All Hallow's Eve

Groups of little and not-so-little kids dressed as ghosts and clowns roaming the streets.

Cashiers in witch garb checking out candy.

A city square filled with teenagers dancing while man with long dreadlocks growls about God’s mercy into a microphone next to a modern- looking church where the Blessed Sacrament is being adored.

Yes, this all happened in France.

On the same day.

Apparently five or six years ago, Halloween became very trendy in France, particularly its darker side. The custom is now supposedly fading (though you’d never know it from the shop windows…every chocolatier is selling pumpkins wrapped in orange foil with “Happy Halloween” stamped on them.)

I’d really like to get a copy of Spear Hit’s CD so I can get all the lyrics (the ones that weren’t in English). French Christian Reggae- without references to pot (that I could discern.) Who knew?

I spoke too much English tonight. It’s not easy trying to speak a foreign language over a concert’s ground vibrations. And Kate, the girl from Colorado was there with her community. She didn’t get into it much (she said she couldn’t understand any of the lyrics, and besides, she prefers country music. I don’t think France is quite ready for a French Christian country band…) but she endured it courageously. I also met Hans, from Germany. Apparently in Germany you’re consigned to a year of either military or civil service, and he chose the civilian route. Not sure why, but this requires him to be in France. He’s been here two weeks, and has only studied French for two years…but having spent a year in Wisconsin he was quite happy to talk to Kate and me…and I hardly noticed he even had an accent…Maybe that will be me by the time I leave…if I can get to work!!!
Also, Kate told me she didn’t know any French when she came here two years ago. Can you imagine? Here, go to this community, learn this language…wow…

It never occurred to me…but we have Germany…Allemagne…Deutschland…all for the same country. Where did these names come from anyway?

Also something I never noticed before today…the very modern Église de Ste. Jeanne D’arc where we had mass this evening with the bishop has awesome acoustics. They were putting away the Blessed Sacrament and everyone began to sing the name “Jesus” very simply, and there might have been some harmonies going on…but it sounded like an angel choir.

That’s another really cool thing I’ve noticed about France (I’m trying to focus on the strengths of our two nations now, instead of always complaining about the weaknesses!) It seems like a lot of people must get some pretty sophisticated voice training, because it’s not uncommon for a lot of the congregation to break out into two and three part harmony (with feeling) during mass, without even having printed sheet music to look at. I don’t know how they do it. But it’s beautiful.

Vocabulaire:
Justicatif: receipt?

J’habite Rouen. Je suis sur Rouen. Je travaille dans un lycée.


Number of groups I saw out trick-or-treating: 5 (one was comprised of two men about six feet tall. They were out in the middle of the day, soliciting stores. I don’t think they were having much luck.) (and I’m not sure whether they said “trick or treat” or were just asking for candy.)