US-French Ties : The Importance of the Past

This last weekend was my third time visiting the WWII landing beaches of Normandy and I have to say every time I touch that sand and see all of those white crosses lined up so close to each other there's a feeling that comes over me, a feeling of sadness and unbelievable gratitude.

It really is crazy to imagine that not even 100 years ago so much blood was washed up onto shore and so many soldier's lives were taken on this amazingly beautiful place that stands today.

We started our weekend excursion with a trip to Caen to visit the Memorial Museum dedicated to the soldiers that lost their lives in WWII. The movie had the most impact on me, it showed real footage of real soldiers that didn't even have a fighting chance arriving at Omaha Beach. It was very moving.

When the US stepped in to help France fight Nazi Germany, the ties between France and the U.S. grew and created history with the allies fighting for humanity and freedom. That 6th of June when the American troops landed on Omaha beach and Utah showed the determination and unbelievable strength and braveness those soldiers had to fight something so unexpected.

Looking at the setting of those bloody battles just takes your breathe away. How can something so beautiful, calm, and serene now represent something so awful and bloody in the past. Having stepped on American soil in the American cemetery, I thought of my significant other involved in the military forces.

I definitely noticed a difference in attitude in the way we were treated in that region of France. The people in Normandy and in Brittany catered more to our needs and were more helpful even if were in big groups speaking loudly and in English. I got the impression that the memory of the war still lingers but now the memory is not one of sadness but gratitude and peace.

I had an amazing weekend, even if it was my third time visiting the region, every time I return I enjoy the sites, the people and the food. Overall the remembrance of the past events brings a feeling of endless gratitude and thankfulness because without those men who gave up their lives to fight I wouldn't be experiencing France.

Politics, French Style : Regional Elections

Politics are a major part of the French Culture, everyone is involved and everyone expects everyone else to be at least knowledgeable in the elections, candidates, and political parties. In the U.S. we hardly hear about the political parties unless its election time, that was a major difference I also noticed while in France. The people I have met are all passionate and hold true to the side they support and I came into this situation without a clue or opinion, I quickly found out I needed to be aware and also pick a side and defend it. As the semester has progressed I have talked to many French people young and old and they amaze me every time when we get to politics. I met a 20 year old who was so passionate about his region of Normandy and the political party that dominates at this point (PS) la parti socialiste.

France is a representative democracy, which means that the people elect the public officials of the executive and legislative. Like in the U.S. the French procedure also involves going to vote at the ballot box, although some larger cities, like Paris, use electronic voting despite the controversy of its safety.

The elections that have just taken over French conversations, newspapers, and televisions have been the Regional elections in France. They were held March 14 and 21 and the results probably have taken most by surprise. The left (parti socialiste) have taken every region except for the Alsalce. This has a significant effect on Sarkozy’s political party, the UMP, because his party has lost the regional’s elections. His growing unpopularity could be the cause to this drastic change from majority of votes for PS rather than the UMP.

On the side of the U.S., I have noticed some similarities to the French political scene in the sense of the media and coverage. When it comes to presidential elections and other regional elections in the U.S. the media covers all aspects to inform people so that voters show up at the ballot boxes. The French media coverage, whether it be in the newspaper or in the news, the elections are being covered. I have learned more about politics here in France because of it has been such an important topic among the young people here in France as well that, in return, have motivated me to learn more about my own government.

Everyday Life

Among many differences between the American culture and the French culture, the two main differences that have directly affected my lifestyle here in France is the amount of walking I do around the city as well as the food I eat and how I eat it.
First I must talk about the transportation and the amount of walking I do in the city of Paris and around Europe. Not having a car in the San Diego can really put a stop to any plans because without a car it is really hard to get around the city. Yes, in San Diego there are buses and a trolley but the public transportation does not even compare to that of Paris’. I don’t even miss my car at home because I am constantly discovering a new place around the city because of the need to walk. I can remember that it would pain me to have to walk even a block away from my house in San Diego and I realize why that was it. Here in Paris there a million things to see and just by simply walking around the city you can get anywhere and see half of those million things. There is nothing like walking by a river and seeing people out for a stroll and then coming to such a wonderful sight like the Notre Dame Cathedral. It’s a way of living here that is healthy and I love it.
The metro and buses are also excellent means of transportation; they run in every direction very late at night and early in the mornings. They are punctual and very efficient ways of getting across town if you do not choose to walk. I feel it in myself that I am 100 times more likely to walk around Paris than anywhere in San Diego and I’ve noticed that it has to due with the amount of people that are out walking and taking the metro. In Paris it is a significant cultural difference in comparison to San Diego.
Another main cultural difference I have noticed has been the type of food I eat in both places. When I first arrived I craved sushi like no other food but I quickly learned to love the boulangeries and creperies all around Paris. On special occasions when money isn’t too tight I am able to sit down and have a three, four or five course meals, those are my favorite. Each platter is the right amount of food and everything is delicious. The time that it takes to eat these kinds of meals would probably annoy 99% of Americans. I noticed it in my own friends when we went to a fondue dinner. I, on the other hand, enjoy the time to savor and not only enjoy my food but also the company of friends and family.

Multicultural Paris: “ La Mosquée de Paris”

Not too long ago I visited the Mosque in Paris. In our French class we have been discussing the relationship of the religion of Islam to France, so we took a trip as a whole to the Mosque and it really opened my eyes to new aspects on the religion of Islam and to controversial topics currently present in France.
When we first arrived to the mosque it was like Déjà vu. One of the scenes of the famous movie Paris Je T’aime took place in front of what I later found out to be a restaurant and not the entrance to the mosque. When we turned the corner, the true entrance was beautiful. It was large and it had the Islam symbol of a crescent moon and a star on the top of the green roof. We went inside and our guide explained a lot of things that I would not have understood without a guide. One of the most interesting things I found out was the symbolic meaning of the colors of the mosaic all throughout the interior of the mosque. For example all of the green represented vegetation and life, I found that detail to be incredibly beautiful and interesting.

We were able to see the library, the banquet room, where they hold wedding ceremonies, and the most interesting of all rooms the praying room. The praying room was unlike anything I had seen in person. There were a few men inside going thru the motions of the traditional praying. The guide also pointed out that there was a separate area shielded by some draping for women to pray in private away from the men. The separation of the men and woman became more aware as we went thru but the guide also gave me the impression that there wasn’t anything out of normal from having this separation.
Today in France we see the integration of Islam in the French culture more and more because Islam is the second religion in France and because of certain controversial issues such as the burka. There was a clear clash of cultures but regardless of the differences, I found the mosque an incredibly spiritual and beautiful place to visit and learn from.