« Martenica » in France

Every year on March 1^st, Bulgaria celebrates the spring with a small black and white accessory. On this day, the young and old alike give each other a “martenica” to wish each other happiness and good luck. It’s a celebration of Grandmother March, who brings flowers and sunshine in the spring. Well…this time, I played the role of Grandmother March by bringing this typical Bulgarian tradition to Toulouse.

Legend says that in 681, the founder of ancient Bulgaria, Asparoukh, sent a message to his brothers telling them he had found a free land. He tied the message to a falcon’s foot with a white string. However, the bird was injured by enemy archers’ arrows on the way. The message was delivered, but the animal’s blood had tinted the string red. From this moment on, the two colors became symbols of tradition and Bulgarian culture.

White symbolizes purity and hope and red symbolizes life. These are the two main colors used to make a “martenica.” They say that the “martenica” brings happiness, good health and luck to those who receive it. That’s why every year on March 1^st, everyone offers and receives a “martenica.” Tradition is to wear it until you see the first spring bird, such as a swallow or a stork, or until you see spring flowers on trees. Then you hang it on a tree to show that spring has arrived.

– Madlen Chipeva

Cartes Postales :

At the end of February and the beginning of March, we had our winter vacation. Many of our students went off to discover other parts of France and Europe. Here are a few “postcards” that they sent us of their adventures:

Dear readers,

I am writing you this letter a week and a half after returning from Seville, which gave me some time to reflect on everything we did. It was a very short visit, about two days, between a two-day visit to Lisbon and a three-day visit to Barcelona. If you didn’t know already, Seville is a small picturesque city in the south of Spain. It became rich after the Spanish conquered American colonies – there is even a tower called “El torre del oro”. As a result, a big cathedral, the biggest gothic cathedral in the world, is located right in the center of the city and inside, there is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, our dear explorer (who crossed the ocean blue in 1492).

The city’s charm mostly comes from the orange trees planted along the streets and in small Sevillian courts. After Ilya climbed a tree to pick an orange, we discovered that the oranges have the same sour flavor as lemons even though they look like oranges. The other defining aspect of Seville is Mudejar architecture. You can see the Islamic influence on Sevillian architecture: big gardens, arab motifs on the buildings and colored mosaics. The cathedral is a mix of styles: gothic and Mudejar, a word introduced to us by Michael. We visited a Mudejar-style palace, the Alcazar, which faces the cathedral. Its big gardens and its elaborate decorations create a luxurious ambiance that was very impressive. In spite of the rain, the orange trees and the buildings were magnificent enough for Anna to take beautiful photos.

Because Seville is a typical Spanish city, we were able to take advantage of Spanish culture. Therefore, we went to see a flamenco performance. Bailey would agree that it was so moving that we couldn’t even blink out of fear of missing a moment. Our meals were always the most important part of our day, so we chose our restaurants carefully – always tapas. We really liked Las Coloniales and we checked out three different restaurants. In short, we had a great time and we learned a few historical facts about Seville and a few Spanish words.

Adios, amigos !

–Allison Fricke

Marseille…la mer

Marseille…the sea! Marseille is truly a large city. You can get lost amid the identical buildings and cars drive around without following road rules. Still, there are some charming districts, majestic monuments and the docks. I have to say that my favorite part of Marseille was the sea. I felt like I had switched seasons, like I had been reborn like the spring.

In fact, I had a precise objective in coming to Marseille. The Japanese artist that made a salt installation at the last exhibition organized at the Espace Ecureuil wanted the public to throw his salt into the air and into the water at the end of the exhibition. Under the pretense that my parents were there and that my Dad has a friend who could put us up, I was able to fulfill his wishes.

Although it was cold, I took off my shoes and I ran on the beach for a half hour at least. The sea made me forget the winter. It washed me of all of my worries. In Toulouse, we have the Garonne river, but it isn’t the same. The power and beauty of such a large expanse of water, the Mediterranean sea, calms the spirit. It’s like an oasis in a big city. I would love to live on the seaside: there’s a living calm that rolls with its waves.

–Anna Ciriani Dean

Lisbon completely stole my heart.

The vibrant colors of the buildings, the red roofs, the wild cats and peacocks, the fado music…the adorable, antiquated trams, the sparkling water, the seafood, the beautifully elaborate wall tiles…the graffiti, the hilly streets, the language, the pasteis (crisp pastry on the outside, creamy, warm custard on the inside)….

There are also some incredible sights not to go unseen. Castelo de São Jorge is an enormous but charming hilltop citadel, dating back to the sixth century BC, with breathtaking views of the entire city. Torre de Belém is a gorgeous limestone fortified tower on the water, and Mosteiro dos Jéronimos with its two-story cloisters is magnificent. Bairro Alto is an extremely vivacious quarter at night, and the Alfama quarter is a wonderful place to get lost in, with tiny streets and beautifully exhausted buildings which probably haven’t seen refurbishment in decades.

