte Orange and Passe Navigo are the most common. Short term visitors may want to look into the Paris Visite pass, which ends up being cheaper than individual tickets, more expensive than Carte Orange or Navigo, but you pay for just one to 5 days.

Unlimited travel saves money and time

you’ll want to upgrade to a carte orange or navigo pass if you will be staying longer or returning at a later time. Carte orange is an older method for purchasing a ticket that allows you to pay once a week or month. The ticket allows unlimited use of the metros or buses within the designated zones. You will probably want the basic set, zones 1 and 2, this includes the city limits and the suburbs right outside the city.

You will need to provide a passport style image; most major metro stops feature photo booths for this purpose. Just take the photo to a ticket booth and request a carte orange for the desired time period. They will create an identity card and hand you a holder and special ticket. You’ll need to sign your id card and write your id card number on your ticket to make it valid.

To use the metro, pass your carte orange ticket through the collectors as you would a normal ticket. On buses, show the driver your valid ticket and id when you get on.

Carte Orange is being phased out in favor of Navigo.  It may not be available for much longer.

Navigo

Navigo is much more convenient to use. However, you need to mail your passport photo to the RATP and receive your identity card in the mail a few weeks later. It uses RFID technology instead of a ticket for passing through the toll gates and getting on a bus.

You can also register your Navigo pass to work with the Velib rental bikes. There are two types of Navigo passes, depending on whether you live/work in the Paris vicinity or not.

I wont drive a car in Paris… no, no, no

Owning a car in Paris is a liability more than a benefit. Drivers  have to find parking, fuel is expensive, and traffic jams make commuting a slow arduous process. Bertrand Delanoë, the mayor of Paris, has made alternate transportation a priority to reduce congestion and the effects of pollution. The tiny smart car and motorcycles are common alternatives for personal transportation.

Life with the Paris metro

The nearest metro station is a reference point for business and personal addresses. You may find yourself looking for a hotel or apartment located near your favorite metro line. The various metro lines criss-cross the city, touching just about every neighborhood within the city limits.

you’ll rarely have to walk more than a quarter mile to reach a station.

The dynamic duo – metro and bus

Paris has a world-class bus system as well as the metro. Your metro ticket is valid for both. Use the metros for faster commuting and the buses for shorter trips, sightseeing, or when you’d rather enjoy the view. Buses are also more popular with the elderly and those who want to avoid the many steps inside metro stations. You can also grab shuttle boats on the Seine during summer.

You can walk through the city 24 hours a day with little concern for violent crime. That doesn’t mean Paris is free of crime; pickpockets are waiting for your valuables. They’ll grab what’s easy to get and leave the prepared alone. Which do you want to be?

I have been pickpocketed four times during my travels. Each instance has taught me a lesson and hopefully they will save you from being caught unaware.

1. Don’t carry unnecessary items.

I was first pickpocketed in Tijuana, Mexico in an extremely crowded church during the Celebration of the Virgin de Guadalupe. My pockets were full of keys, wallet, film, camera stuff, sunglasses, etc. I couldn’t control all of them. Sure enough, a tiny 90+ year old man stole my prescription sunglasses from my back pocket.

Extremely crowded situations are perfect for pickpockets. You can’t keep a hand on all of your possessions. Make sure you zip up any pockets and consolidate your goodies to pockets that you can monitor.

Potential problem areas in Paris include the #1 metro during rush hours and Notre Dame.

If you are near Mexico during early December, I highly recommend attending the Celebration for the Virgin de Guadalupe. Regardless of being pickpocketed, it is one of the greatest events I have ever attended. It’s a joyous, beautiful event with humble roots.

2. Stay alert and watch out for your fellow person

The second pickpocket attempt was pretty sloppy and unsuccessful. I was listening to my iPod and clueless to my surroundings. I was on a fairly busy metro train and carrying an old military messenger-type bag. A drunk guy kept sticking his hand into my empty bag and the fellow passengers began yelling at him. I thought they were yelling at me and I didn’t know what to say. Eventually someone told me in English that he was trying to grab stuff from my bag.

Pickpockets, even drunk and incompetent ones, will go for the easy target. Always be alert for yourself and your fellow passengers. Don’t hesitate to warn someone that their backpack is unzipped, someone is acting strangely, you think something is unsafe, etc. Your fellow passengers will appreciate it.

Avoid using a backpack in these busy environments. If you are using one, turn it around and carry it on your chest instead of your back. This will help you keep control of its contents and actually makes room for your fellow passengers.

Better yet, buy a messenger bag instead. I highly recommend this laptop bag from Kenneth Cole. It has plenty of secure pockets, easy access to laptops during airport screenings, and a neoprene shoulder strap to make it seem lighter. I have been using this bag for several months and have truly appreciated its quality. Place the flap against your body for more security.

3. Never let down your guard in risky areas

My third pickpocket attempt left me without a digital camera and memories of lost images. I was in Barcelona, Spain and thought I was being careful. Barcelona is notorious for having rampant pickpockets. You have to keep a hand on your belongings at all time.

However, I visited a cyber cafe to check my email and put my coat over the back of the chair. A sketchy looking guy sat in a chair behind me and proceeded to rifle my jacket pockets while I was busy on the computer. Afterwards, I noticed warning signs for pickpockets around the cafe. If you know you are at risk, be careful with your belongings.

4. Don’t look lost and don’t hesitate to leave unusual encounters

The last pickpocket unsuccessfully tried to steal my wallet. It was a drawn-out event that left me chuckling and checking my pockets every few minutes.

I was walking around the Montparnasse neighborhood in Paris; mindlessly wandering the back-streets and hopelessly lost. The unfolded map and unsteady gate made it obvious I was a confused tourist.

