I expected to like Marseille. I did not expect to fall for it this quickly.
Speaking French has been humbling in the best way. My French is rusty, but I made a rule early on to lead with French in every interaction before reaching for English.
One of the things I was most excited about in a Central LiA was meeting scholars from different universities and backgrounds. Conversations with scholars this week often returned to how differently we have each been shaped, and how much still feels familiar underneath that.
To kick off our project, my team and I visited Les Jardins d'Haïti, an intergenerational living home housing 93 senior residents. I met some of the residents and staff and got a glimpse of what their days look like and what lights them up. Even across a language barrier, small gestures still landed: a simple smile or a wave. To invite us into their community, the center held a welcome party where local musicians performed and the residents danced, pulling us in to sing and dance alongside them. It was a spontaneous moment of shared togetherness that no amount of planning could have produced, and it ended up being the highlight of the week.
Our task is to design an intergenerational event that builds community between the residents and the wider neighborhood, with an artistic element, and a life beyond our six weeks here.
Marseille itself has been feeding this endeavor in ways I did not anticipate. The color and texture of this city is already shaping how I think about what an event rooted in local identity could actually look and feel like.
Heading into week two, I want to take the time to better understand what matters to residents on their own terms. I am an outsider by almost every measure. The most important thing I can do is stay curious and embrace Marseille's warmth, culture, and openness with humility.