6 Little differences in France you wouldn't expect (it's not like this in the US!)

[@OuiInFrance]

➤➤Use my link for an exclusive 60% discount on an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/ouiinfrance

[@alienspace1]

It's not just France. All Europe does not mix education with athletics/money.

[@jashnmubarak2989]

It's not really a thing in Canada either

[@christinelachance8012]

Except Great Britain, they have school sports teams

[@jashnmubarak2989]

@@christinelachance8012 We do have school sports teams for extra curriculars in Canada, but people don't get paid or recruited for it. Likewise universities do have such teams, too, and they're sort of connected to the Olympics, but people don't really get paid for it, nor is it on tv or filling stadiums like in the U.S.

[@Jagooon]

And it's a good thing

[@user-kp6eh2wp3o]

It should be like that here in the US as well.

[@h9313]

Hello, Diane. I'm french. I grew up in the south of France, in Aix en Provence and today I live in Paris. I'm trying to write in english. I've been watching your videos for a long time. I'm interested in your point of view. And I love your videos because you are friendly and your feedback about living in France is for me very realistic and relevant. So, I wanted to thank you, to give you my positive feeling an opinion. Merci Diane pour ces témoignages de vie intéressants. Je vous souhaite le meilleur 🙂

[@OuiInFrance]

You're too kind. Thank you so much ;-)

[@mharrye]

Doctors - was referred to a doctor by one of my coworkers and was surprised to go to a large house in my suburb of Paris, was greeted by the doctor, examined, prescribed, and paid on the spot like you said. Later on a trip to America I saw a dermatologist who prescribed the same medication the French doctor prescribed, at 5 times what it cost, and her charge to my insurance was 10 times what I paid the French doctor charged that I paid out of pocket thinking my turning in insurance forms for my American insurance wasn't worth the effort for such a small charge.

[@auntisthenes2754]

Just a little thing ! Here, the secretaries are basic, like "no way the doctor is signing a new patient". Even if you're "transcient", which most of us are becoming, you get proper care. You can check your insurance if he sends you to specialists, but either way, they'll be cheaper here too. Only some top-shelf surgery you propably can't afford in the States is worth going back. People here will tell you what's what. and prices don't come into it. THe Dallas Buyers Club, homos buying meds in Cuba was Oscar-worthy. I don't want healthcare tourism, and i can't change American views YET. But you're an argument. don't go full on dreamer. Say it like it is.

[@carmel_badchap]

Aussie here- Your description of a visit to a French doctors’ clinic is similar to how it happens here. BTW your videos have been so informative and very easy to watch- thanks!

[@auntisthenes2754]

She's on top of us. it's uncanny ! I grew up in a town of about 65 nationalities, but unlike Americans, we unified. She "studied" what she saw, wherever that is and got it right. Mostly.

[@kerouac2]

My key (in Paris) is on its own strap and I just leave it in the inside lock to make it impossible to go out without taking the key. I also have an extra key on a nail to the side of the door (usually given to guests if they need to go out alone). I cannot imagine any "safety" problem for this.

[@mariagordanier3404]

I lived in a house with this setup for nearly 40 years and never had a problem once.

[@b.w.9244]

@@mariagordanier3404 You dont...until you do...at the worst time.

[@rhdrhd3255]

@@b.w.9244 yes maybe but these door are much safer in case of someone wanted to enter your house , doors in usa are easy as fuck to open...

[@charleholst3881]

Retired building inspector here. The deadlock, or double cylinder lock, is a code violation in all or most of the U.S. (If the house is on fire, it’s a heck of a time to go looking for the key). I have written orders for landlords to replace a few of those.

[@OuiInFrance]

Better safe than sorry! I hope the landlords listened to you.

[@noefillon1749]

I don't really get why in the US fire safety laws in general are on another level compared to France. These locks we find them really everywhere and I have never thought about them being dangerous. I rarely ever thinkk about fire hazard and really rarely hear about people mentioning it in conversations, it's just not really in people's mind I find. I don't know, may be it's not much different in the US. But I feel like it's more of a focus there. On the top of my head : - Compared to Canada where I have been a year ago, sprinklers are really rare, I couldn't find any text on the Internet about them being mandated so I think they are not in most public buildings. They could be in some particular cases like very high buildings... - Fire extinguishers in homes : I heard about this, I don't know if it's really a thing in the US but in France definitely not. - Smoke detectors have been generalized in the law only from 2015 ... I thought may be the materials and therefore the frequency of fires were the reason it's more of a focus in the US so I looked for the statistics: - France : Apparently house fires kill "more than 200" people each year (3 per million inhabitants) - US : About 2700 each year between 2013 and 2022 (8.1 per million inhabitants) So it seems that there is something there. I don't know why but fires seem to be less of a danger here. I am not really confident about the stats I found about France, because really, stats are hard to find about hous fire deaths (when I say it's not a focus). Hope that brings something into the conversation

[@0creepstone0]

House fires in France are rare and the houses are more solid than in the USA, then no one loses their keys inside because they stay next to the door all the time (even on it). There are doors that lock automatically and open with a simple handle from the inside, but in this case many people find themselves locked outside with their keys inside, which is worse.

