The Dream of Getting Lost in Paris

Why I have yet to make the journey to Paris is a mystery to me. A combination of reasons -- timing, expenses, fear, and the fact that if/when I go, I may never return -- have contributed to today's travel resolution. The dream of getting "lost in Paris" still thrives deep within my wanderlusting soul.

I started taking ballet lessons at age three in a dance studio run by an old school French-style ballet genius, a difficult find in smalltown suburb, Ohio. She was in her late 60s when I knew her best, blonde gentle curls, shoulder pads, gold bangling bracelets, cigarette in hand, poodle at foot, propped in her short white director's chair. The piano player pounded away at the keys while we trained at the barre. I was physically there, but mentally, I was in France.

From age three, French positions and terminology were engrained into my daily routine -- plie, rond de jambe, frappe, tour jete! I was destined to study the language in highschool. And I did.

The language entrigued me, almost felt like a part of me I had yet to discover. The more I learned, then more I yearned to see The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and stroll down the Champs-Elysees. But even more than visiting the many tourist attractions you simply must see, my ultimate dream would be to get caught up in everyday life in Paris.

To sip wine and people-watch from a cafe on a bustling avenue and graze on freshly made baguettes, croissants and croque monsieurs would be the perfect day. Follow that up with a walk through the city at night, hand-in-hand with the man I love, gazing at the moonlit City of Lights, and I would be one happy lady. Might as well even throw some rain in the mix. Fine with me. We'd get lost in the beauty of Paris, just reveling in the history, lifestyle and emotion that is undoubtedly French.

Someday.

Until then, I'll watch and rewatch Amelie, Sabrina and Midnight in Paris to get my fix. I'll listen to my Edith Piaf radio station on Pandora, read travel posts, and Google images for Paris.

Oh, to get "lost in Paris" ... I'm sure I'd find another missing piece of myself.

This article (among other things) in NY Times inspired this post.

French bottled water comercial, must see!

FranceGuide

Travel 2.0

Prior to my recent jet-sets from Cleveland to Hawaii (9 hours) and Beijing (13 hours) I had only travelled relatively short domestic distances by plane. For a flight lasting longer than the average person's workday, I couldn't imagine the lengths passengers would go to avoid muscle pains, trapped-in-an-aircraft-for-a-day-with-a-bunch-of-strangers-aphobia and, perhaps worst of all, boredom. 

Thanks to a new generation of journey-friendly products and services I refer to as Travel 2.0, and a few calisthenics exercises, a long flight in coach can turn out to be a surprisingly positive experience.

In-flight Entertainment

My under the seat carry-on bag contained the usual self-entertainment items -- a book, magazine, iPod, headphones, cards, snacks, etc. -- but I barely read a page.   Thanks to the mini TV screen mounted directly in front of my face, I was thoroughly entertained by movies (I Love You, Man; Marley and Me; Eclipse; Wizard of Oz; 40-Year-Old Virgin; Cars; The Proposal), TV shows (The Office; Curb Your Enthusiasm; Project Runway; History Channel selections), music (a dozen channels of different genres) and games on demand.  Time flew by (no pun intended) just as quickly as if I were sprawled on out my own comfy couch watching TV on a Sunday afternoon ... except, I was sitting upright, surrounded by 100s of strangers in a dimly lit cabin of a Boeing 747.  Just like home!

Bonus: Regular headphones with a standard connector work just fine in the arm rest plug -- no need to purchase the flight-specific set like the old days. 

If you book a flight with touch screen options, you can easily select music, videos and flight info channels; and the trivia games allow you to play against fellow travelers on board.  You're goin down, lady in 28B! 

When you're ready for a snooze, set your screen to the map of your flight route.  It was surreal to wake up and realize that we were directly over the North Pole on our way to the opposite end of the world.  High-fives to Santa and all the penguins!

iPads

I was amazed to see how many iPads were popping out of the overhead bins.  Mostly surprised by the fact they didn't belong to adults -- kids ages 4-12 were the ones with the $499 toy!  Parents smartly loaded them up with kids' games, coloring apps, videos and Dora eposides before making the trip.  I found myself wishing I had one of my own, and also relieved that the kids were being so calm and quiet while we were in the air. 

