Paris is a city of Romance. One really feels loved and really likes the treat that the eye gets from every little corner and every Parisian. Paris has its own charm with its Grand buildings like the Eiffel Tower, the Opera House, the Versallis Palace, the Arc de triumph, the Momarth village, The Louvre, The Carnavalet Musuem, Mussue Dorse and the local market and Streets like Champs Elyssey.
I guess there goes a saying like Paris has everything for every one. I guess the best part is that Paris has maintained the history and also adopted the modernism in buildings like Grand Arcade, the La Defense District, modern tram.
I was hosted by Evelyne Boregello at Place De Seoul. A really sweet lady who tried her best to make me at home. She has a studio apartment but really comfortable for a single person. She specially took me to the Architectural Musuem where in there was an exposition repgarding the development of the city of Paris. She took me to many places like the local market, Napoleon’s tomb, Carnavalet museum, Pompidou, Tour de Eiffel, the architectural museum. What made Paris, Paris is its large plazas or vistas like at the Tour De Eiffel, or behind the Place De Seoul. The architecture of Paris has really been woven around the social aspect of the people. Another such good place is the Egyptian Obelisk and the two fountains on the either side. On Sundays there are no vehicles allowed in the la Marche. The important person is the local French there, You really like to walk by the river La Seine. Everywhere one finds bountiful of flowers and greenery.
The most different experience was to go to Mommarth. Architecturally I loved all the stone, brick buildings, the planning of the area. The fresh flowers aroma every single stone is in place. Right from reaching there and solving the easy questionnaire which was fun. I really loved that place Every bit of the area just made me relax and thank all those people who made my experience a reality and just say I wish I had more time to just gaze at the plazas of the Basalicca or the square where there are painters making portraits and aromas of the fresh flowers. I recollect a famous line What is this time if full of care no time to stand and stare. My heart said this is it see it as long as your French host calls you these moments will never come again. Live every moment of your life as if you never lived before and see the power of that magic just is so strong that I cannot describe it.
As an overall report of Paris, Paris sweeps you off your feet. You fall in love with the city. Personally speaking even though the people were so busy with their lives they made special efforts for some of us because they really understood the difficulty of being in a foreign country with people speaking a different language. There was a lady who despite of living way far away from where I lived specially came home with me the first day to make sure that I know how to get there. She reminds me of my grandmother. Finding the way in the metro was a challenge. Sometimes I lost the way or I went in the other direction but hey who cared that was all part of the experience. In my opinion sometimes it is better to get lost in some places so one experiences different things. The afternoon I went to shop for the Indian Evening I got lost and what I found was the other metro station, Tajmahal’s picture depicting that there was an Indian restaurant.
I guess every moment was a challenge in Paris but hey after all the difficulties when I reached the destination people welcome you with open arms and that’s what is life is all about. So in Paris be a Parisian I explored the best whatever I could and the return I got was a really good week with the my group of people. I guess Paris is a city which teaches you to take a deep breath and go hey relax, honey look around you and spread the goodness in you as an Indian. Love yourself that’s the greatest message I got from Paris in any situation you are because you are worth it. One can only enjoy this if you follow the saying in Rome do what the Romans do and you will feel things, people and buildings welcoming you the French way. And I did meet my friends after 10 long years that was an added bonus.
Then comes the golden period of the experience is going to Arras in a TGV!!!!!!!!!! Was it a dream??? Don’t know. But it was as if reaching the heart of a country. Again I had a lovely host, Dominique Tholliez. Wow the experience to be in the countryside to live every moment of your life there is really something so perfect an experience that cannot be described in words. The day we arrived in Arras was really lovely. That evening we all gathered at Sabine’s place, had a drink and went to the townhall. The Mayor wanted to welcome us. This is what is so touching well something that I cannot forget. I saw the very basic nature of every human being be it a mayor or any professional they were really happy to see us and help us in all the way they could. A mayor coming to personally welcome us was totally a surprise. Something that I always have learnt no matter how busy I am I should be available to family and friends and all the near and dear ones. Then we came back to Sabine’s place. Her home was really comfortable. The maximum activity happened that day in a party. I mean how the French way of having dinner. People are having food by the fire. Some are busy in dancing or chatting. This was an experience wherin the perfection of food or dance was not the criteria but a very warm and hearty way to say welcome to my world. People of Arras spent quality time with us.
Architecturally this town was totally different from Paris. Simple, small and sweet homes of people of Arras. There is a saying if the house is very tiny live in my heart coz here no one dares to take one out from one’s heart. Each house has its own identity. The countryside is really beautiful. The Sunday morning Dominique took me to a farm to pick fresh vegetables and ND picking up fresh strawberries because couldn’t resist their freshness and sweet smell. The overall terrain is flat. You are surrounded by lush green grass and in the middle one sees a small town which you can span in one shot. In the middle there is this chapel’s belfry and around it are neatly placed small houses like in any housing model. But no time at all. U just wish that you stay there but time is running by and you have to go. A poet’s imagination sometimes is so perfect or a painter’s dream village.
