I'm travelling to France for the first time as an exchange student, any advice?

Question

I'm going on a France trip for the first time and will be staying in someone's home there, I know some French and I've looked into information on their culture. Any advice on French culture, staying in someone's home there, or traveling in France as a student?

Answer 1

I did the same exact thing last summer and it was a TON of fun.

A warning though - I don't know how old you are but if you're in high school they will take you clubbing and there will be alcohol; DON'T be an idiot that's all I have to say, I had some not-so-great encounters with horny french guys at the bar esp. cause I look older than I am

But yeah, don't act American. and for clothing tips, try Zara or Barney's or Sak's.

Answer 2

When you meet a group of people,shake hands with each of them.

It is considered rude to not greet everyone individually.

Don't talk about money-that is considered bad manners.

Don't miss Paris for anyone/thing,it is architecturally beautiful.

Answer 3

Generally speaking the French are more formal than most North Americans.

In everyday speech this means appending "s'il vous plâit" to any request. It means saying "je voudrais" and not "donnez moi" when ordering from a menu. It means calling the waiter "Monsieur" and not "Garçon." It means greeting the staff at a shop with "Bonjour" (madam or monsieur as appropriate) before ordering something and saying goodbye when you leave.

The French tend to follow the older practice of not calling each other by first names or using the familiar without at least some acquaintance (although this is not so much true of young people).

The easy presumption of friendship or the discussing of personal matters with relative strangers that is common in North America is sometimes seen as boorish or crude by the French.

Americans in particular who will talk about the intimate details of their love lives, the state of their personal finances, and the cost of everything they own with someone they met ten minutes ago are, for that reason, regarded as utterly outré.

On the other hand, Americans, who have been taught to never discuss politics or religion, sometimes think they are being singled out for abuse when the French express their opinions on such matters. They are not, of course. they are simply engaging in the second most popular French indoor sport

French food and dining habits are somewhat different to what you may be used to.

Breakfast tends to be very simple and is almost never  the bacon and eggs, pancakes etc that Americans often eat. At its most basic its cafe au lait (equal parts strong coffee and boiled milk) or hot chocolate with a piece of bread with butter and jam.

Butter, by the way, is usually served with bread only at breakfast and with the cheese course.

Dinner in France is usually eaten much later than North Americans are used to. 7:30 or later is common.

The food itself should not be too surpising but there are some differences.

There are some food items that are not common in the USA such as pate (made from liver), sweetbreads (the thymus glands of cows),  Andouillette (a sausage made from pig intestines), and Boudin noir (a sausage made from pig's blood).

Meat is usually served very rare by the standards of most Americans. If you don't like your steak "sangnant" (bleeding) then be sure to tell someone because it will rarely be served at any greater doneness. Indeed, many people (myself included) enjoy eating Steak Tartare, which is beef that has been finely chopped and then mixed with egg and served raw.

But otherwise, while the names of dishes may be different, most things are easy to deal with and fit into categories that you will immediately recognize.

People do begin to drink wine at an earlier age than in the USA and it would not be unusual for a teenager to drink wine with a meal. Be aware however that drinking wine with meals does not mean that drunkeness is acceptable. It is not.

Some things to remember when you are out and about.

When in a cafe, which often seems the center of life in France, recall that Cafe au lait is only called that at breakfast. At other times it is "café crème " or "une crème." If ordering the a standard tiny cup of black coffee, sound like a native by calling for "un espress."

Asking for special preparation of food items is generally frowned on as is the practice of the "doggy bag."

By law, prices must be posted in the window of cafes. You will notice that there are usually at least two price levels. One is for service at the bar (le zinc) and the other for table service. It is cheating to buy a drink at the bar and then take a table to drink it at.

When you pay for something the person taking your money expects you to put it down, rather than taking it directly from your hand. Most places have a sort of tray on the counter expressly for this purpose.

When you're in a theater and have to go by someone to get to your seat always pass in front of them facing toward them, that is, away from the screen or the stage. It's very rude otherwise. Ushers in theaters, including movie theaters, should be tipped when they show you to your seat. A small coin is enough.

Although there are fewer and fewer of them with each passing year there are still public toilet facilities that have attendants. They should also be tipped.

When traveling on public transportation you'll notice little fold down seats close to the doors. These can be used until the subway car fills up. If and when it does become crowded you should stand up to make more room. You'll also notice that there are some seats which are identified as being for wounded war veterans, pregnant women etc. You may sit there but should give up your seat if someone in these categories needs it.

If you keep you eyes open, watch what others do, and bear in mind that even in the simplest things there can be differences, you'll do fine.

