Integrating with another culture.
Exploring a completely different side of the world. Being away from home for an
extended period. Meeting new people. Gaining something that goes beyond the
resume and cover letter. Taking advantage of a time in my life where I am not
tied down to anyone or anything. These were all among the reasons why I chose
to ultimately accept the employment offer to live and teach in France for seven
months. ‘Live and work in the French
culture? What’s not to say yes?’ some may ask. Well, there are a lot of reasons why I could
have said no to that gut feeling, caved in to the fear, and returned for my
fourth year of university in Edmonton.
One of the main reasons for rejecting
the offer would be that that I am still in the middle of my degree. That was a
big concern with those aged 40 and above who I talked to about the opportunity.
The thought process is that I may never come back from France; settling in to a
life there, making a decent but not great wage, and later on realizing the
value of a degree when my employment prospects dried up. That is a fair fear to
have. There was also the concern that I would “find myself” while in France,
and come back to Canada in a complete mental disarray. That is also an
understandable, albeit less fair, concern. Is there anything wrong with finding
yourself and doing a little soul-searching every now and again? Truth of the
matter is that, while I am overseas, I’d hope to accomplish some of that.
Montreal changed my outlook on life
immensely, in a very positive manner. Because of that experience, I’m not
completely convinced I will end up working in sports. Not because I doubt my
abilities, but rather I saw so many other possibilities while living in the
city. Politics, culture, arts, news, life…it really is entirely different once
you get past Ottawa and are in Hull. I am confident that I will finish my
journalism degree, either at MacEwan University or another institution, and
apply for some sort of post degree education, whether it is law school or a
Masters program or certificate specializing in certain types of journalism. But
will it necessarily be in sports? Maybe not. And that’s great. Having the
experiences I have worked for will change you. I can’t imagine, at 21 years
old, being the same person I was at age 16. At age 26, I will be laughing at
the naïve 21 year old Salim. Maybe I will be the General Manager of the
Edmonton Oilers by then, maybe not. Not a problem either way. As my celebrity
aunt Farhana Dhalla once said, “Sometimes the best decision we can make is to
forget the life we thought we had, and embrace the life that is waiting for
us.”
My life in France itself has gone
well for the first seven days, if only being a little boring. Living in a new
town, combined with not having a social life, cell phone, or internet
connection, especially in today’s day and age, usually means you are counting
down the minutes until bed time. The town I am in, Conflans Sainte Honorine, is
a half hour train ride outside of Paris. Being in a small town for the first
time, in a country I have never been in, lends itself to a few adjustments:
Most places close by dinner time, you see people more often because of the size
of the area, and life is generally less rushed. This comes after three months
of living in the heart of a global city (Montreal) during the summer, where
every night there was something that you couldn’t possibly miss. That being
said, I’m right at the doorstep of one of the world’s most renowned cities for
“Things You Couldn’t Possibly Miss.”
So far, Conflans Sainte Honorine
and its people have pleasantly surprised me. The teachers at the school I will
be working at have welcomed me with open arms. I was picked up at Charles de
Gaulle Airport (not very close to the town) by one professor, and had dinner
that night at the house of another. A third was kind enough to buy me some
basic groceries for my first night. I could not have been given a better group
of people to be working with.
The townspeople have also surprised
me. They remind me of Canadians in that they are very friendly. While
discovering the town, I encountered a lot of, “Oh you’re new to Conflans? Here
is my shop, my name is ___. If you need anything, do not hesitate.” One thing I
learned is that, no matter how great or proficient you think you are in the
local language, ALWAYS genuinely apologize for not speaking it properly. It
indicates a certain humility and desire to integrate into their culture. Your
words will more often than not result in a smile and, “Non ton français est
bien” from the other party.
I am also surprised that, for a
town of 35 000, there are quite a lot of immigrants, and a very diverse array
of dining options. There are many African, Middle Eastern, and Chinese people
that live here. The dining options include Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, East
Indian, North American, Italian, and Moroccan options. Quite diverse for such a
small town. The architecture is entirely different here as well. The town is
divided into layers, with the first layer being houses that overlook the
beautiful Seine River.
Overall, my first week has gone
well. Once my internet and cell phone services are established, I will be in
better shape to plan trips to Paris and other neighboring areas. À la prochain,
mes amis!
Salim
