Janet Hulstrand's Blog, page 12
June 4, 2020
Minneapolis, City of Lakes…and Police Brutality
I am from a city in Minnesota called Minneapolis.
It is a place that, until recently, was not very well known outside of the United States, and even, to some degree, within the United States.
Minneapolis is a beautiful city of lakes and parks. It is a city that is rich in cultural activities and the arts. It is very cold there in the winter, and the winter is long. And it is my beloved hometown. That is how I have always thought of it, until now.
But now everyone in the world knows that Minneapolis is also the place where last week a horrific act of murder was committed, by a police officer, as three other police officers stood by and did nothing, or actively aided and abetted the murderer.
And that the outrage over that murder–combined with the cumulative weight of so many many many terrible murders before it–has rocked our nation and spread a cry of fury, anguish, and vigorous protest around the world.
It’s about time.
I am filled with both grief and shame over the treatment of this man, George Floyd. I grieve for his family, and for the families of so many other African Americans, and others, who have suffered for not just decades but centuries from this horrific kind of hatred, this unspeakable, unfathomable, unforgivable violence.
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I don’t, and can’t, understand it. It sickens me. And I don’t really know what to say about it except that this murder–captured on camera so that anyone who can bear to watch can see it–does seem to perhaps be the last straw.
I hope it is.
Yesterday I saw a news clip of George Floyd’s six-year-old daughter, whose mother has not yet told her exactly what happened to him. All she knows is that her father is gone, that he died “because he couldn’t breathe,” and that huge crowds of people are calling out his name. “My Daddy changed the world,” this innocent child has said. It is heartbreaking.
Will his unnecessary, terrible death change the world?
Right now, nothing is certain, and things are not good in the not-very-United States of America. In many cities, the police are acting out violently, out of control. The president is completely incompetent (to say the least). The Republican leadership (still, unbelievably) stands by and does nothing.
It’s hard not to despair.
But that is not a choice. It’s not a choice.
Americans tend to feel that “failure is not an option.” But when it comes to humane treatment of our black brothers and sisters, the truth is, we’ve been failing for far too long. Failing, and failing, and failing again.
Our president promised to bring “winning” back to our nation. Somehow I don’t think he defines winning in the same way I do.
But I trust–and fervently hope–that we can start winning the only game that counts.
That we can find a way to love, and support, and help each other through this terrible terrible mess we’re in.
Janet Hulstrand is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who divides her time between the U.S. and France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and is currently working on her next book, a literary memoir entitled “A Long Way from Iowa.”
May 28, 2020
Déconfinement Day 17: France Slowly Reopens
I remember one time, years ago, after spending a month in Paris and then heading south to visit friends in Provence, being struck with the not-very-original but nonetheless unavoidable thought that, though many people do not think of it that way, France is really, primarily, an agricultural nation.
In a small rural village, like where I live now, at this time of year crops become a matter of general interest. Even if you’re not personally involved in agriculture, you can’t help but notice the growing and thriving of things. Where I am, in southern Champagne near the Burgundian border, the main crop is the grapes used to make champagne, but there are a few others. And right next to our home are some fields of some of them: this year, wheat, colza, cow vetch. Last year there were sunflowers.
It is very pleasant, living next to a field. You can watch the wheat grow, changing in not only size but color–from green, to a greenish kind of blue, to gold–as it matures. Once on an evening walk, I could swear I even heard it growing. I hesitate to mention this because I know it makes me sound a little bit crazy. The sound was very faint and I didn’t hear it for very long. …but I swear to God I heard it. It was a kind of very soft whisper–kind of like fairies would whisper, if there were fairies–as I recall.
Anyway, in case anyone wants to know about the possibility of this being a real thing, here you go. And I say, what goes for corn goes for wheat as well…
That’s how quiet it is here.
I do have several friends who are vignerons, and what I have learned from one of them this week is that the vines are about to flower, a month ahead of schedule. And that they do not expect a very big crop this year. It’s supposed to be another long, hot, dry summer. We shall see…
Meanwhile, France is beginning to very slowly and carefully come out of the strict lockdown the country has been in for two and a half months now. Apparently the first two weeks of déconfinement have gone well enough that the government feels confident that, as of June 2, they can lift many of the restrictions, including the one restricting travel more than 100 kilometers away from one’s home. Here are the main details of what Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced today, and what will change on June 2.
