There is a kind of friendship where there is no such thing as them or us. Quebecer, German, Malaysian, Romanian, French, Mauritian or Russian... there is such a thing as universally understood warmth, respect, trust and affection.
Despite all the lessons I am yet to learn, I hope this one proves true for the rest of my life.
August 23, 2005
Kayaking on a fjord
This week-end I went kayaking on the Saguenay Fjord for a whole day. It was quite an amazing experience. It was pouring in the morning, and despite wetsuits, waterproof jackets and lifejackets, we still managed to get drenched to the bone.
The afternoon was drier, with a lot of wind. We actually surfed the waves in our kayaks, which was great fun! As we were paddling, we saw a beluga whale surface twice for air and two seals. I'd never seen either in their natural setting and it was enchanting. The fjord itself is a geological marvel and a beautiful place. We stayed in a quaint little village called l'Anse-Saint-Jean which reminded me a lot of Rodrigues actually, since the kayak guide knew the inn's owner who knew the restaurant's owner.
Despite aching arms afterwards, that day on the fjord is one of the most precious experiences I've had in nature. The next day we went beyond Tadoussac and managed to see the "real" St-Lawrence river, where it looks like the sea. Quebec is a beautiful place, if you're willing to drive 1100 km to get there and back to Montreal!
The afternoon was drier, with a lot of wind. We actually surfed the waves in our kayaks, which was great fun! As we were paddling, we saw a beluga whale surface twice for air and two seals. I'd never seen either in their natural setting and it was enchanting. The fjord itself is a geological marvel and a beautiful place. We stayed in a quaint little village called l'Anse-Saint-Jean which reminded me a lot of Rodrigues actually, since the kayak guide knew the inn's owner who knew the restaurant's owner.
Despite aching arms afterwards, that day on the fjord is one of the most precious experiences I've had in nature. The next day we went beyond Tadoussac and managed to see the "real" St-Lawrence river, where it looks like the sea. Quebec is a beautiful place, if you're willing to drive 1100 km to get there and back to Montreal!
August 19, 2005
Les cousins migrateurs
J'ai découvert sur le site de TV5 ce merveilleux projet entrepris par deux "cousins migrateurs": la découverte de 100 sites classés par l'UNESCO.
August 16, 2005
True or false?
I am likely to be testing the veracity of my previous post in the following months.
Time will tell how much of life is actually just what you make of it in your head and how much of it is just out there whether you acknowledge it or not. I have long believed in looking at the stars instead of the mud at your feet if you're in a rut, but I've also experienced that whether you look up or down, when your feet start getting muddy, they're just dirty.
Maybe there will be no rut, or maybe the stars will make it not matter. I'll hope so, and leap without fear.
Time will tell how much of life is actually just what you make of it in your head and how much of it is just out there whether you acknowledge it or not. I have long believed in looking at the stars instead of the mud at your feet if you're in a rut, but I've also experienced that whether you look up or down, when your feet start getting muddy, they're just dirty.
Maybe there will be no rut, or maybe the stars will make it not matter. I'll hope so, and leap without fear.
August 03, 2005
Just people
I have now lived in three countries and closely known persons from at least 14 countries.
My conclusion: there is no better people, in the sense of peuple. In each of those countries, there are good and bad persons, people struggling to make sense of their lives, carrying their ancestors' legacy as a burden or as wings, consciously or unconsciously.
There are no superior people: simply persons challenged by their environment, who attack circumstances with the means they have, and try to make the world better for themselves. Mauritians are not superior because some of them read a lot and usually know four languages. Canadians are not superior because they belong to the second largest country in the world and are among the least corrupt in their dealings. Mauritius is not yet "one nation, one people" as goes our national anthem. We are "one nation, many peoples". Canada is not bilingual as it claims. It has individuals speaking a variety of languages living next to each other, often sharing either English or French, not both. Every nation still has objectives to reach, quests to attain.
There is no need to diminish what comes from other countries to feel good about one's own. We can learn what's relevant, and simply respect the rest as things that work for them, but not for us. We can be proud of our own achievements, irrespective of others. I will, I think, always be a little too proud of my country, but there is no right place for nationalistic chauvinism in this world.
My conclusion: there is no better people, in the sense of peuple. In each of those countries, there are good and bad persons, people struggling to make sense of their lives, carrying their ancestors' legacy as a burden or as wings, consciously or unconsciously.
There are no superior people: simply persons challenged by their environment, who attack circumstances with the means they have, and try to make the world better for themselves. Mauritians are not superior because some of them read a lot and usually know four languages. Canadians are not superior because they belong to the second largest country in the world and are among the least corrupt in their dealings. Mauritius is not yet "one nation, one people" as goes our national anthem. We are "one nation, many peoples". Canada is not bilingual as it claims. It has individuals speaking a variety of languages living next to each other, often sharing either English or French, not both. Every nation still has objectives to reach, quests to attain.
There is no need to diminish what comes from other countries to feel good about one's own. We can learn what's relevant, and simply respect the rest as things that work for them, but not for us. We can be proud of our own achievements, irrespective of others. I will, I think, always be a little too proud of my country, but there is no right place for nationalistic chauvinism in this world.
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