The Late Summer - Is There Really a Summer?

Paris seems to have no summer this year. It has not been sunny and breezy; rather, it has been a time of ill-timed winds and uncooperative rain. The climate has plummeted like the stock market over these three months—unbearably disastrous. Severe sovereign debt issues in European and American countries are impacting global economic prospects. The US continues printing money en masse, holding the world hostage with green paper because everyone relies too heavily on the US dollar. People’s faces turn green, yet they must continue fostering an atmosphere of dollar dominance. A world superpower living on debt is hard to imagine.

The European continent is equally bewildered. Southern Europe is almost suffocating under sovereign debt pressure. Under tight fiscal policies, they must also assist struggling allies. Greece is on the brink of bankruptcy. If the EU cannot reach consensus on a second aid package, the result will be heartbreaking, leading to a severe Euro crisis. In this chain reaction, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and even France are not exempt. Dragging down the entire EU seems unimaginable. Over the past two weeks, French banks have been affected by Greek debt. The stock market has slid to the bottom like a slide, unable to recover, and has been downgraded. Prospects are bleak. Unemployment continues to rise, purchasing power declines, and uncertainty fills the future. Public anxiety and gloom prevail.

France’s presidential election next year begins as the summer vacation ends, entering a phase of sharp confrontation. This summer, only the Mediterranean provinces in southern France enjoyed bright sunshine. People everywhere sought sunlight. The meteorological bureau called it the most unusual summer in thirty years. Temperatures remained below normal, lacking any sense of summer. It felt like early autumn arriving ahead of schedule—cool, crisp, and comfortable. When Parisians returned to the city for work and school, the sun finally shone brightly in early September. For a few days, hot weather arrived. Citizens took advantage of the sunshine for outdoor activities, especially in the city’s abundant green spaces. Sunbathers, picnickers, and players were seen enjoying themselves under the sun. The late summer brought unexpected joy to urbanites. Even a few days of sunny and breezy weather felt deeply warm.