Jul

The Interdependence of Independence

by Meredith Mullins on July 4, 2017

A symbol of freedom
© VStock LLC

Crossing Cultures in Celebration of Independence Day

It’s July. Our thoughts are drifting to . . . beaches, heat-quenching thunderstorms, easy summer reading, lazy days, and, oh yes . . . freedom.

Independence is in the air. Especially for an American living in France. (C’est moi.)

Large American flag and smaller French flags at the American Embassy Residence in Paris France, as we are crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

America and France cross cultures in celebration of independence at the
American Embassy Residence in Paris.
© Meredith Mullins

I feel fortunate to divide my time between two countries that celebrate their freedoms. It’s rewarding to walk down both paths of history. And it’s gratifying to have two occasions to party in the name of pride and patriotism—July 4th and July 14th.

Fireworks behind Statue of Liberty silhouette, a symbol of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Stockbyte.)

New York’s Statue of Liberty, a gift from France
© Stockbyte

France and the U.S.—Longtime Allies

America and France have much in common.

In the flag world, America’s red, white, and blue mirrors the tricolors of France’s blue, white, and red. Shared Statues of Liberty declare friendship among nations and freedom from oppression.

French statue of liberty, a symbol of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

France’s Statue of Liberty standing proud on an island in the Seine
© Meredith Mullins

Both countries mounted successful revolutions against monarchy and aristocracy, with several key leaders (Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, the Marquis de Lafayette) successfully crossing cultures and supporting the efforts of the other nation.

And both countries are dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Equality for all. Liberté, egalité, fraternité.

Sometimes these principles are difficult to implement, but they are emblazoned on documents and monuments so that we won’t forget.

So how should we celebrate these treasures? Especially in a world where freedom is currently a critical issue for so many countries.

Young girl with American flag at parade, part of crossing cultures to celebration Independence Day. (Image © iStock/SaraPlacey.)

Celebrating the 4th of July
© iStock/SaraPlacey

The 4th of July: Independence Day

In France, much of the American expat community pauses on or around July 4th to pay tribute to the seeds of their democracy—commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Fourth of July picnic, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © iStock/bhofact2.)

The 4th of July picnic: Stars, stripes, and burgers.
© iStock/bhofact2

As America celebrates with parades, picnics, and fireworks, we in France rustle up a feeling of America. We seek out hot dogs and hamburgers. We abandon our croissants and espresso and have a morning meal at Breakfast in America, a restaurant that brings us the familiar American taste of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

We visit American bars in Paris, such as Harry’s New York Bar made famous with its invention of the Bloody Mary and its hosting of the hard drinking Ernest Hemmingway.

Hot dog at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

A real American hot dog at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris (that’s pickle relish in the glass, not a newfangled Harry’s cocktail.)
© Meredith Mullins

We organize backyard BBQs, or we hope for an invitation to the elegant party at the American Embassy and Residence (this year also celebrating the centennial of the U.S. entry into WWI.)

WWI soldiers at the American Embassy party in France, part of crossing cultures to celebrate Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The American Embassy 4th of July party also commemorated the centennial of
the U.S. entry into WWI.
© Meredith Mullins

Stars and stripes abound, and the national anthem plays (and still grabs at the heart even when your home country is thousands of miles away).

There is also a ceremony at the Picpus Cemetery in Paris at the grave of Lafayette to honor his important role in Franco-American history.

Lafayette not only fought in the American Revolution, but also secured full French support for the cause. He later worked with Thomas Jefferson to establish trade agreements between the two countries.

When the U.S. entered World War I to support the French, an American flag was placed at Lafayette’s grave and an aide declared, “Lafayette, we are here! Nous voilà.”

General Lafayette Statue Lafayette Park in Washington DC, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © iStock/bpPerry.)

A tribute to Lafayette in Washington D.C.
© iStock/bpperry

The 14th of July: Fête Nationale/Bastille Day

The 14th of July goes by many names in France—La Fête Nationale, Quatorze Juillet, and Bastille Day.

Originally called Fête de la Féderation, this day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 marking the beginning of the Revolution.

The day also pays tribute to the official Declaration of Independence (in 1790), with its ideal that we are “born free and remain free and equal in rights.”

