Stories inspired by old photos: Food

FRANCE

     This picture reminds me of Christmas holidays because during these days people cook delicious meals : oysters, turkey (some even eat raclette). There is plenty to eat, especially for desert . Indeed, there are Yule logs and lots of fine chocolate. It is really very greedy in the family !

     The days after Christmas eve comes the best part of it: Yule log leftovers  and stockings stuffed with chocolates... For New Year's eve, my parents buy food in a delicatessen and it's wonderful.

Valentine Mage et Ryan Jouan

ITALY

     I looked at this photo and I thought of the stories I’ve always heard in my family when after the second world war there was a great economic crisis. Italian citizens were very poor and their families didn’t have nothing to eat. So they went to the church to get food, above all bread.

     But yesterday’ s history is also today’s history. Nowadays, many people coming from other countries, arrive. We see images where people are waiting for their turn to pick up dress and food . They are escaping from their countries because of wars.

I would like to realize that I am very lucky because I have what I need and for this reason I want to share what I have with people escaping from war who wants to have a better future.

     It’s important not to forget the past in order to have a better future!

Giulia Criscione

SPAIN

     You can see this picture is old because of the clothes they are wearing and the policeman at the door. I think it was taken after the Spanish Civil War, a time when people were very poor and they had to make a queue to get something to eat. This image makes me think of poverty, inequality, death, flour, war, social classes, elegance, confrontation, suffering, children, the rich, the poor, food, “high heels in hard times”, working class, banquets, the Church, ancestors, long journeys, emigration…

     It also makes me think of all those families who had to separate, all the people who died and all the suffering. I can see all those social differences, the woman wearing that dress and high heels and the man behind her…

     It makes me think of all that those people have been through, the ones on the right and the ones on the left. I think of their cities destroyed, I think of dictatorships, that made them emigrate, run away from their own country.

Irene Rubio

GERMANY

It was a warm day in Italy. When Sofia wake up the sun was shining. She got dressed and walked through the streets. The school, the bakery, the butcher and many other houses were destroyed, because a few days ago there was a big earthquake. Sofia was happy, because the house of her family wasn’t destroyed.

Today she walked to the baker. His house with the bakery was assembled yesterday by some volunteer workers so he can bake bread again. This morning her family received a message that everybody can go to his shop and get some bread for free for the family. As she was there she saw the long queue and got to the end. They went very slowly to the door, but they could talk to each other to get news after the disaster. When she was near the door she saw the mayor and his assistant. The mayor gave everybody one bread. Next to the assistant stood a policeman, who looked very strict and watched the people very hostile. Now Sofia was in the front.

The mayor gave her the bread and said: “Oh Miss Sofia, what a nice dress on this sunny day after the earthquake. How are you?” “I’m fine, thank you. And thank you for the bread,” Sofia said. The mayor answered: “You’re welcome.” Sofia walked back to her house. She was happy that her family doesn’t have to be hungry this evening. She prepared lunch and when her husband and the children came home from the building lots they ate some bread. “I have to go and help to assemble the houses,” her husband told her. “But, what is if there is a second earthquake? I don’t

want you to go,” Sofia answered. Her husband said: “If I’m in here it wouldn’t be better. The earthquake will be here too and it is not sure that our house won’t be destroyed next time. I would like to help our neighbours. ” Sofia answered: “You’re right. It’s better when you help the others to assemble their houses. But be careful. The houses can fall in.” “Sure dear. See you later,” he said and went out. The whole day Sofia washed clothes, did the dishes and cleaned the house, but the whole time

she was very nervous. Her children played in the streets with the children of the neighbours and were happy and her husband helped at the building lots. In the evening her husband came home. Together the family ate for dinner and all were happy that there was no second earthquake. After dinner they got to bed. It was a nice day and Sofia and her husband decided to help other families tomorrow again.

Helen Romanski