Hello all!
So this is a post I’ve been meaning to make for a while. Since I’ve been here, I feel like I’ve been living an anthropology
experiment of sorts so I wanted to share a few cultural differences that I’ve
come across. I hope you find them as interesting as I have. The challenging part about living abroad is the clash between the culture you've been ‘programmed’ into and your new environment. So
here’s a collection of things that I have found interesting, frustrating or
just different!
Food
The French are very proud of their cuisine. Stop by any boulangerie or restaurant and
it’s easy to appreciate the time they take to prepare each dish. There are a
number of delicacies that are quintessentially French, and I’ve really
appreciated having the opportunity to indulge in some new foods.
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| Mmmm Euro chocolate! |
…That said, flip
side, international food is more difficult to find here. Whereas in Canada we
celebrate our multiculturalism and offer a wide variety of cultural cuisines,
the French believe they are the gastronomic center of the universe. Once the novelty of unlimited
baguettes and cheese wore off, I’ve been struggling to adjust to finding some
new food patterns. There are a lot of things I’ve taken for granted (such as
Kraft Dinner, ship it this way, please!). It’s also forced me to be more
creative and adventurous. I’ve learned it’s sometimes better not to ask
what is in a dish, just eat it. That said, I’ve been putting balsamic vinegar
on my salad for 3 months now because I thought it said “Balsamic vinaigrette.” Thanks for the traduction Chelsea!
Another way I’m definitely a product
of my culture is prepared foods! Sure, they exist here, but definitely not to
the same extent. French cuisine is rooted in cooking from scratch, au naturel.
Baguettes, for example, are so fresh and preservative-free that they become
rock-hard assault weapons after a day or two!
Something
I also find noteworthy is Dijon mustard. All mustard here is Dijon (there is none
of the yellow prepared variety) and- unlike the North American type- it’s got a
real kick to it!
Also,
European chocolate tastes even better on this beautiful continent. Lindt, Milka, Kinder, Cadbury
(not available in France, but in the UK). TO DIE FOR.
Although
I don’t really drink, I thought I’d touch on alcohol, as it (well, really wine) is at the forefront of French culture. Unlike Canada’s antique liquor laws, you can buy
alcohol in any grocery store in France. Since it’s not monopolized it's also
fairly cheap and the paradoxical thing about it is that France doesn’t appear to have the same
issues with alcohol, intoxication, etc. as Canada. I’ve also never
been ID’d here which is a first. Each system has its merits but its just
something I thought I’d point out.
Furthermore, I
owe my entire existence to coffee, and French version of this divine beverage does not suffice.
French coffees are potent little shots that hold the allure of crude oil. On
the bright side, France has coffee vending machines, which are a perfectly
brilliant idea.
Dining Out
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| Just a selection of the wine at the local Monoprix |
As
I’ve mentioned before, coffee to-go is a rarity. I have found two coffee shops-
Bagels & Coffee and French Coffee Shop- which offer more North American
flair (albeit at a steep price!). What’s curious is that they do not open until
9:30 and 9:00, respectively. I’m accustomed to Timmies on-demand and this sort
of boggles my mind. 24-hour world France is not.
Movies
I have to say one of my favourite things to
do in France is go to the movies. For 25€ I bought “La Carte -26 Ans” which
gets me five movies for the equivalent of $6.40 CND, much better than $10.50 at
Galaxy!!! I really insist of seeing authentic French movies, not dubbed
American ones (except for Twilight, don’t judge). French films are very…quirky.
Sometimes they don’t make much sense or they just end when you least expect it.
But this is one of the things I love because it is such a fresh take on cinema!
It’s also a great immersion experience, which can never hurt.
Administration
Here comes the juicy bit. I’m not going to sugar-coat
it, French administration is an absolute nightmare. For one, the mandated
French work week is only 35 hours a week, which translates into 1 or 2 hour
work stoppages for lunch each day, or being closed on Mondays or closing early.
Each business beats to its own drum so you never really know when you show up
whether it will be open or not! Also, basically everything shuts down on
Sundays (some grocery stores are open until around noon or so but the city is a
bit of a ghost town).
