So living in Paris seems like a dream, right? Then you do it and you feel like you're living a dream, right? Well, one of the reasons it feels like you're living a dream is that crazy things happen all the time that just shouldn't be normal. Here's just a few thoughts to throw out.
Weekend stroll
Last Saturday I took a lovely stroll through Paris. As soon as I got off the metro, there was a jazz brass group playing and a crowd of happy tourists cheering them on. Not 15 feet away, I ran into a man playing La Vie en Rose on his accordion. "This is Paris," I thought. The walk continued on for a while, including a few random turns that led me right back to the main boulevard and eventually to the Musee d'Orsay. I've been trying to get there this whole trip, but the line, can you believe it, was a crowd that stretched across the whole plaza. Then I walked along the Seine (thinking of Gene Kelley dancing to Gershwin in An American in Paris), then on to Place Dauphine and Pont Neuf. And what happened next? The rain started to fall. There's something you can't live without in Paris: cold rain and sunshine.
Easter at Notre Dame
Though I am not Catholic, I attended mass at the breath-taking Notre Dame Cathedral for Easter Sunday. It was a wonderful moment to be standing in the crowd of tourists and locals waiting for a church to open its doors. I don't think I will ever experience anything like that again. Everyone stood so close, you could smell their Parisian perfume (not always a pleasant smell). Add to that the sound of American teenagers on vacation with their parents and school groups. Whose idea was it to bring them there? In any case, this was the first and hopefully last time I will ever be pushed into a cathedral again.
The mass itself was supposedly the international service, but only the ending part was multilingual. I felt sorry that the priest had to speak English because he clearly didn't want to try it at all. He almost forgot what he was supposed to be repeating at one point! But who wouldn't? We Americans seem to make life more awkward for everyone in the world because they can't speak our language but they sure do try. I was just excited to be there, in such a historical place. How many centuries of people have come there to worship, and we are just sitting there waiting for mass to be done so we can take pictures.
Miscellaneous
And then there are those things you least expect... A man urinating on a flowerbed on Boulevard Montparnasse. Wearing hospital booties to visit a private home for architecture class. Seeing one of your friends standing on the quai of the metro as you ride past. Sunshine after a rainstorm. The Eiffel Tower in your direct line of vision.
So maybe Paris is greatest when you don't have any standards for it at all. Just like any big city, the beauty lies in the most random moments.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Things That Deserve Reflection
March has passed me by without much ceremony, but I guess the days always go by much faster here. It seems like just yesterday I was writing a frantic but excited post on my new host family and on my new home here in Paris. Now, any time I picture leaving here, I can't help but acknowledge the part of me that wants to stay forever. I don't think that I was expecting that after all I've gone through. Culture shock has a funny way of surprising you when you least desire it.
There are a few things that I think need more reflection here. If you are ever planning on traveling to Paris, this might help you. But most likely you will find that Paris is what you make of it.
1. The Cinema
French people have an entirely different view of the movies than we do. I guess it comes from their long history of artistic movements that it's only natural for them to treat going to the movies like going to an art gallery. I found out the hard way that they don't tolerate getting into the movie - as in commenting on how super excited you are that the movie is good. In my defense, the film was American and a super big deal. (Perhaps you have heard about The Hunger Games? If you haven't, you probably should check it out.) But another interesting fact is that they don't really discriminate against genres like we do. I just saw a second film at the cinema, an American action/comedy, and several of the audience members were elderly people. I would normally just chalk it up to the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday, but there's something to this. In the US, you probably wouldn't find a 75 year old woman coming to the theater by herself to watch a movie in a foreign language that you knew was going to be about young people in love. It's just a thought, but the French of any generation are more willing to view a film as something worthwhile even if it is a comedy. Maybe we could learn something about their appreciation.
2. Architecture
I really wish that we had more historical heritage. Where I am from, most of the architecture is so new, you couldn't care less who built the building or when; you just care what you can do inside it. In Paris, there is such a rich architectural heritage. It's not just the Eiffel Tower that I'm talking about, either. Sometimes I think we are so naive in thinking that the Eiffel Tower is the most beautiful monument in the world. If you ask me, the area around the Eiffel Tower is what makes it significant - and the view from the top, which I am hoping to see very soon!! There are so many beautiful sites around every corner, so many stories about people and societies long past. If we had the same in America, I'd say it's something like going to Colonial Williamsburg but a lot older. And even the buildings that date from the nineteenth century are amazing. Like the Opera Garnier, for example. 'Nuff said.
3. Legend
I don't really know what makes Paris such a symbol of romance, but sometimes, I find it no different than other big cities. What makes the city special to me, though, is the French people. I don't know any other culture that is more proud of their heritage and their language. It is nearly 3 centuries after France's glory days during the Classical era, yet people still have this fancy impression of Paris and of France - including the French. They are proud to be the birthplace of the Rights of Man, of Republican spirit, of wine and good food. Not only that, but they'd tell you any day that America can't hold a candle to them. I have to confess that it's this kind of cultural pride that makes me love the French! We Americans think that to be patriotic we have to agree with the government, wear red, white, and blue all the time, and (some people think this, Yankees!) listen to country music. In France, your cultural pride is linked directly to the language. I wonder what it would be like if we anglophones had to learn other languages to get a job. I think we'd benefit from that kind of cultural challenge.
I'm sure there will be more reflections coming, but these were the most pressing today.
There are a few things that I think need more reflection here. If you are ever planning on traveling to Paris, this might help you. But most likely you will find that Paris is what you make of it.
