Bruler ou pas bruler

So you know. You might have heard some CNN induced the world is coming to an end, at least in France anyway. There'll be rioting in the streets, necking in the parlors, and drinking in the saloons, but for the most part, i can't attest really to any post apocalyptic visions of this country.

why kids? because this is NORMAL for people here. in spite of the fact that even in Montpellier they've burned a few cars and probably thrown shit at some policemen, i can't really say that all this nonsense has affected my life immediately, except that a) it's something to talk about with ALL OF FRANCE as a common conversation topic and b) it fucks up transportation once in a while because the conductors don't want to get their trams, buses, etc. set on fire.

it's the french way of non complacent relaxation i suppose that gets you through some hairy shit. i suppose people could be freaking out, as i've heard it's moved into some quartiers in paris, but the french seem to have a good time laughing at the americans and their media who think is a "vraie guerre civile." which was actually the cause of a funny moment on the bus yesterday. it started with me thinking i'd get marooned in a far out neighborhood where i teach english to kids at an afterschool program (i shit you not, angela is teaching the kids). i had read that the bus and tram conductors wanted to stop service before 7:30 so i thought it best to take off early and did, where i was regaled at the bus stop, and made nervous for a fews seconds by a crazy old lady who said the bus probably wouldn't come. she started off talking to me, and you know, as with any conversation i responded back, but then i kind of realized that she wasn't paying attention to what i was saying and was talking anyway, so uh, i let her be.

but the crux of my story was that some people were joking around about how the americans think that it's the end of the world here etc. and i jumped in and said that my parents and friends were nervous on account of my spending time in paris the two weekends that stuff was going down. this semi-tooth-ed old dude almost jumps out of his seat and says "c'est ta faute! la guerre et BOOOSH!" needless to say this kid was taken aback a little bit, but laughed albeit a little nervously with the rest of commuting Montpellier.

the riots are more a movement to show some sort of in general unhappiness with how things are going in the poor banlieues outside of the city. mostly where muslim people, and poor people in general are separated and marginalized from the rest of french society. it's like when the french strike as well; to show solidarity in unhappiness with the inequality of social, political and economic situations here. fair enough french people

and the difference between french riots and american ones, is that they don't set out to hurt people. just burn cars and throw shit, but of course there are bystanders who get killed. i haven't seen any counts, but i'd wager it'd be much worse in our gun toting land of the whatever.


aside from that, i spend a wonderful weekend in paris and brittany, once again visiting with my main mandolin playing irish twin, colin o'odonnell, where i was treated to the best hospitality i've ever experienced by the family of a colleague of his at work. and honestly, this language thing is going pretty well, and i'm pretty happy with and confident about my progress, but surtout, my ability to have good conversations with people here, as i so like doing chez moi.

love youse and i'm getting closer to g town with HOPEFULLY a place a la rue du nord.