Hemingway 1

I came to Paris with an open mind, possibly hoping to find myself in the least cheesy way possible, but at the same time accepting a difference in culture and learning from it in exchange. So far, in my short two weeks here I realize what it is people see in Paris, and the reasons behind it's beautiful and romantic portrayal in all of the media, but I also realize that Paris is not only this. Where I live, the ever glowing light of the cities monuments, beige apartments, and streets at night, well Olympiads is probably not the best place to find this.

I have been adjusting to the culture but I find it harder, personally, to appreciate a city like Paris until the weather starts becoming warm. Even as newcomer to the city, I agree with Hemingway when he writes "All of the sadness of the city came suddenly with the first cold rains of winter, and there were no more tops to the high white houses as you walked but only the wet blackness of the street and the closed doors of the small shops..." (16). I walk down the streets, in the cold rain, sometimes witnessing a faint fog blocking buildings and houses. I too find a sadness in overcast that Hemingway does, as it prevents a full picture of what makes Paris so incredible.

I like Hemingway's use of "transporting" and can relate even as someone who hasn't necessarily written very much creatively. I think the same goes for me if I'm writing music, because too try and create something like a story, it feels better and more real when you can transport your way there. The freedom a writer has is only as good as their imagination, and if you can somehow try and feel what it is you are composing and creating through a drink even, or a place, the final product is that much more authentic. When Hemingway orders a drink because his characters are drinking, it is almost natural for him to try and be there with them. I love how he talks about writing in the cafe because we all have sat down at cafe and experienced the French way of getting a shot of espresso and using that one little tiny cup of liquid as an excuse to sit down and watch the world move, really people watch. When Hemingway sits down and writes in the cafe, he see's a woman sit down near him, so we think cue the romantic music and love at first sight in Paris, but no. He writes a line that all men can relate to when seeing a woman for the first time thinking omg I love them and I don't know them. "I've seen you, beauty, and you belong to me now, whoever you are waiting for and if I never see you again, I thought. You belong to me and Paris belongs to me and I belong to this notebook and this pencil. Then I went back to writing..." (18) This could practically be a scene pulled out of a comedy film starring someone awkward like Woody Allen per say because when he looks up and doesn't see her, he feels sad, so he decides to eat some oysters (aphrodisiac) and feels better. This whole perfect romance view of Paris doesn't need to be the majority, I find the opportunity for funny events like that to happen a beautiful thing to look forward to as well. Do I expect to see the Midnight in Paris Paris? I do, but also want to see the Everyone Says I Love You Paris too.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Opera Saturday night which was interesting in the sense that I got to see a form of entertainment I had never seen before, but also see older swanky dressed Parisian's whom don't have a thing in common with. It was only interesting to see the say more up tight citizens of this city versus the younger people around the city. The notion that French people are not very big on Americans is not very true, that is if you were born after 1955, so I don't know if the Opera is my kind of place, but it was worth watching and gawking for a little to see some of these people that could have been taking right out the 1940's bourgeoisie, the very people Hemingway lived with. Yet there are uptight people everywhere, whether that be New York City and maybe at their Opera, or even my hometown of D.C. where everyone wearing a suit (most likely working for the government) acts like they haven't their partner naked for 30 years.

I find the way Hemingway writes about Paris very alluring and it backs up so much of this media that paints the place as this amusement park of romance and beauty. I could say the media is simply just based off Hemingway's positive view of Paris, and that Hemingway himself is making it out to be more of a fairytale than it is, but I do not know yet, having only been here for weeks. Physically I can see what he marvels about so far.

He writes about wandering from street to street, talking about the different cafe's, looking for a place to refuge and write. I find that through living here, like he must have, choosing a place everyday to get familiar with the areas people and layout is a good way of becoming a student living in Paris rather then a tourist. We can tell Hemingway knows the places he doesn't like very much and knows the places he can enjoy. I've found one place so far in my journey, but not because I was wandering, but because I looked up a bunch of possible cool bars to go to. I picked one of the places, that being called Le Fanfaron and went to check out the area as well as the bar. I found a place I feel I could enjoy going to, rather to the Opera. There was a little bit of the language gap to work with, but the people there looked like they came out of The Wild One, which is something I like and is a large improvement from the Opera folk, at least for me. Everyone knows there are so many different types of groups and cultures within the NYC world, and if you stay long enough you find your own. I think the same goes with Paris and I like that.