As for me, I’m staying here. Keeping fingers crossed that all continues to go well as people begin to slowly, carefully go on about their lives in a somewhat less restricted way. And enjoying another string of beautiful days and the fact that my sons are here to share them with me…
[image error]Acacia tree in bloom. Photo by Janet Hulstrand.
Prenez soin de vous, tout le monde…keep wearing those masks, and keep washing those hands. And stop touching your face! 
May 17, 2020
Déconfinement Day 8
Well we are one week into déconfinement. Such a feeling of liberation, now that we don’t have to take an attestation with us every time we venture outside of the boundaries of our home! (Though we are still required to stay within 100 kilometers unless we have a very good, and strictly defined–defined by the French government–reason for going further than that…)
We are still being very careful though, and of course we need to be, because with everyone suddenly coming out of confinement, I am assuming that that automatically raises the general risk of being infected by the virus. (That is my own very simple layperson’s interpretation, I have not heard anyone say exactly that: but it must be true, no?)
So. I am still waiting to do much of anything, outside of walks outside and the occasional trip to our little Casino supermarket here in town, so I can at least start helping my son carry groceries back home. He has been such a huge help to me throughout the lockdown! When restaurants are open again and it is safe for us to travel he is going to enjoy a very fine meal, my treat! Or maybe we will just stay right here in Essoyes and eat at our own very fine hotel restaurant, Les Demoiselles, with its magnificent view of Essoyes and the surrounding vineyards.
[image error]Together again, and so grateful for it…
Déconfinement has made it possible for my older son to join us now, too, from the place he was sheltering in place with friends in the south of France: so we are together again, and I am thanking my lucky stars for that.
None of us know one blessed thing about gardening, but today there was talk of us taking the bold step of trying to learn something so we can grow some of our own little “victory garden.” (Please do NOT “stay tuned.” I will let you know if we have any success at all, I promise! )
I continue to watch the news from home with sadness and concern. And I guess that is all I will say about that; except that I am very very sorry that because of the way things have been handled there, many dear friends and family members are not going to be allowed into Europe anytime soon… 
May 11, 2020
Déconfinement Day 1
Well, today is the day that France begins to progressively, and slowly open up again, after eight weeks of quarantine. With an emphasis on the word “slowly.”
Last Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and several members of his cabinet (including the ministers of health, education, labor, the interior, and the economy) unveiled the details of the plan to the nation on television, complete with colorful maps and charts that showed the current situation in various parts of the country. The prime minister explained that France is basically divided into two for this first stage of déconfinement. Most likely due to the very strict quarantine we’ve been under, much of the country is at this time, thankfully, relatively free of active circulation of the virus. This part (mostly the southern and western parts of the country) has been designated “green,” which means that the rules for this new period of gradual reopening (which will be in place until at least June 2) will be a bit less constrained than in the “red” parts of the country, mainly Ile de France (which is Paris and the surrounding area), and Le Grand Est, which is in the northeastern part of the country. (Essoyes is included in this “red” area.)
Throughout the country, whether in the red areas, or in the green ones, there are some universal rules that must be followed during this period of progressive reopening. Restaurants, cafes, and bars will not be reopened yet. People are now required to wear masks on all forms of public transport, and are encouraged to do so in other public places as well. (Masks are being distributed by town halls, free to the public, across the country for this purpose). Special permission is required in order to travel more than 100 kilometers away from one’s home. And France’s borders will continue to be closed to people coming in from non-EU countries.
We are also advised, as we begin to be socialize with each other again, that the safest way to do this is to remember to keep a safe distance from each other and follow all the other rules of safe conduct that we’ve been taught in the past eight weeks. For example, it was specifically advised on television last night, that it is better to have small social gatherings held outside for the time being.
As if Mother Nature herself wanted to emphasize the importance of all this, much of France woke up today to a very rainy day–a rain that is much needed, in fact.
To be honest, I haven’t yet figured out all the details of the stricter rules for the red zone. These things will be clarified and explained in the days to come. All I know for sure is that from now on I don’t have to carry an attestation de déplacement every time I venture outside of our yard, and now I can go much farther away from it than 1 kilometer.