[@jean-michelgaiffe3834]

This lock story never seemed to me to be a problem, let alone a danger. Almost all the doors here have this kind of lock and that's normal. Even for recent kinds. In my building they changed the old "classic" doors to put armored doors, they have this kind of locks. I don't find it dangerous. We are used to always leaving a key nearby. Either the key in the lock inside, or a duplicate of the keys right next to it. When installing or changing a lock, there are always 3 or 4 keys that come with it. And personally, when I come home, I systematically leave my trousseau hanging on the inside handle. Otherwise a nail or a small key box right next to it and a duplicate key. No, really, I don't see any problem with that. 😅

[@fabienneclavier5984]

Most people just leave the key in the lock, or on a hook right next to the door. No search needed. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@photolover6944]

Diane, there is not need for college scholarships in France as universities are free.

[@auntisthenes2754]

Not all. But sure enough, no need to pay before the 4th year if you're any good. That said either commuting or rooms aren't free. and the allocations don't make sense. I was attributed a room I didn't need next door, but not where I wanted to go. same thing went on there. And it's all about learning the ropes to get someone a room. My Senegalese husband and some other politically inclined people did it all the time !!! Shame on the system. It's walking on its head and you need people who run interference to put it back on track, no fuss, no muss. But it's a favour. The system stays crooked.

[@Tony1771-yj8mc]

I'm American. I do not use dental floss. There is no space between a lot of my teeth. So if I do use it, I have to keep increasing the pressure until something gives and it suddenly sliped down into the space, cutting my gums. So I use a water pick instead. Far less painful and very little gum damage. Oh also, then getting it back out is also a chore.

[@OuiInFrance]

Waterpiks are great too!

[@abnsqd7622]

Diane, you do a wonderful job of educating!

[@OuiInFrance]

Thank you so much!

[@micade2518]

In Europe, college is meant to develop students' brains, not muscles! The French social security card is for MEDICAL purpose only. It never serves as an ID card. We have an ID card in France, which is not the case in the USA and the UK.

[@joseph.cotter]

We do have an ID card in the U.S. It's called a driver's license, and if for some reason a person doesn't have that, they can get a state ID, which is essentially the same thing but without the driving privilege. That isn't the issue. The issue is that in the U.S. the credit companies started associating credit scores with the social security number which never should have been allowed to happen, and then to add insult to injury, the U.S. system is based on holding the individual responsible for fraud issues that rightfully should be the responsibility of the institutions.

[@oliviercomte7624]

Our laws are very strict about associating a social security number with its owners in files. By default, it is forbidden.

[@cocodidgeridoo]

Working for a farmer in Maine et Loire (around Cholet) and we have kale.... It's only grown in winter here (from first frost till april) but it's very hard to sale in France. Most people associate it with livestock food and don't even consider eating it themselves. Hard to sale plus a very short shelve life compared to other cabages makes it not so appealing for farmers to grow.

[@OuiInFrance]

Makes total sense!

[@christinelachance8012]

Kale is also known in France as “Chou frisé” (curly cabbage)

[@solaccursio]

Here in Italy we have kale, it's called cavolo nero (black cabbage) and it's mostrly used in soups. Traditionally it's part of Tuscany cuisine, but in the last years you can find it pretty everywhere...

[@caramella4220]

In Germany kale (Grünkohl) is quite common. It's not a "superfood", just a traditional cabbage enjoyed especially in winter. It is often prepared with bacon, not eaten as a salad or as chips. I think it is similar to Italian cavolo nero.

[@solaccursio]

it IS cavolo nero, you are perfectly right

[@jackybraun2705]

It's only eaten in Northern Germany. I've lived in the South for over 40 years.now and nave.never seen it, neither in a supermarket nor on a restaurant menu.o In fact I've only ever seen it once ever, when we were in the North and I specifically asked for Kohl und Pinkel just to see what it was.

[@tiggergutt70]

I live in Norway, and here is a very common thing in France that you cannot find at all in Norway,: This is "UHT" milk (Ultra High Temperature Pastorized Milk, which allows milk boxes to be stored outside of the fridge until the pack is NOT opened). Maybe this difference also exits between France and US?

[@OuiInFrance]

UHT, shelf stable milk isn't popular at all in the US!

[@jenniferwightwick5158]

​@@OuiInFrance Same in the UK, fresh milk is by far the most common, and fresh cream, too!

[@ladyflimflam]

What I learned in France in 1987 was that the milk was gross. That UHT milk is awful tasting and even though it’s not sold in the tetrapaks in the US it is becoming increasingly difficult to find milk in the US that isn’t UHT pasturized and pretty gross tasting. On the other hand, my husband doesn’t even notice the gross cooked taste of UHT milk.

[@solaccursio]

@@ladyflimflam I always buy UHT milk. If it tastes "cooked" change brand, it shouldn't taste that way.

[@christinelachance8012]

@@ladyflimflam…”gross”… How about not insulting other countries that are “different” from what you know/like… Thank you

[@nevillehollisbrown]

Bonjour. I'm French, living in Paris and I agree with every difference you mentioned. For me, the door problem is not a little difference, it's a huge one. Bonne journée !

[@stef75017]

I am french and I know my security social number and my phone number and my adress by heart... I thought every body does.

