Le Blog Derniér

Pour mon blog derniér je veut ecrire le blog en fraçais, mais il est trop meilleur pour ma tête dans cette semaine parce que les examens finals sont me faire fou! I will just have to suffice with English for my closing statements for this blog, although I doubt it will be my last blog ever, or in Europe. I really enjoyed having a blog during my time here. The French American connection? I don't really know what that would consist of. Our relationship at the time being is cordial and pleasant. When I tell someone here that I am an American, I do not receive any grief for the most part. French is definitely a country of tradition and they have their values embedded deeply within their culture. That is also represented in their colonies who carry some similar traditions. I think that when I go home I am going to always eat with a fork and knife now. Before coming here I would never use a knife for anything besides steak honestly. The impression that I have gotten from the French politically is that they are for Obama, we are currently involved in a conflict with Libya and we are on the side of the French.  I think a 100% alliance between the two countries is something to be desired, but may not be attainable. 100% anything is almost a fallacy in politics. There are always exceptions and people who will have their personal biases and things they hold against either the French or the Americans. I feel that we are on a similar page in terms of placing up most importance on liberté although our definitions of what liberty if more important may not be completely linear, freedom is what unites us, and hopefully working towards freedom for all will be what continues to propel us to work together.  This semester has just gone by entirely too fast. This past weekend in Normandy was a great close to an amazing and unforgettable semester: great country, great food, great history, and most importantly great people. I am also extremely glad, that we for the most part all live in San Diego, so I can go home and continue to share this experience with those around me. I truly have appreciated the global perspective that I have gained while being here, and I can't even list the things that I am going to miss the most about Paris: the people, the metro, nutella and banana crepes, the language, the atmosphere, the cafes, the view from my window, the history, ugh! Everything! I really don't want to leave, the antiquity of Paris just is attuned with something inside of me, and that will be what I really miss the most. Even the classes were fun. I think it was just nice to be carefree from my life of work and school 5 days a week, I was able to appreciate this experience even more.

French Colonialism

At one point in history the French controlled 1/8th of the entire world, looking at France today that is an unimaginable amount to fathom. After watching some of our films in class and reading some of the literature for our 422 Culture class, I have really begun to see what a huge influence the French have had on the world, even in my own country! I think a lot of my others blogs also relate to this topic. The amount of people that integrated and immigrated into France from other countries have big in large part due to the French colonialism, especially in regions like North Africa. The Algerians weren't granted independence until 1941 so France left a massive footprint on their culture which I am certain will never go away. Their language is French, a lot of their mannerisms. Once again going back to my trip to Morocco, when I was there, especially in Casablanca, there were lots of cafes and other places that bore the name Paris, or France. One morning I ate at cafe Paris and for breakfast I ate a croissant, coffee and orange juice. Their eating habits for breakfast are very similar to those in France. They serve a very light sweet, breakfast. As Americans we were looking for something much more substantial and actually ended up eating pizza for breakfast. I think that in the modern world France, and especially Paris are mostly regarded for bringing the world food, fashion, and art. You cannot go to any top museum in any country without noticing some Monet, or Renoir, and those are just two. In the United States, the Louisiana Purchase region, most namely, New Orleans, reeks of a culture influenced by the French. In the French quarter of New Orleans they serve Beignets, and they have lots of architecture similar to what is everywhere around Paris. In Canada the influence near the Quebec region is still very strong. When I was in London there were two guys on a tour that I was on who were Canadian and they were speaking french to each other. French culture is everywhere. The movie we recently watched L'Amant opened my eyes to the French influence in Vietnam as well, which I virtually did not know existed until I read about it in the novel. French people occupied the region of Saigon as well. The French on near almost every continent. It is incredible to see the farthest reaches of their culture like the New Orleans language of Creole French, which is a passed down French. Although they don't control 1/8th of the world anymore everyone knows the French have been a major power player in the pages of history.

"Proud to be a European?"

