French Culture

I think I have spent enough time in France now to notice the main differences between the Australian and French culture, beside the big differences such as the language I have put together a list of things I have noticed French people do, or what I often see happen around me.

-There are pharmacies EVERYWHERE

-Calling clubs 'discos' and feeling childish 

-People park their cars anywhere, and everywhere

-Driving on the other side of the road

-The cars are tiny

-Everyone rides motorbikes / scooters (you can ride a motoscooter at 14) 

-Drinking milk from bowls not cups (sometimes coffee too)

-French fries being called just fries (frites)

-French yoghurt being being called yoghurt (yaourt)

-Being able to drive 130 on freeways (that's the limit, but everyone still drives over)

-Everyone driving really fast, and everyone is really good at driving

-Bus drivers smoking on the bus

-Everyone smoking at school

-No one ever hugs, everyone gives two kisses

-Everyone saying the word putain (like whore) 

-Having to pay to go to the toilet

-Getting frustrated because there is no French word for get, got, does, do, awkward and many more!

-Getting asked for money or drugs in the streets but I just act as if I don't understand what they are saying

-No salt and vinegar chips anywhere!

-No peanut butter, lots and lots of nutella

-Crepes! Best food ever

-Eating the best, freshest bread with every meal

-So much cheese

-Cooked lunches

-Late dinners, usually at about 9 oclock

-Small breakfasts, (they thinks bacon and eggs is so weird for breakfast)

-Spreading jam with spoons

-Nobody is fat

-Same sex toilets (even at school)

-No switches on electrical outlets

-Everyone rides bikes everywhere (without a helmet) 

-Nobody says anything when you sneeze

-It smells different, everywhere 

-Watching english television with a French person speaking over the top (so annoying) 

-French radio is awesome (but I miss triple J)

-French music

-Nobody my age has a job

-Going out for coffee

-Catching public transport everywhere and anywhere without it being a hassle 

-People everywhere on the streets

-Walking everywhere

-Seeing people walk around with bread sticks 

-Bakeries everywhere

-Huge cathedrals in every city

-No drink taps at school, or anywhere 

-Not having class when a teacher is away (no emergency teachers)

-Blackboards at school

-Old fashioned projectors

-Everyone writes with cursive handwriting 

-Tiny roads 

-Houses being joined together 

-Nobody has pools 

-French maths is the hardest thing ever (or just French school in general is hard)

Les Alpes

So yesterday I returned from a week in The French Alps, called La Plagne. It was a good week and I improved a lot on my snowboarding. It was kind of annoying being a snowboarder amongst 5 skiers, but I managed. Everybody in France are freak skiers, and hardly anybody snowboards. The mountains were amazing, so big and so beautiful. Everywhere I looked was just unreal, it was just mountain after mountain. I was pretty lucky with the weather there, it was mostly sunny and I had to put suncream on most days (50+ suncream that you can't get in Australia). One of the days it was snowing so much, and I couldn't see anything and got lost for a little bit but I called out to my host family and found them after a while. This week was the first week I started to feel homesick, and it was a lot worse than I thought. I spent too much time by myself and thinking about Australia, which made it worse. I have had a few ups and downs but am sorting them out with my counsellor (who is awesome) and I think everything is going to be ok. Holidays are over and I am back at school tomorrow, I'm actually excited to see everyone and to get busy again.