Marie asked me if I am really a francophile or just an admirer of Paris. I thought it was best to define my interest in France to explain why I call myself a Pinay Francophile.
Of course the “Pinay” portion is pretty obvious. But why a Pinay Francophile?
If you go to Webster.com, you will find this entry under francophile:
Pronunciation: ‘fra[ng]-k&-”fI(-&)l, -kO-
Variant(s): or Fran·co·phil 
/-”fil/
Function: adjective
: markedly friendly to France or French culture
- Francophile noun
Yes, I admire Paris — but I fell in love with this country and its people and culture in an altogether different way. I admire Boston and its quaint architecture and sense of history, I loved the buzz and the noise of Hong Kong (my first trips abroad from Manila were to this Asian New York).
Driving into Paris was a “slow reveal” of the majesty of the place. From the Charles de Gaule airport to the imposing Arc d’Triomphe, you see France unfolding. I was awed by the architecture preserved by France’s early capitulation to the conquering powers of World War II. So unlike England which suffered heavily during the bombing raids, walking or driving through modern day Paris, more so the inner streets, makes you feel as if you are being transported into the mid-20th century — just keep your sights above the ground level and don’t pay attention to the stores.
Even their gates or doorways at streetlevel which open into an inner alcove or driveway where other offices or houses may be are an interesting and arresting picture to capture.
Everywhere you look, you see art. In their lamp posts, the way they utilized space for advertising in the Metro, the way they built uniform newstands, and the way they preserved their history… While the Seine has obviously not escaped the ravages of pollution, the landscape on either side speaks of so much history.
I’ll be the first to admit that before this eye-opening visit to France, the most impactful facet of French culture to me was its cuisine. But when I saw how Paris was and I saw the treasures of the Louvre, its majestic cathedrals and Churches, I suddenly had a flashback of my days in college when I took European History and I found myself getting more interested in French History in particular. I have been trying to learn French to be able to speak it with ease although I haven’t spent all that much time of late to accomplish that goal.
I have been trying to get to know this country which I know is not just Paris but a much bigger landmass and home to different regional cultures. I don’t just admire Paris, I love French culture. While it is not a perfect culture like any other, I find my curiosity brimming at the thought of returning to France. It is a place I want to keep coming back to. Some places you visit and vacation in and chalk it up as one of the places you’ve been to and move on. Paris hit me with such an impact that I want to go back to Paris and see more of France the next time and each time I return. I dream of one day bringing my son there — when he’s old enough to appreciate the city for what it is — and sharing the experience with him.
It doesn’t make me love my home country or New York any less. And like I said in a previous post, other than Manila and New York, Paris is the next city I would like to find myself living in if I had the opportunity to.
Webster defines a Francophile as someone friendly to French culture — I even go past that, speaking for myself. The Pinay Francophile is someone who is in love with French culture. If I had an extra two hours I could free up in a week, I’d even go to French conversational meetings or find a conversation partner to learn the language better.
For now, I do it vicariously through Alan who shares what he learns form his colleagues in Paris with me. And there’s my favorite Frenchman, Alain — who shows me a side of the French beyond what the tourists see.
