Tag: culture

Representation in France

A fellow classmate, an Italian girl, and I had a conversation on representation in politics in our respective countries. I told her that Ukraine had a very high representation of people of different ethnicities and origins in our parliament, and it was common to see people with non-Ukrainian last names as important public figures. It was also true for people coming from diverse religious backgrounds.

In Italy, Clara said, the situation was different. Parties mostly consisted of white Italians, and it was rare to see an immigrant or a person who is not an ethnic Italian in national politics. Clara herself comes from the German-speaking part of Italy as she is a part of the Austrian community. She told me she didn’t feel particularly represented in Italy on the national scale.

How diverse is Europe and France in particular?

We asked our professor about representation in France. Was it easy to be non-French born and yet, become an influential political figure? Are there many immigrants who, after obtaining citizenship, became visible and recognized?

Our professor was skeptical.

Yes, there was representation, he said, and yes, there were people of diverse origins in France who made it really big. There were lots of French politicians of Algerian, Senegalese or other origins, and the same was true for arts, education, and other spheres.

The problem was, however, that to get to their current point, they had to work three times as hard as white French people born and raised in France. Their success happened in spite of things, and not because they received a lot of encouragement. Some French complained that there was positive discrimination in the country, and the reason that some immigrant-born people got successful was because they were unjustly favored. So there was stigma, prejudice, and misunderstanding.

That was the reason that far right radicals were getting so much power in the country recently. Antisemitism and anti-immigration became very big talking points which aim to discredit the achievements made by diverse communities. Cultural pluralism is viewed as a sin by some of these right wing groups as they believe that only ethnic French people should live in France, hence they can only speak French at home and follow what they consider traditional French values.

I noticed the racial problems in France early on my arrival here. There are lots of issues when it comes to equality and representation of the African French community, for example, and these issues are translated into politics. I worry about what lies ahead for France and the rest of Europe. It is a beautiful experience to learn the French language, but it also uncovers lots of deeper challenges within French society.

Stories over French brunch

Food is key to the French culture. This may sound cliché, and it is, but it is also the truth. Some of my most memorable moments in France are related to food. Even if you’re not big on trying out new things or don’t pay much attention to your diet, France can change that easily. Food connects people here. Literally.

Here’s how.

Learning a language can get dull sometimes, especially if that’s your only activity in a foreign land. I am one of those people who desperately needs a change of scenery. New people, new stories, new experiences. It gets dull to connect with the same students all the time, too, so I seek out strangers from the outside. And I found some.

I decided to crush an event that seemed really cool in the local youth center, a very beautiful culture house where there are books, comfy chairs, and lots of company. The event was on Europe, European solidarity, and youth involvement. Hence, the audience was young, active, and French.

The event was open to the public, but it seemed like everyone knew everyone. Well, except for me. People were chatting over wine which I don’t drink, and having a good time, and I, on the other hand, had a hard time to strike a conversation with anyone. So instead, I grabbed a book that was nearby and tried to read it in the middle of the networking/party thing.

Now, a kind soul, a nice local French man, started talking to me. He and his friend were kind enough to ask me about the book, and when they heard my accent, they even tried to switch to English – a nice effort which I immediately rejected. So we chatted in French. Soon, their friends joined us, and we were having a nice conversation in French of how good/bad Macron is, and whether fascists will gain even more momentum in Europe (scary reality we’re seeing across many places).

As we were chatting, I complained a bit that I don’t know a lot of French people, and I would love to experience France in a way that’s different from the classroom.

Delicious French bread by Alan Rodriguez.

Maybe it was my voice, or just the sad look on my face, but I got an invite to a brunch that was happening the same week, on Saturday. And obviously, I went.

Now, when I was coming to brunch, I didn’t expect that there’d be so many bread-things. I am from Ukraine, and we are quite famous for our grains (bread is great), but we would not offer so many different types of bread and cookies in one event. There would normally be a variety of foods, so you’d choose some veggies, fruit, cheese, or else.

But the French brunch to which I went definitely had bread as its main course. There were obviously croissants and baguettes, but then, there was a gigantic variety of majestic breads with different colors, structure, and shapes. They tasted differently, too. Then, there were cookies and non-sweet pastries that were something in between a piece of bread and a biscuit.

Now, turns out that my host’s father is a baker. They have a farm with lots of grain fields, so they grow and produce everything altogether. This is a family business, which is quite profitable and joyful – or so it seemed.

I was fascinated. In my home in Ukraine, we used to bake bread for some years (I also grew up on a farm), but then, we stopped as the bread production got more expensive – so it was cheaper to buy mass produced bread than to make your own.

This is the same in France, so many smaller producers are forced out of business because of the trend. Nils’ father, however, still gets by and even makes profits.

“We know that the agricultural business in Ukraine is very competitive, and we are ready to welcome you in Europe,” Paul (the father) told me during the brunch, “French farmers have accepted that Ukrainian farmers may crush us, but that’s because you’re very good at what you do.”

I was flattered to hear that, but even more, I was happy to hear that the guy knew and welcomed Ukrainian businesses coming to France even if it meant more challenges for him. To this man – as well as many people I have meet here – Europe was about being open and welcoming.

Nils’ parents, Paul and Lillie, got married thanks to their love for bread, by the way. So the food literally connected this fun family.

I had a wonderful time there, and I realized that during brunch, I communicated in French completely at ease. Proud moment.

Cultural Event: Les Festivals de La Musique

One phenomenon that has intrigued me for some time is the music festival. I have learned that there are two main types: private and public. A few weeks ago, I attended the Marsatac festival in Marseille to see my favorite artist of all time, Damso. It was magical; so much so that I cried happy tears on the walk home from the bus station.

This concert was quite honestly one of the best moments of my life. I also made friends with some French people on the bus and stuck with them for part of the night.

At the festival, there were other attractions and artists to see, as well as food and drink, and it took place in a large park that was not far from one of the larger beaches in Marseille. This was my impression of a music festival, so the notion of something more public was very intriguing to me. Online, the public music festival of Aix looked to be similar; the tourism office promotes it as a cultural gathering with all types of music. At the same time, there was a similar festival that same night in Marseille right by the beach, but this was marketed as more of an EDM rave. Although it was a tough decision, I decided to stay in Aix with my friends from class and explore La Fête de La Musique in Aix. I made the right choice. The main street in Aix, le Cours Mirabeau, was absolutely full of people waiting to see the next act on a stage at the end of the street. We walked a few minutes to the main squares further into the city center, and they were also full of people. Bars played music loud, and there were makeshift stages in the corners of the squares. Essentially, almost everywhere you went, there was music and people. I learned that the scene earlier in the day was much different, consisting of more folk music exhibitions.  

A large group of Brazilian street performers were also in attendance at the music festival in Aix.

Broadly, however, it was an intensely gratifying experience to hear French music in stores, bars, and clubs. I have been listening to French music for the past six years, but I have never heard it in public, let alone with everyone around me singing along. I mentioned in my application that I wanted to go to Marseille because some of my favorite rappers come from that city. Yet, I did not know the grip that two of them, Jul and Naps, exerted on the city.

This is the sign of the most famous rapper from Marseille, Jul.

As I explored Marseille, I recognized monuments and street names from song lyrics, and it made me feel like I knew the city so much better. All in all, I know for a fact that I will dearly miss the music scene in Provence, but I find comfort in knowing that I can take it with me wherever I go.