As the title this week implies, although I haven’t gotten around to writing a blog post for awhile, thanks to the help of countless crazy, disgruntled French citizens, I am stuck at home with nothing better to do. I’ll admit I haven’t been up to much these past few weeks besides working, napping, bungling through the French language, and eating lots of food per usual. But first:
Time for more random fun facts!
- Almond-flavored things here are green. WHY? I don’t understand. Pistachios, makes sense. Mint, duh. But almond?????? Tastes good though, I’ll give it that.
- Bon appétit! French people like to eat, who doesn’t? But you know what they like even more? Saying “bon appétit” at the first sign of someone eating. They cannot even walk past a stranger eating without compulsively saying it. One night I was sitting on a curb by the bus stop stress-eating some Chinese food while suffering through a migraine unhelped by the high-pitched girl screaming into her phone in Créole next to me, and people still kept walking by and saying “bon appétit” to me. LET ME EAT IN PEACE. Other than that one time though, it’s kind of just an amusing, if not endearing, cultural quirk.
- While we’re talking about food, Americans are spoiled. We already knew that. But specifically, as Americans we rarely have to deal with bones in our food. Unless they are big and easy to chew around/on. But here, it’s common for every single little bone in a chicken curry to be present. Or worse, every tiny little damn-near-invisible fish bone. I don’t think it’s purely out of American laziness to dislike this. I think we just don’t like succumbing ourselves to constantly and undignifiedly having to pull things out of our mouths while we eat. For some odd reason, it seems no one else minds this.
- Lastly, I can’t believe I have yet to mention the Reunionese gem that is Radio Freedom. Radio Freedom is, obviously, a radio station, but it’s also so much more. Radio Freedom is the go-to source for all things traffic-related, current goings-on, locating lost items, and literally anything people feel like calling in to talk about apparently. I haven’t listened to it a lot myself yet, but I’ve heard many stories. From conversations on proper picnic etiquette to locating someone’s lost passport just by calling in to ask people to keep an eye out for it, Radio Freedom has it all. I love it.
- I keep forgetting to kiss people on their cheeks when I greet them. Though I think I’ve decided I like it as a custom. It’s a nice, albeit a bit time-consuming, way to acknowledge your peers or coworkers when you walk into a room. It’s also perfect when you’re passing someone you know, because you can stop and say hello, and get whatever small-talk in that you have time for during the kisses, and then go your separate ways without awkwardly standing there and not knowing when it’s time to walk away. The only downside is that for close friends, a hug just feels so much better.
What Have I Been Up To?
Like I said earlier, not a whole lot honestly… I’ve been hanging out with other TAPIF assistants and friends I’ve met through them, other teachers from my school, and my host mom who has been busy doing things around the island with some friends in town from France. I finally went out dancing for a friend’s birthday which was a blast. We had a picnic for another friend’s birthday (everyone in my life is a Scorpio all of a sudden…) I’ve gone to the beach a few times. Otherwise I’ve been trying to keep up with expanding my French vocabulary through French music, TV, podcasts, and YouTube (all of which often leads to taking a nap because learning new languages is EXHAUSTING). And I’ve also been going to markets and my favorite hypermarché more often than I really need to. I’m sure I’ve been doing other things as well, but honestly, who remembers?
Wait I lied, last weekend was Dipavali, otherwise known as Diwali, which is the Hindu festival of lights. Since there is a huge Indian culture and population here, there were lots of things going on. There was a parade, lots of food and clothing vendors, and a Holi celebration (the one with all of the colors that celebrates spring, since we’re currently transitioning from winter to summer here). It was lots of fun, and I’m starting to really appreciate all of the different cultures here. For example, I can’t wait to see what everyone does for Chinese New Year…
French People Love to Air Their Grievances
Alternate title: Strikes are Scary.
Okay, let me preface this with the fact that I’m not the news channel, so if you want the facts about why French people are striking and the big picture of how it effects the country, kindly look elsewhere. I’m just going to summarize my experience of the strike and also why I think it’s hella weird.
This past Saturday was the official strike day, where people were allowed to demonstrate, wear their neon yellow jackets, and cause a lot of mayhem. I was warned all of last week to not go anywhere on Saturday because it would be impossible. So I didn’t. Basically from what I saw on the news and internet, etc. people just filled the streets in Reunion and all across mainland France to block any cars trying to get through, and to set lots of things on fire, especially once night fell.
Why though? Beats the hell out of me. Anytime I asked someone, they just kind of shrugged and gave answers along the lines of “it’s just what French people do” and something about dissatisfaction about Macron and some new taxes. That is absolutely wild to me. Especially because when I asked people if these strikes are ever effective, the answers were just as vague, if not a straight-up, “no, not really.”
But that was just Saturday, right? WRONG. Although Saturday was the only day where people were officially allowed to demonstrate, apparently no one is obeying that. Sunday was relatively calm for the most part, I was able to drive with some friends to the beach for the day and back at night without too much trouble, though my friend encountered some blockages in the road in the morning before picking us up and we sometimes saw remnants of recent fires on the road on our way back at night. But now that it’s Monday, it seems things are back in full swing, if not worse. So I’m stuck at home again, and may not even be able to get to my classes tomorrow, because everyone is saying it’s going to continue until Wednesday. Cool.
The thought that I keep having is what would happen if the entire US went on strike all across the country all at once? It would be absolute anarchy, with riot gear, and casualties, and possibly martial law. I know it’s a different culture, but this is an aspect of French culture I definitely do not and never will understand. Being upset at current politics and taxes and whatnot is not a foreign concept. But setting cars on fire in the road and inconveniencing your fellow citizens (who are probably just trying to get to work if they’re risking leaving the house at all) far more than you’re inconveniencing the things and people you’re actually mad at is bizarre to me. I understand such demonstrations on smaller scales but everywhere all at once? For little to no result? Just madness.
Please enlighten me if I’m missing something here.
On that note… I’ll leave you with some more pictures of food!!! (my mother requested them)
10,000 Miles Away (My Life in Reunion Island) 