Paris Train to Lison

Watching the public has been a life long passion.  As a child, my older brother and I would often sit in our Dad's car while he did visitations.  You might be amazed at what you can learn through this activity?

For example, during our 2 1/2 hour train ride from Paris to Lison (located in Normandy), one can learn a good deal about the French society.  The people are more open and trusting of strangers than we Americans.  They tend to be more watchful of the youth and the very young.  Family values are being publicly practiced, instead of used solely as a political slogan.  I would like to share two examples I observed while riding the train.

The school term had come to an end and many young students were returning to their homes to spend the next week with their family.  As students of various ages got on and off the train, they interacted with the other riders on the train.  Often they were seated next to an older person of either gender.  There appeared to be little apprehension for evil deeds that could befall them.

At one point a mother with two young children, plus a baby in a baby carriage boarded the train.  The mother left the sleeping baby in the carriage where there was an empty space intended for bicycles between the train cars.  She continued into our car and found their seats.  The mother entertained her small children and found activities for them; at the same time, she would occasionally check on the sleeping baby parked between the train cars.

Yes, people were still queuing to get on and off the train.  And they would speak in low voices to not wake the sleeping baby as they boarded and disembarked the train.  At one point, we were a part of that whispering public.

At first blush, we as Americans might blame the mother for being reckless and endangering the sleeping baby.  But really, what is more humane; waking a sleeping child to move into the train car, or allowing the sleeping child to sleep uninterrupted?  It was obvious that the mother did not possess undo fear toward travelers on the train.  It was also apparent that the wayfaring strangers had no evil intents for the sleeping baby.

Yes, watching others can be a useful learning experience for a stranger in a strange land.