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France as the one of the most powerful country in the European Union, are facing refugees and immigrant problem nowadays.

The attempted stabbing in Paris and vehicle ramming in Nice shocked the whole world and also rose doubts for people: should they let refugees in the country? Even though both of the attacks are associated with terrorist group, a lot of refugee’s identity remain unknown when they entered the country, which increase the percentage of potential danger.

Furthermore, a controversial incident happened in 2015, an 18-year-old refugee from Bangladesh raped a 16-year-old high school girl in France was arrested. The immigrant attended the same high school as the victim and surprisingly, it is actually his second time being arrested. In the court, the defense attorney even argued it is due to “different culture norms” which made people furious. Before this rape case, only four months ago, he was being reported of “kissing and groping the private parts of a school girl”, however he was cleared after he insisted he had the girls consent. Later, the newspaper reported that the girl actually attempted suicide and ending up stay in hospital for a week.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33288542

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201811261070144972-muslim-refugee-acquitted-rape-cultural-norms/

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French influnce on Laotian architectures 

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French influnce on Laotian architectures 

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Laos was heavily influence by French culture during colonial period, and we can still find the left trace today through the architectures in Vientiane.

The Sacred Heart Church was built between 1914 and 1930, when Laos was part of Indochina. It located at east of the main administrative district, served the French colonists and the Vietnamese administration staff. The Sacred Heart Church is the only Catholic church in Vientiane and stands as a symbol of foreign imperialism in Laos.

Another landmark in Vientiane is Patuxia, a war monument in the center of the city. It was dedicated to the Laotian soldiers who died during WW II and the independence war from France in 1949. Patuxia is also called the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane, as it resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The Patuxai is typically Laotian style, decorated with mythological creatures such as the kinnari (half-female and half-bird figures) and nagas (dragons). The monument has 7 floors and the entrance fee is unbelievable cheap-only 38 cents dollars.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart_Cathedral,_Vientiane

http://www.visit-laos.com/vientiane/patuxai-victory-monument.htm

https://www.insightguides.com/destinations/asia-pacific/laos/cultural-features/the-french-legacy

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Every February, the Fête du citron is hold in a small town in south of France called Menton. Being the last coastal town before the Italian border, and only 30 km from Nice, Menton has a Mediterranean climate, and because it located at where steep mountain cliff and terraces are, Menton is being protected from the cold winds of Alps, thus have the warmest winter in the south France and have average of 300 days of sunshine every year. This is the reason why lemons grow so well there.

Menton was Europe’s largest lemon producer until the 1930s. Today, the local production declines, but more than 150 tonnes of lemons are still produced by around 5000 trees there. Moreover, Menton has also used its rich lemon resources and developed business like candles, jam, soap, vinegar and tarte au citron.

Every year the festival will have a given theme, varies from Disney to broad way musicals. Back in 2015, the theme was “les tribulations d'un citron en Chine”, means the tribulation of a lemon in China.

Sources:

https://frenchmoments.eu/menton-lemon-festival-fete-du-citron-de-menton/

https://www.fete-du-citron.com/lemon-festival-history/?lang=en

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=1YdKIkifoPM

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Banned use of smartphones in French School

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Banned use of smartphones in French School

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France banned the use of smartphones in school since this year’s September. For students between 3-15 years old, it’s officially a law now that require students to leave their smartphones (and other kinds of internet-connected devices) at home or at least turned off when they are at school; however, for French lycées, with students who are older than 15 years old, they get to choose whether to adopt this change or not.

"We know today that there is a phenomenon of screen addiction, the phenomenon of bad mobile phone use... Our main role is to protect children and adolescents. It is a fundamental role of education, and this law allows it,” quote by Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

This change actually meets Emmanuel Macron’s pledge during his presidential election in 2017 that school should ban on phones entirely.

Some people think it’s doesn’t make that big of difference because in reality, seems like no single teacher will allow students to use their cellphones in class.

This is not the first case of French law made to repulse from modern technology in our daily lives. In 2017, the French government passed a new law that requires French companies to limited work emails and other work-related technology outside the office, this can help the employees to reduce work-related stress.

Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/31/europe/france-smartphones-school-ban-intl/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/07/31/france-bans-smartphones-school/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3a52ab9d0b5f

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A lot words that we are using in daily basis are actually French words. For example, people use Cliché to describe an idea or an expression that has been overused. Déjà vu means you have a feeling of familiarity and RSVP stands for “Répondez s'il vous plait”.

