Oops… Paris is rotting

The last few weeks have been a juxtaposition of existence. The smell of blooming tulips and rotting garbage dance together in the wind. 

Rats chase people through the metros, green parrots sing in the gardens, strangers become friends in a bistro, fires burn in the streets. 

The prominence of so many states of being at the same time renders many Parisians immune to the shock of inconvenience and chaos. Many are relegated to just shake their heads and say ‘Ah Paris’, but not us, not les jeunes. The young people of every generation are the conductors for change, the ones who are naive or optimistic enough to believe that they can make a difference and loud enough to make their voices heard. 

The city has been showing its true French nature with an abundance of strikes and protests that have ramped up significantly over the past few weeks. What started out as a free ‘work from home’ day or two has turned into a constant state of being. No longer is anyone surprised, annoyed YES but not surprised, to hear that their metro is closed or to see police in riot gear. Since the beginning of the year, Parisians have taken to the streets to protest the proposed bill on the retirement age, manual labor laws, workers rights, and more. 

The rebels

There is something incredibly special about a rebellion. I felt it when I marched against police brutality in Chicago and even though I’m not even remotely involved in the Paris protests, you feel the tension, the anger, and the camaraderie in the air. Another layer, another dimension is felt when protests happen in Paris though. Young people climb monuments that mark where old jails and guillotines were, the violent legacy of the rebels before us. 

The city is being reborn, and us along with it. Through the relatively ugly reality of towering piles of trash, perpetually delayed metros, graffitied monuments, and unwarranted arrests, reform is happening. 

I had some friends visit last weekend. A mini group reunion, relegated to wading through garbage hand in hand, made its way through the city. We are all in a stage of life that reverberates the echoes of protest in the city. We’re on the cusp, the edge, the brink of change and a new era of life. Maybe that’s why we fit in so well here. 

Paris is rotting

So yes, Paris is currently rotting. Through the debris though, tulips emerge. The chaos is one of my favorite parts of being in Paris. It’s a great time to be in a young, feverish, revolutionary city. Bring on spring.