Posted on 03/06/2014 10:01:48 PM PST by Slings and Arrows
The Internet is full of French travelers who've experienced the United States and have things to say about the strange ways of Americans. With the help of Google Translate, Americans can get a peek at these revelations. We know that there are no doubt many Flossers who can translate French better than Google can (though probably not as hilariously), and we welcome any additional information in the comments.
Our custom is to kiss before, during, and after each social encounter, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 kisses. This is not the custom in the United States. For a friend, we will hug, with a great tapping on the back and a big smile. For colleagues, greet with a good handshake. Americans have a firm handshake, so do not hesitate to grind their knuckles. It is also a sign you have confidence in yourself.
Be prepared for an onslaught of friendliness. You may be approached by a stranger on the street asking you where you got your coat. Passersby greet each other cheerfully in the street. Your neighbor may compliment you on the curve of your muscles, and the cashier at the supermarket may ask you what you are doing with this beautiful weekend (and the three cases of rosé you've purchased). [Source]
A passerby stumbles and sprawls in the street, an old lady can barely control Brutus at the end of a leash, a small tricycle driver loses control of his vehicle. Politeness means, of course, that you come and help all these people. American culture wants you to quit all your activities and rescue the unfortunate. In America, you cannot pretend to not have noticed all these little quirks. You must rush to provide assistance to all who need it. [Source]
Whether in the street, public transport or any public place, we must adopt this reflex. Hard, tough, because it must be done without looking first to the right and left to see if someone is already trying to help the person in trouble. In short, it must be done spontaneously and with good heart. I like it when it happens: for example my keys jumped out of my bike basket when I hit a hole, and the Americans rushed at me to help. It's cool. I smile. [Source]
See Also: 4 Russian Travel Tips for Visiting America
Americans eat and drink anything and at any time of the day: in the street, in a meeting at work, in the car, on the subway, in the elevator, the movies ... So, there are drink rests everywhere: cinema seats, baby strollers, shopping carts at the supermarket, in cars, some bike handlebars. [Source]
The portions are often gargantuan in the United States (but you already knew that). Americans are not embarrassed to ask for a "doggy bag" to take home. They'll even take home the rest of the tortillas appetizer.
The art of asking for a doggy bag (for a French person) is sometimes difficult to implement; between servers who disappear faster than their shadows, and the dread that you will appear stingy, it is not always easy. [Source]
Want to drop off your pants at the cleaners, leave an item with the hotel receptionist or pop into the supermarket while the kids do their homework? Know that leaving children alone, whether at the home, in the car, or the hotel is frowned upon, even prohibited. [Source]
Rejoicing in the presence of children or pets. This is the correlate of "smile to strangers," it is mandatory to have a smile or a little "how cute" tilt to your head if you come across a child or pet. Even if they are ugly. [Source]
Crossing the road as a pedestrian is not always easy, you often have to wait for ages. When the white man is on, you can cross. And then a stressful countdown shows the time remaining for you to cross, sometimes only a few seconds to cross large avenues. [Source]
If it should happen I need to leave my stuff unattended when I'm in the coffee shop, I just ask someone to look at it for the time it takes for me to go to the toilet. When I forget something in my bike basket, it is still there, even at night. And when you have packages waiting for you at home, they remain in the lobby and no one takes them. It may seem normal and civic way of doing it, but I am surprised. Since coming to America, I've become much less suspicious. [Source]
The stuff that insulted my common sense is the fixed heads of showers. [Source]
I still have not understood how it is that in my American sink I have, in addition to the tap, a flexible head (as in a French shower) to rinse the corners of the sink but in my shower / tub which is three times larger, I have a fixed head on the wall! No logic! [Source]
The other very strange occurrence is violent flushing. Be prepared when you flush to have the impression of being in an airplane toilet! [Source]
See Also: 10 Japanese Travel Tips for Visiting America
"Inspiring" became a word I heard every day: everything must be "inspiring" and push transcendence. We go to the movies, there is a choice between the biopic Lincoln, the Avengers or Misérables, each so inspiring in their own way. The books are inspiring, everyday people are inspiring (such as all the people with children and a job at the same time, teachers, etc...). I confess that I have a little trouble with this cult of everyday heroes. [Source]
I have to arm myself with patience for each passage to the pharmacy. Here, we will prepare your requirements in an orange pot in your name, with the correct number of tablets and the dose recommended above (yes, just like in the movies). So, it takes for ages. The trick? Post your order and continue shopping, then return later. [Source]
If you want privacy (in a public restroom), no chance. There are no real walls, only partitions that do not even go to the ground. So you can see the shoes of your colleagues, hear all the noises ... And even the doors do not help much. You can see the faces of the occupants through the slits in the doorway. [Source]
The film will start in 3 minutes and there are still 15 people in front of you, including a family of six children who are unable to decide anything. You would be tempted to quietly scrape forward a few places so as to be sure you get your popcorn and miss nothing of the film.
Never! In the United States, small barriers often mark out the entries, lines on the ground indicate where to stop and there is no “He who goes hunting loses his place" mentality there. [Source]
There is no chaotic rush to be first, not even if a spot opens unexpectedly, no "I didn't see you there." Here each have their turn in order of arrival, even the elderly. It's pretty relaxing actually, even though I liked the excitement of notching in the queue. [Source]
Well, I only went to France once as an adult in the mid-Seventies when I was in the Navy, to Brest. The people were damned rude to us and sure gave the outright impression they hated us.
It could have been the uniform. Who knows. But my everlasting impression of that place was typically passing an older French couple who openly glared at me.
And it wasn’t just me. It was a homogenous impression. Without exception, every guy I spoke to when I got back to the ship had the same experience.
I went there as a young teenager in the Seventies, and I don’t remember anything like that. But as an adult, my overriding impression of being in France was black dislike.
If these people were going to fly-over country instead of the coast, either one, this would be quite a different story.
Hahahaha...I laughed when I read that! “White man...”
Some of the comments here are hilarious...
But I don’t know how real or not this article is, but I will say this: I found it flattering as an American.
There are many things about being an American that other cultures dislike, and as far as I am concerned, they can go pound sand. I am not going to intentionally become more of a douchebag just to suit their culture or customs.
I laugh when Euroweenies speak disparagingly about someone being a “cowboy”. As far as I am concerned, I can’t think of a higher compliment that could be paid to me by a foreigner than to be disparagingly called “a cowboy”.
And I like it even more because they think it is an insult.
From Road Trip:
1.) Get your French Toast:
2.) Complain about too much sugar on your French Toast
3.) Cook takes French Toast back to kitchen and cleans sugar from French Toast
4.) Warms them up by putting on slice down front of sweatpants...
5.) Warms the other slice by putting it down the back of sweatpants...serves several other customers to get them nice and warm:
6.) Gives you back your New French Toast:
7.) Express to fellow diners how good your French Toast is:
I think the best hotels and stores have the violent flushing systems. I love them - it much more hygienic. Never notice this in my foreign travels.
In Paris, I was always helped. A woman pulled me through the turnstile on her own metro card in the subway when it absolutely refused to let me through the turnstile. Nice girl. The Parisians have always been nice to me and my husband.
You want to learn about waiting in lines, serve as an enlisted sailor on an aircraft carrier. You wait in line for EVERYTHING, especially chow or liberty. I’ve even waited in line to take a dump!!
So what do they do in France? Just throw a handful of pills in a bag?
I doubt those tips actually come from a Frenchman.
Isn’t this something that people ordering cakes from bakers who don’t like their lifestyles or celebrations should take to heart? I would!
In what way?
Do Americans in fly-over country fail to help others? Do their toilets flush more softly? Do they not shake hands? Do they steal your stuff? Do they not use bottles to take their prescriptions home?
How would the story be different?
And chatting with strangers, wow, did i get into trouble doing that in France. Guys getting totally wrong impressions, lol. And blowing people’s minds if I asked them about products they were buying in the grocery store. They don’t really talk to strangers like we do. One of my work colleagues said it best: if you sit next to an American on the metro or bus, you know his entire sex life before you arrive. Lol! We are more open than we know.
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Quebec city is like this too. Very cold people.
I’ve got the book. It’s a tiny one. A friend gave it to me, and initially I couldn’t believe the title, but then again, it was Ben Franklin who wrote it, so in retrospect it made sense.
Although I've never been there I have two stories about France.
1) A dentist I saw a few times a few years ago was French.I told him that my parents had been to France and they hated it (which is true).I told him that the people were rude to them,among other things."Did they spend most of their time in Paris?",he asked."Yes,I think they did" was my reply."Ah,well there's the problem.Even Frenchmen hate the Parisians.They're known throughout the country as being rude".
2) My neighbor was born in France and left as a young woman...to marry an American serviceman.She,too,says that Parisians are hated by the rest of France for rudeness and snottiness...among other things.
Here in the states we have a single lever. Supposedly if you give it a quick press you get a small flush and if you give it a longer press you get a larger flush. But what happens is that the lever never quite works that well and either always gives you a small flush or always gives you a large flush.
A single lever is cheaper to make than two buttons. A single lever thrown together with cheap materials is even cheaper.
In America you pay through the nose and get quality, or you get crap for cheap. There are fewer and fewer middle ground choices where you can get something that is well made for a decent price.
My brother has had the same experience. He’s driven around Europe a few times. He told me he’s met some of the nicest people in rural France, and some of the rudest in Paris.
Hahaha...I can understand that. Kind of how many of us view New Yorkers, even other blue state Northeasterners!
... So, there are drink rests everywhere: cinema seats, baby strollers, shopping carts at the supermarket, in cars, some bike handlebars.
I visited a theater in Germany that served a full meal with the movie. You could watch the movie and enjoy a schnitzel with pommes and a side salad along with a beer!
One of the Star Trek New Gen movies were playing. I can’t remember which one but it was the one where they were on some magic healing planet. Dr Crusher and Deanna Troi commented that their boobs felt firmer so Data asked Worf about his boobs. All this happened in German.
The entire experience was surreal.
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