Another great day in Poitiers! French class in the morning, a great lunch with two of my housemates--one is from Germany and the other from Korea, more French class until 5:15pm followed by solo dining and walking around town, taking pictures at dusk, catching amazing views of the moon, and spontaneous socializing until almost midnight...
Che Guevara paraphernilia is seen randomly throughout the city center and has its culminating point at a bar called "Havanita." His picture appears boldly on the bar's sign. After having dinner and taking pictures I decided to head home when I ran into Jorge, a new friend and fellow Dominican University student. I ended up accompanying him to dinner while I enjoyed a delicious coffee and sharing our views of Poitiers. It's great having someone from my school with whom to share all these things!!! After dinner we ended up at Havanita where we ran into several classmates and advisors. One of the advisors is from Russia and, having seen Che all over town and being at Havanita, the subject of Che, Fidel, Gorvachev, etc. was brought up. I find it interesting that despite the fact that Russia has been on the fast lane to capitalism for a while and in many ways trying to disassociate itself from its 'cold war' era image, the younger generations there still venerate and want to be associated with Che. I guess an anti-capitalist movement is still strong over there...The conversation was fascinating...
Che stickers on a sign post in front of a church...
Moon over Poitiers
Spontaneous socializing in front of Havanita. L-R: Jorge, my housemate Mareike, me, Fanny, Audrey, Prunelle, and Katya
Relationships in France seem to lack that sense of territorialism and insecurity that I often see in other countries, including the US. Most people I have met here are in a relationship and are very independent from each other, not needing to constantly announce to the world that they are 'taken' or that they somehow have ownership of someone else. They are also very independent in their social lives so they don't do everything together. I think this is liberating and wonderful! For instance, on several occasions already, I've been at a dinner or at school where there are several people and I will have a great conversation with a woman and later with a man and despite the fact that several hours may pass and we're all in the same setting, I haven't come to find out until later or the next day that they are a couple. I have met several couples like these. I think in Latin America and the US people are eager to announce "that person over there is my boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife..." It seems that this ease of relating to everyone as individuals and later as a couple allows for more open and comfortable conversations, deeper friendships, and healthier relationships.
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