For me, most of the possible misunderstandings I could think of revolve around academic life. The way in which we, as American students, interact with our peers and our professor in the United States is completely different from the French cultural norms.
With students, the class environment is completely different. For example, it is perfectly normal to carry on a completely unrelated conversation with those sitting near, even when the professor is in the middle of giving a lecture. Before I got used to that and to not listening to the conversations, I wanted to tell the students talking around me to be quiet. However, that would be very culturally strange in France, and some could consider it rude.
The student-professor relationship is also very different, and could easily be the source of some misunderstandings. One big difference lies in the communication with professors. In the United States, I can easily email my professors for the small things- clarification of the syllabus, a quick note as to why I will be absent from class. In France, it is really only acceptable to email your professors to warn them you will be absent; even then, a doctor’s note is necessary at the next class. Thankfully, Mme Lebreton saved us from many of these email misunderstandings in our French language workshop; otherwise I would have made some embarrassing mistakes.
In general, the relationship between students and teachers is much more formal and much less warm than what I have experienced in the US. Of course, one must be respectful to professors in both cultures, but the professors in France are much less forgiving and much less involved in students’ lives and scholarly efforts. They also rarely distribute syllabi, so it would definitely be a faux pas to ask about the dates or specificities of various assignments.
Thankfully, with the help of Mme Lebreton and my French tour guide, Justine, I have avoided most of my mistakes. Now, going to a professor for a question is a technique that I definitely consider a last resort. I am interested to see if that will change when I get back to Dickinson!
-Grace McCrocklin