The height of this feeling coincided with a weekend trip to London. I got to speak/hear English and be around a culture that is much more similar to my own. I came back to France for one last week of French classes and realized I had lost all motivation to speak/learn French or be in France.
Luckily this feeling wore off after 2 days and then it hit me that 2 days later I was leaving France for 10 weeks and I got really sad. 2 of my friends will no longer be in France when I get back and I am pretty bummed about that.
But although I was ready for a break I am no where near ready to move back to the US permanently, I can't wait to get back in July.
But although I was ready for a break I am no where near ready to move back to the US permanently, I can't wait to get back in July.
French culture that I like better than US culture
4 months is not a long time but I started to begin to understand French culture. In my French classes, the articles and news clips we were given for written and oral comprehension were related to something about French culture and we would have class discussions about it and how it related to/differed from our various cultures.
In past posts I know I've complained a little about France and there are definitely things to complain about and get used to but I want to understand and embrace their culture and these are my 2 favorite aspects (and the 2 that I can easily explain in words. The rest is hard to explain, you really just have to experience it)
In past posts I know I've complained a little about France and there are definitely things to complain about and get used to but I want to understand and embrace their culture and these are my 2 favorite aspects (and the 2 that I can easily explain in words. The rest is hard to explain, you really just have to experience it)
~Unlike in the US, they are not worried about everything always being the biggest, newest, fastest, bestest. They are not worried about keeping up with the Jones's and being materialistic. No one has big diamonds on their hands or cares about having a big fancy house/car. There's certain things that could definitely be improved but it doesn't bother them, its just how it is. I've discussed this with other US expats and all agree, its refreshing. Now, obviously not every American is the same and there are certainly materialistic French people, but in the overall sense of the 2 cultures, the difference is noticeable.
~They work to live, not live to work. In the US, I've noticed, some people are proud of not taking a vacation day in 2 years. Its always work work work, whether we like it or not. In France, they get 5 weeks minimum of paid vacation, Adam gets 7 or 8. Businesses and schools close up shop for at least an hour every afternoon for lunch, nothing is open on Sunday, and sometimes Monday too. They will not stay open for 5 more minutes to help that one last customer. The legal work week is 35 hours. My french teachers said its becoming less like this in recent years, discussions are popping up about stores opening on Sundays, people are working longer hours, but all in all the attitude about work is just different.
Coming back to the US
Like I said, 4 months is not a long time to be in another culture and gone from your own, but it was enough for me to have a slight bit of culture shock when I returned. I was told from multiple people to expect it. My mom came back from Amsterdam after 5 years and didn't like it and wanted to go back to Europe.
~First thing, American accents and ways of speaking. Minus the few American students I talked to at school here and there, I'd really spoken English with only 1 other American the whole 4 months, Adam. I got to my gate in Geneva last week and sat next to a girl with that annoying American 20-something girl voice ("like, totally!") and I cringed. It was like nails on a chalk board. Then more Americans arrived to the gate with various American accents, less annoying, but still annoying, and loud. I discussed this with a doctor at work yesterday who lived in Spain for a year and he said the exact same thing. My mom completely understood too.
~Loud restaurants. This was surprising. Went out to dinner with my parents and the first couple times was slightly overwhelmed with the volume of the people and the music in the restaurant and just the restaurant itself and the lights and the colors and the TVs and people everywhere.
~The food. Its been a week and a half and it still hasn't gotten better. Starting the morning after I returned, my body hasn't been happy with what I've been eating. I'm almost positive its the ultra-processed American food, which is just about everywhere here, even when its "healthy." I cooked a lot and with fresh meat and veggies from the market and all the restaurants in Grenoble use fresh, local ingredients. I just hope my body readjusts soon, I'll have to watch what I eat.
~and just a nit picky thing, now that I'm back people come up to me and say "hows Paris?!" and it drives me a little crazy because I've never mentioned Paris, I always just say I live in France, and people only think of Paris. Its a big country with lots of other cities, and Paris certainly isn't the best representation of France as a whole, for anyone who's been there. All my teachers always got a look on their face when they talked about the Parisians. Its kind of similar to how we look at New Yorkers, not the best representation of Americans.
~and just a nit picky thing, now that I'm back people come up to me and say "hows Paris?!" and it drives me a little crazy because I've never mentioned Paris, I always just say I live in France, and people only think of Paris. Its a big country with lots of other cities, and Paris certainly isn't the best representation of France as a whole, for anyone who's been there. All my teachers always got a look on their face when they talked about the Parisians. Its kind of similar to how we look at New Yorkers, not the best representation of Americans.