Well the weather was really good. We saw Lille, the English Channel, the Indian war memorial and the Canadian War Memorial. We even saw Brugges and the Ostende beach. But apart from seeing the places I enjoyed how we all got there. We as a group of 12 people grew with each other despite of having our own limitations and personal worries. We all joined hands to have a great cultural exchange. There is one thing that I liked in Arras every home was well organized and every person had an excellent car suiting to his personality.
A reality which just makes me say Thank God and thank all those people of Fraternite group and especially my parents who made me live this dream.
With Dominique life was easy because she knew English. The whole week we were always together. She took off from her job for a week to be with me. That’s what I will be thankful to her all my life. Well at some point of your life you just gel well with some people because you appreciate what they are and what they have in store for you. Love is feeling shared with everyone no age bar. We got up early had our showers had quick breakfast, prepared lunch washed dishes out of the house at 9. She would drive and I am by her side enjoying the music, and the landscapes and we can’t stop chatting. When home at 9 I pop out the tikkhi sev and a drink. We just chat make dinner and have our dinner till 11 pm. By the time we wash dishes it is 11.45 pm. In the bed at 1 am so much fun. This was our tradition for straight 7 days. Sometimes we washed clothes or just wathched youtube movies but never in bed before 1 am. Almost everyone made fun of us but hey we loved to have blasts. In these 7 days I experienced some different things. Love is all over the world and when one is willing to share it all you need is a heart which reflects the language of Love the same way you do. Language is never a barrier but just a smile from the people and their willingness to help us till the moment we are satisfied is what it counts. That’s how I got close to some of the other hosts too. Well those were the perfect moments in life. I had a hard time realizing the fact that I had to move on to Charleville Meziers. It was very painful for all of us. Well someone said this to me its always better to have lost friends then no friends. But in this world of Internet I have her with me all the time. I love her too much. Yes it was time for me to move to my next host Francoise but there is a void in my mind which I guess no one could fill. When will I see her next?? Will we be okay getting on to our routine lives??? Man always wants to be in a comfort zone with the people he loves if he comes out of it he is scared maybe because he cannot imagine the life without his near and dear ones.
In Charleville Meziers, I am a bit too mentally exhausted. But the moment Francoise and Gayatri Didi come to my life my life has again new horizons to conquer. The moment I reach my home in my bedroom I am fresh again by the treat that was in front of my eyes. The river Muse and the boating club and the wonderful landscape around. Wonder why people drive those bumble bee noisy bikes they spoil the tranquility and the sanctity of the place. Francoise is an English teacher in a nearby school. So English not a big deal for her. Everyday to walk by the river side made me just think that this experience made me a complete person. This was what I dreamt of and took a long time to realize it. Living that moment was life for me. Luiving life king size was true for me when I saw the Grand Carnival. So many colours of Love, happiness and good health all around you. Often we would help Francoise with dinner. O she loved the Indian food. We saw many places like the Mezziers, Sedeon castle, Orval abbey(which is like our ashram), Felt museum, Arcelor Mittal. The Sedeon castle is the largest castle in the whole of Europe. In Orval Abbey they made cheese and Orval beer which I had a chance to taste but preferred champagne. I even attended a small service in the abbey and I felt glad that I attended it. We all met the mayor of Mezziers. Her willingness to come to the Indian evening. Our organizer was particularly very warm. I spent some quality time with her. She particularly liked the photos taken by me. So she arranged a meeting with a friend of hers who is a painter despite of having many guests at her place. She even took me to a quick tour of her school. We saw the Felt museum, a church and then had tea with a friend of Givonna’s. I had a chance to meet Lucile who learns Bharatnatyam and also teaches the same.
Architecturally this town again has a dfferent face. There is this main square which is called Pace Ducale where the Town Hall and the main shopping is situated. One can actually see where the town ends. From Mezziers to Charleville it just takes half an hour to walk but it was worthwhile.
At the Indian evening we get a chance to spend time with Arras hosts Valerie and Sabine. They drove 3 hrs to come down to attend the Indian evening and see us off at the station. Both were very emotional found it hard to back to normal routine. But that’s life. They stayed on with us until we left for Paris. Our organizer in Charleville Mezzier, Sabine is a good friend of Valerie and that’s how they shared our two weeks time.
Overall be it Paris, Arras and Charleville Mezziers people love people and love to share some of the best moments with each other. Here people cared and loved irrespective of your age, caste, colour of the skin. People are honest and very caring and helpful and they live a much simpler life because they are honest to their hearts and others whom they help.
I have been to an exchange before and many of my memories came alive while living this experience. Thanks to all the people specially the Fraternite group, the Perspective Assiems, and last but not the least my parents. Their support and trust in me is what I had when I was away and realized how gracefully they agreed to let me have this experience.
