Cultural Differences

Bonjour!

Here is a list of some of the main differences I've come across between my life in France and my life in the States. I'll limit it to six for now.

- Kisses, not hugs. At first, this was a little difficult to get used to. I still don't fully understand the social cues yet. I mean I know that when you see someone you know for the first time that day you greet each other with the cheek kisses, but other than that, I don't know when else. Also, I miss hugs. 

- Consistently distinct courses, not just a big meal. When my family eats a lunch or dinner, there is a premier plate (sort of like an appetizer, except it's a consistent course), a main meal, fruit and/or cheese, and dessert. I think it's better than just piling everything on the plate because you can pace your eating better. 

- Silverware in the cafeteria (finally). Back in the States, students are given plastic forks, knives, and spoons and eat off styrofoam trays. In France, we have real silverware, a plastic tray, and an actual plate or plates. Also there are pitchers for each group of people, so you don't have to pay to get something to drink. The only option is water. Last year, I usually only drank water at lunch, so I like the system here.

- Sneezes. No, people don't sneeze differently. When someone sneezes, the French say "à tes/vos souhaits" (I think that literally translates to "to your wishes", but they rarely say it. Back in the States, when someone sneezed, multiple people would reactively say "bless you". Here only really close friends say it to each other, and even then it's pretty rare. 

- Lunch/Breaks. As you (probably) read in my "Classes" post, students (usually) have a very long lunch time. Last year, I had half an hour to eat. There wasn't any time to actually take a break. Now, every other week I have a four hour break in between my first class and my second class on thursdays. It's so different. 

- School Schedule. In addition to the longer lunch times, the class schedule is structured differently. It's kind of annoying, because I actually have to remember what day it is. Last year, sometimes I wouldn't know the day of the week until Friday. But I still never know the date, because I don't have to write it on EVERY PAPER, which is nice. 

That's all for now. Au revoir!

Amelia