60 Minute Cities: Paris | 60分钟，我的城市- 巴黎
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60分钟城市刚联系我的时候，我很激动，因为时间真是太巧了。
为了让大家了解我的录音，我需要先解释一下我的一些情况。我今年25岁，来自英国。2016年9月，我跟随我的女朋友Wendy来到她的故乡，巴黎，这是我人生的一个重要转折点。
在那之前，我从来没有离开过英国超过2周。尽管地理上很近，英国和法国的文化却是截然不同的。法国人很珍视他们的语言和生活方式。Wendy搬到英格兰经历了不少文化冲突，我知道我也会有相似的感受。此前我也从来没有尝试过去学习一门新的语言。就像很多英语为母语的人一样，我在学校的时候从来没有认真对待过语言学习这件事，除了零星的几个单词，几乎记不起学过些什么。
我很难准确描述当时为什么没有十分激动。很大程度可能是因为我不知道我要面临多少或者多大的挑战。我的存款有限，当时我并不知道学习一门新的语言或者找到一份工作会有多难（法国的失业率一直维持在10%，居高不下）。这总是像悬在心头的一块石头。在生活成本高昂的巴黎居住，不可避免的需要节俭。我没有办法去餐厅吃饭，也享受不了这座城市的夜生活。取而代之的是，我会去参观一些美术馆、博物馆（26岁以下欧盟公民免费参观的那些）、公园、市场，或者就是在街道游走。
这些录音记录了巴黎一整个寒冷灰暗的秋天的声音。体验里有时候是胆怯和隔离的，通常有些超现实感，但是都非常美和迷人。我在写下这些的时候，正坐在法国南部城市图卢兹的新公寓里，不久后就会开始我的第一个工作。
这些录音对我都意味深重，因为它们记录了我人生的一个时期，最不确定、最好奇的时期。我尝试再次回到那些地方录音，不仅仅因为它们有特色而值得记录，还因为它们对我来说有些特别的思考和情感。
最近的几次恐怖袭击之后，法国的国家安全仍然在高度警戒状态。我开始习惯在进入大楼时需要在门口过包安检，走在路上会看到持冲锋枪的国家安保人员巡逻。也因为这个原因，这里大部分的录音都是通过‘双声道’录音技术秘密完成的。因此，最佳的聆听体验是使用耳机，这样可以得到一些方向感（尽管没有耳机也完全可以）。
When I was first contacted about participating in 60 Minute Cities, I was thrilled, because it couldn’t have come at a more interesting time.
To understand my recordings it is important to understand my situation. I am a 25 year old from the UK. In September 2016, I undertook a big change in my life and followed my girlfriend, Wendy, to her home city of Paris.
I had never previously been out of the UK for more than 2 weeks at a time. Whilst geographically close, the cultures of the countries are strikingly different. The French hold their language and way of life close to their hearts. From the culture shock in moving to England that Wendy had experienced, I knew I would receive something similar. I had also never really tried to learn a language before. As is the case with many native English speakers, I had never taken language learning seriously at school and had forgotten nearly everything other than a few words.
It is hard to say exactly why I wasn’t more excited. I think it had a lot to do with the level of uncertainty and the scale of the challenge that I faced. With limited savings, I had no idea of how easily I would pick up the language or find a job. (France’s unemployment rate sits stubbornly around 10%) This always rested in the back of my mind. In such an expensive city it was necessary to live frugally. I couldn’t afford to eat out much or enjoy the cities’ nightlife. Instead, I spent time visiting art galleries and museums (free for EU citizens under 26) parks, markets and just walking the streets.
My contribution is a sonic diary of my explorations of Paris through a cold, grey autumn. The experience was sometimes daunting and isolating, often surreal but always beautiful and fascinating. As I write this now, I am sitting in my new flat in the southern city of Toulouse, ready to start my first job in France shortly.
All of these recordings have a deep meaning to me because they will forever represent a time in my life when I was at my most uncertain and at my most curious. I tried to revisit and record places that were not just noteworthy in their character, but also held particular thoughts or emotions for me.
France’s national security is still on high alert following the recent terrorist attacks. I grew accustomed to having my bags checked at the entrances to most buildings and walking past national security teams armed with assault rifles. Due to this, the majority of my recordings were done stealthily using the ‘binaural’ recording technique. Because of this, the best way to listen to the recordings is with headphones, as you will get a sense of direction, (although you can still enjoy perfectly well without).
关于艺术家
Ben Gale（1991年出生于英国萨默塞特郡）是一位实地录音师和录音剪辑师，现居法国南部/他对实地录音的热情开始于他在大学学习音乐技术的时候，当时他在冰岛修一个录音课程/自那之后，他就开始探索他身边的声音世界，通过收录声音片段收获不同的体验/这是Ben发布的第一个实地录音作品/Ben的其他作品包括外景录音、电影和纪录片的声音剪辑以及他正在进行的一个个人项目— 利用双声道声音设计制作的儿童有声书。
Ben Gale (Somerset, UK 1991) is a field recordist and sound editor currently living in the south of France / His passion for field recording began whilst studying music technology at university, when he attended a sound recording course in Iceland / Since then he has been exploring the sonic world around him and gaining experience in capturing fragments of it / This is Ben’s first field recording release / Ben’s other work includes location recording and sound editing for film and documentary, as well as his ongoing personal project producing childrens’ audiobooks with binaural sound design //