[@vanessaferey5286]

Same here French and i know all the three by heart

[@BertrandGrousset]

J’ai 59 ans et je connaissais mon numéro de sécu par cœur qd il fallait remplir les feuilles de remboursement à la main / j’avoue que maintenant, c’est soit automatique, soit je cafouille. Mais vous avez raison sur le fond. (flemme de traduire)

[@GileadMaerlyn]

Personally, I didn't know my social security number by heart a few years ago. Than my health declined, and well... I know it now😆

[@iparipaitegianiparipaitegi4643]

The doctors’s fees in France are so low, they can’t paid a secretary, a nurse, a greeting employee and someone to water to plants. You go to see a doctor, well you only meet a doctor. Sometimes several doctors are associate in a bigger medical centre. In that case they can pay a common secretary to do all the paper work.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

Yes, when I was in France as a student, I remember that most personal care physicians (regular medical doctors) usually make less money than dentists.

[@WaddleQwacker]

I know quite a few doctors who could definitely afford personnel and chose not to. Hiring personnel means managing personnel, dealing with their time off, more administrative burdens like payrolls or changing status because you have become a small company, different taxes, need bigger facilities that have greater legal obligations to accommodate your team and you are not as much in control, ... Meanwhile, staying alone means you are the sole master onboard, you could literally just have a couple of rooms in your own housing or an extra studio as an office (which many do, and they make it cozy and personal), and you get all the money you make.

[@MilieSnowWind]

It' fully wrong. Doctor in france are realy rich, it's not our culture to ask to someone doing or job that's it. Many doctor have secretary for phone call only when they go on them patient home and can't answer to the phone

[@Tyu-f1s]

@@MilieSnowWind well, don't have a personnal secretary, they have a service of phone answering (don't know the exact term in english). My ex wife used to do that

[@MilieSnowWind]

@@Tyu-f1s je sais pas on prend rdv sur doctolib ou maiia mnt mais c'est normal un medecin sans secretaire, traditionnellement ils se déplacent de village en village chez les patients

[@Bopobopo931]

I've heard an explaination for the whole social security number deal in the U.S.: In France as in many countries, your SSN is used only as a username, but you still have to prove your identity to do anything with it. You can prove it with your ID card, your driving licence, your passport, or a password.

[@jean-claudemuller3199]

In France at Lycée there are "sport études" classes where youngsters who are high potential in sports clubs have special school hours to let them train each day their sport.

[@naturalobserver]

My SS # became committed to memory 50 years ago while attending college (university) in the US. It was needed to look up your exam result outside the classroom door. Full numbers were listed, just no names. I even easily know my husband's number since we went to school together. Of course those were the days when you also knew a bunch of phone numbers by heart.

[@francois-xavieresperance5007]

Interdental brush: yes, last time i saw my dentist, she told me to use that. And advised me not to use floss anymore ... She said "Ce n'est pas assez efficace."

[@leokaizzer4744]

The main reason why there is no competitive college sports in France is because in France sports is a club thing. We just consider than college is a place to learn, work on your skills in thinking and writting, to learn how to thing with method and how to think by yourself with the help of previous thinkers. College is not the place for sports, that's not it's role. If you wanna practice sports you go to a club.

[@AI3783-e2j]

Agree

[@vanessaferey5286]

Malgré tout il existe bien une cinquantaine de filière STAPS en france qui combine Sport de haut niveau et Etude

[@leokaizzer4744]

@@vanessaferey5286 oui mais ce sont des filières à part, pas le régime général, qui forment le haut niveau ou les professionnels des à côtés du sports (ce qui concerne la majorité des élèves en STAPS). Et le haut niveau reste associé aux clubs, à la pratique en club et à des compétitions de club ou individuelles mais dans tous les cas pas universitaires.

[@brunof9316]

the "numéro de sécurité sociale" is not only used about healthcare. its real name is "NIR" and it identifies someone unicaly. it's used by many adlinistrations (taxes, insuranced, work employer...) to identify people. The "CNIL" warned about its generalization years ago and thats why it's not used in some administration like schools. But it's not dedicated for healthcare.

[@christinelachance8012]

Please tell us where you live, so we may compare with other countries/systems

[@md92.]

In Italy we have the social security number made up of letters and numbers (16 in total). It is used for many things, not just for healthcare. It is a unique number that identifies the person, which is why some letters of the name and surname are inserted (the first 3 consonants, if there are not enough, the vowel is also used), as well as the date, month and place of birth according to pre-established criteria. The month is indicated with a letter, but even those born abroad or are foreigners do not enter the number of the municipality but the number of the country. I know that for women, 40 is added to the date and year of birth. For example, if you were born on the 7th, the day of birth will be indicated as 47. For men, however, the number remains unchanged.

[@anoucheerbil-babayan6728]

Dear Diane, I love your videos - bravo to you!

[@dalriada7554]

Juste a little tip : during your promotion of incogni (or any other promotion), you need to add "publicité" or "collaboration commerciale" on the screen during the promotion. Just putting it in the description isn't enough, it must be on the video during the promotion (not during the whole video). You can look at the law on legifrance, it's the law 2023-451 section 2 article 5.

[@buddyneher9359]

I had a deadlock (double-lock) in a previous apartment here in Canada. Kept a key hook right next to the door and trained myself to *always* put the key right there after coming in and locking the door from the inside!

