One French behavior that I am not particularly fond of is the pedestrian rules. In most states in the United States, it is a law to stop for pedestrians because they have the right of way. However, I have noticed that while being here in France for only a few weeks that the drivers believe they have the right of way no matter the color of the light. On numerous occasions I have stepped foot into the crosswalk, when the drivers have a red and I have a green walk sign, but have almost been run over because the driver decides to go anyways. Personally, I see it as a safety hazard and, more importantly, contradictory to other French norms. One generalization of French people is that they are generally never on time because it is considered to be rude to show up at the exact time of the meeting. It is because of this generalization that I do not understand why the French are in such a rush when they are driving.
In the United States, it is common to say a friendly hello to strangers on the bus, on the sidewalk, or on morning commutes. However, I noticed that it is not as common here. I was told before arriving to France that the French are not very talkative to strangers so I should not take any offense to them not responding to my “Bonjour” or my smile. I am still not completely sure as to why this is, but I have recently become immune to the silent treatment and just shrug it off. I do not recognize this as a rude gesture if they don’t respond because I realize that I am the foreigner in the situation and I have to adjust to the French lifestyle.
I genuinely like that the French take their time at cafés and restaurants because it really makes it more of a social event. When I’m with friends, I like to take my time and catch up on their lives without feeling rushed and missing out on details. In addition to this, taking 1-2 hours for lunch should be incorporated into American lifestyle because it allows workers to have a break from the strenuous work life. It will definitely help keep employees motivated to come back to work knowing that they will receive a longer break and won’t have to plow through the day without a decent break to recoup.
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