Answer 4

Well, don't act or dress american. Most french people do not like us, especially in the big cities. Try to blend in, and don't act like you are better than them. Also, you might want to pack nose plugs. The french don't believe in deodorant.  

Answer 5

You don't say what  country your from but  don't listen to  Bill   the true french do like the american here it the non french who as the problem  with us, they do shave they do shower and no  french  do not stink  only the cheese does at lest it what i tell my husband  who french , always at lest try what the lady of the house cooks let her know if there any food you can not eat or have , they do love there red meat rare and i mean rare , learn how to get around  bus and the metro also find out about  doctor ,dentest  this are a must  they don't sell alot of over the counter meds here , clothes  are also  not easy  if your a bit over weight so  try to keep that part down  or you well pay alot in clothes , money transfers well cost  alot  you don't say where your from but  take  me if i take money from my usa bank like  100 bucks it well cost me 155 bucks   due to the exchange rate it  wacked that it cost  so much .

Answer 6

Studying abroad in France is one of the best, most rewarding experiences of my life.  I wish I could do it all over again.  I wouldn't worry about the fashion.  The French were very open and receptive about the fact that I was an American.  In fact, it started some great conversations.  They like to debate and engage people in conversation, and while they may not agree with you they will respect you for having an opinion.

Staying in someone's home is also interesting.  Make sure you ask and keep an open line of communication.  Ask about how they want things done, if they want help doing chores, what they expect of you.  Just ask questions and respect their rules and you will get along well.  If they are hosting you, chances are they have done this before, so dont worry to much and just have fun with it.  Make sure you take them a gift that is representative of you, America, or your state.  

Things I wish I would have known or done earlier:

Buy a carte 12-25 from the SNCF immediately. You get 50 percent off of all of your train tickets. It costs 50 Euros but if you plan on doing any traveling, even regionally, do it because I saved hundreds of dollars.

You can get a pay as you go mobile phone. When you receive phonecalls they are free for you, more expensive for the person calling you. You can also get calling cards for phone booths but if you do that buy the cards at the Coins d'arabe or the internet cafes. These get more minutes internationally and have a feature where you dial a number, hang up, it calls you back and you can dial your international number. It saves lots of money. They also now have those at La Poste!

Just keep yourself open to any and everything. Try not to stick with Americans or Brits because you will only speak English, even with the best of intentions. Have a blast. It was the best time of my life! Live it up and remember you can always go back, I certainly do.

Have a great time!  It will definately open your eyes to the world.

Answer 7

I just got back three days ago from staying as an exchange student in Paris, and it is an amazing experience!

I found the culture very interesting to adapt to, and there's only a couple little things that you might want to keep in mind when you go:

The first is to not refuse to try something just because it is what you would think of as "disgusting." Even though some things in France are much, MUCH different than things in America or other cultures, try to be a local, and do the things that the locals do. At least try some of the bizare foods such as the infamous escargot, and also try the cheeses, even though some of them are somewhat rancid smelling. The French will appreciate that you have an adventurous spirit and will think more highly of you for trying to bridge the culture gaps.

Obviously, try to speak French, or attempt to speak French as much as possible, that's another thing that they really appreciate, even if your accent is unbearable, like mine, they think it's "Mignon." It's an easy, reliable way to make them open up to you wherever you are, whether it be with a store keeper or the family you are staying with.

Also, this may sound not typical, but I found that if there is something that you don't want to do as far as an activity goes, don't do it because if you show signs of boredom, or don't fully appreciate the activity, they could get offended and it's just easier to say "that is something that I don't really have an interest in, but maybe we could try this...."

Hope this all helps, and have a great trip, like I said, it's a great country and I miss it already from being gone three days ago! Have fun.

Answer 8

The French don't hate us. Likewise, acting "American" doesn't mean you take shower everyday and they don't. Maybe it was because they were in their home country but I've found Italian and French students extremely rude and American students visting over there quite polite.

However, this is a trip to France for your immersion into their culture. You will drive your host family nuts if you demand to eat hamburgers. Your host family may prepare some foods for you that you aren't used to. If it's possible to condition your palate for pate by trying it a couple times before you go. Pate is quite strong for young American palates.

Even though you are a high school student (I assume) you may be served wine - take it in stride, it's no big deal - if you are small and don't know your body will react to alcohol, just drink half a glass.

Finding out about your host family and bringing gifts for them is a really good idea. Something from your part of the US is good (not Belgian chocolates).

Breakfast is typically small. Maybe just coffee and a croissant. I had a friend who visited France staying with distant relatives. They told him breakfast was in the other room, where there was eggs, bacon and potatoes. After he finished the meal he found out that food was for the whole family.

Good luck and have fun.