Perceptions

After a surprising revelation that France (and the rest of Europe) is much further north than I thought, I've had to rearrange some mental geography and latitude lines. All those summers spent at the beach when I stood on the shore and looked out towards the horizon, wondering what all the cheerful French and Spanish families were up to on the coast, I was actually facing more towards Casa Blanca. Suddenly, I have to put little fezzes on all the imaginary dads, and swap their ice creams with kebabs. Supposing that kebabs are Moroccan.

I underwent another perception change this break, after reading the wonderful book my cousin gave me "Stuff White People Like." One of the things White People Like is studying abroad (says author Christian Lander), as well as international travel.

excerpt pg 22-23: "During this time they are likely to wear a backpack, stay at a hostel, meet someone from Ireland/Sweden/Italy with whom they have a memorable experience, get drunk, see some old churches, and ride a train. What's amazing is that all white people have pretty much the same experience, but all of them believe theirs to be the first of its kind, so much so that they return to North America with ideas of writing novels and screenplays about it."

I laughed, and then I realized that, sadly, this is true. So then!, I will promise now that I will
a) not have that experience, and
b) not whine on and on about aspects of my trip that are actually sort of banal.

I will also promise to not

c) rely on stereotypes of French people, as amusing as some of them can be about Parisians, but only convey the truth, the whole truth, and teeny embellishments. So far, every French person that I've met stateside has been wonderfully friendly and warm hearted to me. I'd say that the employees at the French consulate in Atlanta were exceptions to this rule, but I know that there is not a government immigration office in the entire world that you will enjoy visiting. Even the Swiss consulate in Tahiti.