In reference to my previous blog-entry: THE FRENCH RIVERIA – THE LIFE OF GLAMOUR . . .

Since writing my somewhat controversial previous blog I have had time to reflect on the situation and by that I mean think about the words I put on the page! Most definitely I have nothing to take back about everything I said, despite one of my fellow Kiwis living in France calling me a Right Winger (and basically racist)! My answer to him was that I was trying just to report on what I saw, what I heard, and what I had experienced – making it more of a observation than a critique of damnation! However it is impossible to be objective but I tried to be as neutral as I could be, on such a tense issue, writing about the negativity I had witnessed in the region. I explained this by saying, I come in contact with North Africans everyday; all my local stores are run by North Africans for example. Other teaching assistants I know that teach in the so-called ghetto have large amounts of North African kids who are French born. One friend has 90%, who says that it isn’t their English that they need to work on but their French as it isn’t at the same level of ethnically French children – thus already a problem of integration into the society. And it is this point I touched on. He then said that “just because you are North African doesn’t mean you commit crimes”, and there is nowhere where I imply such a thing, as I never said North Africans should be told to leave France, are inferior, or are bad people – this would be racist and not the point I was trying to make – as the North Africans situation in the Cote d’Azur is far more complex and could never be taken down to one denominator.


Nonetheless I’ve become much the wiser on the situation. This is after I did a terrific hike from St Jeannet – a beautifully perched medieval town literally within the mountains, to the quiet and quaint French village, Vence. I hiked with two American girls, both open-minded and as liberal as the other; one had lived in Africa before and wants to work in social entrepreneurialship, and the other is seriously with a Tunisian man she met here. However this Tunisian guy is returning to Tunisia after being in France for over five years. He has had enough with the French and never wants to come back here! He came when he was 18 years old, first living in Paris he did well there (she said), but after moving here, he has had a few too many bad experiences! She also explained all the differences between the cultures, like how the North Africans see the French as cold (and often as being racist). While the North Africans have more of an honour system that is based on respect, and it is not about the individual but the collective community where everybody helps each other, as opposed to France a global capitalist country where the idea of the individual is king, ruling how things are conducted in life. Lastly and certainly not least, is their relation and perspective these men have towards women. Women are truly sacred in their culture, and are predominantly kept in the home – hence why late at night I only see North African men hanging around their hang-out spots! Also dressing provocatively is out of the question, and maybe this stimulation from the ‘white woman’ i.e. English and American assistants who dress more liberally effectively stimulates these men ferociously, as much verbal abuse and voyeuristic stares have been experienced by my female peers. But when you come from a country where you see women dressed modestly as opposed to the explicit (or lack of) dress by different foreign women – things occur. Now I’m not saying their actions are fine, but this is definitely a way of helping explain the actions that I and others have experienced.


Conclusively, there is a huge history the French have with these North African countries. They colonized these countries; killed their people in battles that these countries desperately fought for when seeking independence, (which Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria all achieved at least 50 years before); while with post-independence also meant the influx of migrants (to France) who were often utilized as cheap labour; and now there are other issues that are creating cultural clashes, such as explicitly conveying religion in public – something which is illegal in France. (First generation) North Africans make up more than 5% of French citizens, and therefore they should be reckoned with and not ignored, otherwise future problems will keep occurring without any resolution.