Hello,

This is my very first blog. And I want to begin my contribution to the correspondance by sharing why I think the visitation to France is important to me. First and foremost, France is the birthplace of European democracy. Ironically, what precipitated the unrest that led to the rise of democracy was the French assistance to our revolution, which in turn contributed to a fiscal crisis and subsequent peasant revolt. Who knows, if it weren't for assistance from the French, we might not have our freedom today!!

But the French are contentious folk. From that point they pushed the concepts of freedom and democracy, I believe, much further then we have. For example, the French, according to the World Health Organization, have the finest health care system in the world-everybody is covered, and, the sicker you are the less you pay for treatment. The burden of care is shared. As I understand it, it is mandatory that French workers must take four paid weeks (or is it six?) of vacation per year-imagine how many trips we could take with Bob et al if that system were in place here!!

Well, anyway, that's a start of why I think it is important to visit France. More on that later....