Working in a strange Anglo vortex...

I'm living in Paris, the heart of France and the Franco world but I'm working in a strange Anglo vortex where everyone speaks English including the French, where the music is Australian, American or English and the people are from those countries, except for a sprinkling of Spanish speakers. I think the point i'm trying to make can best be summarised in a moment the other day when an Australian asked me for a beer. Powderfinger was on in the background and the hostel bar was 80% Australian. I said to the bloke, we've travelled 16,780 kilometres around the world to find ouselves in a pub in Australia. Paris is a strange place.

There is this guy who lives nearby the hostel where i am working who is a film director in Paris. He's lived here for 6 years and at the moment is filming a documentary of Aussies working and living in Paris. When I talk with him i discover just how big the aussie expat community is here in Paris and it reaches into all areas of society, business people, musicians, djs, barmen, dancers, singers, artists, academics, you name it. Every monday night i do a trivia quiz with all my friends. It is an old boy quiz so its pretty tough for us younguns buts its a challenge. Its become a very regular event and it is difficult to join our team because we are quite selective. Its held at a typical Scottish bar that feels like it is in Edinburgh and last week there was a guy walking around in full kilt garb. I also met all the guys that work at Cafe Oz, another team of Australians.

My lifestyle is pretty plain at the moment as I am poor and desperately waiting for my first real month of work's cheque to come through. It won't be until the end of the month so I have to hold on and not spend anything except the essentials. Until then I pretty much do all my drinking at private parties or at work and avoid clubs and bars. Work takes up most of my time during the week, but I fit in time to catch up with friends and have a chat. Then the weekend consists of my cleaning the apartment, reading, relaxing and wathing CSI in french. Oskar was supposed to be out of France by now with a job in Austria but he is still in Paris. I don't envy him. With no concrete reason to leave on a certain day, he keeps putting off his departure in order to do things in Paris he forgot, or to catch up with friends before he leaves. I have a good feeling that he will go tomorrow, but who knows?