Viva La France!
Since high school, I was always very excited for Bastille Day, which is France’s National Holiday celebrating the “storming of the Bastille on July 14 1789, because there was a teacher in my school who was part French and loved his heritage so much in fact that he would wear a beret, carry a huge French flag and a big bag of freshly baked baguettes. During passing period he would run around campus screaming “viva la France” Throwing baguettes at everyone. I was never fascinated with the France and the French culture because I often hear rumors of the French being vey nationalistic, rude and disliking Americans in general. But coming from and having an Ethnic background of German, I was more open to the culture. On Sunday July 13, I attended the Bastille Festival at the Seattle Center and was able to experience the French culture without having to actually go to France (which is in fact my dream to do so one day). The festival was created to try and get the French population of Seattle to come out, mingle, and celebrate their ethnicity. After a couple of years of private celebrating, the French-American Chamber of Commerce (Pacific Norwest) decided to branch out and create a festival in which those who could not afford or cannot go to France a taste of French ethnicity. The festival had cooking demonstration from some of the top French Chef’s in Seattle; like Chef Thierry Rautureau , born and raised on the French countryside, demonstrated how to make a simple but delicious French style salad with summer vegetables, avocado, with lemon olive oil dressing. He partially demonstrated how to make Ratatouille which is now a famous dish thanks to the Disney Movie “Ratatouille.” There was so much to taste, look at and listen to. There was a band called La Famille Leger Which was family band in which they preformed traditional French Eastern with a Canadian sound using fiddles, accordions, guitars and the piano. It made me feel as if I was strolling down the little boutiques in Paris watching the moon on a clear blue night. It is easy to see that the French really take in their ethnicity and are proud to tell and show people how they live and who they are. The rumors were definitely wrong, the French were hospitable, friendly and very encouraging when it came to wanting to taste a little bit of France.
(412)
Since high school, I was always very excited for Bastille Day, which is France’s National Holiday celebrating the “storming of the Bastille on July 14 1789, because there was a teacher in my school who was part French and loved his heritage so much in fact that he would wear a beret, carry a huge French flag and a big bag of freshly baked baguettes. During passing period he would run around campus screaming “viva la France” Throwing baguettes at everyone. I was never fascinated with the France and the French culture because I often hear rumors of the French being vey nationalistic, rude and disliking Americans in general. But coming from and having an Ethnic background of German, I was more open to the culture. On Sunday July 13, I attended the Bastille Festival at the Seattle Center and was able to experience the French culture without having to actually go to France (which is in fact my dream to do so one day). The festival was created to try and get the French population of Seattle to come out, mingle, and celebrate their ethnicity. After a couple of years of private celebrating, the French-American Chamber of Commerce (Pacific Norwest) decided to branch out and create a festival in which those who could not afford or cannot go to France a taste of French ethnicity. The festival had cooking demonstration from some of the top French Chef’s in Seattle; like Chef Thierry Rautureau , born and raised on the French countryside, demonstrated how to make a simple but delicious French style salad with summer vegetables, avocado, with lemon olive oil dressing. He partially demonstrated how to make Ratatouille which is now a famous dish thanks to the Disney Movie “Ratatouille.” There was so much to taste, look at and listen to. There was a band called La Famille Leger Which was family band in which they preformed traditional French Eastern with a Canadian sound using fiddles, accordions, guitars and the piano. It made me feel as if I was strolling down the little boutiques in Paris watching the moon on a clear blue night. It is easy to see that the French really take in their ethnicity and are proud to tell and show people how they live and who they are. The rumors were definitely wrong, the French were hospitable, friendly and very encouraging when it came to wanting to taste a little bit of France.
(412)
4 comments:
I have heard of Bastille Day but do not know much about it. In comparison with the American holiday, would it be like the 4th of July (Independence Day). What does “storming of the Bastille” mean?
I don’t know many stereotypes about French people except that their women are hairy. Your thoughts of French people could be just stereotypes that you’ve proven wrong since you now think they are hospitable. I, however, have never met a French woman who was hairy. I would someday love to go to France too and enjoy the designer shopping and delicious food.
(98)
Your blog entry was very interesting. It emphasized your enthusiasm for the French culture. I think it just takes a small “taste” of someone else’s culture to really get you interested. I only learned about Bastille Day in history class and learning that way certainly gave me the much “drier” version. Immersion is the best way to learn and appreciate. A person can really get wrapped up in another person’s ethnic culture and heritage by immersing themselves, even in the everyday regularities. The value of cultural events is immense. It is like bringing the country with all its interesting and educational aspects right to your doorsteps. It sounded like FUN! (WC 110)
Entering and accepting a new culture can be very scary and intimidating. Education on tells of the history or like you said the "dry cut version" of other cultures and we use those versions to create and opionion/stereotype of that race or ethnicity. I love living in Seattle because we are always given the oppurtunity to step out of our comfort zone and learn something new about a diffner group of people.
You’re right about the “intimidating” and scary part. I actually have been looking for cultural events to attend within the next few weeks for blog discussion. I realized that I was picking and choosing based on what I felt would be the most comfortable environment for me. You’re also right that we’ve base our opinions on the “cut and dry” version. When we base our opinions on what others tell us, it is definitely a mistake and of course your typical stereotyping. (WC 82)
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