15 Nov Paris’ Attacks

As all of you know probably know it, Paris has suffered numerous terrorist attacks this friday leading, to at least 130 deaths and 350 wounded for now.

First of all I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of all the people who lost someone this day. I for one have been extremely lucky and all my loved ones are fine. The hours that followed the beginning of the shooting have been extremely scary as I did not get news from all the people I know there right away, especially from my brother who took almost 4 hours before he was able to let us know he was fine. This anguis of not knowing if someone you love is alive or not is undescribable. I knpw Americans know all too well what it is like to have their country suffering from a terrorist attack and I really appreciate all the support they have shown to France. All the American I talk to, here in SFSU, sent me something to know I felt and if my family and friends were fine.

It’s complicated to be so far away from home when something like is happening. You’d like to be near your loved ones, hug them and spend some time with them because you realize you could loose them any time. It also seems extremely unreal. You know it is happening and yet it does not feel real. I was in Paris during the last terrorist attacks in January and it was actually less scary (also it was not the same thing).

Paris is the city in which I was borned and raised. Before I arrived in SF in August, I had never been away from my hometown more than two months. Paris is a wonderful city. Of course on an architectural level it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But also as an ideology, the city is extraordinary. I think that this text from the New York times who speaks about France in general (and is particularly representative of Paris), illustrates this perfectly:

“France embodies everything religious zealots everywhere hate: enjoyment of life here on earth in a myriad little ways: a fragrant cup of coffee and buttery croissant in the morning, beautiful women in short dresses smiling, the smell of warm bred, a bottle of wine shared with friends, a dab of perfume, children playing in the Luxembourg Gardens, the right not to believe in any god, not to worry about calories, to flirt and smoke and enjoy sex outside of marriage, to take vacations, to read any book you want, to go to school for free, to play, to laugh, to argue, to make fun of prelates and politicians alike, to leave worrying about the afterlife to the dead. No country does life on earth better than the French.”

Today Paris, France and a huge part of the rest of the world are mourning all those who have perished because of the actions of ignorant cowards. But this hardship will only make us stronger and after the mourning, Paris will once again be this joyful city where everybody can enjoy life as he/she wishes to. Those worshippers of death will never win.

We are not afraid!