I come from a department of France not a lot of Americans know about... the Pas-de-Calais.
Years ago, the department was known in France for its coal mines and textile industries, but the mines closed more than 30 years ago, and all the industries relocated. Now, the rest of the France just associates the department with high unemployment rates and alcoholism.
A lot of people not from my department think in the Pas-de-Calais it’s always cold (as it’s the most Northern department), or they think everyone from here is a dimwit, still dressed as a miner, with a can of beer in hand. They think we can’t speak French just because we have our own patois, and for some unfathomable reason, a lot of people think there is a high consanguinity rate (which is not only very false but also very gross).
However, my department is much more than that. It isn't a tourist attraction, but it’s a place where you can go for a walk at two and end up getting home at eleven because you saw your friend, and they invited you over. It’s a place where people are helpful just because, and they don’t expect a thank you.
It’s a place where people are nice but also so much more. It’s where the Louvres decided to build a second museum. It's the place home to the best soccer supporters of France in Lens (where the matches are always entertaining and animated!). It’s the place where people suffered most during the two World Wars, but they kept going and got back on their feet.
That’s why, despite what the rest of the France says, I’m proud to be from the Pas-de-Calais.
