Author: Emmanuel

Questions, questions…

You’ve noticed my head is full of unanswered questions at the moment. This one builds up on the previous one. How do you reach out to the indigenous people of rural France, when you are an outsider, and they have been in the area for all their life , and their parents and children are I’m the area?
French people are not as mobile as you may think. That often remain in the same place, or not too far for all their lives.

When will we learn from history?

So, the Front National has won the European elections in France with about 25%. It means that about a quarter of French people have supported that specific party. It could be even more, because approximately 50% of the population didn’t even bother to vote. So a big thanks to all those who couldn’t be bothered.
At least, the National Front didn’t come first in Guingamp nor in Pabu where we live. In Pabu, they come 5th, but that’s still 109 people who voted for their list.
But the question remains: when will we learn from history?

On the market

We were on the market in Guingamp on Friday morning. Fairly quickly after we arrived, a young man approached us with a few provocative questions. That was unusual. Very few people dare to come to speak to us. Anyway, the man asked his questions, and we starting talking. He stayed a long time on our side, talking. Some of his mates joined us, and at some point, we were talking with 4 people. It was great. After a long time, The man and his friends left with a leaflet about the church. It was a good morning.

Speaking with the undertakers

On Saturday afternoon, I led the funeral of an English lady who had died the previous week in Lannion Hospital. I didn’t know her or her family, but the husband and daughter wanted the service to be in English as they hardly speak any French. As my colleague couldn’t do it, i did it.

It was my second funeral, and my first cremation. It took place in Begard, a small town about 20 minutes from Guingamp. The service went well I think. It was very sad. The husband and the daughter were devastated. They had been married for 54 years. There were about 15-20 people, all English apart from the Breton neighbours of the couple. I found that the fact that the lady wasn’t buried disturbing. It gave me a sense of the hopelessness of these people. It also gave the impression that there is no hope beyond death.

After the service, the coffin went into the crematorium and the family left. I stayed behind for a coffee with the undertankers. I was curious about their job so had a few questions to ask. It was interesting. I realized how important their job is. They are confronted with the reality of pain and death every day and seemed very human. They realized the importance of their work, and weren’t after the money, for example, unlike some, they wouldn’t charge for keeping the ashes of the deceased person. I enjoyed that time I spent speaking with these undertakers. It is an interesting contact.