In my stay abroad there are several things I have noticed about the racial identity as a European. The first major thing to notice: being a European means identifies nothing about your looks, mannerisms, or language. Well I mean it doesn't mean one thing at least. I guess the same can be said about Americans however, in the sense of language there is a universal one, but back at home I have plenty of friends whose parents have migrated from Mexico and they are legal citizens and have poor to little English. I guess to fully answer the question, I do not think a strong European identity exists. While I was in Dublin this past weekend, I stayed in an extremely international hostel. I met a German girl, a British boy, a group of Italians along with some French kids who were on their Erasmus in Granada. It was quite a mix. We also met one other American who was from Chicago. We met him first and right when we met we had that instant connection, it was like oh there is another american here, we got to know him and hung out for the rest of the trip. For the Europeans, this was not the case. There was another group of French people staying in the hostel who were from Normandy just on a vacation. The Normans and the french students on Erasmus were hanging out and talking. My guess was their connection was primarily based on language. Lucky for us, we speak French and could hang out with them also. However it was interesting to see the other groups mingle about the hostel and gradually start talking and integrating; it was definitely not as instant as it had been for the other American, Max, and I to click. Now this may have been because Max and I just got along as friends or as the British guy, Felix, would say : "We got on quite nice" but personally I think it was that initial American connection that brought us together. I cannot say the same for the Europeans. The identities had a clear split between the Italian, the French, the Germans etc. While we were talking to the Italians, they were actually making fun of the French a lot. They had the smelly, berret-sporting stereotype in their head. To hear them speak like that just reinforced my ideals of the clear racism in Europe. It is regarded as humorous more than offensive. I think it has a lot to do with having so much history in the formation of their nations, and being so close to each other. The definitions and distinctions become more and more similar the closer and more similar you are. For example, all Europeans treat the daily espresso and cigarette as a ritual. That is a generalization because not all Europeans smoke, but that is a general statement about the overwhelming cafe scene in Europe. Italy, Spain, and France are the most like that in my mind. Yet each one I'm sure has tiny individual differences. The best part of the EU, and I'm sure that almost anyone can agree with me, is the Euro. Switching to the Euro, at this point is the best representation of the future of Europe. The money has a ton of historical figures for each country to represent the differences, yet they have come together to better their economic positions and form a mightier future. I don't think a European identity will ever quite be the same as an American identity. But hey I mean I am a Californian first in my mind, so maybe America's identity isn't as strong as we think it is either. (But then again it is California, who wouldn't want to have that association first and foremost ;) )

National and regional identity

For the French, or the Parisians more specifically, being a Parisian, means more to them than indentifying themselves as French. The regional nationality is not just about identifying yourself, or the specific specialties of your region, it is a state of mind. Currently I am at a friend's house in the regional location of Alsace. In Alsace the region is popluar for their farming and their long history with being fought over by both France and Germany. The people in Alsace are extremely different than the people in Paris. The way they eat, speak, and address guests is very different than the hustle of busy metropolitian Paris life. The specialties of the national regions such as cheese, wines and dishes help to build a particular repetoire for each area. The specialties can be nationally recognized and must be recognized by the government in order to be grown or claimed to be from that area. I hope to go to more regions in France and contiune to notice the differences between the regions, because it is very important for the French to have an identity more specific to the actual region that they come from. It is similar in the United States when considering the federal regions, or the individual states. Now that I am outside the states, I refer to myself as being from the states, and do not specify California, but when I am in the states, I refer to myself as a Californian, or even go further to say that I am from Los Angeles. I think I do this and that the French have their regional identies first in their mind because home is not a country, home is a place, a specific place, that has specific meaning to your identidy, such as what that region is known for or what that region produces. Whenever I tell anyone that I am from LA they automatically assume that I constantly am seeing celebrites or that it is common to just see Brad Pitt walking around. Regions make the ties to our home feel more intimate.

I like the way you move.

