Hey all,
So I've safely made it back to California. No longer in France, I am once again subject to what is called "reverse culture shock" by my fellow travelers: living in another country and acclimating yourself to a new, different culture, one tends to fall out of sync with his or her own culture. Hard to believe, but I can't tell you how true it is!
1. It always dumbfounds me to hear everyone speaking English; not only does the hubbub ring differently, it rings clumsily. I am so fond of hearing the French language!
2. I live in a Californian suburb, and the ample, freshly-paved streets contrast sharply with the narrow, cobbled streets of Angers. In French, there are two place words for "walking in the street": either "on se promene sur le boulevard" ("we walk onthe boulevard") or "on se promene dans la rue" ("we walk in the street"). The difference is a boulevard is large and wide, while a rue can be just about anything, but is usually rather narrow with tall buildings that tend to lean inward, depending on the street's age. We may have similar nuances in the English language, but until you've walked in a small French street, embraced by the leaning walls on your left and on your right, you won't know quite what I'm getting at...
3. California, apart from San Francisco and Berkeley, is not terribly walkable. I really enjoyed wandering around in the streets of any French town, knowing I wouldn't be alone; here in California, the sun seems to burn ever brighter to reinforce the sense of isolation as I stroll down the ample sidewalks.
I have been having a very nice time since my return; I got to see my buddy Simon in the city last Thursday, and we did a few things I had been dreaming about for the past year. The first thing was taking a walk in Golden Gate Park. I have so many memories at that park, mostly from my childhood, and every time I return it builds upon those memories, reinforcing them at the same time. We also tasted tea at Aroma Tea Shop on 6th and Clement in the Richmond District, one of my favorite parts of SF. I'm a big tea drinker and the owner of the shop, Haymen, is always ready to give impromptu tastings of fine teas. Lastly, we got a drink in a dive bar in the Mission District. I had been hearing from friends and family that the Mission District, thanks to cheap housing, has become a young area of SF, hosting students and artists. We got to see some pretty cool graffiti; I think I could spend a whole afternoon wandering around the area looking at graffiti.
I'm currently helping my mom move out of her home in Berkeley to a new place north of San Francisco. This move means a lot of things to all those involved, and like all obstacles, I'm looking forward to its being over!
Ben
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Ben, what an interesting thing it must be for you to re-acclimate to a culture that used to be 2nd nature. i wonder if a part of it involves seeing your old digs as a foreigner, outsider, as you did when you first arrived in Angers or elsewhere in Fr. ... exploring home with those fresh eyes. i feel that way just coming back home to cali from the east coast!
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