The only country I’ve been to outside of the United States is Mexico, and that was ten years ago. I love learning about different cultures and the way people live and I was excited to come on this trip and see what the everyday life is like in Paris, France. The sites have been absolutely beautiful! The Notre Dame Cathedral, Palace of Versailles, Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and basically every building in the city is breath taking. The pictures do them no justice. I have learned on this trip that the French are very unlike Americans, which is why we have the perception that they dislike us. While some probably do, they just have a different way of life and don’t understand why Americans act the way they do. There are many cultural differences that divide us and it can be difficult to find sources for our stories as a result of this.
Yesterday a group of us went to The Flea Market at Porte de Clignancourt. The location reminded me a lot of being in Chicago, with building and cars similar to ones you would find in the city. The market was much different from the ones we have at home. Some vendors sold products they made from their home countries, such as jewelry and clothes they had sewed and designed. Others sold knock off shoes, purses, and perfumes. There were a variety of items to pick from, and if one looked hard enough they could find a good deal on a product they were looking for. For our multi-media project my group is doing a story about what French culture is and how a native or immigrant to France would define being French. The language barrier proved to be an obstacle. Many people were excited to hear we were from Chicago and said things like “Viva Obama!” and talked about Michael Jordan. I sometimes find it tough to find people to conduct man-on-the-street interviews in Chicago, and here in Paris it is much more problematic. A few people who spoke English well were not comfortable being recorded. Our translator Coralie came with us to the market and she was a huge help! She was able to translate what they were saying and that is when people had deeper answers and talked about their true feelings. People felt more comfortable speaking their own language and could open up and express themselves. At first, most people had short answers, but as they delved into the interview they opened up more and we got some good interviews. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of French citizens and their perceptions of themselves, along with immigrants and how they felt toward French people.
Yesterday a group of us went to The Flea Market at Porte de Clignancourt. The location reminded me a lot of being in Chicago, with building and cars similar to ones you would find in the city. The market was much different from the ones we have at home. Some vendors sold products they made from their home countries, such as jewelry and clothes they had sewed and designed. Others sold knock off shoes, purses, and perfumes. There were a variety of items to pick from, and if one looked hard enough they could find a good deal on a product they were looking for. For our multi-media project my group is doing a story about what French culture is and how a native or immigrant to France would define being French. The language barrier proved to be an obstacle. Many people were excited to hear we were from Chicago and said things like “Viva Obama!” and talked about Michael Jordan. I sometimes find it tough to find people to conduct man-on-the-street interviews in Chicago, and here in Paris it is much more problematic. A few people who spoke English well were not comfortable being recorded. Our translator Coralie came with us to the market and she was a huge help! She was able to translate what they were saying and that is when people had deeper answers and talked about their true feelings. People felt more comfortable speaking their own language and could open up and express themselves. At first, most people had short answers, but as they delved into the interview they opened up more and we got some good interviews. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of French citizens and their perceptions of themselves, along with immigrants and how they felt toward French people.
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