[@OuiInFrance]

Very good practice to do that. In a perfect world, we'd always have the key in the door or on the hook. Did you ever run into trouble? Another annoying thing about it for my in-laws is if one person is home (and has the door locked from the inside, so the key is in the lock), and then either has headphones on or is in the bathroom and the other person comes home, you can't open it with a key from the outside if a key is already in the lock from the inside. And if you don't hear the doorbell, it can be a pain to wait!

[@jasonweikert1922]

As for Flossing. I think it is more necessary to do it more often in the USA due to corn syrup used in so many food products. As in France it is rare. And corn syrup is more likely to stick to your teeth. As for the locks. My house was built in 2015 and all new constructions is done that way in France. Must always have a key! I think it is for security purposes to not have a knob.

[@chrstopherblighton-sande2981]

The lock thing was really interesting to me, as here in the UK I've only ever known houses without those buttons you referred to on the interior locks. I've never even considered the risk that having to unlock the door with the key could potentially give rise to, it just never occurred to me. I think it is pretty standard here for people sharing a home to have their own keys so that no one has to rely on one set though, and I have never in my life been locked inside my own home. The safety button, does sound like a valuable idea, I wonder if it will catch on here at some point - perhaps it already exists in newer homes. Again in my experience, General Practitioners here in the UK work similar to those in France, though they usually work in practices with several doctors which also have nurses and phlebotomists and reception staff. However after checking in with reception and going to wait in the waiting room, the doctor will come out and call you themselves, when they are ready. Like France, doctors here tend to wear ordinary (though smart) clothes and no lab coats etc. As for dentists here, I think they are more like the US examples you gave, flossing is most certainly advocated when you visit the dentist, however interdental brushes are certainly a thing here, and my dentist recommended them to me.

[@AmanoShiyaku]

Belgian here: I remember that at some point, they tried to introduce kale here, there was a kind of hype around it, coming from vegetarians mostly, and "diététiciens". One year after, nobody was still talking about it. It just vanished. Conerning the identifiers, Belgium has social security number for medical purposes and national register id for identification (chich is on your id card). Both have different usages. Dental floss was the same as kale :D it pops from time to time on tv ads then disappears after some months. Considering intrications between sports and colleges in U.S, I've always seen that (and I'm not the only one) as a very weird and illogical association.

[@WaddleQwacker]

About locks: As a frenchie living in north america with inside buttons everywhere, i do see the opposite direction of the difference. constantly having to overthink about where i put my keys, having to add additional locks on the door because i'm literally able to lockpick my own door with no experience (so much for safety). So in quite a few way you can also consider it safer to have a lock on the inside: keep your keys in the lock, slightly turned, it makes it harder to lockpick, you don't lose them somewhere else in your house if they are right there, and also it makes it less likely for you to get out without your keys, which is quite a big deal with some apartments' doors being impossible to open from the outside without the keys (which i hate, but it is what it is). perhaps not the best system in both cases.

[@johnschiltz6440]

I am totally OK with no kale in France. Makes me think they do have a better palate....he he.

[@yaowsers77]

Same! LMAO these are my people 😂😂😂

[@clairelevasseur9434]

Mon mari les détestes !!!😅

[@MarianneInmarsilia]

On mange les blettes et les épinards

[@micade2518]

Now, don't discourage the Americans from eating vegetables, ... any vegetables! ;o)

[@chriscran2003]

And Kale (Chou frisé) does exist in France (but uncommon)

[@flatironnewyork]

on my last trip to paris, i went to a doc for the first time - a podiatrist for a medi-pedi. when my treatment was done, i said my goodbyes and was about to leave the room when she said "but you have to pay me"! i had assumed i'd pay a receptionist (there wasn't one). i had never paid cash to a doctor before 😅

[@OuiInFrance]

Yah, if you're not expecting it, it can definitely catch you off guard !

[@micade2518]

You could have paid by credit card!

[@jagstat_gk]

Podiatrists are not medical doctors in France, just for you to know :)

[@Tina-qp7py]

​@@jagstat_gkIn the US podiatrists are doctors but don't go to a traditional medical school. They go to a professional school of podiatry.

[@Stormyrider01]

Kale : you’ll have a hard time finding chou kalé (the French name of kale cabbage) if you pronounce it like ‘kell’ 😂 ; where I live (greater Paris area), I invariably hear it pronounced kalé (ka-keh). It is not uncommon, you can find it in high end organic groceries, or some stores specialized in fresh vegetables and fruits, like Grand Frais, as noted by another comment. But it is not popular at all, as it is rather harsh and need to be cooked to death to be eatable, with no particular tasty feature. Deadlocks : what is so strange ? A lock is made to be … hum… locked, so it is on the contrary a great security device. Yes, every user of the lock must have his/her own key, another warranty for security. And everyone I know leaves the key in the barrel when locked, e.g. what you would do at the end of the day before switching the lights off and going to bed.

[@jd3422]

Interesting thing about your last point - the key you need to get out of a door. In order to circumvent the possibility of losing or misplacing the key you need to leave, I have tried to simply leave it in the lock on the inside of the door. That way, there is no need to look for it. But something fascinating happens when you do that: with that key sitting in the lock on the inside of the door, if a person with their own key tries to get in from the other side, THEY CAN'T!

[@Maria-js9ou]

Yes, they can't, the key inside is additional security against intruders. The other person must ring the bell, and whoever is inside must come and open the door.

