Left Bank Walking Tour

Meocha Belle 6/7

On yesterday's walking tour of the Left Bank with Monique Wells, I got to see where African American writers and artists lived, worked and played in Paris.
Before my arrival to Paris, I read the walking tour book so knew what to expect and see on the tour. What I did not expect were the back stories that Madame Wells told us of the now famous artists and writers. There was much creativity and scandal during the times of Baldwin and Delaney. I am almost positive I would not have heard the behind the literature and music stories had it not been for Madame Wells. She took us everywhere in the Left Bank where the prominent blacks in Paris frequented and I surprisingly was familiar with the space after navigating it the past couple of days.
Although we walked for hours in the hot sun and humidity, it was great to see how the artists and writers that we will be studying lived and to also hear about their personal lives. It made me feel like I was in their times and was connected to their struggles and triumphs that were also told to us by Madame Wells. I got to see first hand how the spatial also functioned as politics in France years ago and was able to compare them to life at home and other areas in Paris. In my short time here already, I am being shown the Paris that many are not accustomed of hearing about and among different fields.
Tonight we had a group meeting in Tye's room with Professor Mayes and the entire cohort. We were told what to expect of the week and I, along with another student, was assigned as group leader. Afterwards, the leaders and faculty stayed and discussed ways of making all tasks efficient and timely. After an extended discussion, due to conflicting positions, a compromise was drawn and the week was to be started with fresh ideas.
Instead of going to the Jay-Z concert happening in Bercy, I chose to go to dinner with Professor Mayes. We went to a Chinese restaurant where she introduced me to some of their top dishes. After good food and conversation, I went back to the hotel and began to prepare for the first day of classes tomorrow.

~Paris Noir 2010