Things that surprised me about America as a French Woman 🇺🇸🇫🇷 (there is a lot!!)

[@lb1984]

Smiles…to quote the great Dolly Parton “if you see someone without a smile, give them yours!” I smile at most ppl because you never know who might actually need one 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@johnbattles1002]

So very true! Great advice from Dolly, a true Southern gem for sure!

[@populisttrope9385]

You can very easily rent a Mustang in THE US if you really want to drive one.

[@lb1984]

@@treetopjones737 good to know Treetop, that’s why I am very happy to live outside of a small town in Montana. Never too sore to smile at as many people as I want to. Nobody asked you to smile, Mr. Jones, everything will be okay 🤘

[@johnbattles1002]

@@lb1984 , good response! I love small towns and rural simplicity! Historically, big cities, with their inevitable dark “underbellies,” have been more of a scourge to civility and decency, than a benefit.

[@td315]

I’m offended when stranger even acknowledge my existence let alone smile. That’s damn near assault in my book.

[@AW11-e4h]

Even a French girl knows Christmas decorations don’t go up until after Thanksgiving 🤘🤘

[@jreyman]

Yep. Not Christmas season, until Dec 1 arrives.

[@jojoemcgeejoe457]

Some of those decorations have probably been up since the previous Christmas or 10.

[@hanng1242]

@@jreyman No. Christmas season starts at Vespers on December 24, and lasts until the forefeast of Theophany on January 2. In the West, it starts at the I Vespers of Christmas on the evening of December 24, and lasts until the eve of Epiphany on January 5. Informally, a Christmas holiday could start with the "O" Antiphons on December 17, and last until the Monday after the Octave of Epiphany on January 13; or, also informally, it could start on the evening of December 24, and last until Candlemas on February 2. Other stuff in December starting with the 4th Sunday before Christmas is all Advent.

[@ghstdnsr]

Christmas can not begin until you hear Burl Ives on the Radio

[@Ed70Nova427]

At least we're still allowed to put them up.

[@seadog2396]

Your ability with English is remarkable. Very Impressive. P.S. We Americans can Never forget Lafayette and the Great Support we received from the French Nation during our Struggle for independence from Great Britain.

[@technopirate304]

France is our oldest ally. Far too many Americans are told that the French government surrendered twice in the last century. But they are never told why this occurred. But as a Francophile coworker of mine once said “The French government surrendered twice. The French people never did”.

[@seadog2396]

@@technopirate304 Thanks.

[@devildoll9929]

@@technopirate304 France also had the misfortune of sharing a border with Germany during aggressive and militaristic periods in German history. And France never surrendered in WW1, Germany and its allies did. The French suffered 1.4 million dead in WW1 and 6 million total casualties. That doesn't suggest a defeatist attitude at all.

[@TheRomeerome]

Exactly. Her English is excellent.

[@alquinn8576]

France didn't support the US because they cared about the US--they supported because of their longstanding national trauma arising from their crushing defeat at the hands of the English at Crecy and Agincourt. That national trauma has carried forth to the modern era, and it is why the French are so snobbish (they are compensating for an inferiority complex). But the joke is on them: nothing can ever fill the void left in their national psyche!

[@you_can_call_me_T]

Lol! The annoyance with the toilet stalls is completely understandable, but truly, nobody is looking in there at anyone else. Everyone literally just subconsciously avoids looking at those cracks. Nobody wants to see another person using the toilet lol. If someone was seen looking they would be considered incredibly creepy. I'm 40 years old and no one has ever looked in on me. People occasionally glance down at the floor to see if there are feet, but never through the cracks to see someone pee lol

[@donny1960]

I agree. It is only an issue with people unfamiliar with them. Some people might take advantage of the chance to "peek". But they will then experience the "outgoing" part of being American and be called out in BIG way.

[@DillyPutty]

Stop at Buck-ee's 😂

[@isoldam]

Yes, except for small children. I've seen little eyes peaking at me several times.

[@you_can_call_me_T]

@@isoldam lol thankfully I have never had that experience.