[@pamelacox540]

Proper flossing gets loose debris between teeth before it hardens into plaque. There is a correct and many incorrect ways to floss. I floss correctly and my dental cleanings are very quick- much quicker than when I didn’t floss! The interdental sticks are fine w wider spaces between teeth. Floss is easier to use w closely placed teeth!

[@pmichael73]

Great! Thanks! When I was in early teens in the US, my dentist said that flossing would wear the enamel and hurt the gums. Now in the UK, dentists recommend the interdental brushes in various sizes. Re: France, it is only relatively recently that corn on the cob was available in supermarkets. (SW France)

[@jackward-m2y]

In a future video, can you address how difficult it would be for an American who wants to vacation in France, but remain outside of Paris? Do citizens in small towns speak english? How challenging would it be to rent a car to visit small towns, the south of France, etc. Thank you, keep up the fantastic job, never miss a video.

[@rhdrhd3255]

i am french i think younger people are most likely to speak at least basic english (under 40 ) , it's easy to rent a car just i don't know about the american licence working in france, i think it would but not 100% sure

[@jenniferwightwick5158]

In the UK we have a National Insurance number made up of numbers and letters, issued at 16 and with you for your adult life. It's used for paying taxes (so your employer will always need to know it) and benefits (welfare).

[@laurentnicolas-k4e]

Hi ! Just found kale at grand frais today, very first time I could see some! Could be the right season!

[@presFKS]

In France the double cylinder lock is the standard. If you want to change your cylinder and go to a DIY shop, you will find mainly double lock cylinders, but you can find models with a button inside. My grand mother always told me to let the key in the inside lock in case of fire. I think it is a good practice, unless if it prevents another key to work from the outside.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

I had a studio apartment in France that had a dead bolt lock with a keyhole on both sides. In the US those are used in doors, usually back doors, that have windows, down near the door lock. US buildings can normally be exited by a window in emergencies. Double keyhole dead bolt locks are used in the US in outside doors with windows near the door lock.

[@noalixah]

Regarding the dental floss, I asked my dentist about it, she told me it is very good when well used but that it is really easy to use it the wrong way making more damage than anything else. It seems she had lots of patients having troubles because of it

[@AraliciaMoran]

About the deadlocks : The situation you describe is the reason why key boxes are a fairly common. Enter your home, lock the door, place the key in the key box. Since the box is most often nailed at eye level on the wall, it's out of reach of animals and childrens, and as you develop the habit of putting the key in the box, you come of always know where the key is; in the box, within reach of the door.

[@Jagooon]

12:35 Never seen it in France. Lived here for more than 40 years.

[@Juniper79]

Very interesting and informative video. Thoroughly enjoyed. Merci 🙂

[@ranktube8741]

Hello . We have kale in France in Alsace and Lorraine it s a winter food ( kale with potatoes and saussages or pork) ,we name it kehl. It s the immigrant of theses region who bring it to usa after 1870. 😊 it s a farmer food

[@fuzzylon]

I share your thoughts about the lock on the front door. I also live in France, when I come home I lock the front door and leave the key in the lock so that it is always there for when I need to open it. My flat has roller shutters/blinds and they would take time to open in a hurry too - so I tend to leave the bedroom one open so that I could make a quick escape there too if I had to. I used to live in the UK and fire retardent doors are thing there. They would stop a fire spreading too easily through the home, but they don't seem to be a thing here in France.

[@echo6657]

I'm french and never ever have heard about this lock button thingie...I'm careful with my key and always let it in the lock when i'm inside so I don't forget about it, it's also used to prevent lock picking for outside. I also have a second key in my bag if needed....so I never had any safety problem with it!

[@jimbobjones5972]

Nice segue to your plug for the sponsor.

[@KitKat1965]

The doctor I visit has a staff, and the nurses do all vitals; however, the doctor does not wear a doctor's coat. He (or she if I see the RN) wear regular attire. Now, saying that, they do wear a stethoscope when they come in to talk.

[@benjaminlamey3591]

for the doctor, it all depends. in rural areas, the doctors usually work alone in small offices. my doctor was exactly how you described it. but nowadays, they tend regroup to make it easier and have a staff helping them. being full alone is huge amount of work, shared with colleague can help. there is an issue in the system as young doctors do not want anymore to have working days of 14-15 hours, therefore they do not go alone in the rural areas.

[@aliceaurelia594]

Back in the '70s (I know, I know. I'm older than dirt) I moved to New Jersey. My landlord put in a Medeco lock on my apartment. I couldn't open it from the inside without a key. I never got locked in or out, but I always felt anxious about it. After three years I moved back to NYC and haven't had a lock like that since.

[@hsage1]

Can you open NJ from the inside?

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@hsage1

[@plantbased2846]

In Beaune, Burgundy kale is available during the summer months at Grand Frais. As you say, in other places and at other times of the year it has been hard to find.

[@Hehe-rh1lr]

Hey Diane my dentist (in france) always tells me to keep flossing every day and can tell when i have been lazy about flossing!!

[@Treinbouwer]

4:00 I definitely do not know my social security number (nl: BSN nummer). I just read it from my passport when I need it. I always have to look which number it is, since there are multiple numbers on there, but I rarely need it so it is not a problem.

[@fabienneclavier5984]

I am French and know my social security number by heart. I have also lived in the US and had a social security number assigned to me, but I don’t think I ever knew it by heart.

