vendredi 11 juillet 2008

Douce France

Bonjour!

Monday is La Fete Nationale (Bastille Day) here in France, and the Tour de France happens to come through Pau that day.  The weather is perfect (for me, anyway, which means it's overcast and cool...), it's a long weekend, we're going to la mer (the coast), and I learned a new song (which we all sang today at our Apertif~basically a free lunch so all of the students can get to know one another better).  Then I had pistachio ice cream while I finished some shopping.  It was a good day.  Vive la France!  

It was my resolution to decide what to do with my life while here in France this summer (note my use of the past tense).  In lieu of doing that, I've culturally assimilated to a French attitude, summed up in this phrase: "Eh, ce n'est pas grave."  It literally means "It's not serious," but the attitude is one of laissez-faire~life will just happen, and that's okay.  C'est la vie.  I can't explain it very well (both my English and French are failing me), but it's the prevailing attitude here in the south of France.  

You missed the bus?  There's another one coming in a half-hour.  
You forgot your umbrella?  You'll just get wet.  
You were late for class?  I hope you gave an acceptable white lie. 
You have a deadline to meet?  Do it later, it's time for dejeuner.
It's almost time to resume class after our break?  Let's finish our conversation first.
You ruined that crepe?  No one cares.
You need a taxi tout de suite?  One will be there in twenty minutes.
You've had too much wine?  Have another glass. 

My favorite taxi driver here in Pau is a good example.  I was trying to say something in French to him, and he stopped me with a smile and said (in French, obviously), "Slow down~enjoy the words.  We have the time. Here, we like our language.  Say the words, don't just use them."

Everything is very calm and sensible here.  They do get rather heated about politics, though.

Marguerite.  

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