Tales From Abroad: First Weeks in France

I arrived in Paris three weeks ago and everything has been a blur since my plane landed. My weekdays have been consumed by intensive French language classes and sightseeing. Sightseeing takes up most of the daylight hours on the weekends as well, and in the evening we go out, usually in large packs of American students looking to explore what the nightlife in Paris has to offer. FYI everyone, there is no such thing as "Louies" in Paris. The minimum I have paid for a drink (not including a glass of wine) has been seven Euros, which translates to about 10 American dollars. Yikes, I know.

For my first article I want to address the most common question my family and friends have asked since my arrival: "Do the French really hate the Americans?" And my short answer would have to be, well, sort of, but not because of the reasons we normally assume. Although I would not necessarily use the word hate, a good percentage of French people do tend to become frustrated with American tourists. And I did say tourists for a reason. It is understandable that constantly having to wait behind camera-happy tourists who stop in the middle of a crowded sidewalk to take a picture of something the French people see on a daily basis can become annoying.

As Americans we also tend to speak in a higher volume than the rest of the world. This is accepted in America because it seems we have to shout over every other person just to be heard. The French speak in a rather quiet tone, so if you insist on shouting in English on the metro you will be stared at and these onlookers will not be smiling.

Most American tourists do not know a single word of French and often don't attempt to learn. While there are a large number of English speaking French people, not every single Parisian speaks English. If you try to speak English to someone who does not know the language they will merely answer you, "Je ne comprend pas anglais" and walk away, and this is understandable if you look at the situation from their perspective. We appreciate it when foreigners who visit America know some English, so it is not absurd for the French to expect us to learn their language as well. So if you ever sense resentment while visiting Paris, it is most likely because you are a tourist. Being a study abroad student and not merely a tourist has helped me assimilate more with the Parisian population because being an international student is seen as a plus by most French people.

Americans who know the slightest bit of French and attempt to use it in conversation often amaze Parisians. So, for the most part I think the idea that the French hate Americans just because they are American is false.

I would say the same rules apply when visiting any foreign country: If you are not rude and you show an interest in the country's culture, you should be just fine.

Au revoir!