A short, well dressed man approached me and made his acquaintance. He made some simple chit chat and then thanked me for not being so rude, like the last person he had chatted with. He then proceeded to illustrate how the last person had tried some karate moves on him… in a very jovial way.

The entire time he was twisting me around, he was trying to remove my wallet. Unfortunately for him, I had put my folded up map in the same pocket and when he finally extracted his prize, it was the map and not my wallet. I looked at the map, at him, at the map, checked my wallet, and gave him a nod for a job well done. I was actually more impressed by the whole event than upset. I’m sure it would have been different if he left me with the map instead of my money. But all’s well that ends well.

If you are in a situation where you feel uncomfortable, especially when someone is touching you, leave. Don’t worry about appearing rude or angry, just get out of there.

You don’t need the hidden money belts, over the shoulder cash holders, and other assorted security devices sold in travel stores. These will just make shopping less fun. You may want to remove extra credit cards, passports, etc before leaving the hotel. Enjoy Paris, be careful, and don’t avoid walking around the city at night. It’s a magical time.

Freedomlist is a web site that features free internet providers around the world. You may want to check out the free French internet providers to satisfy your connection needs while setting up your permanent accounts.

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Now playing: Billie Holiday - Trav’lin’ Light
via FoxyTunes

Moving to Paris has been a dream of mine for many years. It’s a goal that is now within finger’s reach. But oh my has this been the week of Heck in the city of lights.

My friend Pam, who lived in Paris for several years, warned me about this. She told me the following joke years ago. Never has this seemed so darn appropriate

There’s a really nice guy in heaven and he’s having a nice time. Everyone loves him and he’s more than content. However, he finds the area just a wee bit too boring. One day, he visits God and asks him:

“You know God, I really like it here but I need a vacation. I’d like to visit Hell for a week to see what it is like. Can I do that?”

God says: “Are you sure you want to go down there? It’s not what you think it is…”

The man says yes and God books the trip. When the man arrives in Hell, it is absolutely wonderful. The food is great, the weather is warm, people are drinking, partying, having sex, the whole nine yards. The man has the most fun during that week in his entire life. Afterwards, he returns to Heaven and talks to God.

“God, that was a fantastic experience. Hell was great. The people had so much fun, it was warm and gorgeous and Satan is a pretty neat person after all. I’d … I’d … I’d like to move there. Can I?”

God was shocked at the thought and suggested the man should really think it over. The next day they talked again and God was convinced to let the man move to Hell. A week later the man enters Hell.

The place is hot and steamy. The people are angry and yelling at each other. There’s no food, no water, no booze, no drugs, and certainly no sex. Just misery and aggrevation. The man walks up to Satan and asks him what happened to the sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Where’s the fun times he experienced just a week ago…

Satan replied “Don’t mistake vacation with immigration!”

Pam Fong

So that last line has always been in the back of my mind as I thought of moving to Paris. Here are some of the lessons/experiences I’ve learned over the week. If you want to move to Paris:

1. Get a relocation agent to help. I was blessed to have Graziella at Acta Services Intl at my side. She arranged for about a dozen apartment viewings and assisted the bank account management. I learned a lot from her and would have been completely lost without her.
2. Save up a lot of money. I mean a lot of money. Did I say that you needed money?I was about to rent a small apartment for 1,000 euros/month. Originally I was told that I would need to pay the first month plus two additional months rent for deposit. Also the apartment agency would get 12% of the annual rent. So, before I could move in, I needed 4,440 euros in the bank. It could have been more as the agency fee may have needed value added tax added. When I arrived to sign the lease, they also wanted to make sure that I was going to pay the rent. In france, tenants have much more rights than landlords and they don’t want to mess with deadbeats. So, she wanted me to deposit an additional 10,000 euros into a blocked account in France to insure that I would pay my rent. So, lets summarize. A 1,000 euro/month apartment requires 14,4000 euro (a little over $19,000) up front.
3. Converting dollars to euros ain’t cheap, even within a bank. I brought some travelers checks to pay for the apartment deposits. I hoped to simply deposit the money into my new French account. Oh no, I needed to go outside the bank to their currency converting booth and pay 1.44 dollars to a euro instead of the going rate of 1.35. For a thousand dollars, that is a significant amount. I then had to deposit that into the account.
4. I’m hoping HSBC is going to be a good bank for me. I set up an account in the U.S. and a new account in France. It would be nice if they spoke to each other and facilitated the transfer of money back and forth. However, my new branch near the Paris Yahoo! office can barely share information with the branch a few miles away, so let’s see. So far I am cautiously optimistic about this. Oh, and there’s no such thing as free checking in Paris. You’ll pay a monthly fee.
5. Spread your money around and bring all of your debit cards. I have the majority of my money in Washington Mutual and they put a hold on my card 3 days ago after using an ATM once. I’ve never had them block it before. I tried calling and they said it was open again, but the transactions are still blocked. Don’t count on one American bank. I wish I had transferred more money to my American HSBC account or thought ahead and brought my ATM card for my credit union.

Arrrgggghhhh! This has been very frustrating. I am not money obsessed but this whole move has completely depleted my resources and I still don’t have an apartment. I still don’t have a phone account. I still don’t have a visa or final contract but that is another story that I don’t want to get into.

I must say the French people have been very nice and friendly, as they always are. Even the demanding apartment agency put up a nice front as she began requesting any future born children, my left arm, the money in my wallet, and anything else she could get as a deposit/guarantee.

Here are a few quick things to help you prepare for your move to Paris:

1. Get a relocation agency, such as Acta International Services.
2. Put as much money as you can afford into an international bank, such as HSBC, before going to Paris.
3. Read: Living and Working in France, a guide book that explains the idiosyncrasies of French life.

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Now playing: Charlemagne - August Evenings
via FoxyTunes