[@oldplace2844]

Well... most people avoid it. However, there are those who do intentionally, for perverse reasons, peer into stalls.

[@josephcote6120]

The free refills thing is easy to explain. At restaurants even a large drink only costs them a few cents for the ingredients (syrup, the sugar and flavoring part, and soda water, the fizzy part) and they charge a couple of dollars for it. They have already made a big profit, so it costs them a tiny bit to give you more for free, and you leave happy. Happy customers are repeat customers, so that's the biggest benefit to the restaurants.

[@michaelmerrell8540]

It didn't used to be like that either. Much like serving sizes, there has been a gradual increase in these things to (as you said) make sure customers always feel like they got enough. I remember ordering drinks with no ice when I was a teenager to make sure I got as much as possible. I'm not saying that the excessive ice started as a way to sell you more drinks, but I'm not going to dismiss the possibility. 😆

[@Ragis]

The business case for charging refills in some countries is very straightforward too: They charge a lot on beverages to push the rest of the prices down. You're not going to not drink anything, so... A bit deceiving, I know.

[@protorhinocerator142]

That and it would cost more to pay some guy to guard the drink machine. They could have the drink machine behind the counter, but that means the employees are doing all that extra work. It adds up. Just give the customer a cup and you've crowdsourced the work.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Even most Americans don't realize, but my father was a fireman/paramedic (both) and the restrooms are built like that on purpose. The lack of privacy is a trade off so that someone might see if someone is passed out whether on the seat or on the floor (high door). A first responder has a tool to slide most locks and failing that the door is high enough at the bottom to slide a person (most people) underneath for treatment and transportation.

[@FrenchTasticExplorations]

I see. Thank you for commenting about it 😊

[@hackerx7329]

Most people never really stop to think about the way they are constructed but they are modular. If repairs are need or a different style or color is wanted a stall can be torn apart and rebuilt by two people in just an hour or so. They do however use screws and bolts with weirdly shaped heads to keep people from tampering with/vandalizing them. I do wish they would attach a rubber flap on the edge or something to block the view through the gap.

[@notvalidcharacters]

That doesn't really make sense, since the same situation could happen anywhere in the world.

[@maryreilly5092]

I never thought of that...Brilliant! No, we don't look in the cracks. If someone does that, they might get cracked!

[@ricki-bobby]

Some of that design rationale is true but the QC and privacy tolerances in nearly all cases where stalls are constructed could be much, much better. Said differently, the gaps need closed and in the case of men's restrooms, placing a urinal abutted next to a stall with a gap is a poor design for everyone

[@willbass2869]

The "Dalmatian" cows in France are also very common in US. They are called "Holsteins" and are specifically for dairy production. They are probably the #1 dairy cow in the entire world. The solid black cows you saw were probably "Angus" (Aberdeen Angus) which is raised only for meat production.

[@user-David-Alan]

Nothing was stupid. It was great hearing your opinion on the US. You have a great perspective coming from France. Thanks for the video. Looking forward to the next one. Stay well and be safe.

[@chetcarman3530]

I hope you come again! The areas you visited (The East & Northeast) are the most "European-like" in The States. You must see what truly separates The US from anywhere else is the other 85% -- vast plains, prairies, huge mountains, deserts, forests, waterfalls, ancient rock formations reaching from the desert floors to the skies, sprawling cities like Los Angeles, snow-capped peaks, endless stretches of wide, wide superhighway, the Old West, horses, cowboys, Buffaloes, moose, Great Lakes like oceans... it's like several different countries and climatic zones. Takes several visits & I hope you can return. 💚💙💜💛🧡❤

[@wmason1961]

It's like 50 different countries. Judging all American roads by those in New York is a mistake.

[@Delgen1951]

@@wmason1961 We don't talk about those. At lest Jimmey Hoffa is not buried under one of those, we think.

[@kevingilliam6807]

I think just noticing how differently people treat you in different parts of the country. I think we're pretty friendly to foreigners everywhere, but Southern hospitality vs. West Coast cool dudes, vs. Midwest welcome all has a different flavor.

