I am going to france for the summer 4 weeks. ideas? :):)?

Question

hi, i'v been accpeted a french exchange for 4 weeks. i will be staying with a family somewhere in france quite near paris.

what kind of home would i expect to stay in?

what are some customs?

what will we eat for dinner?

do teens drink there?

i just need to know everything possible, please thankyou

Answer 1

French homes tend to be smaller than homes in the United States and have fewer bathrooms. Many homes do not have airconditioning nor is it usual to have TV's in almost every room as in many American homes.

Food in France is not really all that different than that in the USA although, in my opinion, much better prepared. But while the names of dishes may be different and the manner of preparation somehwat different the basics will be familar. In other words its not a matter of having to eat snails or goat's heads.

You can purchase wine or beer in France at age 16 and it is not unusual for wine to be served at meals, even to younger children.

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).

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.

You'll also notice that the French are not given to constantly smiling as is the American habit and, in fact, many Frenchmen regard doing so as a sign that Americans are either mentally retarded or, at best, a bit goofy.