So some of the things we've been learning (slowly but surely) are staple differences - like how to charge your computer and cell phone. How to safely use a hair dryer and straightener. How to flush a toilet, open a lock, use an oven and a microwave. You'd be surprised how different things can be from what you'd expect.
The scariest learning experience was the charging of the laptops. We arrived, and were happily charging our dead laptops, and in the mean time multitasking and doing some internet searches for apartments. Mine had charged up from about 5% to maybe 75% before it spontaneously shut off and wouldn't turn back on for a few seconds - and trust me, a few seconds felt like a lifetime. We gathered that it's most likely because the converter was overheating. I have an early 2011 15" Macbook Pro - so that white box on the charger actually does the converting for you. It hadn't been plugged in for LONG, but we can infer from this that its important to feel your converter. If it's too hot - unplug it. Try again once it's cooled down. It's also helpful to shut your computer off and charge it, since it charges faster and uses less power. Same goes for cell phones, just to be safe.
Hair dryers and straighteners - before I left, I had read everywhere that it was better to buy one in Europe once you arrive. I wasn't really fond of this option, considering the rather high exchange rate and the rather high prices of Paris in general. So I bought a cheap set of straighteners (a big one and a little one!) and a cheap hair dryer which were both dual voltage from Walmart, probably totaling at about $30. They're working well so far, and don't have to be used with a converter - just adapt and go at it! The ones I purchased were the Revlon Perfect Heat 1" Ceramic Straightener, and the Revlon 1875 Watt Travel Dual Voltage Dryer. The straightener converts itself, the dryer needs to have a little switch turned to the 240V position. They may not be top notch, but they do the job and are much cheaper.
The toilets here have HUGE, plastic buttons to press instead of any kind of silvery knob to push down. Sometimes the button is on the wall. Sometimes the button is on the back of the toilet. Sometimes it's on the side. It's like a scavenger hunt every time you use the bathroom. Another thing to get used to is the shower heads not being mounted on the walls. It does cut your shower time in half though, perhaps saving your water bill from being enormous?
One thing that has been a leap every time we try to cook, is understanding the appliances. Besides the fact that they are in celsius by default, they also don't seem to have any words on their buttons. Just pictures. And they are not exactly instinctive pictures either.. we've kind of leaped this hurtle through trial and error, and occasionally asking for help when Delph is available.
Anyways, we're kind of getting our bearings here a bit more, and have ventured into the city to do some sight seeing and just generally getting out of the apartment for a bit. À bientôt, "bisous"!
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