30 septembre 1996
16h05
day 8


i've finally figured out what it takes for french men to notice you (short of jumping off a bridge, that is!). wear sheer black stockings with a super short skirt! that's sure to attract a few stares. i had on a pair of stockings today and the looks i got - from both men and women in fact! the men - young, old, middle-aged - looked like they were stripping me down to my bones.

later on i went out in my jeans to compare reactions. and golly! nobody noticed me, well except the ones who would notice anybody. anyway a couple of nicelooking men said bonjour to me. i remembered that in the psyche of french men, stockings are supposed to be very sensual.

i stepped with a lot more confidence today, having completed my first week here. i did some shopping for food and visited the school to get started on all the bureaucratic red tape i'd have to deal with.

it's been a rainy, bleak day. i saw a young pregnant black woman in the supermarket. i looked her over but not in an obvious way. she looked a bit disillusioned to me but maybe i was reading too much into it. it turned out that after i'd run some more errands and decided to go home, i saw her in the park again, walking in the rain. i should point out that the people in this region don't seem to be concerned about walking in the rain - not at all like jamaicans who fly to the nearest shelter at the first sign of a downpour! however, the girl looked pitiful so i offered her shelter under my umbrella which i had brought from jamaica. we got to talking and i discovered that she is from cameroun, her name is madeleine and she's been here since february. i walked her home.

last night - well, yesterday - i went to see a movie at the café des images, the local cinema. i noted how everything was done. i just followed some people in. it became quickly apparent that i was the only black person in the house. the place is so posh and it's an ordinary cinema! and guess what? people don't make noise when viewing a movie like we jamaicans do. but this is only one film. i'll try another at a different time with a different kind of movie and see if it's the same. the movie was 'secrets et mensonges' (secrets and lies). i could actually hear myself laughing out loud and talking to myself.

i've found a cream which takes away the dryness of my face and hands. i've now got to find one more with enough for my whole body because my lotions from home don't seem to be doing the trick. i've never used so much lotion in my life and i've never had to lotion my entire body before. including my butt!

sekhetq

p.s. a couple of kids asked me for 30 centimes in the supermarket. i guess kids are the same no matter where you go.

p.p.s. the bureau de tabac (where we get stamps and post letters) was down today. do ya believe it?

more peace. more love.