Fun French Facts: The Young, The Old and The Fluffy

♥ ♥From the interesting to the trivial to the the mundane to the hilarious, here's an ongoing list of things that I have come to learn or realize during my months spent in Lorraine, France. Come back next time for 3 more "Fun French Facts" (which was also nicknamed "F cubed"  by the lovely blogger, TRAIN STATION VAGABOND).♥♥

♥Fun France Facts, Volume IV:♥

The Young, The Old, and The Fluffy.

I am frequently asked by les français about the differences between the USA and France. Often, I draw a blank. I found the longer you live in a country, the more the lines start to be blurred. So, sometimes, to really compare the cultural differences, one must look back to the very first impressions: the things that hit you during the first few days in a new country. So, for this F-cubed edition, I'm going back to July 2009 in Paris to discuss my first impressions of France...

The Young:

So, I think French kids are the most adorable children ever, because, well, firstly, they speak French. In my head, I still expect little kids to speak English; so when they speak French (which they obviously do) I always am shocked, thinking to myself, "But...they speak--so--well." Dumb, I know, but hearing little kids speak French in addition to their incredibly fashionable attire makes me wanna pass out from a cuteness overload. Which leads me to my next point...French kids dress like adults. No smocked dresses made by grandma. No huge bows in the hair. Essentially, no embarrassing Easter-Sunday pictures. Nah, French kids have style to boot. This French desire to dress their kids in the most stylish clothes is evident from the numerous kid boutiques and chains such as Le Petit Bateau. Yet, the demand for tiny fashion is most exhibited through the magazine MiLK, a French magazine dedicated entirely to children's fashion or mode enfantine.

There is even a French Vogue for children. In fact, it gets a little too bizarre for my taste. For instance, click this link to see a creepy editorial. To be fair, it was controversial in France.

The Old:

Now, let's go to the opposite side of the age spectrum to reach my next point: I love people-watching the elderly in France. First of all, they've also got a lot of style and always seem to be doing something typically French: frequenting the boulangeries, buying baguettes, talking long walk through the parks, playing pétanque or staying in a cafe for hours. 

YET, even more so, I LOVE French old couples. They are always walking around together in town, hand-in-hand or are arm-in-arm. They are also usually really short too, making them even more cute. I feel like I giant next to them, and I'm only 5'6''. They're adorable...no really. Adorable. French elderly couples make the ideal of growing old together really seem possible and something to strive for. When I pass these couples, I end up having a big-fat grin on my face, and a bright happiness then pumps through my veins.

The Fluffy:

Okay, I hope you're ready for this one...DOGS. MY GOODNESS, do French people love their dogs! They go with them everywhere...on the metro, in shops, in restaurants even. This, at first, really startled and disturbed me. Then I realized how amazingly well-trained and well behaved these dogs are. I don't know what the French do, but these pooches are the calmest and most obedient dogs I've ever seen. I can't tell you how many times I've seen an owner leave his/her dog outside a shop while they peruse inside. The dog just sits there, hanging out, watching the passerbys, patiently waiting...without a leash. Incredible! My guess is that all French people are Dog Whispers. Yet, unfortunately, the French shamelessly allow their dogs to "decorate" the streets. Consequently, my eyes are always focused on the pavement while walking, constantly dodging the disgusting canine presents left on the road. Boo-hoo, poo-poo.

Alors, c'est tout.

(All pictures except those from Milk and Vogue are from yanidel, a Parisian street photography site. I highly recommend looking at his other stuff).

P.S.--I am back from my legendary Scandinavia journey and will blog about it ASAP. Check back this weekend.

P.P.S.-- I just learned how to make the ♥ symbol and how to make collages with Picnik. So expect to see them everywhere.

P.P.P.S--I learned from reading Remember Me (of all books) that it's P.P.S. and not P.S.S. Let me also add that I took 7 years of Latin. Now let it sink in that it took a chick flick book to teach me this fact.

Fun France Facts: Sippin' and Grubbin'

From the interesting to the trivial to the the mundane to the hilarious, here's an ongoing list of things that I have come to learn or realize during my months spent in Lorraine, France. Come back next time for 3 more.

Fun France Facts, Volume III: Sippin' and Grubbin'

Yes, what a surprise: talking about eating and drinking as a part of French culture is like mentioning drinking beer and eating donuts as the culture of Homer Simpson. It goes without saying, right? This is something that I love about the French: they are all about soaking up every ounce of pleasure while wining and dining. To ensure that this happens, they do the following...

1) C'est pas l'heure/ Il faut s'attabler:

 In America, you eat whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. In America, it's about convenience and swiftness. In France, it's about taking your time, sitting at the table, and having a proper meal at the proper time. One way that they ensure this happens is that restaurants and shops close down during the afternoon between lunch and dinner. In addition, grocery stores only stay open til around 7:30 or 8:00. That's right, no late night trips to the grocery if you have a hankering for Doritos. No Cheesecake Factory staying open til 11pm to eat a late dinner. Not only do the French view this  "eating at the right time " as a great way to enjoy a meal the most, it's also seen as a way to maintain a proper healthy lifestyle (to stay thin) and keep the family together. Almost every night, French families eat together, whereas, I believe, this part is deteriorating in the US.  