[@stephenchilcoat3808]

Yes. Next visit come to states like Montana, Utah or Idaho. Go to a Rodeo. Visit Yellowstone. All of those places will seem very exotic to a European.

[@chetcarman3530]

@@stephenchilcoat3808 exactly. I'm in Colorado.

[@gtrr3246]

Even as an Asian American, others can tell I’m from the U.S when overseas just as you described, speaking loudly w/confidence and smiles LoL. It’s hard to tell you’re doing that since that’s how we are we’re raised in America

[@keef5]

Part of the problem with the roads in the north is that we have bad winters and they need to be salted for months at a time. You’d recognize the roads in the south don’t have potholes vs ones up north that take a beating from winters and plows and salt breaking things down

[@bonniebrown5102]

I was going to say that as well. I'm from the Southeast and times I have been to the Northeast I have been shocked at the conditions of the roads.

[@skieje]

I'm in Utah that also gets cold, but the roads in New York I had the same feeling about! I noticed they have a lot of lines across the roads which we don't have here. I'm guessing it's for ease of replacement, but they aren't needed here.

[@skieje]

@dacrosber I know about the freezing as we have that in Utah also. However, our roads aren't as bad as what I experienced in New York. We get plenty of potholes, but very few of our roads have the lines across them like there were in New York. Those that do are concrete rather than blacktop, but even then the lines are more spaced out than what I experienced in New York and aren't as bumpy.

[@fazr6103]

They have snow and ice in France. It's just that European roads are far thicker and more durable, using almost twice as many layers of more durable material. I watched a documentary on it once. We would never adopt such a common sense approach, because it's a big, widespread scam across all municipalities, local , state and federal, to keep fixing the same damn potholes and roads year after year. Not to mention the outrageous police detail costs. You can't keep bilking the system if you have roads that don't need to be repaired constantly! Thats also why they draaaaag simple peojects out extra months, or years. Its all about the $$. If any local politician was ever like "I know, let's spend the money to make this better" they would get crushed by all the special interests that are suckling at the enormous, flabby teat.

[@TheOtherBill]

The roads in NY state are terrible compared to the surrounding states despite the same weather. It's because most of the repair money goes to the city because that's where the most voters live. There is a significant amount of people in upstate NY who really wish NYC was in a different state.

[@lb1984]

Female American here. I was using the restroom at Costco when a little girl put her eye right up to the gap and watched me. I simply said “I can see you too.” And she ran off to find her mother. Most grown ups know to not look in the cracks because we don’t want to see. But if I can make eye contact with anyone I simply let them know. They don’t look again.

[@loridelia8806]

Oh my gosh, I laughed so hard after reading your comment. Thank you .

[@larissa1770]

Or when kids start crawling under to see you 😭 I think we all have been guilty of glancing at the gap to check if it’s available?! However it is incredibly rude and creepy to stare.

[@sandpiperr]

@@larissa1770 Yeah, it's just something I don't think about. I've passed my co-workers hundreds of times in the bathroom at work and I glance to see if a stall is free, but I don't look enough that I could tell you what any of them look like naked. I think it's something your brain just learns not to notice as you become an adult.

[@barryfletcher7136]

Businesses (includes cities) start putting up Christmas decorations in September/October as a way of reminding people they need to buy Christmas presents. Most of us hate it and only put up Christmas decorations once it is December.

[@karlamackey4675]

I live in Ohio and if you wait too long the weather will get too cold to put them up. You can't wear gloves and hang lights. Also, people do put up Halloween lights. Not many people do, but you will see some.

[@YSLRD]

In the mid- south, we have gentle winters. Some of my neighbors put up lights and trees in October. Anytime in November is common. I think people have adopted the stores' policies. Also, Christmas has become detached from Christ, so most people don't even know what Advent is.

[@Sunset553]

It sounds like you had a fun trip. Mustangs are special even if you’re born in the U.S. I hope you get your dream car. People here really enjoy meeting others. They’ll come home and say, I met a lady from France today! She spoke Spanish with me and told me all about her trip!