But I also know that I am still advised to stay home as much as possible, and to continue to observe the gestes barrieres. (Wearing masks when in public; keeping 2 meters away from others; no handshaking! Much washing of hands…and so on…)
And to exercise common sense. So I will!
As I mentioned in my last post, Friday was a holiday: the national day of commemoration of V-E Day. The customary homage paid to those who paid the ultimate price to deliver France from Nazi occupation was observed here in Essoyes, but it was only the mayor and his adjoints who attended this time. However, the whole thing was filmed and shared live, so that those villagers who are accustomed to participating in this annual commemoration could do so, at least vicariously, this year too. And so, as the mayor and his adjoints began the ceremony at the war memorial next to the church, then proceeded to three different sites in the village to lay flowers to honor those who had helped to win back France’s freedom, a dedicated and intrepid local videographer filmed the whole thing. I watched the whole thing too, and was happy to be able to do so.
The mayor and his deputies all wore masks, providing the public with a reminder of how important mask-wearing will be in keeping the virus from spreading going forward. I noticed that at the end of the reading of the official proclamation that it is always read on this day, the final words spoken were Vive la République; Vive la France…et Emmanuel Macron. I was a bit surprised to hear the president’s name added to this list: I don’t think I have ever heard that before.
But, well. He’s got a hard job, and I think he’s been doing a pretty good job at it. And so–at least to me–it seems perfectly appropriate to include his name this year. He needs the support and the good wishes of the public. We’re all in this together, but he’s got a heavier weight on his shoulders than most people.
Although middle schools, high schools, and universities remain closed, and will be continuing remote instruction, the elementary school in Essoyes was to open its doors again today. In yet another kind and spontaneous gesture, a young woman who grew up in Essoyes and now lives in nearby Troyes took it upon herself to sew masks for every single one of the returning children. And she asked to remain anonymous. I find this kind of selfless generosity very moving indeed.
It is, I believe, a very good example of what is meant by solidarité.
And so, that is my report for this week. Stay well everyone: and if you are venturing out into the world, wherever you are, remember all we’ve learned about this nasty virus during these eight weeks, and prenez soin de vous.
Courage! et bonne continuation…
[image error]Photo by Janet Hulstrand.
Janet Hulstrand is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who divides her time between the U.S. and France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and is currently working on her next book, a literary memoir entitled “
A Long Way from Iowa.”
May 5, 2020
Lockdown in Essoyes: Day 49
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Well another “D” day is fast approaching: May 11 is the day that France will begin to slowly enter into a measured, and very careful period of déconfinement. I am not going to go into much detail about it, partly because it is very complicated, and even more because it is still changing a bit from day to day. Some people are annoyed about that: as for me, I’m glad that the French authorities are more concerned with making sure we enter into the next stage of “life with the cornonavirus” as safely as possible, even if it means they have to change their minds, or change course, from one day to the next. What this means is that they are a) listening to medical and scientific authorities and b) trying to err on the side of caution. I hope!
May 1 was a national holiday in France, as it in many countries, as a day of international honoring of workers. But of course, with everyone still confined to their homes it was a pretty quiet celebration this year. It is also the day when French people celebrate a sweet custom that goes back to 1561 when King Charles IX of France was given a sprig of lilies of the valley (muguets des bois in French), and he decided to make it an annual tradition to give these lovely spring flowers to the ladies of his court, as a “porte bonheur.” This year I received several electronic muguets des bois from French friends. And they did indeed bring me happiness.
May 8 is a national holiday also: it is the day the French remember V-E day, the day Europe was liberated from Nazi occupation, and throughout France, in little villages and in large cities alike, it is always solemnly observed. The way this holiday is marked is similar to the way Armistice Day is observed in November. In both cases flowers are laid at the war memorial next to the church, and in the cemetery, and at one of the several spots in town that mark the sacrifices of members of the French resistance who gave their lives pour la France…Always on these two holidays, at precisely 11 a.m. the church bells ring, to remind everyone of the massive sacrifices that were made to return France to freedom from tyranny. Usually there is a solemn procession of villagers who follow the mayor as he makes the rounds of these monuments, and lays the flowers.