2) Wine Country: "Everything in Moderation, even Moderation." I've often heard the French joke about the fact that their are viewed as alcoholics from abroad. However, I find it to be the contraire, mon frère (sorry, I had to). Yes, of course you have your alcoholics, but apart from that, I really respect the French's moderate attitude towards alcohol. In fact, alcohol is really just another vessel to better enjoy the meal (what a suprise!). You have an "aperitif" like white or port wine before the meal. During, you usually drink red. Then, sometimes after, an eau de vie or a liquor as dessert. As it is usually only consumed with a meal (which usually lasts for a long time with many courses), alcohol is more moderately consumed. In this sense, I believe it is a more "healthy" approach. Alcohol is something one can enjoy instead of just getting schmammered.

3) Les règles: OH MY! The rules of eating. There are so many that I doubt that I have them all down. If a French person is reading this, feel free to correct me. Okay, here we go...

• Eat with both hands: fork in the left, knife in the right. Use the knife to "shovel" the food nicely onto the fork. This is actually something that is customary in many countries in Europe, but is not present in America. In the USA, we normally only eat like that while cutting a steak. Otherwise, it is polite to leave the hand you are not using resting under the table in your lap. Yet, in Europe, you are seen as poorly brought up if you eat like this.
• Keep you hand on the table at all times: This goes along with the point above. You must keep you wrists and hands on the table during the whole meal...even in between courses when there is perhaps a long break. In America, we are taught to keep your hands nicely folded in your lap in between courses. In Europe, as I have been informed, this is seen as peasantry.
• The bread stays on the table next to your plate, not on the plate. Bread is a huge part of the French diet, but it has it's own place during the meal. It will be used to eat with the meal (shoveling the food a bit) and after to render the plate clean.
• The salad is eaten after the main course. Not before.
• The appetizer is called "l'entree" where as an "entree" is the main dish in America (just one example of a false cognate from French).
• After the meal, one can be offered cheese to eat instead of dessert.
• A part from drinking wine, I have noticed that, in general, the French barely drink anything while eating. In fact, they barely drink any water at all. Just coffee and a lot of wine.

AH! Okay, that's all. Now go eat some Macaroons (another obsession of mine while in France)... ...and come back next week for 3 more Fun French Facts!

Fun France Facts Friday on Sunday: High School

From the interesting to the trivial to the the mundane to the hilarious, here's an ongoing list of things that I have come to learn or realize during my months spent in Lorraine, France. Come back next Friday for 3 more. (OOPS, this time, Friday came two days late).

Fun France Facts Friday, Volume II: HIGH SCHOOL

For two school years in a row, I've been teaching high school/ middle school in Lorraine (Nancy-Metz Academie), France. There have been many common running themes that I find quite bizarre compared to my American high-school experience. Keep in mind, I only speak for my experience in Lorraine. The rest of France could be different (but I doubt it).

1) Toute en noir:  So we know what the "typical" American girl high school look is: hair perfectly in place (usually bleached), preppy style, perfectly applied makeup, tan skin bronzed from the tanning bed.

But in France, this "so American" look isn't common...not even one tiny bit. Nope, here, the "chic" girl is head to toe en noir. Black knows no boundaries. Black, messy hair. Thick black eyeliner, black leather jacket, black skinny pants, black heels, black Longchamp little purse...AND I must make this distinction: this "toute en noir" is not at all a "goth style." It's not even grungey-rock 'n roll style. It's just, well...French.

2) Popularity Deficit:  I was shocked to find out that popularity doesn't really exist French high schools; I thought that the popularity factor was just a natural element of the adolescent human nature. Weird, right?
Instead, the students more-so just have their group of friends and that's it; they're friends usually from being in the same classes. ...there aren't even different categories of students (the jocks, preps, stoners, goths). So, this can be viewed as a great thing, right? No life-long complexes from not being a popular girl/guy. Well, first I must point out that the kids can be just as cruel. Second, when I realized perhaps WHY there is no popularity, it's not so sweet...which leads me to my next point:

3) School=Work & Only Work:
Okay...continuing from the last point, essentially, I believe, popularity isn't present because there is no "high-school" culture in France. School is a 8-5 job; the students are there to work and only work (even though most are super lazy to even do that).