[@mfcq4987]

Le Gaec la source (maraîcher bio) basé à la Pommeraye est sur le marché de Cholet le samedi et il fait du chou kale en saison (plutôt l'hiver). En tout cas, il en vend quand il fait le marché de la ville où j'habite, jamais en grande quantité. Je lui en ai acheté quelques fois car il paraît que c'est bon pour la santé, mais je ne sais pas vraiment le cuisiner et je ne trouve pas ça très très bon, je préfère les autres variétés de choux.

[@melissafonteny5538]

for kale my guess is either producer markets or "Grand frais", they have a lot of exotic and original vegetables. All dentists i have been to recommand flossing, and i have been to like 4 or 5. It's not as much a thing for people to do it though. we left key near the door on on the door, no issues. I never see a door that you can open without key in france or neighbor countries.

[@nombretau5590]

No kale in France but we have chou blanc, chou vert frisé, chou rouge and chou de Bruxelles instead.

[@thibault7249]

We have kale, I can buy some any time at my local supermarket in Nantes

[@micade2518]

You forgot chou-fleur and broccoli! ;o)

[@andyiswonderful]

I lived in South Korea for a year, and you couldn't get floss anywhere at that time. Drove me up the wall.

[@ReckDrogeek]

4:29 Le code de la sécu c'est : _ 1 ou 2 en premier (homme ou femme) _ Les deux derniers chiffres de l'année de naissance _ Le mois de naissance _ Le département de naissance et encore des chiffres mais là je botte en touche pour l'explication =) Du coup oui, je connais mon n° de sécu (hors chiffres sur le côté de la carte, faut pas pousser), mon n° de compte bancaire ( tout l'IBAN en fait), le n° de ma CB... Et c'est bien pratique =)

[@bethm1394]

The lack of college sports isn't surprising in the context of the french educational system, where school sport teams don't exist (there are however sports clubs and associations - unassociated with schools - where Sports are played) The clubs/associations that are "professional" clubs sometimes have tutoring/classes for young "sportif.ve.s haut niveau" (high level athletes) who train for their sport in addition to their regular school work - there are also options like "sport-etudes/danse-études" where the student has class hours dedicated to thier sport/art (like dance) while being enrolled in a regular high school that offers the sport-etude option (without necessarily having classes/teams in the school itself, though I assume that can vary depending on the school) For kale, that seems specific to your area of France maybe? Here in Lyon you can get kale at the market all winter (since it's a winter veg), and I remember it being available in Normandy as well (though I didn't buy it back then, it was available 10 years ago). I think I've even seen it in supermarkets (like monop), but I dont buy it often, and when I do, its usually at farmer's markets, so im not sure about availability in supermarket... Flossing: I remember being surprised when a french friend was telling us about learning to floss (at the age of 23) because he had gingivitus and us telling him about how in the US they usually have you start flossing at 10yo 😅

[@davidchilton4301]

Deadlocks are common throughout Europe. It kind of freaked me out when we moved to Germany but, like many things, you get used to it.

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

Interesting you say that. I don‘t remember ever seeing one in either the USA or Germany (I‘ve lived in Germany since 1974).

[@sarahnd]

We get kale regularly in Perpignan - no problem. Not sure if it a regional thing, though, or only mostly in "bio" stores.

[@thomarinadenoyer9587]

Hi there, i'm french and married to a portuguese woman, kale is wildly used in Portugal and i have to grow my own kale cuz it's truely hard to find here.

[@JamesKanze]

When speaking about the differences of the social security number, I'm surprised that you didn't mention the biggest difference -- the term "social security" refers to the national health insurance in France, and not a retirement system (which is run by a completely different organization). When a hospital or a doctor ask for your social security number (or your carte vitale) in France, it's not for identity purposes, but to establish who's paying.

[@micade2518]

... and your medical record.

[@brigittelacour5055]

In France you get your personal social security number when you have your own health insurance or your first job ( could have a summer job and still under your parents health insurance). Why for the job ? Because it's also your number for the retirement system. It's always written on your pay paper, that's your worker number and it will stay your all working life.

[@Belaziraf]

Social security number : First number : sex 1 for male, 2 for female The following 2 : last 2 digits year of birth 4 and 5 : month of birth 6-7 : department (county/zip code) 99 for foreigners 8-9-10 : INSEE code for city or country of birth 11-12-13 : registry code from your city of birth for your month of birth last 2 digits : decurity code (usually calculated from all the previuos numbers)

[@olivers.4737]

French here. I know my SSN by heart, but it's more a personal habit than anything. My wife doesn't know hers, neither do my parents, most of my colleagues,.... I also knows my credit card number, date and CVC by heart, so I never have to register the number anywhere nor getting the card out when not necessary. For the other purpose : I never tested kale, but I thing it will easier to find in organic shops.