[@jimjungle1397]

I am American and 30 years ago I was pen pals with two sisters in France for several years. They were learning English and were obsessed with everything American. I was amazed how American their English ended up sounding. They invited me to stay with their family in northern France for 2 weeks. They lived on the Belgian border and I ended up studying in Belgium for 4 years. I would visit France about 2 times a month, but I really liked southern France near Nice and the Petite Alps, including the people.

[@lendondain1]

I love that you like how friendly North Americans are. This is my favorite thing about us. We smile at each other. We talk to each other. We care about each other (for the most part). You mentioned that we speak very loud, but I would like to say that I think this is also part of our friendly, smiling, open culture. We want you to hear us, and we want you to feel comfortable participating in our conversations (even without invitation) should you hear us and decide to participate. We value interaction with our fellow human beings, and honestly, after so many thousands of years of modern humans dominating the planet, I don't know why this stance hasn't been adopted by every culture.

[@katiefountain2407]

Well technically it's the United states. America is two large continents and a bunch of islands.

[@katiefountain2407]

@OP Right. You can typically tell when you're in a bad area based on their friendliness. People won't look at each other or have friendly casual conversations then you probably should leave that area..

[@katiefountain2407]

@@phillipbanes5484 anti-american lamo. And I am from a big city. Most of the time when you're out and about you will be acknowledged. Unless you're in a very unsavory area.

[@katiefountain2407]

@@phillipbanes5484 NY, that explains a lot. Have a good one 👋

[@katiefountain2407]

@@phillipbanes5484 never been to New York itself. No. And I will give you this. Once I googled it I realized I'm from a mid sized city. I'll stand by everything else so soon. And I'm not going to defend my patriotism online. That's just weird 🙄. Good talk guy.

[@INDYANDY4C]

I’m so glad you got to see so much, but there’s sooo much more! We smile at each other because we’re not homogeneous. English, Irish, Polish, German, French, Greek, Italian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, etc. are all Americans. We communicate we’re honest and mean no harm if we don’t speak the same language with a smile. We genuinely do care for our fellow citizens, but some large cities’ people can be callous and not help. By and large that’s not the case. Remember the 3 Americans who stopped the terrorist on the Train to Paris? They helped the whole train’s passengers to survive. That’s American! That’s what we all wished we would do, in that situation! That’s the best of US.

[@jeromebarry1741]

I don't know which "USA" city she saw our crappy Mustangs and Chargers in, but I hope she reads this and sees me say that 'toilet' facilities vary around the world. In each region, the people are accustomed to them and when those people go to another region, they find the other region disgusting and weird. Toilet facilities are not weird. People are.

[@glenncordova4027]

We also just smile because we are happy and friendly

[@BRLaue]

@@jeromebarry1741 Yes, like the hole and two foot wells I first encountered in Switzerland in the 70!s.

[@tinafoos8018]

@ INDYANDY4C-You hit it right on the head, INDYANDY4C, concerning the American way"-I agree we are all taught to be polite to others, and if we can be of help in our fellows time of need, we step up, and help in any way we can!-this is the right way to conduct ourselves, and the way to live a happy fulfilling life!!-

[@INDYANDY4C]

@@tinafoos8018 Thanks.

[@Synthetic-Rabbit]

I live in Northern NY and when you were talking about the roads I was thinking "she didn't see around where I live! it's one giant pot hole!" and then she mentioned Buffalo and it all made sense. I'm still three hours north of Buffalo but it gets worse the further up you go.

[@scotto5426]

No need for captions. You speak perfect English. And your accent is adorable. So happy for you having a good experience. 👍

[@stevegfromnc3482]

I like the captions partly because it gave her an opportunity to make small edits and also because it reinforces what is said.

[@kellzilla]

I have auditory issues so I always prefer when someone does their own captions rather than being forced to use KZbin's dumb as rocks auto-caption. KZbin's function is TERRIBLE with accents and when someone is speaking fast.

[@royjunior3349]

She is a sweetheart! I love her views and comments.

[@dirtcop11]

We call what you are experiencing "homesickness". It's when you miss your home and family. It's good that you get these adventures but there is no place like home.

[@richardcorona3564]

I appreciate this SO MUCH. My husband is French and I've had the same experience but in reverse, all the things that are different in France than in the US!!!