1. The Cinema
French people have an entirely different view of the movies than we do. I guess it comes from their long history of artistic movements that it's only natural for them to treat going to the movies like going to an art gallery. I found out the hard way that they don't tolerate getting into the movie - as in commenting on how super excited you are that the movie is good. In my defense, the film was American and a super big deal. (Perhaps you have heard about The Hunger Games? If you haven't, you probably should check it out.) But another interesting fact is that they don't really discriminate against genres like we do. I just saw a second film at the cinema, an American action/comedy, and several of the audience members were elderly people. I would normally just chalk it up to the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday, but there's something to this. In the US, you probably wouldn't find a 75 year old woman coming to the theater by herself to watch a movie in a foreign language that you knew was going to be about young people in love. It's just a thought, but the French of any generation are more willing to view a film as something worthwhile even if it is a comedy. Maybe we could learn something about their appreciation.
2. Architecture
I really wish that we had more historical heritage. Where I am from, most of the architecture is so new, you couldn't care less who built the building or when; you just care what you can do inside it. In Paris, there is such a rich architectural heritage. It's not just the Eiffel Tower that I'm talking about, either. Sometimes I think we are so naive in thinking that the Eiffel Tower is the most beautiful monument in the world. If you ask me, the area around the Eiffel Tower is what makes it significant - and the view from the top, which I am hoping to see very soon!! There are so many beautiful sites around every corner, so many stories about people and societies long past. If we had the same in America, I'd say it's something like going to Colonial Williamsburg but a lot older. And even the buildings that date from the nineteenth century are amazing. Like the Opera Garnier, for example. 'Nuff said.
3. Legend
I don't really know what makes Paris such a symbol of romance, but sometimes, I find it no different than other big cities. What makes the city special to me, though, is the French people. I don't know any other culture that is more proud of their heritage and their language. It is nearly 3 centuries after France's glory days during the Classical era, yet people still have this fancy impression of Paris and of France - including the French. They are proud to be the birthplace of the Rights of Man, of Republican spirit, of wine and good food. Not only that, but they'd tell you any day that America can't hold a candle to them. I have to confess that it's this kind of cultural pride that makes me love the French! We Americans think that to be patriotic we have to agree with the government, wear red, white, and blue all the time, and (some people think this, Yankees!) listen to country music. In France, your cultural pride is linked directly to the language. I wonder what it would be like if we anglophones had to learn other languages to get a job. I think we'd benefit from that kind of cultural challenge.
I'm sure there will be more reflections coming, but these were the most pressing today.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Bruges
Belgium is a lovely place to be, but sometimes you really need to speak the language to feel at home. During my recent stay in Bruges, Belgium, I discovered that even though everyone spoke English (and French) the main language of service is Flemish. For those who don't know, the language of northern Belgium sounds like a fusion of German and English and is impossible to sound out. As an example, the Market Square is known as Markt and most every street's name ends in "straat."
Other than the language, I think that Belgians are happy people. They see a lot of tourists in Bruges even though the city is a fraction of Paris. It only takes 20 minutes to walk from one end of the city to the other if you're really looking to get a fast walk in. More than that, all the tourist places are pretty close together. It makes for an ideal vacation spot if ever you want to visit Belgium but Brussels is too big. Although, I hear the city of Ghent is wonderful for those looking to find young people, due to the abundance of universities.
Bruges was founded in the year 1277 with the arrival of the first traders from Genova. In 1309, the Stock Exchange opened - a very long time before modern capitalism and yet so similar to the way we do things now. Bruges itself was based on its trade routes via its canals. Even in the medieval era, the town was build on the banks of the water. You can see how integral the water was to the foundation of the city, though a lot of the former sites of canals are covered with streets.
The main attraction of the town is due to the film In Bruges, which stars Colin Farrell. I've never seen it, but apparently it's good! It won critical acclaim for its screenplay, so it must have some merit. Despite its bleak outlook on the city, the film attracts more tourists to the small town than perhaps it should. Personally, I think more people should visit it just for the fun of going to a small town that still acts like a small town despite the tourists. Even if you aren't in the market for a romantic canal ride or a pint of beer, Bruges is a lovely place to spend the weekend. I am so glad I did!
Other than the language, I think that Belgians are happy people. They see a lot of tourists in Bruges even though the city is a fraction of Paris. It only takes 20 minutes to walk from one end of the city to the other if you're really looking to get a fast walk in. More than that, all the tourist places are pretty close together. It makes for an ideal vacation spot if ever you want to visit Belgium but Brussels is too big. Although, I hear the city of Ghent is wonderful for those looking to find young people, due to the abundance of universities.
Bruges was founded in the year 1277 with the arrival of the first traders from Genova. In 1309, the Stock Exchange opened - a very long time before modern capitalism and yet so similar to the way we do things now. Bruges itself was based on its trade routes via its canals. Even in the medieval era, the town was build on the banks of the water. You can see how integral the water was to the foundation of the city, though a lot of the former sites of canals are covered with streets.
The main attraction of the town is due to the film In Bruges, which stars Colin Farrell. I've never seen it, but apparently it's good! It won critical acclaim for its screenplay, so it must have some merit. Despite its bleak outlook on the city, the film attracts more tourists to the small town than perhaps it should. Personally, I think more people should visit it just for the fun of going to a small town that still acts like a small town despite the tourists. Even if you aren't in the market for a romantic canal ride or a pint of beer, Bruges is a lovely place to spend the weekend. I am so glad I did!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)