9/11 in France

It's been a couple of days, so it's time for another post.

On Wednesday night, a small ceremony was held for us IES Nantes students at the Hôtel de Ville by the mayor and the local French-American Society. It was half-welcome and half-memorial.

Our homestay families were invited, aperitifs and hors d'oeuvres were served, and a couple of speakers welcomed us warmly while reminding us of all that Nantes has to offer.

The most memorable moment of the event for me came during the President of the French-American Society's speech. In reference to September 11th, he said, "On that day, we were all American. We were American, so that we could have full brotherhood with and support for the United States during that sad time. I am certain that most people you will find still feel this way about the event today."

To me, that meant a lot. With all the badmouthing of the French that we Americans do, you'd think France had turned the U.S down on a romantic date and thrown the U.S.'s bouquet of roses back in its face. But really, that's not the case. 

The view of the United States here in France may be fragile, but there's no outright enmity. And if there was, I would hear about it - because the French don't like to keep their opinions locked up tight. If they feel strongly about something, they're going to tell you about it. Whether or not, it involves you, your mother, or your country. It's just how things are.

I remember 9/11 very clearly. And I remember a lot of the anti-French remarks I heard in the following years nearly as well. So it's interesting to see the other side of the glass now, and think about what the French people in their houses watching the news on tv, or outside taking the train to work, were feeling and thinking and doing while we quaked and trembled at what was happening to our homeland under attack, watching the towers fall and the dust rise.

In some way, I like the thought that maybe they were feeling some of the same things, too.