In grad school we studied at length the topic of economic convergence, where
given freedom of labor movement and transport of materials, wages and economic
conditions gradually meet in the middle, like high and low waters finding
middle ground as the barrier falls.  Agree with that theory or not, head
directly to Marseille to have a look at what that might look like.

We visited Marseille in early summer, but already it was sweltering with
Mediterranean heat; the air was humid and the sun seared, especially towards
evening when its reflection off the harbor was nearly blinding.  Hotter still
was the metro, which was packed, nearly airless, and absolutely teeming with
throngs and throngs of commuters.  Suffocating, we curtailed our cross-town
trip and made for the exits, where we caught one of the above-ground tramways
plying the same route.

The architecture was French, that's for sure.  But it was a polyglot city full
of Syrians, Libyans, Lebanese, Algerians, and beyond.  I was disappointed to
hear Wolof more than once, having looked forward instead to a break from the
Senegalese.  Blame it on the fact that we were near the end of the trip, and
were running out of steam.  But I found Marseille to be "too much."  We looked
forward to taking the kids to the one park reputed to have a swingset and some
toys.  Instead we found it vandalised, threadbare, and dilapidated.
Disappointed, we retreated to a cafe for some pastries and juice, and got ready
to say goodbye.

We'd been wondering, at some level, if we'd be able to make Marseille our home
as a base for further adventures in Europe and Africa.  But we decided, no.
And that makes me worry about economic convergence.  There are other cities
economists point to as models of what the world would look like if economic
levels converged.  Lagos, Nigeria is one: I'd rather die.  Beijing is another:
I'm not impressed.  After decades of working and living in the "developing
world" - much of which isn't making any effort to develop whatsoever
- I'm convinced fences make for good neighbors, economists be damned.