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This week we were informed, in a special issue of the quarterly newsletter published by the mairie devoted to news about the period of confinement, and announcements and advice about the upcoming period of déconfinement, that this year on May 8 only the mayor and his deputies will perform these ritual acts of recognition. (The point being, it will be done.) We were all invited to take a moment precisely at 11 am to observe a moment of silence (another point being, we should do this in our homes, or failing that, at least while still observing the rules of social distancing); to honor those who gave their lives pour la France.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. It has been most impressive how well the local leaders, and the citizenry, of Essoyes have risen to the challenge of managing life under suddenly quite different terms than what we are all used to. The daily posts on our Facebook page, letting everyone know anything new and important that we need to know; honoring, thanking, and recognizing those members of the community who have continued to provide essential services throughout this period; and in general cheering us up and keeping us well informed has been most appreciated by me and I am sure by everyone else too. And, among many other acts of selfless service to others, the beautiful masks that were created and distributed without charge to members of the community are keeping everyone safer; and the love, care, and even enthusiasm that went into making them is really very touching.
The mayor’s letter on the front page of the special issue of the newsletter was serious, inspiring, grateful, and cautionary by turns. He began by reminding Essoyens that despite the challenges of the day, we are “doubly lucky” here in this lovely little village in Champagne. One, to live in the country, where most of us can get fresh air easily and every day, and those who have gardens have been able to enjoy an exceptionally sunny month of spring weather outside tending them. And we are also lucky to live in a village where really all the basic necessities of life are available (which is in fact one of the reasons we chose to buy a home here: that despite the fact that Essoyes is a very small village, only 750 people, it really does have all the necessities of life close at hand). The mayor also thanked the city council and the people of Essoyes for the extraordinary spirit of solidarity and goodwill that have prevailed throughout this period.
The cautionary part came toward the end of his letter, where he reminded us that “We are living in an extremely complicated moment in time: I don’t know whether there will be a ‘before’ and an ‘after.’ I only hope that this extraordinary spirit of solidarity will endure; that it will be a positive result of this crisis.”
Now we have to figure out how to get out of this period safely. As the leaders of France, from our mayor to the president, the prime minister, the minister of health, and others are continually reminding us, the period of déconfinement we are about to enter is a risky one. Which means it is really more of a scary prospect than a joyful one. On May 11, we will NOT be able to start jumping up and down for joy, and hugging each other. Unfortunately. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we could…
April 28, 2020
Lockdown in France: Day 42
Well what is interesting of course is how it gets harder to be patient with the lockdown with each passing day: but also one must acknowledge that, having recognized the danger and the threat out there, and the incredibly robust contagiousness of this virus, the thought of returning “to normal” is pretty damn scary. In fact, one of the hardest things about this whole thing is realizing that we won’t be “going back to normal.” At all. Ever. Probably.
So. It’s probably time to come to terms with that.
Today France began its first tentative step toward reopening the country with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s speech to the Assemblée Nationale, in which he announced how the government would go about the process of déconfinement. What we can count on; what we cannot. And how things will proceed probably. (It still depends on things we don’t know yet. The French government is working closely with the scientific and medical communities in tracking the epidemic and deciding what it will be safe to do when; and exactly how.)
But it does look like as of May 11 things will begin to open up a bit. My older son will be able to leave the place in Provence where he has spent the period of quarantine. Hopefully he will be able to come here for a while and do his work as a journalist from here, since teleworking is still the best means of working for everyone who can do it that way. It looks like my younger son will be able to return to his position as a teaching assistant in Lille, working with very young children. Across France we will no longer need to carry an attestation stating the reason we have left our homes, and we will be able to stay out for longer than an hour, and go farther away from our homes than one kilometer. But there will still be special permission required for going more than 100 kilometers.
Masks are being produced as quickly as possible so that everyone can have one by May 11. And the production of tests has been ramped up also, so that the “Protect, Test, Isolate” strategy of the government announced yesterday can be effectively carried out.
The strategy of strict confinement has been pretty effective in France. The Prime Minister reported yesterday that since April 13 the “bad” numbers (deaths, people on life support) have begun slowly but steadily to move downward; and the “good” numbers (people safely released from hospital, numbers of tests and masks available, etc.) have begun to move up. (That’s my simplistic language, not his
April 21, 2020
Lockdown in France, Day 35
Last week I was gathering dandelions in our yard, which is wonderfully full of dandelions. Because (did you know this?) dandelions are NOT weeds, they are very useful plants with a host of healthful options to offer us, everything from salad, to tea, to dandelion wine. They also are very important for bees, and bees are important for US. (So, not to go off on this tangent: but if you are still killing dandelions, please STOP KILLING DANDELIONS!!!!)
