Thursday; Break Fast and the Louvre

I was determined this morning to make the most of the day especially once I realized early this morning that my accidental five hour nap from travel fatigue Wednesday evening left me with the shame of an empty stomach and a missed opportunity at trying some Turkish food for dinner. I began my day accompanying Katy in finding and purchasing some breakfast groceries down the street from the apartment.  Most importantly, this first breakfast was going to feature some assorted pastries but somehow we stumbled onto a side quest about an arch that suspiciously resembled the “Arc de Triomphe.” Unfortunately even after nearly an hour of combing through various narrow streets littered with ethnic restaurants and a humble investment bank, we only managed to find some toast toppings and conclude that the triumphant arch in the area was probably the local McDonalds. Although discouraged that we ultimately could not locate a bakery and had to settle for some café croissants, Katy and I did observe some distinct patterns in business zoning and demographic representation that Dr. Mallery discussed within the strata of French socioeconomics. The disparities between suburban and urban residents was about more than just the facades of metropolitan Paris.      

                Thursday could be summed up in this syllogism. Our class entered this unique culture guided by the enthusiasm and stilted expectations of what our imaginations created about the marvelous city of light. Much like a 19^th century Orientalist painting on display at the Louvre, the picture was an imposition of this imagination on what is not entirely familiar or understood. It was a rough experience in the broken French, loud voices, and nervous laughter, and a complex mass transit system. However, through the details and careful analysis, the true message of the painting just like the people of France slowly began to reveal itself. Spending some time in the Louvre gazing mouth agape at the Greco-Roman architecture, crowds of flamboyant statues, and extravagant furniture, we found material clues to this humanistic French identity. Whether it is understood in the spirit of equality, liberty, and fraternity, or as an ugly clash of public secularism and burqas, they define the ongoing, restless spirit of being French.  It seems all too easy at times to assume this cultural idea is in the material, even as a brash street dancer twerking on railings aboard the Metro, an amusing waiter, or simply good tiramisu can remind you of the interesting people that make up this country.

                Whether this French identity can truly become accessible, humane, and ideally equal without tumbling into parochial cultural essentialism, remains to be seen. Muslim minority groups across this country collectively celebrated the end to Ramadan while the French High Council for Integration debates whether headscarves should be banned in universities. Questions remain and our tour continues to explore Paris for possible answers.