england

This past weekend I had a little reunion with some friends from grad school. We met in England because the majority (2 couples, 1 with a young child) of us live there and it’s also the most central. As I’ve stated before, I’m not a fan of the parts of England I’ve seen so far. And now, traveling to England via Eurostar is losing its charm. French immigration has never been a hassle for me, but getting through British immigration has gone from being a hassle to being a pain in the butt. I feel like getting a t-shirt with pre-printed answers to all of their %$@$#@!! questions (purpose of visit, how long will you stay, occupation, employer etc.) along with a general statement along the lines of: “I don’t like England and have no desire to stay beyond this trip much less indefinitely. I am THE LAST person you have to worry about remaining in your bloody country illegally.”

After this most recent trip, I have a new rule: when joining the UK immigration line, avoid dowdy women and older men who appear as if their last smile was during the early part of the Thatcher era. This time the pole-up-the-ass lady actually asked me what I was going to do when my carte de sejour expires. I’m going to get it renewed like I do every friggin year!! That’s what I’m going to do! What are you going to do when you shrivel up and become a bitter old maid before your time?? Oops, too late.

london

I got back from London a couple of hours ago. No matter how many times I visit the city I still find it ugly and depressing. This time it was an overnight trip for work, but whether it's work or visiting friends (I still don't understand what possessed them to move there) the place is equally unappealing. As a colleague said, it's like entering a movie about Jack the Ripper... Once again, it's so nice to be back in Paris.