Mental Finlande

I think I chose this title because this act, or however you call it, was the most bizarre thing that I witnessed this week. The show was brought to our attention (Katherine, Malou and I) by our Anthropology and Theatre professor, he considered it an excellent dance options of the season. It is mandatory to attend 2 shows, pick one, and write a final paper about it. So because he was very enthusiastic about this particular show, and because one of my closes friends is finish, I decided we should go. Let it be said that my friend warned be about finish art, rather she told me NOT to go. It must also be noted that my host mom asked me the day before where I was going to watch the show. “A l’Opera?” she said, “No, au Maillon,” I replied. Her face said it all. SO I had plenty of warnings, but I found myself last Thursday sitting there, completely exhausted after a day of internship, classes, and tutoring.

After the first few minutes of a very contemporary dance skit, I spent the rest of the show feeling as I had been transported back to the 60’s and 70’s when half of the world rebelled against society in some very forward ways. That it is: a piece built to denounce some serious social and political matters, such as immigration policies and child abuse. But nevertheless, throughout the show I saw a man’s behind, women’s breasts, an old man crucified on stage…I saw many things I did NOY expect to see that thursday night. Most importantly, the dances were not central to the piece, nor were they strongly used to make a point, they were just there…And tree hours later we left the Maillon. The next morning I could not explain my host mom how the show was, I just told her that neither her nor my host father would have liked it. In fact, they might have even left the show as some people in the audience did. It was only then that she explained why she made that face: le Maillon is a theatre that only brings contemporary pieces that always have an existentialist dimension. It is NOT a place where you will see a Russian ballet, except maybe the Rites of Spring.

So I have NO idea how Katherine and I will come up with 20 pages of a final paper about this extremely bizarre theatre piece, wish us luck.

Professors finally came around giving us a syllabus, mid-way into the semester. It is only NOW that I begin comparing the topics with my notes and realize the chunks that are missing. How I will pass my European Human Rights Convention final ORAL exam is beyond me. God help me. I never thought I would say this, but I do miss Holy Cross. I miss my classes, my professors. I miss thinking. But not so quick, I’m going to Barcelona next week for the break and THAT is certainly something I cannot do back at HC. This year abroad is about experiencing a lifestyle that I built, it’s not about interesting courses. So what happens is that I spend more and more time at my internship and have less and less desire to go to classes. And you must know that I never miss classes, ever. Here…I just might sometime.

So the break is coming up next week and I am leaving France for a few days, even though I have close to zero class work, I do need the break. Like I said, life is intense in the sense that I have the chance to do much more active stuff, like my internship. And I realized last night with my host mom that I’ve been here already for two months. Wow. Time flies. Despite the ‘different’ classes, I have no desire of leaving just yet.

See you after La Toussaint!