[@testman9541]

Actually in Paris there is the PUC (Paris Université Club) which is quite big. Their stadium is Stade Charléty that you can see from le Périphérique in paris 🎉But others of such club are not as big. Those club evolves in the regular Leagues. AFAIK there are no university leagues, people can join the regular ones 👌Kale is chou frisé in France. I only saw a non frisé variant given to farm animals by my great grand mother decades ago😢 but you can find brussel sprouts quite often but it is not cooked the same way but you might give it a try as an ersatz 😁

[@oneeyejack2]

i'm french, and i've always worried about fires so when I lock the door from inside, I always leave the keys on the door.. I don't know why we don't have a way to unlock from inside, that does look dangerous.. I think historically people usually don't lock their door from inside.. I do it because I live on the first floor in a somewhat risky neighborhood

[@emjizone]

14:13 Deadlocks ? Make-life-interesting-locks. 😏

[@maxencerannou917]

Two things : - Your social security ID in France IS a private number. One can use use it to fraud social benefits and one can trace it to your real identity on other sites and then make identity usurpation. -Deadlocks are not dangerous if you leave the key on the door locked from the inside as most people do. You get out faster and no one can get inside if they try picking your lock or if someone else stole your key. If anything, the most annoying system is the one you find in the Netherlands : you cannot open the door from the outside without the key even if it is unlocked from the inside, and it means you stay locked outside ! And it cost me LOTS of money with night tariff on Easter day ...

[@beauthestdane]

Our AirBnB in Vannes had that type of lock for the building, but not for the individual apartments in the building.

[@beauthestdane]

Oh, and the French are doing the right thing with Kale, ignoring it...

[@marianaamoedo5942]

In Uruguay we have an identity card with your full name, photograph, DOB, thumbprint, signature and an 8 number identity code that you use for almost EVERYTHING and makes you YOU. You better have the card on you all the time and learn your number.

[@soldierblack5032]

I know my social security number, I'm french and it's just because I needed it for work purpose recently...I will certainly forget it soon xD There's kale in France, I don't like it a lot but there is some... Maybe not in the countryside but in large city it's easy to find (I work for 1 month in a vegetable shop, a primeur in french, and I know of it) Deadlock is a problem btw ? I don't know a person aving only one key, there's generally two or more... And it doesn't sound that insecure from a french perspective since you generally put your keys near the door, or just let them on the door to be able to open the door easily

[@markbernier8434]

If you have used your ss number sufficiently you will never forget it. I can state my student ID without hesitation though it is 50 years since I last needed it.

[@MjolnirFeaw]

French here: 1. It's not that french colleges don't have sport teams it's more that the university competitions are totally under the radar: the only people who follow those competitions are the ones partaking in it. 2. Note that a landlord will not ask for your SS number which is considered as a medical/private thing, but they will often ask for your tax income declaration which is considered to be only money-related. 4. Some groceries have Kale cabbage on shelf but it's unusual. Mostly because it doesn't sell well. I'd say it because it's not that pleasant to eat and well you know how important taste is to french people (yup: that's not a myth) 5. About dental flossing: the french-speaking Scillabus had a video about the right care of teeth (she usually backs her vids with published studies). 6. Deadlocks: interesting point. I never even questionned that. Then again, growing up with these kind of locks my whole life, I leave the keys on the lock when I lock the door. But you're right, in flats that could be a real danger. (In a house with several exits, that's a lot less of a problem)

[@brucemacneil8793]

Someone probably already posted this earler, but anyway, re: no atlelic scholarships in France, Leon Marchand got a full scholarship to Arizona State University were he was coached by Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps' coach.

[@mikhil6686]

Thank ýou, I appreciate you. ❤

[@OuiInFrance]

Right back at you!

[@b.k.3280]

The inventor of the current Social Security number is the armies controller general René Carmille which he created in 1940. This number was intended to census the population, particularly men to know their age, their state of health and more importantly if 'they could fight. This number starts with 1 or 2. 1 for men, 2 for women. it is followed by the date of birth and the region from which the person comes.

[@KurtWhitehead-s1x]

Few countries have college athletics or Greek Societies like the US. However, when I've taken UK friends back to my school (VA Tech) for football games and then an after game party at the fraternity house, they are amazed and a bit jealous. Btw, way too old to hang at the fraternity party too late.

[@rkw2917]

Deadlocks are very common also in Swiss apartments Some apartment buildings also have deadlocks on the main entrance which are bolted at night I really hate them

[@mharrye]

Locks - French locks can be something else. My apartment had a 4 sided key, 4 sets of tumblers. But it would lock without the key. One evening my wife and I locked ourself out. We went upstairs to the Swiss owner of the entire floor above us (my floor had 3 apartments) who said to sit down, have a cognac while he calls. Nobody, owner of my apartment or the agent had a key, so he called a locksmith. The locksmith came over, looked at the door, no problem. Took out a pry bar, knew where to pry and popped the cross bar locking mechanism out of place and we were in. It cost me 100 euro to come out like that but worth it. Lock from the inside like you say, but ours had a spring lock so we could accidentally lock ourselves out.

[@OuiInFrance]

Yah, those spring locks are a pain. I've heard of so many people getting locked out because the door shut behind them. And only 100 euros for the locksmith was a steal!!

[@dzymslizzy3641]

USA: yes, I know my SS number, and you're correct: I don't keep it in my wallet, and I don't share it around. A previous dentist had a sign in his office, "You don't have to floss all your teeth; just the ones you want to keep." Pretty hard-core, if you ask me! My current dentist asked whether I have trouble with bleeding gums, and I said, "Only if I floss!" Wow--that door lock situation does sound pretty dangerous!

[@garthly]

Kale was cattle fodder when I grew up in England, no one thought of eating it. Then someone started saying it was good for your health - I expect it was just a way to make money, though, for farmers.

