Monday, July 19, 2010

North American Scum

Well, I've shaved my armpits and returned aux Etats-Unis. So, now I am a wannabe Francophone with an obsession with Paris shoes and a taste for Camembert cheese. I get a little confused when I look around and there is not a building older than the United States looming over me. I am once again able to communicate myself and have a personality, even though my English skills seem to be rusty. Also, I am poor.
I don't think I have ever been more satisfied with a decision.
After having to pay my own way to France, I will say without a doubt that it was 100% worth it. There is a small window of time when those kind of opportunities are offered to a person, and sometimes they never exist at all. I realize how lucky I am to have done this, something that many will never do in a lifetime. I also have had a reinforced idea of how many special people that I have in my life that were waiting for me back home.
Okay, I know that is super cheesy.
The main demand I have had since my return is, "So, tell me about France."
It is extremely difficult to sum up two months of your life into a reasonable anecdote, both for length and content. The easiest way is for little parts to come out piece by piece, rather than talk everyone into a stupor. With that said, I do have giant, sweeping conclusions that I have made about France.

Food - This is the most frequently asked question, I think, and I must say that I am the complete wrong person to ask. I love food, but I cannot discern or really articulate why I like it. Mostly because I'm not picky and do not have a refined taste. I ate a lot of really delicious things in France, and I did appreciate that it seemed like lighter foods rather than the heavy food I eat at home, but really that is a household difference more than anything. I did eat about a ton of French pastries though, and I will say that they easily and safely kick American pastry ass.

Clothes - It is true that the French are generally better dressed. However, you won't get spit at for wearing jeans and tennis shoes, just easily spotted as a foreigner. BUT, jeans are completely acceptable for everyone, which was a generalization that a lot of people have asked me about. When I first arrived there were more skinny jeans on the streats than Urban Outfitters could passively shake a stick at. I will have to say that I very much prefer the French style of presenting oneself. I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to wear heels out shopping. Maybe not practical, but hey, no one ever accused them of being practical. I will say that when I got back, though, I wore Nike shorts, a t-shirt, and no make-up for three days straight. It. Was. Awesome.

Politics - It is obvious that there are flaws in the French government. They're on their fifth republic! Of course there are glitches, otherwise they wouldn't keep changing it. BUT, there are also huge problems with our government and everyone else's. There is no perfect solution. So before you start writing SOCIALIST across my front door, hear me out and keep in mind that I think it would be a horrible idea to completely adopt the French style of government. With that said, I think that the French people and government are, as a whole, more altruistic than their American counterparts. There are rarely protests regarding their ridiculously high tax rates (and believe me, they protest for everything), largely because they recognize that the redistribution of wealth is a moral more than monetary obligation. The French have a better understanding of the nature of the work world and know that unfortunate circumstances are not always the fault of the individual.

Music - What a let down. I guess in my mind there were mini-Edith Piafs and Bridgett Bardots roaming the streets, but the French mostly listen to American music. This is unsurprising if you look at the control the American music industry has on the rest of the world. I will say that they are less harsh on street performers, who set up on the street whenever they like, amps and everything. I also realized my mistake in assuming there is only one genre to sum up all of French music. Of course not! It's the same in the US. The music that the French create falls into all different types of categories. It does not have to have an beret wearing accordian player to be French (although there were some of those).
This was actually my blog topic for the class, so if you want to read more of my thoughts, go here.


In conclusion, I loved the trip. I love that my French improved ten fold while I was there. I will most definitely be returning one day, and maybe for an extended period of time. On that note, I am, at my very core, a Texan, and there are certain parts of me that would never mesh well in the French culture. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate and attempt to embrace that opposition. It certainly doesn't mean that I was rejected as a result.
Also, there were some rad people that I met both foreign and fellow Longhorns, and I'm excited to forge those relationships. I really couldn't think of a better way to start a friendship than, "Remember that time when we met IN FRANCE..."

2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed your description about the food. I am the same way ("I'm not picky and do not have a refined taste").

    The food we had in Espana was pretty disappointing. I can only recall a few satisfying dishes, but I feel as if the places we ate at tried too much to Americanize our meals. :/

    - Belinda

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  2. Seriously agreed about the Espana thing! I would like to go back and give the food another shot, mostly because I adore that country.

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