It's a travel day. We went from Macon back to Lyon. We are at a hotel at the airport. Leave tomorrow for Valencia, Spain. We will be back to France - to Paris - at the end of October. It was only a 45 minute train ride here to Lyon. Then a tram ride to the airport.
I've been thinking...uh oh. As we have gone to each country, I have looked at the history because I find it interesting. It's really opened my eyes to the difference between the U.S. and just about any other country in the world. They have a long history and we don't. It's obvious, but I never really thought about how that would affect peoples character.
Europe can trace its history to very ancient times. They lived through two world wars that affected everybody's lives directly. That obviously shapes a people and how they think.
In France, for example, they lived under nazi occupation for 4 years. There are still people alive who remember that. Their children were told the stories. That happened in many countries here.
Each country here has its own history and culture. Each is distinct. People know the history and are proud of it. They share cultural traits.
Everything is so old here - the housing, the buildings. There are historical sites thousands of years old. The way people live is different than the US. Housing is not necessarily brand spanking new, in fact the majority of it isn't. Old buildings don't have air conditioning, window screens, dryers, etc., things we take for granted in the U.S.
I'm not saying having that stuff is better. A lot of people here think it's just unnecessary. They have fans or open their windows. They hang their clothes on dryer racks.
People here don't seem as frantic as people in the U.S. They aren't as stressed, at least it doesn't feel like it. They are more relaxed. There is not the level of violence here. There is violence, but not everybody owns a gun. There are homeless here but they don't seem to be as numerous. People do sleep on the street but you don't see as many. The homeless here sit with a cup out.
I don't mean to make it sound like this is an ideal society. It isn't. It does feel much calmer. It feels kinder. It feels like they try to deal with problems rather than just talk about them.
America is such a young country. It has so many different kinds of people trying to get along. The disparity between rich and poor or even middle class is so wide. It is so fast paced. The social safety net isn't as strong.
We have so much to learn from these countries with their long histories and stories of survival through trying times. I wish we would listen more.
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September 30, 2022 at 08:31PM
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