There are also English words that we might not know that actually has French origins.

The word dentist has a French origin, because “tooth” in French is dent, so dentist is actually a “toother”.

The most interesting example I found would be Etiquette. It’s originated in the French Royal Courts of Louis XIV in the 1600s and 1700s at Versailles. Étiquette used to mean “keep off the grass”, because back in the time, a gardener of Louis XIV found out that his aristocrats were tramped through the garden, so he put up signs, or “étiquets” to remind people not to do so; however, the dukes and duchesses just ignored it and just walked through. Finally, the king decree that no one can go beyond the bounds of étiquets. Gradually, the use of étiquet being expanded in the French Royal Courts, stands for rules people need to abide. Nowadays, etiquette is “a set of customs and rules for polite behavior, especially among a particular class of people or in a particular profession”, according to Collins Dictionary.

Sources:
https://frenchtogether.com/french-words-in-english/

https://www.noozhawk.com/article/john_daly_etiquette_origins_20140812

https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/english-words-that-are-actually-french/

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The marijuana was banned in Canada since 1923, and they legalize the medical use in 2001; however, yesterday, the history changed. The federal Cannabis Act came into effect and now Canada is the second country in the world that legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

In Quebec, three outlets were opened yesterday in Montreal by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) and 12 across the province as cannabis became legal. At the same time, customers not only can buy it from stores, they can also purchase it online.

But Quebec is still strict about the use of cannabis, now they are thinking to raise the age limit from 18 to 21, it is also only one of two provinces that forbids non-medical users from growing plants at home, even though the federal laws allowed to do so.
Speaking of the reason that why cannabis is legal now in Canada, government said it is not about promote the use of cannabis, it is about providing people a safer manner. Now people don’t have to buy cannabis from black market, they don’t need to feel worried, they know exactly what’s in it.

Sources:
https://www.journaldequebec.com/2018/10/18/les-premiers-clients-sont-des-connaisseurs-qui-en-fument-du-bon
https://www.mtlblog.com/feature/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-legalization-of-weed-in-quebec

https://encadrementcannabis.gouv.qc.ca/en/loi/encadrement-du-cannabis-au-quebec/

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When people think of French cuisine’s influence, not many people will ever relate to Vietnamese food. But surprisingly, a lot of Vietnamese cuisine are heavily influenced by French culture.

Coffee is one good example. You can find coffee more common in Vietnam than any other places in Asia. Coffee was brought by French colonizers around 1800s, and the climate in Vietnam is perfect for coffee growing, proved by the fact that Vietnam is the second largest coffee exporter today. However Vietnamese coffee is usually served iced cold with condensed milk, comparing it to French way, the coffee served as expresso with steamed milk, known as café au lait.

Another thing you can never think about is the bread, it is also an uncommon food in East Asia. bánh mì is a Vietnamese single-serving baguette, but the Vietnamese version of baguette is made of rice flour instead of originally wheat flour in France. Traditionally, the Vietnamese baguette has raw vegetable, pork sausage and combined with condiments from French cuisine like  pâté.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_m%C3%AC
https://epicureandculture.com/vietnamese-cuisine-french-influence/

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Emmanuel Macron won the president election in 2017, he is the youngest president of France in history at the age of 39.

But what makes him more impressive is his love story. Macron’s wife Brigitte Trogneux is 24 years older than him. Two of them first met in high school-when Macron was still a high school student and Brigitte was his theater teacher. Macron was even at the same class with Brigitte's oldest daughter. She was married to her ex-husband by then and have three kids already. But all of that didn’t stop them falling in love with each other.
Macron’s parents find out that and ending up send him to Paris to continue his high school study; however that didn’t stop them talking as well. Brigitte divorced with her ex-husband after and then they became couple when Macron turned 18 and officially married in 2007.

Sources:

https://finance.ifeng.com/a/20170508/15362231_0.shtml

https://baike.baidu.com/item/布丽吉特·马克龙/22025994?fr=aladdin&fromtitle=布丽吉特&fromid=20723061

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New Orleans is one of the most famous city in the United States, it’s famous for its uniqueness as a former French colony. A lot of history and culture are well-maintained in the French Quarter. I was there in the past spring break and was lucky enough explore the city.