[@valtranslator]

Hi Diane! I'm French (Oise (Picardy) ) and I know my social security number...by heart! Yes, kales are not common over here...even hard to find them but my husband do have some in his garden. Thanks for all your interesting videos.

[@mateusquasetuga]

The medical office setup is similar in Portugal. It drives me insane. What would be a single visit with a quick follow up phone call in the US turns into a 3-4 week saga of initial visit, going to get tests done, then a follow up visit (that could easily have been an email, and for which you have to pay for again). It’s so incredibly inefficient.

[@FanNy-ku6wt]

But you are paid back for that. So, there is no problem. It seems pretty efficient to me.

[@JD987abc]

Another outstanding show Diane. I remember staying in apartments in Paris that have lock sets inside that have flat bars securing the door. Some used the key to lock the door while others used a knob. That was back in 2008-09. We’re in the midst of the presidential election. Way too long and nasty. French system is much quicker and In my opinion less toxic and stressful. Anyway, your presentation s are always informative. Thank you. Joe and Gigi.

[@suemahoney7330]

Read the book Bonjour Kale: A Memoir of Paris, Love, and Recipes Paperback by Kristen Beddard. It was so interesting.

[@MilieSnowWind]

Maybe because we are at school since 8am until 7pm 5 or 6 day per weak to learn not to play with a ball. It's not a money reason it's a logical reason. And it's not a French thing, it's more an us thing.

[@maryswartzel2773]

I adore the way you say these are differences and do not give a judgment. Except that door thing, that seems very dangerous. 😬

[@mike60605]

Great video! Each of these topics deserve their own video! I know that the French aren't big on unsecured credit cards, but how would you get approved for one, or what happens when you want to make a large purchase and make installment payments like cars, or even big vacations? Thanks!

[@OuiInFrance]

Some places offer their own financing (like if you need to buy an appliance) and allow you to pay in installments. That's pretty common. If you have a really big purchase, you can get a personal loan at the bank as well. Glad you enjoyed my video!

[@jeromemckenna7102]

When I was a child and even a younger adult, doctors in private practice didn't wear a lab coat.

[@adriannaconnor6471]

I'm in Prague, in the Czech Republic, and I've stayed in five different apartments here. Every single apartment has had a deadlock. In some apartment buildings, you need a key to get out of the building. I've always stayed in the apartments alone, and I always leave the key in the lock when I'm at home. I suppose if I had multiple people living with me I would get a key cut specifically to keep in the inside lock at all times.

[@OuiInFrance]

Hi there Adrianna, yes I've seen buildings like that where you need a key to get OUT. I'm sure I'd always forget and I'm sure people do all the time, or just resent having to dig around in their bag for the key. But as with anything, I guess you get used to it?

[@feraudyh]

I bought chou kale in Laval, France.

[@Znoadrien]

All good french dentists tell you to use floss a lot. XD. Just use it the right way. And funny things: education on how to use floss is one of the few things that the patients have to pay for themselves. It's not Taken care of by insurances.

[@emmanuellegrand3229]

I have never ever heard that not having a way to unlock front door without key had ever cause a problem in France. I think that everybody does like me : juste let the key on the lock.

[@edwardhanson3664]

Can you grow kale in your garden in France? Tat brings up a good question: How pervasive are personal gardens there?

[@OuiInFrance]

I'm sure you can. Just plant the seeds and voila. Some people have vegetable gardens, they aren't uncommon

[@Azeleen16]

That depends greatly on which area you live in :) The bigger the city, the less chance you have of having a garden. In smaller cities or not-too-centered neighborhoods, it is quite common, and almost systematic if you have a house (a house and no garden would be a total no go for me)

[@semilvr]

@@Azeleen16I think they are talking about a vegetable garden not a yard (jardin, the actual land) in general

[@Azeleen16]

@@semilvr Oh ! I did not understand it like that, thanks ^^ That's a really tough one to answer. But I just looked it up and there are some stats that say that 38% of us have a vegetable garden :)

[@aidanclarke6106]

Why wouldn't you just let the keys in the lock, as everyone does ? 😊❤

[@OuiInFrance]

I think in a perfect world, that's what people do but sometimes things happen and out of habit you take your key out and put it in your bag when you're distracted, or have a bunch of loyalty cards or a USB stick on your keyring and take it over to your computer in another room. And maybe most importantly, if you leave your key in the lock from the inside and another family member comes home, they can't unlock the door from the outside if a key is blocking the lock from the inside.... which can be an issue if you're in another room, asleep, in the shower, or have headphones on because you won't hear the doorbell. And those are just the reasons that pop right into my head!

[@noefillon1749]

Living alone, that works, but if you live with someone else, then it doesn't anymore

[@ariannewdnotbe]

I’ve been married to a French guy for a long time, like decades. The only time I saw the deadlock situation was when we were in Paris last May & rented an apartment in the 10th arrondissement. through AirBnb. His mom’s apartment in the 12th didn’t have that going back many years ago, nor did their homes in the Loire Valley & the Provençal coast. It’s a scary concept. As to doctors’ appointments, 💯% on point. Medical care in 🇫🇷 is completely different from what we have in the US.

[@noefillon1749]

I don't know but I find this to be pretty common. My childhood house in French Guiana had one, the current house my parents have in Toulouse have one, my apartment in Lyon has one. Actually i cannot think of places where I or other people lived in France where you could unlock without the key...