Hear me roar!

“Solanger mais pas tuer!”

“Ease/Help but not kill”
That phrase was on the sign that I held this past Saturday morning for a demonstration held by an organization, Alliance VITA, with which my host mom Isabelle is very involved. A small crowd was gathered outside the Prefect building and all were holding signs as they shouted their frustration with the president Hollande and his inaction to make good on his promise of developing programs of “soin palliatives,” or palliative care for those at the end of life as an alternative to euthanasia. It was a great experience to be surrounded by my 4 host brothers and sisters, voicing our stance on protecting those most vulnerable. It was kinda crazy though. I’ve participated in a few marches/demonstrations in the U.S. and this was much like the small scale ones, but in France and in French. It sort of reminded me that I indeed live here now, even if for only a short period of time, and that these issues are not confined to my backyard, but that there are people here who are also fighting for others. Eye opening, I’d say.

Another notable take-away from the morning was being able to chat with my host sister Jeanne, albeit briefly, about her family’s involvement with the organization. What we were talking about really wasn’t important, it was that we were chatting that made me happy. It has been frustrating for me to try to get to know my host siblings because we live on opposite sides of this pretty big apartment, and with 7 people in the house, everyone is always moving or talking or doing something, and it can be hard to have a conversation. Yet I am hopeful that we will develop a better friendship, mostly because I really desire it,  my host siblings are all amazing, and I’m trusting that things will work out.

(My little host brother Martin holding a demonstration sign. He was by far the youngest there but held that sign like he meant it)

(Another picture of the demonstration)

In other news, I had a good week after my voyage to Germany last weekend. My classes seemed to make a little (LITTLE) more sense and I chatted with more people than the week before, which is the goal. It’s a little humorous because I’ve expressed the perpetual confusion that is my study abroad experience and people always will tell you that when you do something like this, you’re going to have a wide variety of encounters, but this week definitely showed that. Highlights were my lunch with friends in the middle of supermarket, meeting an English woman who prayed for my friend Armance and I on the steps of our University after class, getting my bike tires stuck in the tram tracks and almost falling off my bike in front of everyone (the bike stories are endless, ask me sometime), and having casual deep theological conversations with Renata and Jonas, who is a young seminarian from Germany. When I think about all that can happen in a week, I am so grateful for each moment I have here and the chance to reflect on it. Really hoping the positivity stays around indefinitelyJ

Here’s to another great week!

Love and Peace,

Jessica

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