Ici, quel-que-chose specifique pour mon cours Francais à ASU. Bonjour! Life in Paris is very different from life in Tempe. Let me explain. It is very expensive, I do not mean, glamourous, America is very cheap, I do not mean low standard of life. Getting by everyday in Paris is expensive, to live like a student would in Tempe is very expensive. I shall explain further.
Transportation is very expensive. Like us take the light rail for example, $30 dollars a semester, metro bus pass free, gas $2.80/gallon high average. In Paris, $18.56 for 10 train tickets, $90.56/month(unlimited), $28.12/week unlimited. I would like to know what it is like to live in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, D.C these would all be good comparisons for Paris.
When backpacking the Grand Canyon I met many fellow Germans, an older man I spoke with at length talks about the cheapness of America, Henry Clay one of our great statesmen also speaks of the cheapness of living in America. I applaud the frugality of our Nation, and States, we have found a way to make the basics affordable so as all can pursue life, liberty and happiness.
There is however, a flipside to this coin. Education is free through out Europe. Imagine all students can attend a university for free, no loans, no scholarship essays, no competition. A student of equal caliber in Paris could attend The University of Paris with out charge, lets get real, Pell-grants do not pay for a university. How much student debt have you accumulated? Regardless of the cost I firmly believe in the pursuit of education, the rewards it brings, the future it offers.
How bright is that future? Individual merit marks Americans but society still chooses winners and losers. Success is not inevitable. Even for our best students, professionals, entrepreneurs, be aware when someone tells you there is a guarantee, they are selling something. What can an individual do to assure success in society? Chance, luck. Play are large part in individual advancement in society.
Do not rely on congress to pass a law that requires only people of merit to receive civil service positions, beware if they begin to appoint corporate leadership positions. The passed 100 years ago, yet still people of lesser achievement get honored with high ranking civil service positions, CEOs, president ships, professorships, manager. Luck, chance have played into success, society chooses to win when perhaps there is someone of better quality. Or, go against the grain, and it is all on your own.
So I pose, who has their priorities backward? This is something to reflect on. On one side, in the USA, housing is cheap, food is affordable, university’s offer grants to some-loans to others-scholarships. In Europe, education is subsidized, food is expensive, housing too, money is hard to come by, goods are more expensive. It is obvious both are headed in opposite directions.