[@ezioauditore4061]

Glad you enjoyed your time! The US is a really big country, so will definitely take either multiple trips or one really really long trip to explore it all. If you ever have the opportunity, I recommend exploring other parts of it, there's a lot to see. Different landscapes, food, cultures, etc.

[@vincentlavallee2779]

This video is darling! You have so much happy emotions, and you describe the differences so well, and openly. As for the roads, which by the time you may see this note here to you, the double yellow line means you are not to cross it at all. And on 2 lane roads, the solid yellow line do not pass and cars. But I have to comment on you comment about people being more friendly and greet you more often, and with a smile. I follow a Russian You Tuber also, and she said exactly the same thing when she came over here to the US, and loved it. But when she went back to Russia 6 months to a year later, she tried it there, and it did not go well, so she had to stop it! I just finished watching your horse back ride in AZ, which is where I live! Keep up with your videos, they are great, and you are quite effervescent! I loved hearing all the differences you noticed!

[@davidsartin5708]

WOW! It is so refreshing to see your excitement about things that we see as normal and do not pay so much attention to. Thank you for your video and again for the new and refreshing views of the USA. Be safe on your travels and as always, keep it fun. It is your trip and new experiences. If you think the north was exciting, wait until you come and experience the south. You will be amazed.

[@dropbarracuda]

I'm *SO* happy to see you in my feed again!!! It's so much fun to hear your observations for things taken for granted here. I was genuinely laughing as you described door gaps, Christmas in September, ceiling fans, shopping in pajamas, etc. I was lucky enough to visit France a couple of times while I was an exchange student in Belgium. I remember the "warm" water (as an American of course I like the ice), but I'll never forget all the tourist-y things like the Eiffel tower, the Louvre, l'Arc de Thiomphe, the gardens and estates at Versailles, and of course... French cuisine 🥰. For our Junior class trip at the end of the year, we spent a week sailing around Bordeaux, even taking an extra day to visit the Grande Dune du Pilat. Funny story: when we visited the Dune du Plilat, we'd been sailing for several days and I had a terrible dark purple sunburn on my back from falling asleep in the sun the day before. We took the stairs up the dune, but when we went to leave our chaperone said, "you can take the stairs, or you can follow me," and proceeded to JUMP OFF THE SIDE OF THE DUNE and roll all the way down. I figured... what the heck, I will probably never have another chance to do this, so I followed his lead and found out quickly as my shirt came untucked from my shorts that 1) sand doesn't feel good on a sunburn, and 2) once you're rolling down the Grande Dune du Pilat, you're not stopping until the bottom. All some of my happiest memories.

[@craigplatel813]

I've always laughed about the public toilet thing because in Europe they have topless beaches everywhere(except Italy at least last time I was there) but you "freak out" over the fact that someone has to purposely peak through a small (I notice Europeans always exaggerate the size) opening to see in. But many Americans freak out over a topless beach.

[@chuckh4077]

I don't. love going to topless beaches and enjoy the views

[@rongriffing1439]

Italy does have topless beaches, too.

[@rddavies]

Your English is incredible. And very fast which means there's a real mastery there. Chapeau !

[@jrdlabs]

Marie, I visited your country in 2002 and enjoyed every minute. I stayed, mostly, in Paris for about 5 days and it was magical. There ARE some cultural differences that I discovered while in France. For one, it is bad form to speak English without asking FIRST if the person you're speaking with knows English. Once, while waiting in a checkout line at a small store, I heard the clerk and the person in front of me speaking English while he paid for his stuff. So, when it was my turn, I spoke English to the very same clerk, Well, she looked at me like I had a third eye (lol). So, I asked , est-ce que vous parlez anglais? It's practically the only French I know....anyway, it was only then that she would converse in English....I still chuckle about it today! Love your channel and I hope you have a great holiday.

[@alanfoster6589]

One of the first things I learned was how to order a bagel and lox in French :).