This week was different: a couple of projects had me busy at my computer. And then, toward the end of the week, everything got a bit complicated. First, I fell (on my face–again!) on my nightly .5 kilometer walk across the field.
I say “again” because I pulled a similar trick about a year ago in Paris. I am tempted to call this my annual “spring fall” except I am really hoping it is not an annual thing. (That time in Paris I landed on asphalt. This time I landed on gravel. There are interesting differences to note, but I will spare you the details…)
Anyway, I was pretty sure that I had also fractured my ankle again. But, hallelujah, and long story short, I did not! It is getting better WAY too fast for that to have been the case, and today our village doctor confirmed that it is not broken, not even fractured, pshew. And, in general, this was a much less serious fall for a number of reasons I won’t go into either…
Then my chest started to hurt. Oh, for goodness sake, now what? Do I call the doctor? thought I. Surely he has more urgent cases on his hand; surely I should wait at least a few days and see if it gets better.
Which I did. But then it didn’t get better, it got worse. And it kept kind of getting worse and worse…So I started doing the required internet research, and read enough to think that probably it was prudent to at least call him, describe my concern, and see what he said.
Another long story short, he came here, checked all my vital signs (and my ankle), gave me a couple of prescriptions to ease the pain in my chest, and ordered a COVID test. (Which the village nurse came and performed here in our home.)
I’m not the first one to say it, but these people are heroes. They are. Let’s all remember that “when this is over…” and make sure they are appropriately rewarded for their brave, humanitarian service. And I mean really rewarded. More than just heartfelt thank-yous, nice as those are…
So, we shall see what we shall see. The test has been taken, the verdict is out. The medicine is making me feel a little bit better and I am forcing myself to take it easier, and rest more than I accustomed to doing.
My younger son is here with me, he is a wonderful musician, a wonderful young man, and a much better cook than I am. And he is taking such good care of me.
[image error]Spring has sprung in Essoyes…Photo by Janet Hulstrand
And so, that is my report for this week. Very personal, very self-centered I suppose. Except I want to note that the heroes of this post are, once again, those health care workers (and others) who are out there every day helping us get through this.
All the rest of us have to do is PLEASE just do what they say. Which is mainly: STAY HOME! (And enjoy it…why not?)
April 14, 2020
Lockdown in France, Continued…
The colza is in bloom…Photo by Janet Hulstrand
I love our home in Champagne, and I love living in our quiet, but busy, little village, Essoyes, here in the Côte des Bars.
And it’s a good thing that I love spending time here: because I will not be going anywhere except to the village and back on my daily walks until at least May 11.
I feel so lucky, and so grateful, to be here during this time.
Last week was Holy Week. And although there could be no church services this year, on Palm Sunday at noon the bells in our church rang out joyfully.
On Maundy Thursday at 7:00 in the evening they rang again, this time solemnly.
And on Easter Sunday they rang joyfully again at noon.
Every night the citizens of Essoyes continue to flood the town with music at 8:00 pm as their way of thanking those who are continuing to provide essential services during the lockdown. They are beginning to vary the song: last night this song was played, in homage to a family member of several Essoyens who died yesterday, and whose funeral mass could not be largely attended because of the confinement.
The night before this was the song selected for sharing in the streets of Essoyes.
Crayons and line drawings were distributed to the children of the village the week before last, and last week the resulting artwork was displayed around town in the windows and on the walls of the businesses that remain open, and at the mairie. A nice (and appropriately educational) activity for the children, and a cheering sight indeed for all.
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The mairie and some of the businesses in the village are displaying artwork celebrating “nos heroes quotidiennes” created by the children of the village…
Last night my son and I, along with millions of Frenchmen and women, watched and listened carefully to President Emmanuel Macron as he outlined the steps ahead for France as the country attempts to gain control of the coronovirus epidemic, and slowly begin a return to normalcy.
