Random thoughts

When I was taking my first French class at the Embassy shortly after moving here there was a protest.  We were in class and the teacher was trying to yell over the buzz of the helicopter.  I was having a hard time paying attention because of all of the noise outside, wondering if I should be worried about making it out alive.  One of my classmates must have felt the same and asked if some of the noises we were hearing were gunshots.  I'm glad she asked because I thought they were.  That is when I found out it is illegal to own a gun here and the noise was just firecrackers.  I was comforted by that as I did not see myself pushing through throngs of screaming people waving guns.  My fellow student asked if we could ride the metro home together and after class we braved the street as two scared mothers not sure how we would push our way through the crowd.  That's when I was grabbed by someone behind me and was happy to see it was my husband who came to help us get through the crowd to the metro station.  I was happy to leave the helicopters, screaming people and firecrackers behind.  Protests happen often here but are usually peaceful and I make sure to avoid them.  

I had the opportunity to take a French class with people from all over the world. I spent many, many hours with them each week.  I was definitely an outsider and one of the only women not wearing a headscarf.  I had the opportunity to get to know the people who spoke a little English and learn more about them and their cultures.  I rode the bus home with a young man from a middle eastern country a few times.  I helped him with his English and we had many conversations about life where we were from.  Sometimes in class, he would draw pictures in his notebook or act out what he wanted to know the English word for.  He was 21 years old and left his family behind so he could start a new life in a better place.  I thought of how strong he was to leave all of his family behind going to a country where he didn't speak the language without being able to see them for months, or maybe even years.  One of the things he said that struck me the most, "I bet it's really nice to live in a country where you feel safe".  I know that I have always taken that for granted in the past.  I would go out of my door every day with no thought of making it where I was going unharmed.  It's a nice feeling.  A reoccurring opinion when people found out I was an American - Wow!  You are so lucky! - and I am.  Although our country has problems overall we are very blessed.