New Orleans was settled as a catholic city, and one of the most famous sight here is the St. Louis Cathedral. Founded in 1720, located in the French Quarter, the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic Cathedral in continual use in the United States.
As a foodie, I sure can't miss the other famous place-Cafe du Monde. They started serving beignets since 1862, and beignet is a deep-fried pasty that served with a lot of sugar powder on top, and people usually drink cafe au lait while they were eating beignets.

Sources:

http://www.stlouiscathedral.org/our-history

https://www.neworleans.com/
http://www.cafedumonde.com/

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Claude Monet is my favorite French artist and he was also a founder of French Impressionist painting.

From 1865-1879, there was a woman that constantly showed up in Monet’s painting. It’s Camille Doncieux, Monet’s first wife.

They first met at a street, when Monet is just a street painter and Doncieux was a model for him.

Soon they fall in love and get married.

Monet’s first painting that brought him recognition is the Woman in the green dress, which Doncieux is the woman in the painting. However, in the following year, when Monet created another painting featuring his wife, no one wanted to buy it.  Monet attempt suicide by throwing himself to the lake due to financial crisis.

Unfortunately, Doncieux became ill in 1876, and they had their second son in 1878. The second son really weakened her way too much, she died in the following year of tuberculosis, and Monet painted her the last time on her death bed.

Sources:

https://www.claudemonetgallery.org/biography.html
https://wapbaike.baidu.com/tashuo/browse/content?id=2792313e2becaefb6810e806&fr=qingtian&lemmaId=8741974

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"If there’s a sexier sound on this planet than the person you’re in love with cooing over the crepes you made for him, I don’t know what it is."– Julie Powell

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"If there’s a sexier sound on this planet than the person you’re in love with cooing over the crepes you made for him, I don’t know what it is."– Julie Powell

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French culture is absolutely amazing, especially when it comes to food, French people treat food seriously, and it also has cultural significance behind each food.

Crepe is one of my all-time favorite, every February 2 is National Crepe Day in France; however, the day is actually a holiday known as La Chandeleur (the return of the light). It is the return of the spring and farmers begin to work the soil. Why crepe you may ask, it is said the shape and the color of the crepe symbolize the sun, and one of the ingredient of crepe- wheat flour, symbolize a good healthy wheat harvest.

Except enjoying crepe at this date, there is also an ancient superstition- According to legend, if you hold a golden coin in your writing hand and a frying pan in your other, flip a crepe and it lands flat, your family will be prosperous that year.

Sources:
https://nutsin.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/impressionist-days-and-la-chandeleur/
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/crepe-day/

https://foodanddating.com/holy-crepe/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crêpe

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As the world's one of the most famous French fashion brand, I often wondering what makes Chanel so unique. After my research, here are some reasons that why I consider Chanel is so special. Coco Chanel, the founder of the brand, is a fashion icon and fragrance pioneer. The concept of “little black dress” was first coming out from her in 1926. Inspired by her, Givenchy designed the little black dress that Audrey Hepburn wears in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. Thereafter, pretty much every girl has a little black dress in their wardrobes. Moreover, she was the first person that created a perfume after the designer’s name (which is also her signature perfume), Chanel No.5, by coincidence is my first perfume in life. Most importantly, she has her own philosophy and attitude about fashion that inspires thousands and thousands of people who has the passion for fashion. She encourages people to be confidence about themselves and to be themselves. Just like one of her quote said,
"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."

Source:
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/coco_chanel
https://www.biography.com/people/coco-chanel-9244165

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Thrown back to junior high school, the first french movie that I have ever seen in my life is The chorus.
The movies tells us a story happened in 1949 at Fond de l’Etang — “bottom of the pond,” literally — a school for wayward boys. Some are orphans, some are from broken homes, some are merely unfocused. However, they are just simply energetic, mischievous boys who need a little guidance. The overly strict principal is not the one who can truly helps them. A teacher named Clement Mathieu came, he organizes the boys into a little chorale.
In the end of the movie, one especially problematic boy, Morhange, turned out to have a naturally beautiful singing voice and became a famous singer. Music changes everyone's life in the end.
The film plays on people’s natural fondness for wide-eyed orphans and our tendency to revere teaching as a noble, selfless profession. It’s a light-hearted, sentimental revisiting of those themes, and it is a lovely one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQg-3wkzJ3s
Here is my favorite part of the movie.