Here in Paris, it isn't just about the things you say or the way you say it, Parisians like to have emphasis behind their words and that can be seen through gestures. Watching people sit and talk in cafes is a perfect example of observing the french and their use of hand gestures to emphasize their meaning. I have noticed that people like to wave their hands in a motion seeming to reference that the action was ongoing, or that they are continuing on to another subject. It is almost a hand roll. People in cafes also always look very intrigued and immersed in conversation. You can read the tone of the conversation on their face, a furrowed brow to express confusion or contempt, pouted lips to express doubt, or even a rare parisian smile, to indicate that they are truly happy. Although reading speaking gestures can be intriguing and informative, I prefer to watch the Parisians as they walk. There is a walking path surrounded by flowers right by my house. I frequently jog or walk along the path, and when I do I love to watch the others as they pass me by. On sunny days, the promenade is full of people, young, old, you name it.  This promenade is like a small haven above the city streets, where everyone is walking quickly with and agenda. On the promenade, everyone walks slowly, soaking in the glorious leisure time away from the normal life of the busy city.  My favorite people to watch are the older couples as they stroll in the brilliant sunshine. They walk arm in arm in coats and hats.  The older couples walk very slowly (obviously) but they seem to stroll as if time is of no importance to them.  They speak to each other softly, and make small hand gestures, pointing to newly bloomed flowers.  The majority of people in France walk with very rigid posture, walking with their backs straight, and on the street people seem to march. They walk quickly and don't seem to really be looking at anything, just a blank stare forward. The men are the most different from American standards. In America men who walk in a feminine manner or hold their hands with limp wrists are regarded as gay, or womanly. In France, it is normal to see men speaking to each other very closely, or even to kiss each other's cheeks as they are saying goodbye. Hand holding in Paris is much less common than it is in the US among couples. I see many more couples arm in arm, than holding hands. If I wanted to blend in more, I would need to work on my posture and my overall body tension. In my mind, to perfect my posture I just think of a ballerina, graceful and effortless posture, with incredible intricacy and delicate body movements; with brutal discipline, and no leaning on things! I also use lots of hand motions already when I speak, so in that department I am somewhat French. While walking, I feel like I have already gained more of a Parisian stride just from being here.  My pace has quickened, and I try not to dilly dally and look like I am a tourist. I don't mind being a tourist, but it is really fun to play pretend that I am french too. 

Diversité dans la ville

Paris, just like any other huge city, with a massive population density, is a cultural hub of numerous ethnic identities.  It is apparent when you go into different neighborhoods and see signs for pizza, chinese food, and McDonalds all on the same street. In American, this is the norm, so for us it is not a big change. What is more different for us is to see the cafes and the small individual boulangeries that have been there for centuries. I think the most obvious place for viewing diversity among Paris inhabitants is on the metro. The metro not only has those from culturally different back rounds, but those from socioeconomic back rounds. There may be a woman in a fur coat on sitting to your right and a beggar bumming for your change standing beside you. Paris is in it's core, a city. Yes it is the capital and monument of French culture, cuisine, and state, but it is also so much more than that. If you go to smaller towns outside of Paris, you are much less likely to see such diversity as you would in such a major city.  Even the tourists are extremely diverse!
I want to first speak of my real first Francophone experience, which is interesting, because it happened somewhere far from Paris. My first experience with French was when I was traveling in Morocco. The north african countries of Morocco and Algeria, among various others were once home to French imperialists. The French stayed in the region until 1941, and left a massive footprint in the culture that exists in those countries today. While in Morocco I went to two different cities, first Casablanca and second, Marrakech. Casablanca wasn't much to see, and we were only there for a night, so I am going to skip straight ahead to Marrakech. The culture down there is primarily what the French would call Maghreb, but it is very interesting to see the bits of Francophone that have remained since they gained independence. First and foremost, is the language, which is of course, French. When we first arrived at our hostel, the man at the dest spoke to us in French. After he realized that we understood very little, he switched over to English. After getting to him, we learned that he spoke 4 languages: French, Arabic, Berber, and English. Berber is similar to Arabic, but is specific to that region of Morocco. He also told us that he had never been outside of Morocco, which I thought was very interesting to think about, especially as I was about to begin my traveling adventures in another country. The two attendants of our hostel were both very nice (the other spoke 4 languages as well). The would make us a traditional Moroccan breakfast in the morning which consisted of bread, butter, apricot jam, coffee, orange juice and a crepe. I thought the fact that they had crepes down there was very interesting. At night they would serve us menthe tea, which was absolutely delicious. When we would go out in the village in the day it was very clear that we were far from France, but if you look at the signs or listened to people talking it was clear that a French presence existed. The cafe culture of France was also visible down in Morocco. Coffee was very popular. The restaurants, although traditionally Moroccan had a patio like style set up which I frequently see here in Paris, especially in the Montemarte area. Two girls staying at our hostel were from Quebec, which is another area of French imperialism. I spoke to them briefly in French, but my level at the time was inadequate for conversation. I just thought it was very interesting to see this run off culture of France mixed together in a place that couldn't be further from Paris. As we were leaving Marrakech, we stopped in a garden on our way out, I didn't notice it at the time, but looking back, I can see the similarities in hindsight. The garden had all the typical french elements of symmetry, rectangular shape, and pristine care for the lawn. This experience was absolutely invaluable to have before having been to Paris. A week later, when I got here, it was impossible for me not to notice the North African presence in Paris. Couscous is probably the first thing I noticed. It is very popular here, in restaurants and in grocery stores. There is also a large Muslim population in Paris, which I am sure comes from Maghreb.
Another cultural area of Paris is the Jewish population that lives in Le Marais. The schools, temples, bakeries, deli's, and restaurants are all a reflection of the Jewish population that reside in that quarter. I personally feel like this kind of diversity is what defines a big city. French persuasion is dominant in architecture, history, and culture, but those cultures have been mixed together to form something greater. My closest comparison to Paris would be New York. Having been to both, I feel that New York embodies the same type of cultural diversity and ethnic mixture. I think that the Americans have less visibility of culture differences that have blended together to make these large cities because we are more accustomed to it from being such a boiling pot of cultures from the very roots of our culture. 