[@johnalden5821]

When in France, I make an attempt to use French, which I know a little. If I get into trouble (which is inevitable), I stop, take a breath and say, "Je suis désolé, mais je ne parle pas très bien le français. Parlez-vous anglais peut-être?" It starts with an apology and then it asks politely to go into English if they can. Your approach was nice. I think the best approach is humility. If you are in somebody else's country but cannot speak their language, it is really your problem, not theirs. I think a lot of Americans appear arrogant when they assume everyone can speak English. OK, so many people around the world can, but think how put off we would be if somebody came up to us spouting a foreign language, rapid-fire, and expecting us to understand it and respond in that language.

[@jrdlabs]

@@johnalden5821 I agree with everything you've said. It is incumbent upon the traveler not to assume everyone speaks English everywhere just because you do. And, you're also correct in pointing out that it a bit arrogant to assume. But, in my case, the clerk and the previous customer were conversing in English and I was the next in line, a foot away! (lol)

[@michaelmerrell8540]

@@jrdlabs We get you. I think as long as you don't come across as someone that simply assumes everyone speaks your language, people are ok with it. Being apologetic and grateful got me a lot farther than being [perceived as] presumptuous.

[@jrdlabs]

@@michaelmerrell8540 Absolutely agree. In this particular case though, I knew the clerk spoke English because I was, literally, standing next to her while the she and the previous customer completed their transaction...in English. I must say that, throughout my stay in France, this was an isolated incident. The average person on the street, the guides, waiters, etc., were very pleasant. And, I always made the effort to greet them in what little French I picked up. I think they appreciated that.

[@paulm749]

It's fun to see my country described by a visitor from France. Thanks for sharing your impressions!

[@thegman8968]

So glad you have enjoyed your visit to the U.S. A. I think you will really enjoy our neighbors to the north as well. Come back soon!!😊

[@AngelaSealana]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am from the States, and while I am not proud of everything about my country, one of my favorite things to hear visitors say is how nice 'Americans' are. 🤗

[@AvilaDreamer]

Heya, Marie! 🤗💗✨ Thank you for sharing your "surprised me" list with us! When I travel, I love experiencing and noticing the differences in tendencies and cultures around the world. I'm really happy that you've experienced lots of smiles and polite people here in the US. That is quite typical all around the country (but not always). I've never been to France, but have heard people can initially be more stand-off-ish than here in the States. However, I have always noticed now much YOU smile, and how genuine and kind your smile is. And in the latest videos, it's so apparent that you're having fun because of how often you're smiling or joking or laughing. It's great to see! You're a very positive and warm human. People here in the US will certainly see that immediately and will reflect what they see from you. Looking forward to seeing more of your Niagra Falls experience! Have a lovely weekend, sweet girl. Hugs! xo 🤗🥰✨

[@NancyHole]

I'm in minnesota (borders with Canada). The reason why you are seeing Christmas lights in September is because it might be -50 below zero at Christmas time and no one wants to hang lights in that cold weather. Fall is when you normally clean out the gutters on the house and as long as you're up there anyway..lights are easy

[@martha3445]

So true!

[@N1inSK]

I have a suggestion, Marie: now that you know what is so different about the USA, could you make a video showing how those things work in France? I'm thinking about traffic lights, but other differences that you can show us would be fun. Merci!

[@jamesemery3639]

And as for Christmas decorations, you gotta get it done before the cold hits.

[@GreenJeepAdventures]

As for the smiling, it is thought since so many of us immigrated and no longer had our native communities, we adopted smiling as a way to meet new people.

[@arrowsplayground]

We do love our cars. Thank you for coming. I wish to travel to France one day. . .

[@buddystewart2020]

I didn't think anything you mentioned was stupid. It makes sense that you would notice the things you did. I'm glad you had fun, come back to see us soon. We miss you already.

[@matthewhetzler4912]

I hope you enjoyed your visit and I hope the Americans and Canadians treated you well! I hear from many foreign visitors that Americans are very “open”. It makes me happy to hear that.

[@ckhound1]

As an American, glad to see you enjoyed your trip to the US! We took our honeymoon to Canada in 2020 and went to Montreal, its an amazing place, I recommend it for sure!

