French Culture: Meet Sebastien

France gave the world great writers and thinkers like Descartes and Satre, painters like Monet and Matisse, and of course wine. Unieros friend Sebastien has been sharing French culture with Chicagoans for years through cultural activities and football. Unieros interviewed Sebastien about his favorite aspects of French culture the music, film, and his upcoming Ethnicity Soccer tournament that will coincide with the FIFA World Cup 2010. Read on. No French required.

1. What are some French  music, film, literature in French which would you recommends we know about?

I am not a reference in music since I like what is called "Variete Francaise" a lot... Singers like Jean-Jacques Goldman, Pascal Obispo or Christophe Mae are the ones I listen the most to. As far as female singers, the one I listen to all the time is called Rose.

About films, I recommend movies from Claude Lelouch, especially one called "Itineraire d'un enfant gate", since I left France, my taste for French comedies has increased and 2 movies I like are called "Camping" and "Les Ch'tis", though you really have to know details of the French Culture to understand the best parts  

2. You  have worked to promote French culture in Chicago through different events such as "French in Chicago".  Tell us about activities people can enjoy and  what are some things you hope people will learn about French culture through your events.

Our main event is called the "Chicago French Bastille Day". First edition was in July 2009. The target is to have the entire French community share that celebration with the Chicagoans through sports, arts, networking, family activities and food. To make sure people know about that and French people can meet other french people very easily and hear about this event when they arrive in Chicago, we have side activities such as Sports Teams called "Les Bleus Chicago" playing in adults league and in the Chicago World Cup year around, and we have monthly gatherings called "l'Apero" where you can taste French wine and food such as "pate de campagne" or crepes. 
 

3. French is a footballing nation and has qualified for most FIFA World Cup since 1950. You have brought that part of your culture to Chicago by organizing football tournaments like the Chicago World  Cup Soccer tournament.  Tell us about  your new venture Ethnicity Soccer.

The French are passionate about Soccer/Football and so am I. After 4 years of local Chicago World Cup Soccer tournament, I am launching the first nationwide amateur soccer world cup in the United States, called EthniCity Soccer. We will have 32 existing qualifier tournaments in the US and invite the winners of those to come play the Finals in Chicago Soldier Field on July 10th/11th 2010. That date sounds familiar because the 11th is the date of the actual FIFA World Cup Final, and where this works really well is that we're gonna broadcast that FIFA Final live in Soldier Field right at the end of the EthniCity Soccer competition.

We need as much support as we can for that - simply joining the Facebook group EthniCity Soccer USA 2010 The budget of this event is huge and we need support from companies, from the cities, from the clubs, etc. We need to show them first that the foreign communities in the US are passionate about the World Cup too! 

4. Are there any known stereotypes/misconceptions about French people/society that you  want to discuss or clarify?

Yes, French people shower. They do not wash themselves by spreading perfume all over their body as I heard.

The other good one is about French guys wearing sweaters around their neck...actually they are not gay as we can hear in the US, they just keep the option to wear the sweater in rooms where the Air Conditioning is insane, but they don't want to carry the sweater in their hands, because they need those hands free...when they hold the girl they give a French Kiss to!!!
 

5. What aspect of your cultural traditions you most enjoy? Any customs, holiday or celebration stands out?

 
I enjoy going back to France to my grand parents or cousin's farm, eating food that still comes from their yard.

I also enjoy going back to a very small village in the French Pyrenees mountains where I was spending my vacations when I was a kid. There is probably only about 30 people living there but there is still a church, a city hall, a bakery and a grocery store where you can find real fresh products from that part of France. When I hear people talking about going green, I always think about this village where you can drink the natural spring water coming off the fountain in the center of the village because it is so clean!