French Word of the Day: grève (grev)- strike

This really shouldn’t be the French Word of the Day, it should be the French Word of Everyday.  I always thought people were joking when they said striking was the French national pastime.  And then I got to France.

I’m no longer on my beautiful, non-stop flight in my beautiful aisle seat.  Why?  I got a call at 6:30 this morning telling me my flight had been canceled.  After running around the house cursing American Airlines, I found out this was because the French air traffic controllers decided to have a strike.  They decided to end it at 9am tomorrow, which is 20 minutes after my flight was supposed to land.  It was apparently too important to end it half an hour earlier.

Now, I have a layover in London.  Let’s hope the Londoners decide they’re too cool to follow in the French’s footsteps.

Of course, this is not the only strike in France tomorrow.  By a lovely coincidence, the metro (RER in France) to the airport from Paris is ALSO on strike.  Just that particular line, and just tomorrow.

Hopefully the cabs haven’t decided to go on strike.

Thankfully, I’ll be landing at lunchtime.  Because the French get 5 hours for lunch (ok, only 2, but close), Arnaud is going to meet me where I’m staying to help me with my bags.  He’s not on strike, so he’s a French person I actually like.