Willamette World News
By hernandm on Apr 11, 2013 in France | Comments Off
In America, there are yearbooks: pages recollecting some random faces, (too) close-up shots that will be out-fashioned in a few months or a few years if you’re lucky and have a extremely good sense of visionary fashion.
By hernandm on Feb 24, 2013 in France | Comments Off
When I saw the topic for this week, I instantly thought, oh great, music, so many things to say! Then I looked at my iTunes library… almost no French music in it! Well, maybe not that much to say then… Fortunately, so many tunes came to my mind and I started humming without even noticing.
French [...]
By hernandm on Feb 7, 2013 in France | 1 Comment
In France, like in most of Westernized countries, education is a primary concern as well as a sacred and strong institution since the French Revolution. Jules Ferry’s laws in 1881 and 1882 make education public, free, secular (non religiously affiliated) and mandatory for children from 6 to 13 years old. This law will be amended [...]
By hernandm on Dec 5, 2012 in France | Comments Off
“They fell in love and lived happily ever after.”
Translated from French as “They lived happily ever after and had a lot of children.”
Love is a universal matter even though different types of unions might differ from a place to another. It was a long time ago that marriage was the only option for two people [...]
By hernandm on Nov 4, 2012 in France | Comments Off
Often considered synonymous with the first of November, “la Toussaint” is in fact a two-day celebration of two related holidays. The name is an abbreviation of la fête de Toussaint (Toussaint’s holiday). The word Toussaint is a contraction of tous (all) and saint.
By hernandm on Oct 14, 2012 in France | Comments Off
I have been raised in a family where politics never played a major role. As both a French and Spanish citizen, I am entitled to vote in two countries and in Europe which should make of me a privileged citizen. As a female, I should be aware of all these years of battle and struggle [...]
By hernandm on Sep 30, 2012 in France | Comments Off
Bonjour, ça va ?
Yeah, you got it, I am from France. My name is Maria Hernandez.
Wait, I said France right? I so love this puzzling look I get when I introduce myself whenever I go and I have been to so far. This look which says: “You’re supposed to be French but your name and [...]