As promised, here is the continuation of my last post - this time, with only two days left in France, I will list the main problems I have with this country. As with any experience, there are positives and negatives; this list in no way means I did not enjoy my time here in France!
1. Smoking. Way back in my February stereotypes post I mentioned how basically every French person smokes, and that has continued to be true. Mom, you'll be happy to know that I still find smoking disgusting and have not picked it up has a habit; I'm ready to breathe some fresh smoke-free (or at least less smoke-filled) air back in the States!
2. Sundays. Here in France, they take the whole "Sunday is a day of rest" thing very seriously; practically every establishment is closed on Sundays (and sometimes even Mondays) making for very boring and uneventful ends of weekends.
3. Rain. Angers is known for its dreary weather; it rained nearly every day during our first month here. Just a bit gloomy if you ask me.
4. The euro. The conversion rate between the euro and dollar has killed my bank account these past four months.
5. Public transportation. As grateful as I am for the convenience of buses and trams (I think this is even on my list of positives), I am ready to have my own car to take me anywhere and at any time.
6. French girls. There are of course exceptions, my host sister being one of them, but for the most part French girls my age are snobby and standoffish, making it difficult to find new friends.
7. The CIDEF schedule. We were very limited in our schedule options, so my classes went from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. some days, and there was nothing I could do about it. Also, Friday 8 a.m. class was actually the worst.
8. French men. Once again, not everyone, but to generalize, most French men are very forward and creepy at bars, not to mention older and looking like they came from the Jersey Shore. Not my type.
9. Pâté. A slice of mashed up meat that is spreadable and paste-like? Non, merci.
10. "...me dit." This one is more of a pet peeve, but the phrase "elle me dit" or any derivative of it is pronounced just like "Maddie," so whenever I hear this common phrase (it means "she told me") I turn my head. It's very annoying.
11. The feeling you get after eating an entire baguette with a generous portion of camembert. Ok this one's more of a personal problem.
12. "Le quart d'heure de politesse." French people are notorious for being late and nonchalant, so much so that it is in fact rude to show up to a soirée on time. There is a social rule saying that guests should arrive at least 15 minuets late in order to be polite. As a very punctual person, if my invite says 7 p.m., you should probably just show up 5 minutes early.
13. Late dinners. It is nearly impossible to get seated at a restaurant before 7 p.m. in France. The average eating time is 8 p.m., I would say, and sometime meals aren't finished until 10 p.m., and sometimes that is past my bedtime.
14. Toilets, or the lack thereof. In all seriousness, no stores have their own bathrooms, and if they do, it costs 50 centimes. So not ok.
15. Last but not least, being away from family and friends (and my dog, of course). Four months is a long time to not see each other! Only three more days, mom and dad (and Ellie!).
1. Smoking. Way back in my February stereotypes post I mentioned how basically every French person smokes, and that has continued to be true. Mom, you'll be happy to know that I still find smoking disgusting and have not picked it up has a habit; I'm ready to breathe some fresh smoke-free (or at least less smoke-filled) air back in the States!
2. Sundays. Here in France, they take the whole "Sunday is a day of rest" thing very seriously; practically every establishment is closed on Sundays (and sometimes even Mondays) making for very boring and uneventful ends of weekends.
3. Rain. Angers is known for its dreary weather; it rained nearly every day during our first month here. Just a bit gloomy if you ask me.
4. The euro. The conversion rate between the euro and dollar has killed my bank account these past four months.
5. Public transportation. As grateful as I am for the convenience of buses and trams (I think this is even on my list of positives), I am ready to have my own car to take me anywhere and at any time.
6. French girls. There are of course exceptions, my host sister being one of them, but for the most part French girls my age are snobby and standoffish, making it difficult to find new friends.
7. The CIDEF schedule. We were very limited in our schedule options, so my classes went from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. some days, and there was nothing I could do about it. Also, Friday 8 a.m. class was actually the worst.
8. French men. Once again, not everyone, but to generalize, most French men are very forward and creepy at bars, not to mention older and looking like they came from the Jersey Shore. Not my type.
9. Pâté. A slice of mashed up meat that is spreadable and paste-like? Non, merci.
10. "...me dit." This one is more of a pet peeve, but the phrase "elle me dit" or any derivative of it is pronounced just like "Maddie," so whenever I hear this common phrase (it means "she told me") I turn my head. It's very annoying.
11. The feeling you get after eating an entire baguette with a generous portion of camembert. Ok this one's more of a personal problem.
12. "Le quart d'heure de politesse." French people are notorious for being late and nonchalant, so much so that it is in fact rude to show up to a soirée on time. There is a social rule saying that guests should arrive at least 15 minuets late in order to be polite. As a very punctual person, if my invite says 7 p.m., you should probably just show up 5 minutes early.
13. Late dinners. It is nearly impossible to get seated at a restaurant before 7 p.m. in France. The average eating time is 8 p.m., I would say, and sometime meals aren't finished until 10 p.m., and sometimes that is past my bedtime.
14. Toilets, or the lack thereof. In all seriousness, no stores have their own bathrooms, and if they do, it costs 50 centimes. So not ok.
15. Last but not least, being away from family and friends (and my dog, of course). Four months is a long time to not see each other! Only three more days, mom and dad (and Ellie!).
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