Muscle Stretches & Seating Tips
On both of my flights there were people who stood up most of the trip.  Parents walked up and down the aisles with their babies, older couples stood together and chatted in small groups and many passengers did ankle lifts and lunges to keep the blood flowing.  When I wasn't sleeping, I made it a point to get up at least once an hour (try to get an end seat if you can, for easy exiting), to stretch my neck, legs and back. 

For extra back support in your seat try using the blanket or pillow provided by the airline for a lumbar roll.  Wear comfortable, breathable shoes, and layer up for better temperature control.  The air tends to get stale, so even if you're getting chilly, you might want to switch on your air vent for some circulation.  Bring your own blanket and neck pillow if you're able, and an eye mask and ear plugs are helpful for a more comfortable sleep.

Food Service vs. No Food Service

My flight to Beijing was 4 hours longer than my flight to Hawaii, but felt much shorter.  How could that be?  Food service makes all the difference.  Try to find a flight that serves a meal and/or snack every few hours.  Eating makes the time go by much faster by breaking up the trip into smaller chunks.  If no food is provided, make sure to bring substantial snacks for yourself and eat every 3-4 hours.  Drink plenty of water and avoid concentrated sugar drinks (like cranberry and tomato juice) toward the middle and end of the flight. 

Many International flights offer complimentary beer and wine, which can help you sleep and calm your nerves. 

What are your long flight travel tips? 

Things I Learned in China

After an eye opening, life changing, 3-week visit to Beijing, I'm glad to say I'm officially back in America. Back in Cleveland. Back home!

There's no way I could have possibly prepared myself for everything I'd experience halfway around the world. The customs, food, culture, language and people couldn't be any more different than the U.S. They push and shove. They spit. They eat dried seaweed as a snack. They risk their lives just crossing the street. They're intelligent and kind and extremely professional, all speaking at least two languages. They drink only hot drinks in the winter, barely ever touch food with their hands and are very superstitious about life in general. A lot of the English is a choppy broken British English, making communication even in my own language difficult. I managed to live and work there for 3 weeks, but there was no lack of struggle involved. It was truly a humbling experience that I'll never forget.

About the PRN Office

The office is on the 7th floor (just like here!) of a building called Maple Tree Tower. It's located amidst the hustle of the Central Business District (the "CBD") of Chaoyang District, Beijing. Super close to major subway and bus stations, it's a great location for commuters and business people in general. Editorial is made up of 8 editors who sit in the same room with CSRs, Marketing, Tech and Media Relations. The office is new, clean, purple, and has an energetic and enthusiastic vibe -- it's a great place to work.

Some things I learned from Chinese PRNers

They are amazing. I've never been surrounded by so many wonderful people. They took me in as if I was one of their own -- across all departments -- always inviting me to lunch, dinner, out on the weekends, etc. They take pride in every job they do, never hesitating to help one another. If anyone asked for help, someone was immediately at his or her side. Their sense of urgency and customer service was unbelievable, something I've hoped to bring back home with me. Their SOPs and workflow are completely different than ours, but by working together and constantly communicating, somehow their system works, and their clients very rarely complain.

Clients pay for 100% of their charges on the day they sign their contracts, so there are no cost estimates involved with the job. Clients have a more specific standard distribution they always use, and editors are required to make a quota of "client visits" each month. They know their clients very well and strive to make their experience with PRN absolutely perfect. Editors live by their hard copy check sheets, making all of their memos on paper to hand off to the processor. (It's difficult to read ... as there are a few different languages written on the page in handwriting. And they consistently make their 9s backwards!)

Hands down, the greatest thing I observed from working in China was that no matter what job a person has -- from a top level business executive or police guard, to a waitress or street sweeper -- they seem to have enormous personal pride in their work. Never assuming that they deserve a job, they work hard to move up and to succeed in life. As an American woman working for PR Newswire, it has taken a trip to Beijing to help me realize that by re-examining my own work ethic, I could expand and virtually redefine what personal success means to me. It's a truly amazing and life-changing notion and an idea I'd love to extend to all of you!

After visiting a world that couldn't be more different than our own, I feel recharged with a new perspective as an Editor for PR Newswire.

I'd love to share stories and bounce ideas back and forth with all of you!

xie xie, It's so great to be home!

