Racism in France

Today was fun! After class, my friend Wendy and I went and searched the town for iced coffee (super hard to find, by the way).  We eventually succeeded and let me tell you, the caffeine was tres necessaire.  We finished our coffees, went to the grocery store to pick up some snacks and pop, and headed back here to go swimming.  It was a nice, relaxing afternoon.  One of Mme.'s neighbors came over, who is about her age, and she was telling us how her 19-year-old daughter is dating a black guy, and I think she is living with him.  One of her sons is living with his girlfriend too, I think she said he was 26.  After lecturing Wendy on I on the dangers of living together prior to marriage, she proceeded to warn against marrying outside of our race.  She not only denounced dating black people, but also Arabs, who are "le pier" or "the worst."  Having had enough, I told her I was Arabic and climbed out of the pool.  She tried to ameliorate the situation by saying, not Arabs, just Muslims.  To make her more uncomfortable I lied that I was Muslim.  It was funny.  I brought it up at dinner, thinking Mme. Cottave would have a more a liberal stance on the situation.  She didn't.  She and the Polish lady began tearing into black people and Arabs.  Fortunately I was done with dinner and retreated to my room to work.  Tomorrow, I have to give a presentation on Le Musee Galliera, which is a museum on Parisien fashion, past and present.  I'm about to go practice for Mme. right now! Then bedtime for me.  I don't do so well with getting up at 7 a.m. on a regular basis.  Bon soir!