[@Deeceesadventures]

Love this refreshing to hear positive pro American visitors. Glad it was good good experience.,

[@revtoyota]

The roads are an issue in some areas of the US because of the weather more than anything else. Anywhere that gets snow, ice and cold enough to freeze the ground and thaw several times will always have issues with the roads. The ground gets hard (freezing) and soft (when it thaws) flexing the road surface back and forth causing fractures in the road allowing water in and it freezes and poof dips, bumps and potholes everywhere. In the south the roads are very different because they rarely if ever freeze.

[@chrismaverick9828]

An interesting bit of study cropped up several years back in my town when they ripped up a long-standing section of road in order to redirect it. This road went about ten miles and was virtually never needing much more than a shallow resurfacing every six to eight years. It rarely had major potholes of any kind, it was never warping or cracking. The turns needed salting and car each winter and the straights tended to black-ice over easily by the open fields on the hills, but it was a great, trouble-free road. They found out when they ripped up that short section (1/4mile or so) that they had to go pretty deep, and underneath it all was the original brick road, still in solid shape and acting as a perfect base because every foot of that 10+ miles was laid by hand on a proper foundation, waaaaay back in the early 1900's, if not earlier. The bricks were all from a local factory that made them for use throughout the state. If you build a road right the first time, you don't have to fix it nearly as often.

[@paulbadtram748]

The true cost to make a trouble free road would outrage the tax payers. So it's easier to just kick the problem down the road.

[@MrOffTrail]

One thing to note is that in the U.S., road maintenance is a local government responsibility, and can vary greatly not just because of regional differences in climate, but also due to local tax revenues and budgets. Even the main interstate freeways are maintained by the states (supplemented by federal funds). And while areas prone to ice and snow need to deal with the damage if said ice, salting and sanding the roads, and damage from tire chains (especially on big trucks), they also have a shorter period of nice weather during which they can do repairs. So, really, it’s a big country and there are places with great roads and places where they always seem behind.

[@rasyncpatriot6208]

"Hey, How ya doin'?" American greeting... I have followed your music reactions for a long time but haven't seen any lately. Today I found this 'Exploration' channel. I watched the entire video and really liked it. It's amazing what we're used to and what is different. I've lived most of my life in California, Washington State and Colorado, to me the east coast is a foreign country! I've been to South America and also to the island of Malta. Loved it all, the cultural differences made the trip worth it for me just to experience that aspect. I think I would love Europe. After watching this I feel I know you better that all the music reactions of yours I saw. (I always smile when I see you)

[@kidcurry3962]

I ride my motorcycle in rain, snow or shine. I love it. Your perceptions are interesting. I recall visiting different countries and it is fun discovering and learning new things. I never got to France, but I understand what you mean. Everything is just a little different. Sometimes A LOT different, but that's cool. You're very good at this.

[@gregcrawley2668]

I enjoyed this video a lot. It was very interesting to hear your thoughts on what you experienced in U.S. I hope you enjoyed your trip enough to visit again. Can't wait for the next video.

[@texasjack]

Greetings from Texas! I have been to your country many times and love it. If you have a chance head south. It is a whole different world. Safe Travels!

[@stevedietrich8936]

I think one of the reasons that American roads might be worse than French roads is the winter weather, freezing and thawing cycles, and the need to plow frequently (in the north). I think you would find southern US roads to be better. Marie, if you could drive any car that you saw on your trip, what would be your dream car?

[@Jim-qd2kv]

Jim, I really enjoyed your video. Hope you get to see much more of the States especially the western states and for sure you need to witness a good Western Rode I think you would be amazed. And New Orleans the French Quarter with wonderful food!

[@r.s.brousseau9249]

Bonjour Marie, I had a lot of the same types of observations during my first trip to France in the mid-80’s. I have to mention about the ice in soft drinks. My wife and I honeymooned in France in ‘98 and it was the opposite. She likes a lot of ice in her drinks. When at a cafe and I asked for “extra ice”, we only got 1 cube, LOL. However, we stumbled upon a TGI Fridays in Paris (near the Musée Grevin) and she was in ice and free refill heaven!