The beauty (note the heavy sarcasm) of
being a foreign student is there is so much stuff to do- lodging, bank account,
phone plan, school courses, visas, so forth. I’ve been fortunate that in many
cases people will try to speak to me in English if I’m really struggling in
French. However, the French are very proud of their language and expect you to perform
to a certain standard. Canadian franglish is not good enough.
Something else I’ve learned is that you
must know exactly what you want. France is not a customer
service oriented country. Take it or leave it. By the time I figure things out
I wonder why they didn’t just tell me in the first place. Oftentimes, it’s
necessary to consult various people who in turn each provide you with a
different answer. The French language is also more direct so you have to be
forceful and know what you want and how to get it to succeed. In Canada, so
I’ve now realized, we are incredibly polite and courteous. Obviously la
politesse is a must (the French are very keen on their “bonjours” and “bonne
journées”) but if you sit back, wait your turn and hope the wheels will be put
into motion it just ain’t gonna happen. On that note, based on extensive
personal trials, tears (real or fake) have a 99.9% success rate. France is also
the metropolis of paperwork, and I would highly advise making photocopies of
the photocopies of every possible document known to mankind.
Rules of the Road
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| The French say "Stop" instead of "Arrêt" |
As many of you know, I bike
absolutely everywhere. My vélo was definitely my best investment and through my
foray into city cycling I’ve noticed a few more cultural disparities. First,
unlike Canada and its roundabout capital, Kitchener-Waterloo, pedestrians do
not have the right of way. You are entirely at the mercy of the traffic. On the
plus side, Tours has bike lanes!! This is a contentious issue in Canada and
while I remain vehemently in favour of trails or bike paths with medians, bike
lanes are nonetheless appreciated. The trouble is that Tours is home to many
one-way streets and all streets, being typically European, are rather narrow by
my standards. However, unlike Canada, drivers appear more adjusted to mixed
traffic. Cars are also very small, parking always reverse or parallel and
transmission always manual.
Appearance
The French look is very typically European
and classy. Most are comfortably well-dressed- a blazer, jean jacket or simple
outer layer, a scarf (women and men!), some nice jeans and boots (not running
shoes!). Colours are fairly neutral with perhaps a bolder hue as an accent. Sweatpants
are also a faux pas and not to be worn in public. In general, French women
present themselves very au naturel- very little makeup and a go-with-the-flow
hairstyle (I’m not sure flat-ironed hair would really work well here
considering it rains nearly constantly).
School
Ahhh, where to begin? For starters, while
little Laurier is neatly tucked into a city block, the University of Tours has
no fewer than five campuses throughout the city. Throw in the fact that there
is no time gap between classes and you do the math- it’s impossible to be
anywhere on time. Fortunately “time” does not have the same meaning that it
does it North America (for example, if something- the library, prefecture,
coffee shop…- opens at 9, they probably mean 9:15). In terms of classes, there
isn’t a lot of choice, particularly for international students and every course
is worth a different value. French students also pay around €150 for their
education- and the system certainly reflects that. The French “licence” or
undergrad is only three years instead of four, and I find in general that
French university students seem very young. There is a sort of high school-ish
air to the experience. As well, the French grading system is marked out of 20 points instead of 100, with most grades laying between 8-13 with anything more than 17 non-existant. My marks have dropped 35-50% here! Professors also have this frustrating habit of
cancelling class, moving the room or randomly changing the time, often without
notification. Exam schedules are also non-existent. Today is 28 November and I
still have no idea when most of my exams are or if I even have exams. C’est
vraiment bizarre.
Random Thoughts I Couldn’t Find Categories
For
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| Yep, just a goat at the bar |
- · Bars and cafés are often one and the same.
- · The French bring their dogs everywhere- in the bar, in the store, on the bus. There is one gentleman in Tours who takes his goat everywhere, and this amuses me.
- · I have yet to see a water fountain the entire time I have been here.
