Miss Kolka

So this has been a hectic week...

Gave birth to a baby, got back to work 5 days later, had a few meetings and have never looked better in my stilletos.
No - not really, Im not Rachida Dati (France's Justice minister) and I am SO not back to work.

When I heard about and saw on the news Dati's return to the political scene only 5 DAYS after giving birth to a baby girl by caesarean,I must say I wasn't just shocked, I was horrified. There she was, little miss sexy in her dark suit and high heels, smiling to the cameras, showing that she surely did not need to bond with her baby or spend some time with it. Her job was more important. A personal choice some might say. I think it's more like a reflexion of how motherhood is seen in France and where women stand in the french workplace. The discussion following this highly mediatized and sometimes praised return proves it.

Having had my own baby the day before, and stayed at the hospital 5 days I can very well put my self into her shoes. I have always worked my arse of and be dedicated to most of the jobs I've done. Before being pregnant I practically lived for France 24 and gave it all I got. But in my mind - I always knew how important family and children were to me and that I was ready to make sacrifices when the time came - mind you perhaps a bit earlier than planned but I was still ready for it.
Having had spent one half hour away from my own little Mr. F since his birth, I know that I never would have been able to do what missus Dati did. Call it cowerdness if you like, I call it responsability. If you decide to have a child, its not like buying a new bike, it takes time and effort (believe me I know) to feed it, show it the love it deserves, taking care of all its little needs and just be there for the first hard days in its existence. Its not easy to be trown into the daylight after having spent 9 months in the safest place there is. A babysitter can not substitute for motherly (or be it fatherly) warmth.

Im also horrified because it actually confirms what I have been observing in my work environment and the French society as a whole for the last 3 years. Women and men are not equals. Women seem to have to prove themselves all the time, seduce men even and the market is not made for a balance between family life and career. This case proves it once more. What kind of example is it to French women (or employeurs) that a high profile minister doesn't feel comfortable to take her own maternity leave?(which has to be said is no god's gift in France, only 8 weeks for women and 14 days for men! Compared to the 6- 12 months in scandinavia) That she is ready to sacrifice the first few crucial days with her child to seduce the media and prove to her chauvanistic boss that she is one of the "gang" and she doesn't need special treatment, is that in some way bravery? I dont think so, I just think its sad, but then again I only judge from my perspective.

A mother and a minister? I dont think so. A minister perhaps, but the act of giving birth to a child does not make you necessarily a mother.

The best for you all in this exciting new year!

Kolka og Pan

If Hamas is a dangerous terrorist organisation, it must be said that they're not very good at it.

As the spokesperson for the US government condems attacks on Israel by the Islamic movement in the palestinian territories, Washington only asked Israel to "avoid civilian casualties in Gaza". Until now Israel has only rarely responded to  any demands or followed international resolutions not to attack civilians or occupy certain territories. They do just what they want. And the world watches without ever interfering. The EU and UN are completely useless. Everybody waits for the US to mediate - bad luck, Bush is leaving and he was busy eating his turkey, while Obama is dealing with planning his first response to the financial crisis and also wanted to spend his last christmas as non-president with his family. So no one was on call that day. Do we (other countries and the EU) sit by out of guilt? Will we ever get over the second world war? Yes it was terrible but its time to stop the nonsense, the palestinians have suffered enough.

The big joke is that the "evil terrorist" organisation has killed one person in rocket attacks, which is yes sad but what is it next to the 300 casulties the Israeli have killed, and more than 600 injured on the Gaza strip? How is it defendable, even if you do not get along with your neighbours, that you go out with intent to kill its leaders? Tell me where in the world political leaders are OPENLY accepted death targets? Whether we like it or not, Hamas is a political force in the palestinian territories and they won, may I remind you, democratic elections in 2006. So why is it acceptable that Israel can try to kill its leaders like Khaled Meeshal or Ismael Haniyeh?? It already assassinated the founder of the organisation, Sheikh Yassin in 2004

The main argument for the air attacks are that Hamas did not renew the 6-month old ceasefire with Israel a few weeks ago. A bit of a joke since Israel had in the meantime maintained some of its attacks on Hamas members and a blockade on Gaza for months. The situation there is already dire,  there is almost no electricity, medicine, fuel or even food and a big military power drops bombs all over without any warning. And still, we just watch it happen.

The hamas leadership has now called for suicide attacks on Israeli targets - which is not the way to go of course - and should not be defended - but these people are already in such misery and they dont seem to be able to speak to one another, so negotiating seems completely impossible.

SO sad. It reminds me of an episode of the West wing, where Martin Sheen tries to mediate between the Israelis and the Palestinians. An extremely difficult task and the differences well represented, an image close to the truth and somehow there seemed to be some progress made. Well the writers of the West Wing series managed to write history before it happened in the presidential elections, maybe they should also be consulted for any future summits held by the new power in place after January 20th?

The day yesterday finally came and went and we are relieved. Everything seems to be going fine, the baby is ready but the strange itchy thing will be closely monitored at the hospital from now on and until the birth. But when will that be? Impossible to know but a little something tells me we wont have to wait too long.

In the meanwhile, all christmas cards have been sent, christmas gifts have been wrapped and we are getting ready to have a lovely christmas eve with my dad and Lise. As usual the food will be exquisite and plenty of wine on the table, that is for all but us, babylicious and me. But we'll enjoy it none the less - give me tasty food and good company any time and Im happy. Hope Pan will like it, this being his first Noel abroad and away from his family.

And for christmas day we've also planned to have some yummi stuff, such as duck with apples, alot of "Sild" or harengs we found in the delicatessen shop "autour du Saumon" and my grandma's wonderful Cartron chocolates. This combined with old christmas movies and we are set for the waiting.

Merry christmas Everyone.

Something I thought I would never miss in the countdown to christmas was book advertising. Now I just can't help but wonder why so few books are on commercials here in France just before christmas. I never see one on tv or hear special adverts on the radio. Sure there are radio shows with book critics all over (no radio talk show can exist without their literary commentator it seems) but somehow this does not seem satisfying to me. Often the choices these critics make can seem obscure or a bit above my comphrehension and yet I love to read. Isn't it a bit unusual for a country that praises itself for literature that it seems to hide these particular assets during the biggest shopping fest of the year?

 Pan pointed out to me that perhaps it is because it's "cheap to have to sell your book", its beneath the author's dignity to advertise, people should just know what to buy. And Im sure 2 or even 3 % of France's population knows exactly what book to buy when and where and is very aware of the choices they have. The problem is that the rest (perhaps 97%) are totally lost when they enter a bookshop. Shouldn't book editors try to reach them as well - instead of counting only on the small intelligentsia? Books should be for the masses. There is nothing more enjoyable than reading a good book, and it can certainly compensate for all the bad tv programs like the reality shows about France's poor that live on the streets, Star academy with their awful singers or all the replays of old and corny christmas movies shown on tv every single year (WHo want's to see "Le pére Noel est une ordure" yet again?? Its from 1982 for crying out loud!)

But I guess its all down to traditions. In Iceland, its common to get at least 2-3 books under the tree, so a few weeks before christmas, tv stations are drowning in book commercials - advertising gets twice as much time than usual in this golden period - and you hear about most of the books at some point - so before you go to the bookstore, you actually already have an idea of what to buy. I have gotten many of the most interesting books I've read this way. From Santa. But then again, at this time of year, In Iceland, its dark and people love to stay in their warm homes with cookies and a good book. Christmas in Paris is more like, "lets stuff the goose and eat it - then we'll drink some champagne to celebrate". Here books are just for the metro - and now the ipods have taken over. So its cultural I guess.

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