I immediately felt at home in Lisbon. It was very easy to navigate, the people were very friendly and allowed us tourists to be inconspicuous, and the pace of life was relaxed and even soothing. But there’s more: The charm of this city is that it doesn’t impose itself on its visitors. Its influence is extremely subtle and there’s something very refreshing about that. I will definitely return to Lisbon, if not just for the pasteis!

–Anna Geiserman

Hello from Barcelona !

This city has such a big reputation that I had to see it, and I wasn’t let down ! Look at me in front of the Chocolate Museum, probably my favorite museum in Barcelona. It was really beautiful while I was there and I recommend this city to everyone!

–Erica Munoz-Fitch

Vacation in London

I went to London over vacation. I had a really good vacation there. I visited Kings Crossing Platform 9 3/4, London Tower, Westminster Abbey, and a lot more wonderful places. I also picnicked in Hyde Park with my friends. However, what I liked the most during my trip were London’s phone booths. I love London! It’s a great city!

–Gabby Betances

¡ Hola !

Last weekend, I visited Barcelona, three and a half hours from Toulouse by car. Unfortunately, it rained all day Saturday, but my friend and I had a great time in this city! Friday, we discovered the Gothic district, which is located near Las Ramblas, a big boulevard full of shops, restaurants and markets. If you want to go to Barcelona, you have to try the churros with hot chocolate! Friday night, we saw the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. The fountains look like they are dancing with the music and the colors. All of Sunday, we explored Gaudi’s architecture. His buildings are very complex. I was surprised by the variety of colors and mosaics. Sagrada Familia is captivating. Its stained glass windows look like rainbows. At the end of my trip, I realized that the city needed sun, for sure!

–Jennifer Rokoski

Le poisson d’avril

An « April fish » is a prank people play on their acquaintances and friends on April 1^st. For children, it consists in sticking a paper fish on people’s backs to make fun of them.

« April fish! » is the exclamation you make once your prank is discovered, or when you reveal that the story you just told them is fake.

Where does the tradition come from in France?

They say that until 1564, the new year began on April 1^st. This year, King Charles IX decided to change the calendar. The year would start on January 1^st from then on.

January 1^st, 1565, everyone wished one another a happy new year, gave each other gifts like at the beginning of the year. But when April 1^st arrived, some practical jokers had the idea to give each other gifts anyway, as it was the date when they used to give them. Because they were practical jokers and it wasn’t actually new year’s day, the presents were fake, jokes, and worthless.

From that day on, they say that each year on April 1^st, everyone, big and small, got used to doing practical jokes.

Because fishing is prohibited in France at the beginning of April, because it is the spawning period for fish (when they lay eggs), a few people came up with the idea to play jokes on fisherman by throwing herrings into the river. After doing that, they may have exclaimed, “April fish!” and the tradition stuck.

Today, we don’t put herrings in rivers, but we stick small paper fish on people’s backs as discreetly as possible so that they walk around with “April fish” on their backs all day, which makes everyone else laugh.

Some even say that the “April fish” because became a “fish” because the moon exits the Pisces zodiac sign at the end of April.

(http://www.momes.net/dictionnaire/p/poissondavril.html)

Jeux d’enfants

Try saying this !!! (French tongue twisters).

1)  Les chaussettes de l’archi-duchesse sont-elles sèches ou archi-sèches?

Are the arch-duchess’s socks dry or arch-dry ?

2)  Si ces six saucissons-ci sont six cents sous, alors ces six saucissons-ci sont trop chers.

If these six sausages are six cents under, then these six sausages are too expensive.

3)  C’est l’histoire d’un vendeur de foie dans la ville de Foix, qui me dit une fois, « ma foi, plus jamais je ne serai vendeur de foie dans la ville de Foix ».

This is a story of a liver merchant in Foix, who once said, “My goodness, never will I ever sell liver in Foix”.

Eenie meenie miny moe

Pluf, pluf                                           Pluf, pluf
Ça sera toi                                       it will be you
Que je choisirai                              that I choose
Au bout de trois                             after three
Un, deux, trois !                             one two three !

Je fais de la purée                         I am making puree
Pour mes petits cochons for my little pigs
Pour 1, pour 2, pour 3,…           for 1, for 2, for 3
pour neuf, bœuf !                         for nine, beef !

–Anna Ciriani Dean

Do you speak “argot” ?

carrément – absolutely. « C’est carrément faux. » It’s absolutely false.

faire gaffe – be careful, pay attention. « Quand tu vas à Rome, fais gaffe à ton sac. » When you go to Rome, pay attention to your bag.

flic – the police, cops. «Je pense qu’il y a une manifestation parce qu’il y a des flics partout en ville. » I think there’s a protest because there are cops all over the city.

fringues – clothes. «J’en ai marre de ces vieilles fringues. » I’m sick of these old clothes (rags).

Thanks to Anna Ciriani Dean for translating the March issue of La Une.