Many people don’t realize how different French culture is from American culture. We can learn about other countries, but the only people who really experience the cultural differences are those who leave their home country for a new one. My French professor has done exactly that and has a few things to say about the changes when moving from France to America.
“Everyone here eats so much”
According to my professor, Americans are always eating. This is easy to notice for someone who comes from a very different culture. In France, the typical day consists of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but not quite like our meals here. Breakfast always consists of some sort of bread along with tea or coffee. Next, lunch follows a typical pattern of appetizer, entrée, and dessert, either a baked good or fruit. Finally, at around 7 or 8 p.m. is dinner. Dinner also follows the three course pattern, and everyone is expected to finish their plate. The only exception to the three meal system is children. Occasionally, kids will have a small snack after school, but that is it. Obviously, Americans would never be able to survive on this type of schedule, considering the fact that there is a coffee or snack bar everywhere we turn.
“Friendship is so weird here”
We all have that one friend that we’ve known for years that comes over unannounced and makes themselves at home. This is not the case in France. Even if you know someone for decades, they must be invited into your home. If you show them to a room in your house, that is where they stay. Guests never wander around each other’s homes in France; they are expected to stay where they are invited to stay. In America, we feel like we are best friends with people we’ve known for maybe a year, but, in France, it takes a lot longer to reach “best friend” status.
“People are so hard working”
Here in the US, overtime is a normal occurrence for a lot of people and, often times, work weeks go beyond 40 hours, but not in France. Their work weeks are 36 hours—no more. My professor said, “If people were asked to work more than 36 hours, there would be riots.” It is not to say that the French are lazy, we Americans just always feel the need to get ahead of things. For my professor, this is a very confusing concept. She wonders what we’re trying to get ahead of and why we are so worried about falling behind. We even skip out on vacation time to get an advantage while, in France, everyone uses their 5 weeks of vacation time to the fullest. Even on Sundays, everything is closed: the grocery store, the mall, everything. How would we survive if that were the case in America?
“Everyone hesitates to go to the doctor”
In France, healthcare is free so people are constantly going to the doctor. But here, my professor thinks everyone seems so hesitant, and she even finds herself asking her kids if their sickness is that bad or if they really think they need to go see a doctor. Yes people do abuse the system in France, but they believe that a healthy population leads to healthy workforce, while, in America, home-remedies and denying the possibility of sickness is pretty common.
“You all shop so much”
Did you know that in France, they don’t usually have closets? How on earth do the French fit all their clothes in their rooms? Well, my professor says that shopping is far less popular in France. Their houses are much smaller, simply because they don’t have as many things. Living here in America, she finds it odd to have so much space, because she doesn’t have many nonessential items. Bedrooms in France basically include beds, nightstands, dressers, and maybe a desk if there is room, but other than that, the French don’t need much more. Americans, however, would probably lose it if they couldn't go shopping for one thing or another at least one a week.
There are so many cultural differences between countries, even in seemingly similar places to our own, like Europe. Take it from someone who has gone through the adventure of leaving France and coming to America; everything seems so weird and odd, and, what is our norm, is extremely different from that of others.
