Paris, je t'aime

Ben has been begging me for a summary of my trip to France, and I figure after just seeing the movie, there would be no better time than now, especially since I'm supposed to be working now, although I have absolutely nothing to do. This won't be quite a film review, but I'll work some of that in it, as my trip and the movie has some cross-over.

The largest difference between the film and my few days in Paris is perhaps the most obvious, my short 4 days there focused entirely on the monuments and museums: Notre Dame, Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay (my favorite), Invalides, Arc d'Trimophe, Versailles, a couple other cathedrals that I forget the name of, the church that the Jesuits were founded in, a boat tour of the Seine, and my absolute favorite moment of the trip: the Jardin du Luxembourg. The gardens were my favorite part of the trip because I was reading Les Miserables at the same time (in fact, to "prepare" for the trip, although I've meant to read it for a while now), and part of the novel took place in the park. I was so excited when I came to that part, I started running around the garden looking for the exact spot where it took place. The only identifying feature, however, most have been torn down in the last 140 years, though, and I wasn't quite sure where it happened, but I'm pretty sure I got close. The scene is where two of the main characters met and fell in love, which, really is the whole point of Paris, je t'aime. I like to think that I found something in that garden. I don't know what it was, probably not love, but who can be sure?
The difference is that film showed Parisians in their city. As a tourist, I could only get a taste of this, but the film showed the essence of the life of the Parisians. Love is life in a moment, and even a mere glance or a shattering heartbreak can show this, and that is what the film is about.

The film is a collection of 18 short films about love in Paris. The first 3 or so are typical (although touching) stories where two strangers meet and fall in love. (Pat didn't quite enjoy the one with two men or the one with mimes). The rest (with the exception of the vampires, which was just weird) weren't the idealized conceptions of love-at-first sight, but showed love in all its complications and contradictions. All of the stories were love between people, which seems to me a very narrow definition of love, with no element of God in any of it, but France as a whole isn't religious, so I guess it makes sense.

The second half of my trip, and the very reason I was in France to begin with took me out of Paris, and out of the scope of the movie. The retreat at Taize was not a disappointment, but only because I was prepared for the worst. It gave me a lot of good reflection time, which was very nice, and really, is a place apart from the world. Life there consists of three prayers a day, where you sit in a big room and chant their songs, which was nice. Then food, which as a rule, was bad and there was never enough of it. There was also a "bible introduction," which was elementary, and palled in comparison to Sophomore year. But the majority of the people there, and even those in my group have had very little religious education, and actually learned from the experience. What I learned the most from was the students from Israel that were there. The intention was that A few Jewish Israelis and Christian Palestinians would come to the retreat and talk or something, but the Palestinians didn't get visas in time, and I was chosen to take one of their place. It was very interesting to experience Judaism from Jews. I have of course learned a lot over the years both from the comparative religion class at JHS and from things like Passover at Cornell, but really have never experienced from anyone who is, to the depth of their being, Jewish. Even the many Jews at Cornell are on the whole very secular, without any religious component other than going home for Passover, so to see Jews actually act out and teach their faith was something. I like it, especially the bittersweet aspect that seems to underlie their experience of the divine. They also invited me to shabbat, which was great food compared to the dismal fare at the retreat.

My group, 6 Cornellians, were selected because we were involved in Campus Ministry in some way (all I did was go to Guatemala). One of the priests is getting old, and worried about his legacy at Cornell, came into a large sum of money, and wanted to send students to a place that has influenced his life very much, and then we could come back and help the shoddy shape of the Cornell Catholic Community. I really don't know how much we'll be able to do, but I guess I'm kinda committed to Campus Ministry now.... I'm of course glad that he sent us, I don't know when I'd see France any other way, but I'm not sure if it was worth it. The best part of the trip was meeting new people, (predominately German) including the other 3 Americans at the retreat. Although, I could have done the same reflecting anywhere else, the fact is that I wouldn't have, and so I'm quite grateful that I went. I even think I found God in some new way. It was like the last clip in Paris, je t'aime. A lady from Denver goes to Paris, sees the sights, sits in a park (always the park!) and falls in love with Paris. While I certainly hope that I'm not as pathetic or lonely as that woman, I could at least relate. I went to Paris, and found something; God, answers, life, love, I'm not sure, but there was something.


PS: I have pictures, I'll try to get them up later