Even though they occurred across the ocean, the attacks that occurred in Paris on Fri., Nov. 13 continue to deeply affect students and staff at Sycamore. French teacher Madame Lesley Chapman once lived in the location where the attacks took place.

  Chapman said, “The area was very youthful. When I lived there, it was a place where people used to go out. There was a feeling of safety and freedom and joy.”

  The attacks served to shatter this light and carefree atmosphere.

  Chapman said, “To me, the terrorists’ doings were very symbolic. I feel that when they hit the area, they tried to take the joy out of the Parisian life, a life filled with enjoying food, drinks, and friends.”

  “This wasn’t just an attack against the city, but also an attack against the imagery of life.”

  Regardless, the aftermath of the attacks reflect terror about what is to come. No one knows what could happen next.

  Chapman said, “I have friends in France who are afraid to go out. They’re suspicious of everything and everyone around them. They don’t know who to trust. In that sense, the terrorists were successful. They created terror among the people.”

  “What I fear the most is if this is the new ‘normal.’ Will the area, and really Paris, always be marred by the attacks and their aftermath? Or will things eventually go back to a similar version of the way they were?”

  Of all questions and answers, only one thing is certain: nothing will be the same. Whether it is security or the feelings of the people, everything has changed – for Paris, for France, for Europe, and really, for the world.