France 2014 And How Some Things Never Change

Well it would seem that some things never change. The metro is still smelly, the macarons are still delicious, and Paris is...well it's still Paris, and I'm still a procrastinator. Much like last summer I am supposed to keep a blog of my adventures in Paris during my time here and my experience with my internship. Unfortunately time goes by so quickly in France that before you know it you're a month in and haven't yet posted...oops! However I am quickly repenting and will catch everyone up, that is if anybody besides my professor is interested in reading this...on my various escapades in the greatest country in Europe.....but don't tell the other Europeans! ;-)

This summer I have been fortunate enough to be able to return to my favorite city in the world, Paris!!! I don't know what I did to deserve yet another summer in Paris, but I think it is starting to become a tradition....an expensive tradition but one that I would definitely like to continue. This time I am doing an internship with an organisation called "Les Petis Frères des Pauvres", which literally translated into English is "Little Brothers of the Poor". Here is their mission statement, taken from their american chapter website:

"In 1939, and after a long intellectual and spiritual process, Armand Marquiset decided to dedicate his life to the poor. This project was carried out in 1946 with the creation in France of the association of les petits frères de Pauvres. He particularly committed himself in helping elderly destitute people. To love the poorest as brothers and to help them as much as possible: those were Armand Marquiset’s driving forces.

The action of the les petits frères de Pauvres is still achieved today around these fundamental values of respect and brotherhood. Volunteers and staff offer a long term accompaniment to allow people to rebuild their lives, to weave relational networks and to be released from their isolation."

I absolutely love this! I don't want  to sound soapboxy, but I firmly believe that the elderly should not be forgotten. They should be loved, respected, and taken care of in their old age. Thankfully there are organizations like Les Petits Frères that also believe in this and hundreds of "bénévoles", volunteers, who aid in the cause. I have the wonderful opportunity of visiting people each week, spending time with  them, talking, and listening to whatever it is they want to share. I find it incredibly rewarding, and at times quite fatiguing and sad to hear stories about those that feel they are alone in the world in their old age, but I feel that the good quite outweighs any negative side effects.

It's getting late and we are going to the catacombs early tomorrow morning, so thank you for reading and I will post a lot more tomorrow! :)