How Non-Americans Conquer Paris
Though American culture in pretty prevalent in Paris, it's a challenge for non-Americans to find places that remind them of home. People with less widely represented cultures don't have as many places to go where the language, culture, and atmosphere of their home are represented. Though after a bit of searching, you'll realize these places exist, and the following students were willing to share where they manage to strike a balance between home sweet home and the city of lights:
Rokhaya Wade has been in Paris for a year and comes from the city of Dakar in Senegal. Now starting her third semester, she is well accustomed to the city, saying, "I don’t really have a specific place where I go to combat homesickness because I very rarely feel homesick." Despite this Rokhaya does have a surprising quick fix for when she just wants to feel a bit more at home. When she wants a "Senegalese vibe", Rokhaya says "as contradictory as it might sound, the Eiffel Tower, especially the Champs de Mars, is a place where I feel connected with Senegal."
Rokhaya explains, "[Most] of the street sellers at the Champs de Mars (the ones who sell the mini Eiffel towers) are from Senegal. I’ve had a few experiences where they tried to sell me their objects, and I answered in Wolof [Senegal’s dominant language]. So they would always start a conversation, ask me what neighborhood I was from, what I was doing in Paris, and even give me a few gifts as I left. Hence, I always feel great when I go there, and speaking my mother-tongue with these complete strangers is a way for me to become even closer to my culture."
Image Credit: Flickr/Peter Benedik
Shivani Vernekar also has a unique background. She has lived in India her entire life and has only been in Paris for about a month. Being fresh off the boat, Shivani surprisingly already has multiple ways to deal with what she calls a "huge change." As a professional soccer player, Shivani says that the opportunity to play the sport in Paris makes the transition smoother. She says "[soccer] is a huge part of where I come from in India so getting the opportunity to do that in Paris allows me to stay connected to my culture in a way."
Using a widely-loved pastime to make her transition easier is creative, but it's not the only method Shivani uses to beat homesickness. She comes from Goa, a coastal state known for its beaches and parties. Partying may not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of how to feel at home, but Shivani says "the clubs in Paris...help me feel like I'm at home and allow me to battle homesickness in a way." But even if clubbing isn't very homey for you, it can't hurt.
Image Credit: Flickr/Julian Carvajal
Safian Ado-Ibrahim has been in Paris for four years and, like Rokhaya, doesn't need to battle homesickness because he doesn't experience it. From Nigeria, Safian was born in Lagos before moving to the capital, Abuja. At the age of 12, he moved to England and lived there for about six years. In 2012, he left London for Paris to attend AUP. Even while here in Paris, Safian gets his hair cut in Chateau d'Eau by a barber who is also from Kogi State, Nigeria and goes to Chateau Rouge for ingredients so as not to "eat bland Western food all the time."
Referencing the flattering shop promoters trying to get business off the street with their unique brand of "African hustle", Safian says, "[it's] the people in these places that make me feel like I'm back home, even for a second." Although nobody's immigrant experience is universal, Safian's way of describing it tends to ring true for most; in his experience, "although Paris is 'home' now, it isn't really, is it?"
Image Credit: Flickr/Davide Mana
