On the surface, France and America resemble each other. However, misunderstandings and miscommunications can easily arise because of the differences. I arrived in France almost two months ago, and I have encountered many situations that have helped me understand the French culture.
One area in particular that I have noticed is the store and restaurant hours in France. My first weekend, I wanted to go to the supermarket to buy some snacks for myself on Sunday, but everything was closed. Another time, I needed to go to the bank. I went right after a Dickinson class because it is just down the street from the Dickinson Center, but unfortunately, it was just after 12 o’clock and it was closed. After my second experience (and additional ones as well), I know the normal hours in France. Most stores, restaurants and offices close at noon and on Sundays. In America, on the other hand, all the stores stay open for the whole day, including Sundays. Even though England (I’m half English) resembles France, I did not think about the hours and I was surprised at each experience.
After a few experiences, the French hours now seem normal to me. Despite my current habits, in the moment, I was disoriented and confused. These experiences taught me about the value placed on meals in France. All the stores respect the lunch hour because the French place importance on conversation and food. They eat slowly and no one is in a rush. Stores normally close for two hours to allow enough time – this invites conversation and relaxation.
The meals demonstrate only one of the misunderstandings I have experienced. New experiences occur daily, especially at the universities. French students take notes in an essay style, the professors do not give homework for the next class and each class only meets once a week. These realizations do not occur easily and, like with the hours, you have to keep an open mind with each experience that arises. Miscommunications are inevitable and cannot be prevented, but you can use these experiences to better understand the culture and to more easily adapt.
-Jessica Sykes