This year marks the 33rd year of my arrival in this country. I never thought I was going to immigrate permanently but here I am, an American citizen for over a decade. Switching culture is not easy. I remember how difficult things were for me at the beginning.
Take the cities: in France, our towns are organized in a concentric pattern leading to a center. The center is where you will find the resources you need - shops, banks, administration. Important places are designated with public art and plazas.
In the US, cities are organized along a grid. There is no center. And the streets are numbered instead of being named. For years I was lost, unable to orient myself in what amounted to a maze of intersections.
Then one day, I got it. I understood where I was and how things worked. Everything fell into place. I started to connect. I started liking this country a little bit, then I started to love it, then I committed.
Immigrating is all about forming relationship: it takes time and commitment to understand where you are and who you are in relation to others.
In honor of my love for both my country of origin and my country of choice, this week's art is a grid and at the center of it is a landmark. The entire grid was created using recycled material: part of a vintage tablecloth and bits of wool from prior projects.
Finally, if you have a moment, click on this link and read this week's story about a French woman who immigrate to Houston.
Enjoy!