Posts by Yvonne Shao:
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Paris Under Lockdown
I’ve lived in Paris for three years. This lockdown is the most intense thing I’ve experienced. We’ve been given greater and greater restrictions over the past few days, and now as of Tuesday March 17 we all had to stay home.
SOS Medecins: French House Calls 24/7
Americans may not have done house calls since Little House on the Prairie, but if you’re sick in France, SOS Médecins will give you 24/7 access to a doctor at home.
The Art of the “Bonjour”
What’s the most important word in the French language? Bonjour. In France, it’s the key to a pleasant encounter.
Paris Cats Part 4: Finding a Pet Sitter in Paris
The hardest part of cat care in Paris, in my opinion, is finding a sitter while you’re on vacation. Our Paris neighbors are aloof and sophisticated, unlikely candidates for dealing with poop. The first time we went on vacation in France, Sam asked the vet about sitters, and he recommended several cat hotels.
Paris Cats Part 3: Taking Paris Cats to the Vet
Moving to Paris is already an adventure, but we decided to make it more exciting by adopting kittens. I had to utilize my high school French skills and even lie a little bit, as described in Parts 1 and 2 of Paris Cats. Today, we discuss cat care in the city of light. We adopted two skinny kittens, and my husband and son promised to do 100% of the care because I was suffering from Pet Fatigue.
Paris Cats Part 2: How to Adopt Parisian Kitties (Lie)
I didn’t want cats when we got to Paris, but my husband, Sam, and the last remaining kid at home, Caleb, talked me into it. I was tired of fur and destroyed furniture and paw prints on the kitchen counter, but in a moment of weakness, I caved. Sam and Caleb called me from the cat adoption agency. Between them they didn’t speak enough French to satisfy the cat adoption people.
Paris Cats Part 1: Picking a French Kitty, or Two
By the time we moved to Paris, I was tired of pets. That’s why I put my foot down when we got to Paris. No pets. Caleb was the only kid left at home, and he’s going to college in four years, so there was no use getting pets. However, it soon became clear that the entire future happiness and wellbeing of two-thirds of the family was in jeopardy unless we got a cat.
Having a French Name Doesn’t Make You French
When we got the idea to move to France, I thought my problems were over. Yvonne is a French name! People had been asking me if I was French for as long as I could remember, so I pictured myself enfolded into French society, welcomed as a long-lost daughter, among my own people at last. Then I got to France, and that didn’t happen.
La Bise: The Art of the French Air Kiss
As a new Parisienne, I was baffled by la bise. I was raised in Texas, where the traditional greeting was a full-contact hug. When I later moved to California, I learned that there were three options for hugs. Then I moved to Paris and much to my surprise: They were kissing each other.
La Rentrée: Paris Re-Awakens
Paris stretched. It was time to get back to work, and she was ready. Some people need springtime to feel reborn, but Paris just needs La Rentrée.
Paris Summer Prep Lesson Two: The Bikini
At age 50, I moved to Paris. Impressed by the casual sexiness of the locals, I updated my wardrobe and skin care regime. But now it’s swimsuit season. Quelle horreur!