- · One of the most typical points of French culture is its love of the cigarette. While smoking is forbidden in public buildings and such, it remains difficult to go anywhere without the lingering odour of cigarette smoke. It’s very unfortunate and not France’s most appealing trait. Thank you, Canada, for progressive smoking policies!
- · France is a little behind on women’s rights. In the streets, men are more aggressive in trying to pick up women, especially if they hear you speaking English (that and being blonde, so I’ve learned, makes you rather exotic, I suppose). It’s harmless, but irritating nonetheless (seriously, what is the success rate of “Bonsoir, ma princesse”?). Athletic women are also less common, and you’ll get stares if you casually go for a run around the block wearing athletic attire (French women, if and when they do exercise, do not dress in the likes of Under Armour or Lululemon). I also had a class (which I dropped, thank god) where the prof wouldn’t address me because I was female. And here I thought we were in the 21st century…
- · Grocery stores do not have pharmacies in them. You must go specifically to a pharmacy, where everything is behind the counter. Now, sick as a dog, try asking for something in French. Betcha they didn’t teach you that vocabulary in school, now did they?
- · France is not as email-savvy as North America. It’s difficult to get an answer over the internet. And seeing as you can never know if something is open, I’d say an old-fashioned phone call- while obviously the most linguistically challenging option- has the best success rate.
- · Travel is so much cheaper than in North America. Discount airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet create a world of opportunity. Now if only Canada could pick up on this idea…
Best & Worst Decisions
A few more personal observations:
Best…
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| Amusing extract from a textbook found by fellow Canucks Emily & Tabitha: "In France, those who smile all the time are either imbeciles, hypocrites or Canadians" |
Buying the 12-15 Card (now Carte Jeune).
For 50€, it entitles you to a decent discount on trains- definitely a great
investment as train travel is simple and practical (as long as there isn’t a
strike on).
Worst…
The International Student Card. I’ve yet to
find a place that actually accepts it.
University Residences- Both
Residences are great in that its easy to
find accommodation and sufficient. However, if I were to do it again, I think
I’d prefer to find my own flat or a host family. Also, residences are nothing
like they are in Canada. While a Canadian res is a social space, in France they
amount to no less than an apartment building inhabited by students. I can’t say
I know any of my neighbours other than the international students (and not from
lack of trying either).
Best…
CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) is
housing assistance that is available to anyone (not just French or European
citizens). It was quite a bit of paperwork to set up but is definitely worth it
(I’m currently saving 2/3 of my rent)! The kicker is to have an officially
translated birth certificate. Fortunately my birth province of Nova Scotia
provided me with a bilingual copy, so I was lucky there.
Best…
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| At the recent skating night |
I’m glad I signed up for the Pack Sport.
For 20€ I’ve been able to follow fitness classes, attend evening such as the
Soirée de Patinoire (free skating!) or go on the Mont. St. Michel hiking trip
(for just 60€ more). The only problem is that by the time I was registered for
courses most sports were already at capacity, but it was still a good
investment nonetheless.
Worst…
I wish I had packed less! Shopping is far
better in Europe (albeit un peu cher) so why bother importing your entire
Canadian wardrobe? Fancy clothes (for a night out) are unnecessary, as there
really is no occasion (think France, think casual & chic but not formal). I might have also packed some warmer clothes as well...
Best…
My Famille d’Accueil. Through the Association Tourangelle Pour L’Acceuil aux Étudiants Étrangers, one can be matched with a local family. I love my French family and it definitely helps fill the void by having a home-cooked meal and someone to make you feel welcome (French people, in general, are more reserved, not to say less friendly, but less forthcoming). It’s also a judgement-free space to refine French speaking skills as in general the French don’t take too kindly to you butchering their language. The parrainage/marrainage program through International Relations is also something I'm glad I did. Everyone is matched with one or two French students. It's helpful to have a French peer and contact & I'm fortunate to have met Céline!
So there you have it. Here are all my thoughts thus far on my journey abroad, for better or for worse! Upon reflection, I am appreciating all of my experiences & know that every day it is making me a better person! Now if only that person could speak French fluently *sigh*
Until next time,
Z <3
