Entries tagged with "cultural differences"
SWF returns to America
posted by srah on August 28, 2004 11:15 AM
Tags: cultural differences, france, united states
Likes: Being able to get a teacup, heat up water and take milk out of refrigerator all in the same room; DVD selection; free refills in restaurants; having a radio/tape player in the car; not having to get gas/petrol every time one goes out; not having to slam on the brake pedal to stop. Dislikes: Accidentally slamming on the brake pedal to stop; Olympic basketball on TV; jet lag; unpacking; all signage exclusively in English; lack of widespread text-messaging culture; RONALD FREAKING MCDONALD ON THE FREAKING TELEVISION DIE CLOWN DIE....
First instance of culture shock
posted by srah on August 26, 2004 6:24 AM
Tags: cultural differences, france, united states
WHY is there so much water in the toilet tank???? And WHY am I awake?...
'Or as the Indians call it, 'maize'. In conclusion, Libya is a land of contrast.'
posted by srah on July 9, 2004 5:27 AM
Tags: blackadder, cultural differences, food, my favorite posts, popcorn
Dear France, Popcorn is meant to be salty. Sometimes it is also meant to be buttery and delicious. We are the continent that spawned popcorn, so we should know. Stop your crack-smoking, popcorn-sweetening ways! You are wrong and we are right; get used to it! Sincerely, SRAH who got her hopes up when she found out there was, for some reason, a brand-new popcorn vending machine in the abbey...
Bise me not
posted by srah on October 29, 2003 2:31 AM
Tags: assistantship, cultural differences, france, teaching
A friend of my sister had to interview me for her French class. Ooo-ee, I am so important. So I figured I might as well post my answers here as well. 1. What is the primary difference you found when teaching in France? I've never taught in the US, so I can't be sure of any differences between the two systems. I think that the American system is more coddling, but the French system is less supportive of the students. 2. Where in France did you teach? I taught in a technical/professional high school in Cusset, a small town just...
C'est pas ma faute
posted by srah on February 9, 2003 4:21 PM
Tags: assistantship, cultural differences, france, united states
The assistants often talk about how the French never take responsibility for anything. We suspect that their mazes of paperwork and bureaucracy are created for exactly this purpose - so that there's always someone else to blame. They are never wrong themselves - it is either a subject to be discussed rather than a right/wrong situation, or it's someone else's fault altogether. Tonight we came to the conclusion that Americans are just as bad, but it's a different kind of irresponsibility. While the French refuse to take responsibility for anything professionally, Americans take no personal responsibility. Thus we are the...
The most bizarre American
posted by srah on February 8, 2003 4:26 PM
Tags: assistantship, cultural differences
The waitress at Le Comptoir, our "usual" bar, looked at me oddly when I tried to order a milkshake on Friday night. Oops. Cultural differences, evidently. Sorry, lady, I come from Michigan, where we eat ice cream all year long. Oh well, I still managed to be a mutant by ordering a thé au lait while everyone else had beer. Quite coincidentally, it came out over our beer and tea that Andrés considers Jennifer the most "normal" of the three Americans, and me the most "bizarre". I am flattered and the others are jealous....
Potato-man!
posted by srah on November 26, 2002 3:10 AM
Tags: assistantship, cultural differences, ireland, potatoes
I am shocked and confused when I spend mental energy battling against cultural stereotypes and they turn out to be true. Thus I raconte you the story of Siobhan. I am so excited to actually know someone named Siobhan. Valéry Larbaud's 7-hour-a-week Irish assistant is lucky enough to have this name that not even Anglophones can pronounce. The French have no idea what to do with it. Add to this that she has an Mc last name, and she is a complete enigma to anyone who is unfortunate enough to have to try to spell her name. It was her...
Girl in the bubble
posted by srah on October 23, 2002 9:00 PM
Tags: assistantship, cultural differences, france
I went out to faire la fête with my 2nd year BTS Optics students tonight. First we went to Sylvie's apartment to make crêpes and play with her cat. Sylvie is from Vizille, one of the suburbs of Grenoble, and offered me a ride there when I need one. Her cat is an enormous, long-haired show cat named Riki-Tiki-Tavi. Marion spent all evening pointing out reasons why Riki-Tiki-Tavi is con. After crêpes, most of the class showed up and we went to Les Fous du Roy, a local night club. It was pretty quiet when we got there, but after...
My big fat movie experience
posted by srah on September 10, 2002 11:03 AM
Tags: cultural differences, movies, weddings
I went to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding last night with Robin. It was really funny and (pardon me for being a nerd here) an interesting view into cultural differences. Sometimes we forget that we don't even have to leave the city to find someone who has a different way of doing things. End nerd rant. The movie was really funny, the love story was sweet and the heroine was a real character, rather than some prepackaged Hollywood junk. Go see it. The movie only strengthens my desire to get married on the moon and not invite anyone at...
