The Sculptor and his Wife

                  I met the most charming French couple the other day. Now Florence Sobra, our hostess, told me that typically the French are usually very private and leery of inviting complete strangers into their home, but this time this wasn’t the case. And I must say it was a welcome reprieve.

                  Pierre and Yvonne Renard welcomed me into their humble abode. It was simple and yet very comfortable—pictures of family and friends, lots of big cushiony pillows and numerous sculptures.

                  Pierre, who is 88 years old, has been sculpting statues and figurines out of bronze, wood and clay for more than 25 years now.                  

                  And during that time, he told me, he has made about 300 sculptures.

                  Age is only a number to him. You would never guess that this bubbly, graying man sporting Crocs was in his 80s.                  

                  He gracefully ushered me around his house to see each of his sculptures.

                  “My sculptures are very simple, but there was one journalist who said that people in the public like to touch them because of form,” he said, passion alive in his eyes.

                  Renard told me that Yvonne was one of his biggest supporters when he started sculpting.

                  The couple has been married for 56 years now, Yvonne told me with a smile.  It was apparent to me from seeing them interact that they really enjoy each other’s company. There’s no nagging or prodding just conversation between two good friends and it’s refreshing to see. I just kept thinking that I hope to share that same connection with my partner one day too.

                  The couple shared with me a couple of activities that they enjoy doing together, such as sailing, going on walks at night, going out to eat and sitting in their chairs and reading or having an aperitif.

                  And as they sat in their chairs that day, Pierre told me about how they like to look up at the sky through the sunroof.

                  “So while we are here we can watch the birds fly in the sky and the life is beautiful like that,” he said.

                  Renard and Yvonne are also very active with the Lions Club International. I was excited when I heard this because I knew that I had found a connection between us. I receive a scholarship from the Lions Club every year to attend college.

                  It’s amazing how much more you notice about people and their expressions when you can’t understand the language. I saw their faces light up after my sentence had been translated for them.

                  Renard told me, via the interpreter, that he was honored to have met me.

                  “You are a person who knows what she wants and that is strong,” he earnestly relayed.

                  And me, I was able to respond in a language he understood, “Merci beacoup.”

                  It really warmed my heart to know that I was still able to connect with my subjects on a personal level despite the language barrier and that they felt compelled to tell me it was a pleasure to meet me.

                  The goodbyes came too soon. They both walked me to the door and gave me a hug and kisses before I left, not before taking down my address in the U.S. so that they could send me a New Year’s card though.

                  It’s just nice to know that some things in life really are universal, like kindness to strangers.

A Not so Happy 4th

If you want to experience the ultimate culture shock, then spending a holiday that is unanimously celebrated in your home country abroad is the way to do it.

This happened to me this year on the Fourth of July.

  I can honestly say that I have never felt more homesick in my life. My family was at home preparing to grill out for dinner and then set off fireworks, and I was in my hotel room microwaving pizza for dinner and getting ready to do homework.

 A lot of the American students were feeling particularly down that day, because no one here seemed to care that it was the 4^th.

Classes still continued as usual. Shops and restaurants stayed open for business. There were no special deals at the supermarket for watermelon and hot dogs that day. And no fireworks shacks in sight.

There’s a saying about never truly appreciating something until it’s gone from your life. And I truly think that that is applicable here.

Missing out on the celebration of my country’s independence really made me take a step back to realize importance of the day and how happy I was to be an American.

For example, America really believes in the freedom of the press, and as a journalist that is really important to me. The other day while I was out shooting an assignment for class at the train station we were stopped by a French officer. He told us that we could not film anymore because we did not have the proper “authorization.” And that was just so weird to me, because if I had been in America, I would have told him to stop hassling me because I know that I am free to film in a public place. I tried to explain to the man in English that it was a public place, but then I realized he wouldn’t understand, so I stopped. It was really scary. Even in America sometimes people look at you funny when you ask to take their picture until you explain what it’s for, so I can imagine with my lack of French that they were even more hesitant since I had no way of explaining myself.

After experiencing that I intend to never take my freedom for granted again, especially the freedom of the press, after I return home in a couple of weeks.

Repose among the hustle and bustle

C’est la vie.

I must say, the French know how to live well—how to work, how to play and how to party.

For the couple of weeks that I have been in Europe now, I think the biggest difference that has stuck out

to me is how calm and together people are here.

They go to work, go to the grocery store, pick up their dry cleaning and eat dinner with their families,

just like Americans do, yet they are not in a hurry and they still manage somehow to get things done.

I definitely think Americans could take a page from their book.

The first day I ventured out to get groceries, on a Sunday, I was really confused because nothing was

open. Here in France, Sunday

really is a day of rest.

Then later that week, I began to notice a pattern.

The shops and businesses —even the post office! — also close during lunchtime, which I thought was

odd. I began to wonder how people get any errands done here because they can’t even use their lunch

breaks (which are two hours, by the way) to do them.

At home, I work three jobs while maintaining a full-time load at my college. So needless to say, my life is

pretty hectic.

My days are filled from start to finish with running around. And I often don’t have time to cook dinner

for myself either so usually I have to get fast food or forgo dinner.

Which is another big faux pas in France.

There are only a handful of fast-food restaurants in Perpignan, which I thought was really annoying at

first, but now I realize it’s good because it’s breaking some of my bad food habits. This dearth of quick

food options forces me to take some time out of the day for myself, sit down and really enjoy a meal.

Bon appetit.

Every meal here is a unique experience, while in America eating tends to be centered on convenience.

The relaxation that Americans look forward to on vacation Europeans get to experience every day.

I’m jealous! I don’t want to have to go back next month to all of the everyday hustle and bustle without

a break!

In fact, maybe all of this rest is why Europeans, particularly the French, tend to live longer and healthier

lives than Americans. Well that, and maybe the lack of fast food.

According to a 2009 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the

French spend more time eating and sleeping than those surveyed in any other nation. In France, people

spend more than 2 hours eating and drinking each day, nearly twice as much as Americans or Canadians.

Overall, I would say I have welcomed the opportunity to try new foods and “sample” some of the repose

this country has to offer; I look forward to taking in a lot more in upcoming weeks.