Cheers,

My China Arrival

I've never been a minority, neither living in Cleveland nor anywhere else I've ever gone. I've always been one of many -- White, American, English-speaking and "in style" fashionwise. I've never stood out as someone who looks or speaks differently than everyone else. I've always felt that I belong.

On October 10, 2010, my world was reversed, fast-forwarded 12 hours and completely switched backwards from everything I've ever known. "Don't freak out," was all I kept telling myself as I wandered my way toward the arrivals gate at Beijing Captial International Airport. "Don't look suspicous or scared. Just try to blend in." Armed with my passport and pre-stamped China Visa, I knew I was prepared. I was prepared, right? Wait. What was I getting myself into?

Alone. Nothing familiar. Different.

As I approached the arrivals gate, I took my place behind one of dozen counters that was marked "Foreigner". My flight was the first of many arriving at the same time, so I was lucky enough to be relatively close to the front of line. More travelers were filing in behind me by the hundreds, carry-ons in hand, speaking all different languages. I heard someone speaking English off in the distance. British English. Still foreign to me. People pushed and shoved their way into lines and stood on top of each other to avoid cut-ins.

With swollen ankles from my 13-hour flight, there I was, inching my way to the front, my heart racing with anxiety and fear of the unknown. After about a half hour, finally, it was my turn at the arrivals counter. The man took my passport without a word. I smiled. There was no return smile. He made a slash across my Visa, said "OK," and pointed for me to walk on through. I breathed a quick sigh of relief ... and I was on my way to baggage claim.

Surprisingly, retrieving my two checked bags and clearing customs were the easiest parts of my arrival. Baggage carts were available by the dozen, just like grocery carts, lined up along every wall. I grabbed one and booked it toward carousel #41. My baggage was right there waiting for me, neatly stacked side-by-side, with the green ribbons I'd attached streaming happily as identification. Customs was just a walk-through gate. No one even checked anything, as long as you weren't claiming any goods out of the norm. Phew!

Now, imagine you're a movie star on the Red Carpet with paparazzi lining the walkways holding signs, wearing fan t-shirts and shooting photos. That's what the arrivals gate in Beijing is like, except it's all Chinese faces staring back, and they're all waiting to pick up someone other than you.

Pushing my cart of luggage, I looped around to the far end of the "receiving" line and I heard someone yell my name. A familiar face!  Pushing through the sworm of people, I could see my friend, Anne, there to pick me up.  If it wasn't for her, I would have been doomed to somehow take a taxi cab by myself to a place that I didn't even know how to pronounce in Chinese. Thank goodness for Anne and her Mandarin skills. She was truly a lifesaver who put me at ease in this foreign place.

As if the airport wasn't an adventure in itself, I knew from that point on would be a great struggle to do anything that involved communication. Checking in. Eating. Working. Training colleagues. Getting from place to place.

I was overwhelmed ... but mostly humbled and intrigued. Much more to come!

China Visa

My Visa application is on its way to the consulate. Flight & hotel are booked.  Now it's a waiting game.  Even though I've followed all of the Visa instructions to a tee, I'm still nervous for everything to run smoothly.  Denial and I do not get along ...

I picked up a couple guides:  Top 10 Beijing (Eyewitness Travel) and Mandarin Phrasebook (lonely planet).  Hopefully these can help me plan excursions and get around the city. 

Today is the start of China's Mid-Autumn Festival of the Harvest Moon, which really got me thinking about how excited I am to experience their culture!  There's so much color, enthusiasm and tradition that I'm just hoping I'll be able to take it all in without being too overwhelmed.

So far my Mandarin knowledge is quite slim:
Ni hao, ma? = How do you do?
Xie Xie = Thank you

Next Stop - Beijing!

Ni hao, ma?

You read it right, my wonderlust is taking me to Asia!  I always said I'd like to experience China someday, but I never actually thought it would happen.  I'll be spending 3 weeks in the ChaoYang district of PRC's capital, Beijing, this fall.  I can't wait to start researching and learning some key Mandarin phrases.  Any tips you have would be lovely, as I'm definitely venturing into foreign territory here. 

Stay tuned for more info about my travel plans, how to obtain a Visa, etc. 

Great Wall of China

Rooftop view of part of the Beijing skyline

ChaoYang District (where I'll be staying)

 

Temple of Heaven, Beijing