The main points were: France will continue to remain on strict lockdown until at least May 11. The borders will be closed to entry from non-EU countries until further notice. The French government is doing, and will continue to do everything it can to preserve both the lives and health of its citizens, and to find ways to address the inevitable economic consequences of this situation, and help those who need help.
Like his previous speeches during this crisis, Macron was calm, clear, and very candid (“…we still have several months of living with this virus..”). He started by praising all those who have worked tirelessly, unselfishly, bravely to attempt to defeat this thing. He urged everyone to continue to take the rules of confinement very seriously. He emphasized that although the period of confinement has been moderately successful in slowing down the advance of the disease, the epidemic is not under control, and that the continued vigilance of everyone is essential in order for this goal to be achieved. He explained some of the concrete actions the extended period of confinement will allow the government to put into place in preparation for a slow return to normalcy, including the provision of masks to all who want them and the amassing of a sufficient number of tests, so that after May 11 those who show symptoms of the disease can be tested. He stressed that both public and private resources have been aggressively mobilized to work together to adequately address this crisis.
And he said that as of May 11 there will be an attempt to begin to return to normalcy, step by step. Progressively reopening the schools, beginning in the primary and secondary levels, will be among the first steps, as he explained, because “…there is an inequality in that there are those who don’t have access to the internet and can’t be helped by their parents.” This is only a tiny step toward addressing all of the many inequalities that really need to be made, of course. But it is a step in the right direction. One can only hope (and work together to demand) that this priority does not get lost sight of once things are more or less back to normal again.
I hope I have more or less accurately summarized what he said. You can read some of the details about the speech here, and you can see a video of it here. I assume that soon there will be a transcript of the speech available, but I couldn’t find one before I pressed “publish” on this post this morning.
What was most comforting about this speech in addition to the calm intelligence throughout was the humility, the transparency, in other words the honesty of the president as he spoke to the nation. He who has been criticized for having a “Jupiter” complex was also uncharacteristically humble last night. (“We have to reinvent ourselves, and me first of all … We are vulnerable. I understand you have many questions and I would like to answer all of them. But I say in all humility, we don’t have definitive answers today.”)
I hope with all my heart and soul every day, along with many millions of my fellow Americans both at home and abroad, that something similar can begin to happen in the United States as soon as possible. I know that millions of U.S. citizens, and many of the state’s governors are doing all they can to prevent an even greater tragic loss of life than has already been suffered there. I hope that those leaders who have not yet joined them will do so soon. As soon as possible. It is hard to imagine what they are waiting for…
Meanwhile, in Essoyes, as elsewhere around the world, the coming of spring gives reason for hope.
Stay well, everyone. I’ll be back next week with another report. Until then, as they are saying here these days…Prenez soin de vous…
Janet Hulstrand is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who divid es her time between the U.S. and France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and is currently working on her next book, a literary memoir entitled “ A Long Way from Iowa.”
April 7, 2020
Lockdown, Day 21: The Everyday Heroes of Essoyes
Essoyes in Champagne. Photo by Janet Hulstrand.
I thought it would be nice this week to talk about what everyday life is like in Essoyes these days, beginning with talking about those who have been continuing to work, every day, while the rest of us do our best to stay home as much as possible.
I’d like to first of all thank the people here in Essoyes who are doing such a great job of helping keep us informed of all the things we need to know–from which businesses will be open each and every day, to updated information about the ever-evolving rules of confinement as they are distributed by the government, to warnings about some of those unkind people who are unfortunately taking advantage of the situation to steal, rob, or otherwise trick the innocent and unsuspecting.
March 30, 2020
Lockdown in France, Day 14
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Spring Wheat in Essoyes. Photo by Janet Hulstrand.
Well, we are going to be confined to our homes here in France for at least another two weeks. Nobody likes this idea: but all of us, especially those of us who are lucky enough to still be well (knock wood) also know that it is a shameful thing to complain about it.
We are reminded, by social media posts, and by each other in other ways, about all of the health care workers and others who have to continue working in this scary time, in order in one way or another to keep the rest of us alive, safe, well. We are reminded of the confinement Anne Frank and her family endured for several years, and for no good reason at all. We are reminded of the ongoing plight of the people of Syria and Yemen.