Jets trailing blue, white, and red of the French flag on Bastille Day, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Bastille Day begins with tricolor glory.
© Meredith Mullins

The day of celebration begins with a roar and a rattling of roofs. Jets from the French Air Force fly in formation down the Seine, leaving a trail of tricolor patriotism.

They are followed by an air show of military planes, giving us a lesson in history and a cogent reminder of the pervasiveness of war.

The Bastille Day military parade in Paris France, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The Bastille Day military parade down the Champs Elysées.
© Meredith Mullins

A parade down the Champs Élysées follows, with all branches of the military marching in synchronized step, followed by vehicles of military might and the majestic horses of the Republican Guard (Garde républicaine).

The Guard Republican on Bastille Day in Paris, part of crossing cultures in celebration of independence. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The Garde républicaine
© Meredith Mullins

The celebration continues at night around the Eiffel Tower, with a concert and an extensive, dramatically designed fireworks show (with this year’s theme of the Olympics), as the tower becomes an ever-changing part of the fiery and magical artistry.

Then, hundreds of thousands of people flood the streets, thinking not only of the meaning of freedom, but also of how to get home safely amidst the hordes.

Fireworks at the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The grand finale at the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day
© Meredith Mullins

The Future of Crossing Cultures

This year, a further step in crossing cultures is in progress, as newly elected President Macron invited President Trump for the festivities on 14 July. We hope for the best from this rendez-vous. There will, no doubt, be many “Oh, I See” moments.

My only wish is for an honest discussion of the real meaning of freedom and how to ensure equality for all.

We hold these truths to be self evident.

And I, for one, want to still feel that lump in my throat when the national anthem plays.

French and U.S. flags at the American Embassy Residence in Paris France, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Keeping friends and allies close
© Meredith Mullins

French wine in American colors, part of crossing cultures in celebration of Independence Day. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Happy Independence Day!
(French wine wrapped in stars and stripes)
© Meredith Mullins

Thank you to the American Embassy in Paris for an invitation to the Fourth of July celebration, to Harry’s New York Bar for the great hot dog, and to Breakfast in America for a real American treat of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 3 Comments

Crossing Cultures/France/France (Paris)/USA

Jun

More Than a Travel Mascot

by Joyce McGreevy on June 26, 2017

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, dressed for Maui, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

“Have pawsport, will travel,” that’s Bedford’s motto.
© Joyce McGreevy

To See the World Differently,
Take Your Travel Buddy

I have a confession. Although my posts for OIC Moments suggest I’m a solo traveler, that’s not the whole story. Truth is, I never travel without a guide. To some, he’s just a “travel mascot.” To me he’s much more, a travel buddy who helps me see the world differently.

Bedford, take a bow. And a bow-wow.

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, dressed in Scottish tartan, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Testing the tartan in Scotland . . .
© Joyce McGreevy

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, sipping tea in Istanbul, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

. . . and the tea in Turkey.
© Joyce McGreevy

Gnome on the Range

Seeing the world with a travel mascot is nothing new, of course. In the 1980s, an Australian man decided that his neighbors’ garden gnome needed to get out more. Photos he sent back anonymously featured the gnome at famous landmarks.

Cue the surge in gnome-nabbings, elfin escapades, and photographic tomfoolery. Petite plaster pilgrims began popping up around the planet. Gnomes roamed to every continent, even Antarctica.

The World Is Flat Stanley’s

Then there’s the “Flat Stanley” phenomenon. What began in the 1960s as a dad’s whimsical bedtime story for his sons grew into a worldwide literacy project.

Kids send forth a paper cutout of Flat Stanley to discover fascinating places and people around the world. Today’s tech-savvy students can even launch a digital Stanley via smartphone. Students then collect photos and write about Stanley’s adventures.

Travel buddy Flat Stanley, shown at Doonagore Castle, Doolin, Ireland, inspires students to see the world differently. (Image © Jules Larkin)

He’s flat, but his world is wide: Flat Stanley at Doonagore Castle, Doolin, Ireland.
© Jules Larkin

Best in Travel Show

But the most famous travel mascot of all is Charley.

