From Paris. Given the scrawny dollar and the robust European prices, moving to Europe now is like moving to the jungle. I arrive in Europe, where we have been living one semester a year lately, plus taking many short trips, with suitcases half full with rice, nuts, raisins, oatmeal, beans, toothpaste, Vaseline… and tools... and every conceivable office supply… Clothes? In a pinch, in some of the little Arab shops outside of Paris, the same silk and cashmere sweater that costs 5 Euros, in Paris costs 200 Euros. Everything is made with supplies from, or made in China, anyway. Ironically, though I regularly run into Europeans who tell me they had been in the US on a shopping trip, I read that Americans are cutting down on their shopping.
MOVING TO EUROPE OR TO THE JUNGLE?
December 1, 2008
2 Comments
Comments
Dec 01, 2008 4:13 AM EST
Americans are not shopping at all, Elena, at least not the ones I know. Oh wait, i forgot the nasty 5 in the morning Wal-mart opening where 2000 people trampled to death the man opening the door. Me, I go to the local clothing swap. Held in a spacious loft twice a year, people bring in the clothes that don't work anymore,, and walk away with those that do!
- caroline Leavitt
Dec 03, 2008 6:55 AM EST
I'm jealous of your semester in Paris. I visited there for only one measly day on my way to a holiday in Madrid and I want to go back and do it right. My children will need to be a bit older to either leave them behind or bring them along, though. Something to look forward to int he future.
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