For goodness sake. And all we are “suffering” is missing out on the opportunity to roam the world freely, in safety and security, the way we are used to doing. In order to safeguard our health. We should be grateful (and I am!) that we are in a place where the government, and most citizens are doing their level best to get us all through this period of time as well as they can. Many of them–for example, the nephew of one of my best friends, who is a medical intern working in a resuscitation unit in a hospital in Reims–are risking their lives bravely, and with no complaint. We should all hope and pray for their health and safety, all the while knowing that not everyone will survive this dreadful scourge.
Here is what is new this week in France.
First of all, the period of confinement, which was originally scheduled for two weeks, has been extended for another two weeks at least, that is, until April 15. The rules concerning confinement have also been tightened: people are restricted to only one hour a day out of doors for exercise, and the exercise must be done strictly alone, and within a 1 kilometer radius of one’s home. There’s a new form anyone who is leaving their home must carry with them, with additional precision about the reasons for being outside one’s home that are permitted; and the form must now note the time of departure from one’s home.
The government is continuing to respond to the crisis in a very active, and proactive, way. For example, this weekend some patients were moved from hospitals in le Grand Est (which includes Champagne, and thus Essoyes) to other parts of France; and some to hospitals in Germany and Switzerland, in anticipation that the “peak” of the wave of people in need of intensive care in this part of France will occur sometime over the next week or so.
Train service has been vastly cut back (partly to allow for activities like the moving of patients, and also because as much as possible no one is supposed to be going anywhere!) And for the time being, postal deliveries will be delivered only three days a week (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) instead of the usual six.
I listened to Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of the Economy, being interviewed on television this morning. He said a couple of very interesting things. One of those things is that he believes that after this crisis is over, “a new capitalism, more respectful of people,” and more responsive to inequalities in the current economic system, needs to emerge. This is good to hear, because quite clearly the capitalism we currently have is not working very well. (In my opinion it never really has, but I won’t go there…)
Meanwhile the news from the U.S. gets worse and worse, and worse, and worse, on a daily basis. It is heartbreaking, it is appalling, and it is almost (but unfortunately not quite) unbelievable. It’s hard to know what to say about it anymore. The only slightly (kind of) good news is that in the absence of competent and humane national leadership, many governors and other local authorities are stepping up and doing what they can to protect the lives of their people and provide competent, sane, and compassionate leadership. But it’s pretty hard to do when they are deliberately blocked, and even mocked, at every turn.
However. Also meanwhile, people all over the world (including in the U.S.) are demonstrating just how creative people can be, especially in times where there is an urgent need for it. They are finding ways to work with each other; entertain each other; reach out to each other; even do yoga or other exercises together; and to provide each other with helpful information and encouragement through social media, new videoconferencing platforms, and “old-fashioned” means of communication like the telephone. Yesterday afternoon, when my eyes were too tired to read anymore, but I really longed for some poetry, I was able to “attend” a poetry reading from some years back at the University of Virginia. The internet can be, and I believe mostly is, a wonderful thing…
Here in Essoyes, some very dedicated volunteers are making sure that everyone is kept up to date on current developments and providing a means for people who need help to find it, through daily postings on a volunteer Facebook page. (They also organized the nightly musical tribute (at 8:00 pm) to “nos heroes quotidien” that I mentioned in my last post. Last week they also organized a coloring activity for the children of the village, who received printouts of pictures they could color, of some of those “everyday heroes” going about their work.) A very sweet, and thoughtful idea, and fun for the kids! The mayor and municipal council have also organized a network of volunteers to deliver food and other essential items to those who are in need of such help.
Last Wednesday night, by request of the bishops of France, church bells rang out across France for ten minutes, as a way of conveying strength, solidarity and comfort to the people caring for the sick, as well as those who are ill. My son and I listened to the bells of Essoyes from our yard as the sun set, and it was a beautiful thing to behold. I had promised to try to capture some of that for you on video, and I did try, but I failed. Fortunately my son succeeded in making a beautiful video but so far we have not been able to post it here due to “technical difficulties.” If we figure out how to do it I will post it here later…
Stay safe, everyone. Stay happy if you can. And stay well…until next week…
Janet Hulstrand is a writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who divid es her time between the U.S. and France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and is currently working on her next book, a literary memoir entitled “ A Long Way from Iowa.”
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