Multicultural Streets of Paris...

BOULEVARD BELLEVILLE

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After long a due, I will take you on a tour of less visited areas in Paris... to the heart of a few multicultural districts. The avenue I live on parallels Boulevard Belleville, one of the principal "ethnic" veins of the city. Here you will find Moroccan tea salons, Tunisian dining, Algerian pastry shop, small storage-type stores selling every herb, spice and grain of the Orient. You'll also pass by a small strip of of Jewish merchants, clearly distinguishable by the Star of David on their signs. You'll spot many groups of old men, arms crossed, holding what "appears" to be serious discussions.

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On Tuesdays and Fridays this colorful, vibrant street is home to one of Paris' largest markets. It is nothing like the Saturday market in the 17th arrondissement. There are no rules, no codes. However, there is some variant of order in what first appears to be mad chaos; men shouting over one another driving their fruits and veggies down nickels and dimes throughout the day, loads of heavy set old ladies shoving their way through the crowds.

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The nose is overwhelmed by the melding of strong odors from bodies, tobacco and streams of hot exotic foods. The ears stress to decipher who is actually speaking french and who is speaking in a foreign tongue. African women travel together with packs of children, either comfortably tied to their back or dashing around nearby.

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ASIAN DISTRICT

Going up the boulevard, eventually you cross a street and are magically transported in to Asia. One street separates a sea of Arabic and African faces from a densely Asian populace. One beautiful Sunday, I spent several hours discovering the area. I can't help but to be very curious about these people and their culture. For one thing, I have so little exposure to them. I work in an office that offers aid to immigrants but we never see any Asian folk. I asked my boss lady about this because it makes no sense when you consider the large communities residing in and around Paris. She explained that first and foremost, there is a deeply embedded distrust for all that is State institution. For many, especially the Chinese, generations experiencing only persecution and corruption by their governments have taught them to depend only on themselves for whatever their needs might be. This also translates in to a genuine fear... apparently many would rather pay a person in the community designated to handle all administrative dealings, than inform themselves and take advantage of the vast social aids France offers.

But where do they all come from? How come we never see them pass through the immigration office? There are huge numbers of Asian "sans papiers" but they are a lot harder to catch or expulse because they remain below the radar. They do not disturb the system. They are extremely communitarian and very self-sufficient.

One of my boss lady's goals is to help this community realize all the goods and services available to them, many of them free of charge. We are working on creating a guide for immigrant dense communities that would break down all the associations and organizations, what they do and why. We are also trying to find ways to encourage exchanges so that these people don't suffer needlessly in their alienation.

RAMADAN

Ramadan in these predominantly Muslim neighborhoods is a huge event. I took a small detour almost every day after work to walk the streets during the festive hours just before sunset. Lots of people set up tables along the side walk selling home-made breads, butter, olives and pastries. Dried figs are sold on every corner.

There is also an abundance of beggars... mothers and children, old ladies and men taking advantage of this holy month for alms giving, one of the 5 pillars of the Muslim faith.

CRETEIL

Working with l'ASSFAM, I travel in many of the banlieus to attend workshops. They are aimed at helping new immigrants understand how France operates; social aid, the school system, how to find housing or a job, taxes, public transportation, healthcare, etc.

Unfortunately, whereas in the past workshops were taught over the course of several months, allowing educators to go in depth on different themes (by incorporating field trips and special guests such as school administrators, representatives from the power company, etc.) the government now wants all the classes to be uniform and all the info crammed in to one day. I've sat in on about 5, serving as a translator in 3. Since the workshop is based on voluntary participation, most people attending are pretty positive about being in France. A large portion are there primarily for information on how to find work. Unfortunately, there isn't too much we can do for them other than make them think realistically about what they are qualified to do and what types of opportunities exist. But regardless, the class is helpful... I'm sure some immigrants leave knowing more about how the different french institutions works than many citizens.

Questions