So France's answer: 3.5 million people took to the streets (liberal number, depends on which news outlet you believe). They went on strike and they stage protests. The general idea is go on strike and shut down the country. Then they got creative and tried to essentially to force non-strikers into striking by making them unable to get to work. It's been most effective in a few specific areas: At first, public transit workers went on strike (typical) and trains and buses became few. Much later, truckers staged "go-slow" protests on the autoroutes, covering all the lanes and driving real slow. Perhaps most effective, oil refineries have gone on strike, port workers in Marseille have gone on strike, and so no new gas is being produced in country and imported gas sits in boats out in the sea (which for some reason makes me wonder if they have any ponies on the boats, and then I start singing along with Lyle Lovett in my head). Thus a gas shortage. I also hear that trash workers have been on strike in Marseille and there are now piles of trash 7 feet high all over the city, and that just stinks.
Back in Paris, we're out of gas. The government says they are dipping into their reserves and have enough, but I haven't seen any being passed out yet. When I first heard of the rush to the gas pumps I sat back and waited. No reason to panic, no reason to go wait in line. But 4 days later and with some expected need of our vehicle upcoming, I decided to get some gas today. Found a website that tells what stations have gas, so we looked up the nearest to us and off I went. I found a line about a half a mile long down the street, and I kept driving. Had some other errands to do, and along the way passed about 9 other gas stations, all closed and empty, no gas. Eventually I made it back and waited in line. About an hour later I reached the pump and discovered that they only had diesel left. Thankfully my car takes diesel. The guy in front of me wasn't so lucky. Now I'm set for at least another week.
get involved. We've not really seen it (some evidence of broken glass, we see a little bit stronger police presence, we hear of isolated incidents on the news). It boggles our mind that over 300 high schools have closed because the students are on strike. Students on strike? To an American that's a foreign concept.
My language abilities were strained this weekend when over dinner with some French men I was trying to explain biscuits. Simple, old-fashioned, American biscuits. The biscuits came up because of my home state, Kentucky. As often is the case when conversing with people for the first time, I was asked where I'm from. Kentucky. Oh, KFC? Yes, KFC. But then I took the floor and told my story of asking for free food at a Parisian KFC by showing my Kentucky license, which was greeted with a 'hang on and let me ask my manager'. My dinner-mates laughed and said that the French have no sense of humor. Then I explained to them that KFC here is nothing like it is in the States. In France, KFC serves chicken and fries. That's it. There's variations of the chicken, but no other sides. So I was telling them about all of the sides at a KFC buffet back home: mashed potatoes, green beans, corn... and I came to biscuits.
Also buffalo wings. I've never encountered the flavor of standard buffalo wing hot sauce anywhere outside of the US. Simple sweet iced tea that's not flavored with fruit (peach, raspberry, lemon), there's another.
I just returned from the park with Sawyer, and I had one of those proud Daddy moments. I try not to be a super competitive dad that wants my kid to show up the others, but this little thing made me smile. I wrote sometime back about the innate Americanness of my child (who's barely even been to America), who would always pick up and throw any ball he encountered. Most kids in both Africa and Europe that we've met seem born with the ability and desire to kick anything that's close to round. Well today the tables turned.
How could they all be so thin? Is it because of their obsession with all things bio and organic? Is it that they take a full 2 hours for a meal instead of an American 20 minutes? Is it because they put a surgeon general type warning on all McDonald's ads which reads 'for your health, consume at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day' or 'exercise regularly'? Is it that one of the greatest offenses in France is that of being bored, and thus they move more? Is it because food (especially eating out) is so expensive here they just consume less? Could the fact that I've seen only 1 golf cart in my 3 times playing golf have something to do with it? Meal portions are smaller... but everyone eats dessert and appetizers when they go out to eat. I see plenty of small contributors, but none of them seem to stand out. Maybe they just burn lots of calories when they are striking.
A couple weeks ago I went to visit Sacré Coeur. Inside the massive church building is a wealth of artwork on the walls: in the stained glass, in statues, painted on the domed ceiling. But as I looked at it, I saw symbols, symbols, and more symbols. A lot of the art seemed weird to me. Less like depictions of Bible stories and more like scenes from movies such as National Treasure, Indiana Jones, The Skulls, and The DaVinci Code. The stuff I saw reminded me a lot more of secret societies than of any kind of a relationship with our Creator and Savior. I mean, a kneeling Pope holding a globe up to a massive and well-dressed Jesus, while a dude holding his head in his hands nearby watches and boats are filled with people and keys and shields and birds and robes and hats. And then all over the place there’s keys keys and more keys in different positions and combinations...
I’ve befriended a pastor of a church that meets a town away from our current home. About once a week I take the train up to his church building where I talk with him for French practice and to learn about the people of the country in which I live. Sometimes I take my guitar along and sit in play in the church. A week ago I met a man who came into the church and introduced himself to me. I was later told that he’s been dropping in from time to time for awhile. My first thought was that he might be homeless, but I’m not sure (I feel awful saying that, if someone’s not homeless is it wrong/insulting to suggest they might be?). He sat quietly and listened to a few songs that I played and sang but seemed disinterested. Then I played the song “Majesty (Here I Am),” I believe written by Delirious?. I sang it in French, and I could tell he was paying attention. When I finished that song, some other people nearby were chatting and he suddenly cleared his throat and quieted the room to announce that he was touched. He described my song as “très sympa,” which is a good thing, and he said that the song was powerful. I was floored. I don’t get complimented on my guitar playing and singing abilities too often, for good reason (I’m not asking for compliments, I’m just stating there’s not much to compliment... I’m moderately good at drums, guitar’s a hobby, and singing is a necessary evil at times in my case), so when he said that I felt extreme gratitude for having just played what I did. Today I went back and saw my pastor friend again. He told me that this same man had come back to see him again this week and told him that song had affected him. He said they talked about it quite a bit.
Huh, who knew a song I sang in French, probably off-key and with poor pronunciation, could ‘affect’ someone? It’s been a good day.
Posts
All Comments
