Let me start by saying that this Tuesday was supposed to be just a normal Tuesday, nothing special. I began the day by going to the metro to buy my weekly Navigo card, because Monday was Easter and my roommate and I didn’t go anywhere that day. I had this strange gut feeling that I should print the receipt, but of course, I didn’t. Still, my metro card worked perfectly, so I didn’t think much about it.

After that, I went to my internship as usual, and later I headed to the train station. My card worked again when I entered, and I honestly didn t  have a single thought that anything could be wrong. I waited for the train, got on, and sat down like any normal passenger.

Suddenly, a RATP employee grabbed me by the arm and said something I didn’t even understand. You know how it is: English and French don’t always mix well, and communication can become a mess. I asked him in English what I had done wrong, and he said something about sitting incorrectly whatever that’s even supposed to mean.

I didn’t want to make a scene, so I stayed calm, even though the whole situation felt ridiculous. Then he asked for my Navigo card, and somehow, when he scanned it, it didn’t connect to his system. I have no idea how that’s even possible when it worked everywhere else.

And just like that, he gave me a fine for not paying, even though I did pay for my weekly card. The ticket was 60 euros almost double the price of the pass I had already bought. It s honestly unbelievable how you can do everything right and still get punished for something you didn’t do.

Life is crazy, especially when you re in Paris.