Taken from: http://tristanpope.blogspot.com/
I always told everyone how the culture in Europe was were I left my own and based mine on. This trip has just solidified this idea. I remember telling people I would fit in here, and the things that people may make fun of me for or say are gay or whatever the trendy word is these days all fell into place and worked out like I thought. Sometimes people have an idea of WHAT a place is or HOW it works, but never take the time to spend getting to know what that is, I could visit a million landmarks but I really enjoy talking with the people and from there I have learned much and had done so before I had left, for many years. Sometimes people say things because they are afriad of being humbled by “not knowing” or highschool ideals, but they were just words and I prepared for my trip here and I could not have fallen into place more. While with all things unless you are there you don’t know as much but once here for a little I can tie in the other parts of my life experiences to find the similarities and help form the web of European culture.
While I am not the sappy one who would say my LOVE will be found in Paris, I will say I cannot see a european girl the same as an american or more so a californian one.
It isnt that I am not greatful for the chance to work in California and meet so many wonderful people but the friendships I have made in the past few days are already as strong as those that back home may have taken much longer to form.
For whenever that day comes where I meet someone to spend the rest of my life with, Im am pretty sure I will find it in someone who has an open mind for more life than that of sunny california and really see’s past the basics of MTV and a world covered in ADS.
I wrote something ahwile ago:
As time goes on, the apple rots.(title pending)
Why is it that we find it necessary to carry on multiple relationships rather than taking our time with one. If you are interested in a person, then perhaps you should take the time from your life to enjoy that moment. Why multi task a pleasure filled activity such as human connection. While I understand the American attitude of productivity, I lose it with the idea that life can only give you so many apples at a time. What? Am I crazy? That made no sense. I should be multi tasking more then, taking on 4-10 girls or boys at a time to make sure the clock will continue to tick before I find out I am alone.
That fear is the drive that makes us take those apples and quickly shine them on our shirt, then take a bite. No time to taste, no time to inspect each side, no time to hear the noise as your teeth sink into the tough outer skin and into the soft juicy center, even crunching through the seeds which could give birth to another. Another life, another turn, another moment, another yearn. Your clock has already stopped you are just going to fast to hear the ticking stop. A simple rhyme to make the point, but this whole rant is still a bit disjoint.
Now what if you were to take that apple and eat every bite, but instead of licking your lips and be satisfied with the hunger you have filled… Take a moment, find the seeds, plant them outside, water them until they can blossom. Now as you watch it grow you can decide, “I think I am in the mood for an orange now”, or perhaps now that you can watch this small seed grow into the bright lustrous apple, shinning brightly on the outside and sweetly fragile on the inside, there is no need to change your taste. Some think you must taste it all to fulfill a lifetime, but is it realistic to acquire every taste only to find out the first was the best?
So if you mix a strawberry with a banana, you will taste the strawberry not he banana. If you mix a lemon with a lime you will not know which is sour and which is sweet. So all food aside, why not, instead of rushing to perfection, take a blind, exciting leap. But without your eyes shut, and with sturdy ground ahead, because you know, if the taste is not to your palette, you can always find another treat. Food may rot, and life grow old, but happiness is forever, don’t let go.
A lot of people don’t know I spent much of my childhood in Switzerland Zurich. While at the time I was young and afraid of anything new, I was forced to go out for my own and to really gain some independence. I remember I saw my first pornographic movie in Zurich lol, just flippin through the channels. I didn’t even know what i was watching. I also remember the posters on the walls with naked girls and guys. I remember it being ok. I remember walking in the Love Parade when it was pretty new. It was amazingly freeing.
And I gain all of that again being here now. The idea that things like human body, connections with other people, sharing, having conversations more than just surface level, being able to get past that akward part of a “get to know you” state which happens too much because of all the reservations towards the things above. You take those things out of the picture and you are forced to talk about things that have more meaning.
But more than all of that you give yourself to another person and in turn they give you themselves. If it works you either gain a great friend or a girlfriend, if it doesn’t work you move on and you just know that while it may hurt a bit it is the process to find that thing which you do search for eventually, LOVE.
Tonight I walked around the streets and just enjoyed the city life again that reminded me of my NYC life. While I can say very little in French I can move through the people as if I belonged and not ina need to belong but a sense of normality. And the best part is I doubt I would be conidered normal, more hyper and annoying 😛
Coming from the East coast to a West coast life has been hard for many reasons. One main reason is my life and story was left on the east coast for this new life in the gaming world. One would never think I enjoyed theatre or directed off broadway or even joined a gang at 14. Who would consider me a punk skater type… It is hard to share these things because it sounds like bragging or like me trying to justify. But in reality it is my life and I love to share it. I will give anyone who would like a layer of my life that may seem scary to some because in a wave of madness I can give you many years of my life, but there is so much more I want YOU to pull out of me.
Whenever I visit different places especially Europe this time, I enjoy the different ways of life. And while others may look forward to going home I kind of wish my home were more like this. I struggle with the “california” way of life often. I mean I do have friends and love them dearly but it is hard to get past the fake blonds and bro’s.
Anyway I am ranting and this is supposed to be a blog about my trip lol.
I hope I havn’t lost you too much or made you think my life is so sad or anything like that. I just speak my mind in moments there is a larger picture here and if you are ever interested just ask.
I promise eventually I will post more pictures, I visited Normandy and stepped on the beach my Grandfather stepped on, which was quite moving for me. I called my Grandma from it and was with very supportive friends. I saw the place where joan of arc was burned. I went to Mont St Michele. I visited the Eifle tower today and climbed to the top, but it is hard to upload all these things on wireless so soon enough! 🙂
We have had great adventures.
Ok random though, I absolutely love going down the street and hearing all the cars playing trance music. I love the smell of cities they all smell the same aside from the piss and cars.
And that is all for now.