There are NO school sports, no extracurricular activities, no proms, no musicals, no homecomings, no graduation ceremonies, no high school Senior traditions, no yearbooks, no school pride. However,  I believe the popularity deficit exists for one key reason: no school sports. Lack of team sports= no stars of the school. No Freshman girls drooling over the Senior star quarterback. No cheerleaders performing for pep-rallies. There are not even grand assemblies where certain students are in front of the whole student body. So essentially, the community aspect of American high school is completely void. That's why my students always say, "Oh, la chance!" (ah, the luck!) when I discuss high school in America. If only they knew how much I still hated high school...even with all the fun stuff.

 But, of course, now, after being in France, I highly regret not enjoying my time more during high school..."the American way." Also, upon reflection, I realize that high school was a lot more fun than I thought at the time. Unfortunately, that seems to be the name of the game in life...

Whelp, that makes 3..'til next Friday (or Sunday, in today's case).

Fun France Facts Friday

From the interesting to the trivial to the the mundane to the hilarious, here's an ongoing list of things that I have come to learn or realize during my months spent in Lorraine, France. Come back next Friday for more.


1) Napoleon shoes were in fashion this year: When I saw one of Jacques-Louis David's version of this painting (Napoleon Crossing the Alps) @ the Belvedere in Vienna, one thing immediately stood out: THE BOOTS.

2) Chuck Norris is not only well known in France, but Chuck Norris jokes exist in French as well...and my students know these jokes by heart.

3) Baguette Radar: To us Americans who apparently consider donuts as our bread (yes, someone here in France thought that {a very educated person, I might add}), the word baguette can bring to mind something very typically French...which means it must be delicious as the French excel in everything culinary. Well, uhuhhuhhum, the baguette can really, really suck...and sometimes break a tooth. In fact, 95% of the time when I have bought a baguette, I would have rather had that feeding-the-American-stereotype-type-of-bread, aka a donut. Yet, whenever I am invited to eat with French people, the baguettes are always melt in your mouth delicious and the eharmony.com soulmate to the delicious french cheese that I also happen to be eating. So, how does this happen???!?!?! Why can my roommates and I not find the right baguette? We have tried various hours, various places, various cities. We could only come to one conclusion: we aren't French, and, therefore, were not born with BAGUETTE RADAR...dum, dum dum!!!!

Well, there's your 3 for this Friday. TGIF!

"Turn and face the strain... Ch-ch-Changes"

HOT DAMN, it has been a long time since I last blogged!

So yes, let's diagnose this prolonged absence as a blogger's coma, induced by heavy multi-cultural baggage and language barriers. And/or prolonged by...

1. NO internet in our apartment, even though we bought a contract over 3 weeks ago.
2. Lack of inspiration
3. Side effects of adjusting to a new life in a new town, culture and country (Forbach, France).

I had many doubts about returning to France as an English assistant this time around. Yet, even with those doubts, I expected my second year as an English assistant to be like a Sophomore year in college. You know...the blinding-excitement and naiveté of a Freshman has been tamed. Instead, a certain self-assurance takes over, something you earned after one year in school. You no longer assume you will be best friends with some Freshman you just met (or my case, a native-English speaker). You partly envy Freshman, but simultaneously realize how silly you looked, as you can pick a Freshman out of a crowd (or in my case, American).

 (side note; these are the only photos I have of me since I arrived. They were taken at La Tour du Schlossberg in Forbach)

Well, yes, those things are generally true this time around. I am familiar with the country and the region (Lorraine). I am a bit better with the French language (though, that is not saying much). However, lost in this metaphor, I forgot something crucial about Sophomore year: IT IS STILL NEW... a new semester, a new schedule, new professors...a lot that is unfamiliar. So, this is where I arrive today in France. Although, it is my second year to teach English, I am in a NEW town, NEW school, with NEW roommates. Therefore, I am struggling adjusting. I am not exactly LOVIN' IT (or C'est tout ce que j'aime as the  MacDo slogan goes in France). In fact, most days, I feel defeated. However...I still get to eat good cheese, chocolate, and drink good wine. Plus, I will go to Paris this weekend for a birthday gift to myself. Oh yes, Paris, the best elixir in France for homesick wounds and cultural clashes.

Anywho, these photos might be a little boring, but here are pictures from my "new life in France":
My tiny room...

 Barely any clothes...

Making my own subs instead of buying Jersey Mike's or Subway:

Lunches at the school cafeteria instead of going out to eat. Also, they serve alcohol to the teachers during lunch. Hilarious!

Coffee in a café instead of on-the-go lattés.

 A delicious treat from one of the two times I have eaten at a restaurant...

One of my best friends in France...

Mooching Wifi at the café, since we still do not have internet in the apartment...

And the town of Forbach...

Well, I will keep you posted... Hope it will not be another 20 days til I see you again! On verra...

France vs. the USA

I found this adorable blog, Paris vs New York, and I had to share it with you. Although geared towards the comparison of the two cities, I believe these cultural differences extend past the city limits of both countries. 

Le café:

La Romantique:

Le pain:

l'obsession:

la façade:

le réalisateur (the director):

le surnom (nickname):

 les vieux: