I never thought I would have the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip and to be fair, I doubted whether the experience would be worth it. I read articles and books about living in France, but my strongest source was my uncle, who spent his junior year at Georgia Tech abroad in Paris. The experience changed his life and set him on a course that has since impacted the city of Atlanta as a whole. I knew that if France could have that much influence on my uncle’s year there, I had to try for two weeks.
Before I went to France, my knowledge of the country and all that it entails was minimal. The stereotype about Americans rang true to me: I do not know much about any other culture outside my own, nor have I taken the time to study them. As part of the course, my classmates and I were instructed to write a pre-trip reflection about our perceptions of France. Mine were opinions passed to me from friends my age who had visited already: Parisians can be snooty, be wary of your surroundings so as not to be robbed, and the French are really into food. In writing that reflection, I was embarrassed by my lack of knowledge and feverishly began researching French culture. Below are some things I read in my research versus how I perceived them in person.
First, the meals. While many Americans prefer something on the go, the French see meals as an art. Our need to always be productive and aversion to taking things slow is challenged in France primarily at mealtimes. A sit-down meal, whether it be lunch or dinner, frequently lasts for at least two hours. I was anxious about this before I arrived overseas, knowing that our schedules would be packed and that I would need snacks throughout the day to keep me going. However, this was never the case, as there are pâtisseries, or pastry shops, and boulangeries, or bread shops, open throughout the day in case you need a quick bite. My favorite was the pain au chocolat, a warm chocolate croissant.
I had always heard that the French are rude, disrespectful, and unlikely to help if a foreigner is having trouble with the language barrier. I never found this to be true, my interactions with French servers and people in the transportation industry were always kind and helpful. We spent the first week of our trip abroad in Paris and were granted one free day to explore independently with a friend. A friend and I decided to take a train to Colmar, a small town near the German border. After a day of exploring, we boarded our first train, which was delayed 20 minutes. When we arrived at the next station to catch our connecting train, we learned that we had missed it. Frantic to return to Paris, my friend and I went to the ticket desk, where I had a lovely conversation over Google Translate with a kind ticketer. Where the woman could have been rude to two American students who were clearly beside themselves, she was patient with our lack of French and helped us find another train to return to our classmates in Paris that evening.
My journey to France was an eye-opening experience that shattered many of the misconceptions that I previously held. Before my trip, my understanding of French culture was limited to vague impressions and generalized and often outdated opinions. Through firsthand experiences, I discovered a country far richer and more nuanced than I had anticipated. The leisurely pace of French meals that speaks to their outlook on “smelling the roses” in life allowed me to appreciate the art of dining and lifestyle that is distinctly French. Additionally, my encounters with the French people defied the stereotype of rudeness, revealing instead a culture of kindness and patience that I had not expected. These revelations highlighted the importance of stepping beyond one’s own cultural boundaries to engage with the world in a more informed and empathetic manner. Unfortunately for my wallet, it only deepened my hunger to explore the world further.