Quelques choses qui me frappent…

As part of my program here, we spend a lot of time talking about the differences between cultures and trying to understand why certain differences exist between the U.S. and France. Obviously, I expected to find things that were different here, but there are some random, small things that I just do not understand. So here are a few of the things that have surprised me in the past two weeks…

The Notebooks:

This may not seem like a big deal to some people, but for someone like me who likes to have perfect and neat notes in class, French notebooks are unacceptable. In France, notebooks with normal lined paper do not exist. Well, not unless you want to dig through the specialty paper store and fork over 5 euros for a small notebook, and I’d rather spend that money on Nutella crepes. Thus, I am left with the basic notebook options at Monoprix (kind of a French version of Target, except more expensive and less awesome). There, you can find plenty of notebooks, but they all contain either graph paper, or this:

I don’t know what crazy person decided this would be a good way to line notebook paper, but let me tell you, it’s not. Even if I could write small enough to use a single line at a time, I wouldn’t be able to read it. And who wants lines running through the middle of everything they write? I’m making do just fine, but it’s funny what little things you find matter when they’re gone.

The Clothes:

I think I’ve mentioned this, but let me just reiterate: it’s hot here. And humid. And although I would usually be breaking out the boots and sweaters around this time of year, I’m not. It’s still summer here. But here’s the strange thing: French women don’t seem to care. I’m still in sundresses and sandals, trying to keep from overheating, and the vast majority of French women in the center city are decked out in their best fall fashion. Yesterday, the high was 80°, and on the bus I saw a woman in a sweater dress with a cardigan over the top, leggings, and fur-lined boots. I love my sweaters as much as the next girl, but I also enjoy not feeling like I’m in an oven all day.

The Greetings:

Here’s something I didn’t know before arriving; apparently, you are only supposed to say “bonjour” to someone once a day. Last week, we were given a kind of “French etiquette” class to teach us to set the table, eat properly, and greet people, among other things. What surprised me most was that “bonjour” is a greeting to be given the first time you see someone each day, and then after that you are supposed to use other greetings, like “salut.” Apparently saying “bonjour” twice is like indicating you forgot you already saw the person that day. Greetings are much more nuanced in France than in the U.S. Add that to the list of things I’m trying to get the hang of!