You know him from John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley: In Search of America, the 1961 memoir that inspired millions of readers to see the world differently. Here’s how Steinbeck introduced his travel buddy:

“He was born in Bercy on the outskirts of Paris and trained in France, and while he knows a little Poodle-English, he responds quickly only to commands in French. Otherwise he has to translate, and that slows him down.”

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown with books about traveling dogs, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Bedford drops subtle hints that he’s itching to travel.
© Joyce McGreevy

From Portland to Every Land

Which brings us to my own travel buddy.

I first met Bedford while I was, uh, conducting a thorough study of American cultural artifacts at a Goodwill in Portland, Oregon. There among relics that, in technical terms, included bric-a-brac, knickknacks, and whatchamacallits, I found a diminutive cloth canine lying face down.

Concerned that this downward facing dog might remain lost amid the archaeological middens, I resolved to secure him a residency.

So I set him upright at eye level, directed his gaze toward the main door, and tilted his head fetchingly. Thus, I reasoned, the very next person to see him would be captivated.

My good deed done, I walked away. But then I glanced back to check the effect.

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown at the Bosporus, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

That was 15 years ago. Since then, my Oregonian pal has adopted the name Bedford. Inspired by Bedford Falls in It’s a Wonderful Life, it also honors Bedford’s penchant for tumbling out of bed every morning in his eagerness to begin the day. Funny, I know just how he feels.

Business Travels with Bedford

Initially, Bedford’s travels were limited to business trips. Many a late night editorial slog benefited from his dogged assistance.

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown with laptop, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

He traveled undercover in those days, hidden in the checked luggage. Neither of us breathed a word about his existence to my colleagues lest they raise questions of seriousness.

As in “Seriously? You travel with a little toy dog?”

Which simply wasn’t the case. One, I’m rarely serious. And two, who are you calling a toy?

Bedford, Come Home!

It was on a business trip to Denver that my luggage went missing. But it wasn’t the replaceable business wardrobe that concerned me.

Looking back on it now—as one who’s since embraced her inner Pippi Longstocking—I’m not ashamed to tell you that I was thunderstruck with sadness. Yes, over a little cloth dog.

Several anxious hours later, my luggage resurfaced. Another passenger had mistaken it for his own. It was then that I made a Big Decision: It was time for Bedford to come out of the suitcase.

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown with tiny travel gear, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

“A Dog Is a Bond Between Strangers”

So wrote Steinbeck, and it’s proved true of Bedford. This global Citizen Canine has:

facilitated delightful conversations with families from Amsterdam to Zagreb
coaxed smiles out of blasé sophisticates, weary waiters, and grouchy bureaucrats
and inspired many a business traveler to change the subject from marketing platforms to childhood memories.

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown with Irish children, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

I guess there’s just something about spotting a cheery canine character beside you in trains, planes, cafés, and long lines that helps break down social barriers.

Not to be dogmatic, but I believe Bedford has contributed to a pup-surge in pawsitive international relations. He loves all cultures, and understands every language except cynicism.

As Steinbeck noted of Charley, “This is a dog of peace and tranquility.”

A toy canine travel mascot named Bedford, shown at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, inspires his human travel buddy to see the world differently. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Oh, I see: If this mini alumnus of Goodwill “University” can graduate into a global goodwill ambassador, maybe there’s hope for the rest of us rovers.

With or without a canine traveling companion, we can see the world differently. It starts when we unleash our natural instincts for warmth and good humor.

Have you ever had a travel mascot or travel buddy? How did this help you see the world differently?

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 1 Comment

Art of Travel/Life Lessons/Worldwide Sites/Your Own Aha Moments

Jun

Traveling the World through a Single Ghostly Garden

by Meredith Mullins on June 19, 2017

Indochina structure in the Jardin d'Agronomie Tropicale, one of the hidden gardens in Paris where you are traveling the world. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Hidden Gardens of Paris

Sometimes the places that are hidden in plain view are often the most interesting—places where you can create your own stories as you wander or where you can dig deep into obscure research and weave threads of information into a rich history.

Such a place is the lost Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale (Garden of Tropical Agriculture) on the outskirts of Paris at the northeastern edge of the Bois de Vincennes.

Meredith Mullins 5 Comments

France (Paris)/Nature Discovery

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The Interdependence of Independence