Well said, as usual. I love the paragraph that you posted from Alexandra, especially, "I can't quit this bitch." I too, will always be American to my absolute core. An American living in France. No more, no less. And, I continue to do the work and everything within my powers to be the very best version of just that.
Hi Carolyn-Thanks for your writing…as always, we very much enjoy reading. Along the lines of « other things anecdotal » I will say that I’ve had two (French) friends from Nîmes text to express deep condolences and - to a person - the couple dozen (French) participants in my English language conversation group here in the Loire express…alarm, incredulity, sympathy. Our experience is not that the French care little, but that they recognize the weight the US carries at home and abroad. Just another reason, really, that a move does not the problem remove.
I had French friends send me condolence texts. I didn't mean to convey that they are uncaring. They definitely care. It's just not the same disaster for them as it is for us, naturally.
I have had several French friends in our little village in Gascony reach out with condolences and support. We worked hard to help during the election. I feel the powerlessness and shock that you describe so well. There is a surreal quality to this. And yes, I get that feeling of isolation. Je suis américaine et j'aimerai toujours mon pays.
You said that when you want to talk about the election, there aren't people to speak about it with in France. You can be just as alone here in the states, in Texas, as many friends and family also voted for trump. So I am not receiving any condolences or sympathy after the election. They got exactly what they wanted. I am alone in a red state here, but I rather feel alone far from away in France.
I'm hearing from a lot of people that they feel lonely after the results! Midterms in 24 months, and they're typically bad for the party in power; get involved now! Make friends around the issues you care about.
Great and thanks for the links. What I am very curious about though is the difference between your French friends and mine because it is night and day. We had some workers on our property post election who also wanted to talk about it, one of them very sad because his brother and his family live in Wisconsin and it went red. The people around me seem well aware of US politics and the ramifications for us in France which may be severe. Not tomorrow but sometime after the inauguration. They are worried about tariffs but mostly they are worried about Trump pulling out of NATO for real. They are talking about how Orban is emboldened and other right wing governments. I remember many years ago Americans were not welcome in any European country and I fear that will happen again. By any chance have you subscribed to a paper like Lemonde? They publish in English as well as French. They did a cover story about the American people, citing they are much like Trump. America voted for him once but after electing Biden, all was forgiven. This time, they are angry with Americans. Right now, I strongly urge Americans to stay put unless they are on Trump's hit list.
Here is a partial cut from Lemonde and a link to the article:
Headline: "The end of an American world"
e Subscribers only 2024 US election: Donald Trump completes comeback, driven by political instincts and desire for revenge
It's a reality that needs to be examined with eyes wide open. The path on which Trump, strengthened for his second term by his party's success in the Senate, will take his country diverges fundamentally from the one charted by the United States since the end of the Second World War. It marks the end of an American era, that of an open superpower committed to the world, eager to set itself up as a democratic model. It's the famous "shining city on a hill," extolled by President Ronald Reagan. The model had been challenged over the past two decades. Now, Trump's return is putting a nail in its coffin.
What is the post-US-election tone expressed in the Midi Libre newpaper published in Montpellier? I know the National Rally has stronger support in the south, though Montpellier being a university town is presumably more progressive. Curious what you have learned about the tone of French politics in Montpellier and whether it is somewhat like Austin, a liberal island in a conservative region.
I postponed reading this edition of your blog to process everything that I am feeling about the election and the next 4 years. I haven’t been able to bring myself to call/talk to family who are Trump supporters and my sister, who lives in Germany, basically told me to get over it.
I don’t want you or our like minded friends to completely leave the US. We need your voices and your votes. To keep my spirits up I remind myself of the creativity resistance can take on in times of oppression. Please please don’t leave us now.
Well said, as usual. I love the paragraph that you posted from Alexandra, especially, "I can't quit this bitch." I too, will always be American to my absolute core. An American living in France. No more, no less. And, I continue to do the work and everything within my powers to be the very best version of just that.
Hi Carolyn-Thanks for your writing…as always, we very much enjoy reading. Along the lines of « other things anecdotal » I will say that I’ve had two (French) friends from Nîmes text to express deep condolences and - to a person - the couple dozen (French) participants in my English language conversation group here in the Loire express…alarm, incredulity, sympathy. Our experience is not that the French care little, but that they recognize the weight the US carries at home and abroad. Just another reason, really, that a move does not the problem remove.
I had French friends send me condolence texts. I didn't mean to convey that they are uncaring. They definitely care. It's just not the same disaster for them as it is for us, naturally.
I have had several French friends in our little village in Gascony reach out with condolences and support. We worked hard to help during the election. I feel the powerlessness and shock that you describe so well. There is a surreal quality to this. And yes, I get that feeling of isolation. Je suis américaine et j'aimerai toujours mon pays.
You said that when you want to talk about the election, there aren't people to speak about it with in France. You can be just as alone here in the states, in Texas, as many friends and family also voted for trump. So I am not receiving any condolences or sympathy after the election. They got exactly what they wanted. I am alone in a red state here, but I rather feel alone far from away in France.
I'm hearing from a lot of people that they feel lonely after the results! Midterms in 24 months, and they're typically bad for the party in power; get involved now! Make friends around the issues you care about.
Great and thanks for the links. What I am very curious about though is the difference between your French friends and mine because it is night and day. We had some workers on our property post election who also wanted to talk about it, one of them very sad because his brother and his family live in Wisconsin and it went red. The people around me seem well aware of US politics and the ramifications for us in France which may be severe. Not tomorrow but sometime after the inauguration. They are worried about tariffs but mostly they are worried about Trump pulling out of NATO for real. They are talking about how Orban is emboldened and other right wing governments. I remember many years ago Americans were not welcome in any European country and I fear that will happen again. By any chance have you subscribed to a paper like Lemonde? They publish in English as well as French. They did a cover story about the American people, citing they are much like Trump. America voted for him once but after electing Biden, all was forgiven. This time, they are angry with Americans. Right now, I strongly urge Americans to stay put unless they are on Trump's hit list.
Very interesting. I will subscribe to LeMonde toute de suite!
Here is a partial cut from Lemonde and a link to the article:
Headline: "The end of an American world"
e Subscribers only 2024 US election: Donald Trump completes comeback, driven by political instincts and desire for revenge
It's a reality that needs to be examined with eyes wide open. The path on which Trump, strengthened for his second term by his party's success in the Senate, will take his country diverges fundamentally from the one charted by the United States since the end of the Second World War. It marks the end of an American era, that of an open superpower committed to the world, eager to set itself up as a democratic model. It's the famous "shining city on a hill," extolled by President Ronald Reagan. The model had been challenged over the past two decades. Now, Trump's return is putting a nail in its coffin.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2024/11/06/the-end-of-an-american-world_6731783_23.html?lmd_medium=email&lmd_campaign=trf_newsletters_lmie&lmd_creation=lemonde_in_english_london&lmd_send_date=20241107&lmd_link=opinion-french-taste_titre_1&M_BT=122881601324156&fbclid=IwY2xjawGf7FFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHatKH2T7YTbVurzzOdke8DEeFJd5XG0Xt4LjwT9O1Yr17EndeGxLJk0phA_aem_m8lUGFNvazogAoXD3SkJIQ
What is the post-US-election tone expressed in the Midi Libre newpaper published in Montpellier? I know the National Rally has stronger support in the south, though Montpellier being a university town is presumably more progressive. Curious what you have learned about the tone of French politics in Montpellier and whether it is somewhat like Austin, a liberal island in a conservative region.
Yes, I would say it is comparable to Austin. For instance, it has the second largest gay population after Paris.
This article is 'Nightmare begins': Americans in France respond to Trump's win https://www.thelocal.fr/20241107/the-nightmare-begins-americans-in-france-respond-to-donald-trumps-win?cx_testId=2&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0&cx_experienceId=EX9IP9XSM93G&cx_experienceActionId=showRecommendationsYCLN5D4Z6ZFI10#cxrecs_s
I postponed reading this edition of your blog to process everything that I am feeling about the election and the next 4 years. I haven’t been able to bring myself to call/talk to family who are Trump supporters and my sister, who lives in Germany, basically told me to get over it.
I don’t want you or our like minded friends to completely leave the US. We need your voices and your votes. To keep my spirits up I remind myself of the creativity resistance can take on in times of oppression. Please please don’t leave us now.
Oh we will always vote. Don’t worry.
Yes and commiserate and mobilize 🥰