Parisian Encounters

Entering my 4th week in Paris I have begun to get a good fundamental understanding of my surroundings. Parisian tendencies and normalcies are starting to make more sense to me, and I am beginning to develop a very fond liking for the area that for the next few months I will be calling home.  Language however is still tricky for me, I have begun to pick up on some of the colloquial phrases, and I have started to gain more confidence in my speech. I have noticed that the most useful and somewhat intruding comprehension technique is to listen to people's conversations around me and try to pick up what they are saying. One typical Wednesday after class two classmates and I went out to explore and find a place to get espresso.  We were in search of a cafe with wifi, but found instead a quaint coffee place not a block away from our residence. The cafe owner behind the counter was busy preparing the food for the lunch menu,  fixing boisson chauds, and entertaining locals in conversation. We found the small environment inviting and the smell of freshly ground espresso intoxicating.  The chairs at the table we sat at were round on top like the work out balls at the gym, but they were flat at the bottom, so they could be stationary, weird to picture I know. I got up to order a drink from the bar, and a man at the counter noticed my lack of diction and obvious non-native dialect; he asked (in french) if I was a student studying near-by because there was a school room on the other side of the cafe.  I told him that I go to school a few streets away and I am here to learn french. Of course like every Parisian, he was correcting almost everything I said, but he was very sweet about it, and I could tell that he was glad that I was making such an effort. I went back to my table a few feet away with my drink and the man kept talking to me and my fellow classmates. We told him that we were americans and he seemed intrigued, he spoke some english himself and we proceeded from there speaking a variety I like to call Franglais. The man, named Charles ( Charrrll) told us that he was a painter and had a studio in the neighborhood, he was dressed head to toe like a vrai Parisian. He had on an orange sweater, and blue blazer, slacks, nice shoes, but most notable were the John Lenon shaped glasses he was wearing with the thick, black rims. He was older, and balding, with a slight gap between his two front teeth. His dress and mannerisms was altogether charming. It was as if the man embodied the cafe itself. Modern, eclectic, with a hint of charming warmth to make you feel invited in. We discussed a range of subjects, he told us he had studied for a while in Japan, we were talking about rent control in city apartments, and we were mutually correcting each other's speech as we would switch from English to French. The man behind the counter was also joining into the conversation, poking fun at Charles for his "bavard-ness" (chattiness). My guess is that Charles doesn't exactly have to be invited into a conversation to join one. We all finished our drinks and sat for a few more minutes talking and describing our studies, Charles said he had to go, and then we all left at around the same time.  I very much enjoyed our short encounter with Charles. He was a perfect example of how many Parisians defy the stereotype that they are cold and snouty.  I feel that many of the youth fit the stereotype better than some of the older people, and I find that odd. Maybe it's just the youth themselves who are more stand-offish. I hope to have more encounters like this one in the future.