Comments on: Don’t Do As They Do – Too Late. http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/ An American in France writes about the good, the bad and the quirky Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:21:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: ptinfrance http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-44932 ptinfrance Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:27:26 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-44932 thanks for those books, julie; they sound great! i will try to look for them. thanks for those books, julie; they sound great! i will try to look for them.

]]> By: julie http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-44102 julie Sun, 25 Feb 2007 03:49:27 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-44102 A good book to understand where these differences all come from is "Cultural misunderstandings" from Raymonde Carroll (80's)... She has a good theory about private space in both cultures (which are at odds with each other, hence the frustrations): in the US, people who get too close to strangers recreate their personal bubble by talking (the famous "superficial" chit-chat), while in France people recreate it with silence (the famous empty stare)... As a consequence and in parallel (things are not always as simple as that), if you start chatting in France it can easily mean that you are trying to connect more seriously (e.g. flirting!), while in the US people can be much more casual with chance encounters because it's a way to deal with uneasiness of being around a stranger and nothing more... A funny (comic-strip) book on the French/US differences is "Les Frenchies" by P. Baudry and L. Nisset (2004)--for a more psychoanalytical perspective on these differences... love that stuff, love your testimonies! A good book to understand where these differences all come from is “Cultural misunderstandings” from Raymonde Carroll (80′s)… She has a good theory about private space in both cultures (which are at odds with each other, hence the frustrations): in the US, people who get too close to strangers recreate their personal bubble by talking (the famous “superficial” chit-chat), while in France people recreate it with silence (the famous empty stare)… As a consequence and in parallel (things are not always as simple as that), if you start chatting in France it can easily mean that you are trying to connect more seriously (e.g. flirting!), while in the US people can be much more casual with chance encounters because it’s a way to deal with uneasiness of being around a stranger and nothing more…
A funny (comic-strip) book on the French/US differences is “Les Frenchies” by P. Baudry and L. Nisset (2004)–for a more psychoanalytical perspective on these differences…
love that stuff, love your testimonies!

]]> By: Gumbo girl http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-24073 Gumbo girl Tue, 05 Dec 2006 10:56:33 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-24073 This is so funny. I've been wanting to address this, especially after I almost had to bust out some rugby moves at the grocery store. The woman behind me was practically in my armpit. To scrape her off, I just kind of bumped her with my bum a little. This is so funny. I’ve been wanting to address this, especially after I almost had to bust out some rugby moves at the grocery store. The woman behind me was practically in my armpit. To scrape her off, I just kind of bumped her with my bum a little.

]]> By: ptinfrance http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-23694 ptinfrance Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:58:19 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-23694 i hate that too, kat - but i think i might be doing the same thing nowadays :( i'll have to be more careful. omg frog, you're right! some lady was talking to me out of no where like i was her best friend when i was in a cvs. honestly i was sort of shocked. at the same time, i wonder if i used to talk to strangers like that. i don't remember. re: the french ways of "lining up" - i like that system if i can do it myself ;-) i'm so uncivilized now! i hate that too, kat – but i think i might be doing the same thing nowadays :( i’ll have to be more careful.

omg frog, you’re right! some lady was talking to me out of no where like i was her best friend when i was in a cvs. honestly i was sort of shocked. at the same time, i wonder if i used to talk to strangers like that. i don’t remember. re: the french ways of “lining up” – i like that system if i can do it myself ;-) i’m so uncivilized now!

]]> By: LA Frog http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-23693 LA Frog Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:42:18 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-23693 The joys of intercultural peeves! 3 [generalization] comments: 1. I often recognize the French abroad because of their stare :) 2. When you're forced to share a confined space with someone in California (elevator, grocery line, etc), they won't stare at you, but they will often force-start a conversation, making personal comments about your looks, your attire, or their period. I've never got used to it. 3. The notion of private space is different in France and in the U.S., so is the notion of "line". Every single time I get back to LAX, the French pile up at the customs desk, ignoring the yellow lines on the floor, and get inevitably reprimanded by the agents. The joys of intercultural peeves! 3 [generalization] comments:
1. I often recognize the French abroad because of their stare :)
2. When you’re forced to share a confined space with someone in California (elevator, grocery line, etc), they won’t stare at you, but they will often force-start a conversation, making personal comments about your looks, your attire, or their period. I’ve never got used to it.
3. The notion of private space is different in France and in the U.S., so is the notion of “line”. Every single time I get back to LAX, the French pile up at the customs desk, ignoring the yellow lines on the floor, and get inevitably reprimanded by the agents.

]]> By: Kat http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/2006/11/28/dont-do-as-they-do-too-late/comment-page-1/#comment-23689 Kat Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:39:46 +0000 http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/?p=649#comment-23689 personal bubble space is a bit too close for my liking here too. what I can't stand is when someone bumps into to you and acts like you didn't even exist... personal bubble space is a bit too close for my liking here too. what I can’t stand is when someone bumps into to you and acts like you didn’t even exist…

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