Weekend Escape to Paris

I arrived back in Antibes around 21:00 last night after a divine weekend in Paris. Throughout the weekend both Clara and I took a lot of photos, but since I am posting from the lycée right now I will have to post more of a photo essay in the coming days. Instead I would like to recap the experience thematically, because it was a great weekend full of discovery, as is common when spending time exploring a new city and getting to know a new friend, especially one from a different culture.

Languages:

Now that I have become acquainted with some people who do not speak English as a first language, but usually a second or even third language, I never fail to be in awe of the European education system. It is considered typical to speak two or three languages pretty well, if not extremely well, and it is atypical to not have enough interest in languages to speak at least a little bit of a second language. English is, of course, a very important language around the world, especially in Europe. It is often the single common language amongst a group of people. Clara's English is very good, though she commented that she doesn't think so. I told her it isn't perfect, but it is very impressive, and I really enjoyed listening to her accent and sentence structure. Her vocabulary is very diverse to the point where I often wonder who thought to teach her and her classmates some of these words (ex: "chatchki," as in the little figures that people use to decorate their houses- really?).

At one point Clara listed her language preferences (after German, of course) as 1- Italian, 2- French, and 3- English. She put English last because it is the language of work and business but French and Italian are languages of love and poetry. I tend to agree, especially since I have found that anglophones rarely speak English poetically or even very well anymore, while Europeans manage to insert the beauty of their mother tongues into English when speaking, so in this sense it is actually more pleasant for me to speak with non-anglophones.

Even though we communicated very well in English, it never seemed fair for one person to make most of the effort, especially when we both have an interest in French. Unfortunately my spoken French is very limited for anything beyond basic conversations and running errands, so English prevailed in the end. However, my experience this weekend has only propelled my interest in becoming more fluent through reading and speaking, perhaps even taking courses. I also want to improve my English, oddly enough. As a lawyer I write and speak well, but that is purely technical and lacks passion and poetry. I believe English can be a very beautiful language and I hope that with some effort I can learn to use it better.

Culture:

One of my favorite parts about befriending non-Americans is that there is always so much to learn from one another. If you find a certain harmony with a person it doesn't matter if you have anything obvious in common. After finding this harmony you can learn about one another's life experiences from different perspectives and simply enjoy their company. While it is interesting to hear about the differences, there is a unique elation that comes from finding similarities in the human experience. In the past five months or so I have found that certain things, like coming of age moments and hopes for the future, are universal and can make wonderful bonding points for cross-cultural connections.

The differences can be very fun too, especially if attached to a stereotype. Over the past five or six months I have become desensitized to a lot of European habits, but I didn't realize that Clara probably doesn't get to spend much time with Americans. I found myself under a bit of a microscope at some moments, such as not using my knife to eat (Europeans hold their knife and fork throughout the meal, while I seem to be physically incapable of eating with my left hand), which I found to be an interesting experience after growing up in a huge country where most people are Americans or Americanized.

New Friends:

I rushed through high school, university, and law school very quickly with about 90 percent of my focus on finishing my studies. It is no wonder I only have a few friends I am still in contact with from any given experience. In fact, my closest friends today are the ones I have met randomly through work and travel. Because of this, for me, becoming friends with several new people at once, like at Taize, was an absolute treat for me. What made it even better was that I was able to extend at least one of those new friendships into the real world. I hope that this is a sign of good things to come in terms of extending my network of personal relationships for the remainder of my life.

In the past year or so I have become very aware of how I chose to spend my youth and in many ways I mourn the carefree years that I lost due to personal circumstances or gave away to seek accomplishment. Sometimes I fear that I will always be so focused on accomplishments that I will fail to experience my life as it happens. The truth is that I look impressive on paper, but diplomas and publications do not fill my heart in any way. These things are tools to be used to do interesting work, but it is family and friendships that I desire most so that when I look back on my life I will see a life filled with joyful moments shared with the ones I love.

Paris:

Before coming to Europe I knew I would see Paris but did not think I would like it any more or less than any other European city. I was told that Parisians are rude, the city is crowded and dirty, and not to expect too much. This was my second visit to Paris and, once again, it was divine. When I visited for Christmas with Leigh it was an unexpectedly fun time. We saw the major sights, absorbed the art and the sense of the city. I loved experiencing such a beautiful city with my best friend, even if we were bundled up in coats the whole time. However, we tried to do everything in about 4 or 5 days and were always tired. This time I wandered around with a new friend for the sole purpose of enjoying spring weather, taking photos, observing Parisians and visitors alike, and sharing stories. We had no agenda or check list of sights, which added to the Parisian spirit, I believe.

At one point Clara remarked, "I am in Paris, at an Italian restaurant, with an American girl surrounded by Spanish people. This is so Paris!" She was completely correct, and the sentiment was the same for me, the American Girl. Paris is a great city because, like New York, it is very international but, as it is Paris, it is still completely French and the non-French maintain their unique qualities to create a melting pot. I really love visiting this city and am happy to be returning just before my flight back to the States.

Alors, a very long post must end eventually. Photos to come soon!