[@cseamen]

I’ve lived in the States all my life, so I found your observations very interesting. None of them seemed stupid, I assure you! I am part of a much older generation than you, but I found your personality to be just precious. I’m glad you got to experience our country and its people. To make sure I am properly representing my fellow countrymen I certainly want to offer you this 😀 I hope you get to visit us again. Viva le France!

[@jrafel1707]

I loved hearing you talk about hearing about what surprised you. Good and bad. One day you'll have to visit the different "sections" of the United States. I Had a family member from the midwest come visit me in the south and she was blown away by the differences in the two areas. In general, people in the south are even friendlier than the northeast and midwest and what is "normal" in those two areas would be considered rude in the south.

[@DillyPutty]

Depends where in the Midwest. I've found Southerners to be superficially nice, which was not the case in the Plains states where people were more genuine while still friendly.

[@lendondain1]

As a born and raised Mississippian living in South Dakota, I simply could not agree more. Regional differences in the United States are huge! I married a woman from New York, and you better believe the culture wars are still hot in our house even after 20 years!

[@heretic-668]

I suspect a lot has to do with what groups were demographically dominant in each area. For example, the Pacific Northwest had a lot of Scandinavian settlers and its social conventions reflect that a lot - people put a high premium on respecting other people's privacy which can come across as standoffish to people from other parts of the country.

[@Ed70Nova427]

OMG, you've only seen the European side of USA. You look like you are enjoying yourself and I sure am glad to see that! Can't wait to see the next video.

[@dylanogden812]

As a fellow American I'm happy u had a good time in our country and was able to experience how we live over here u and any of our awesome allies r welcomed anytime

[@jaernihiltheus7817]

In some communities, it basically becomes a competition about who gets their decorations up first, as well as who has the most elaborate decorations. It's mainly in the suburbs, and most people kind of roll their eyes, but in a lot of areas there's always that one person who has to be first.

[@dicktracy4326]

I really enjoyed watching your visit and hearing your perspective. As a European myself who has lived in the US for the past 12 years I have to say the parts of the country that you saw are, in my opinion, the least “typical American” parts to be honest. - Also I have to say you were done a disservice by the person showing you some of the places you went. My American wife was screaming watching you go to Baltimore and eat at a Hard Rock Cafe instead of trying what Baltimore is famous for ( Crab Cakes ) and seeing you go to New York and eat at an Applebees was honestly mortifying. If there is one piece of advice I could give you for your next trip it would be to plan meals and restaurants ahead of time and go to actual local places and try what they are known for as opposed to generic chain restaurants. Can’t wait to see your future endeavors!

[@johnalden5821]

As a Marylander, yeah, we generally don't eat at the Inner Harbor unless we are starving or pressed for time. You have to know the neighborhoods and where the crab houses are (they are generally not downtown in Baltimore). To be real honest, though, prices for steamed crabs this past summer were SO high, I don't think even many lifetime Marylanders had crabs more than once or twice this year. We were asked to pay amounts per dozen that we would have considered high for a bushel years ago. It's kind of a crisis at this point.

[@michaelmerrell8540]

@@johnalden5821 I grew up in Maryland, and don't like crabs (fight me!), but there's always chicken! And crabbing is fun. That would have been a great experience!

[@roberts.1050]

If she comes to visit again, she should try a trip through the Southern US if she thought they were friendly up there. Maybe make a trip focused around seeing some of the old southern homes in Georgia, find some of the better places to eat around GA, AL, and Tennessee, then try some beach areas around the Gulf of Mexico.

[@RichardinNC1]

Most of what you described are common everyday things in the US. I've not been to France or anywhere in Europe so I haven't experienced the differences as such. Most of what you described are fairly common across the US, but of course the northeast is so much more populated than other areas. Plus other areas are more laid back and even more casual than the northeast.

[@kenscott8966]

Fair comments. You're such a good sport. Come back to America and visit again very soon! You fit in fine here!

[@mikewood8561]

This was great to hear. I never thought about all these things being different in another country. Your English is awesome! I'm so interested in history and what it's like in other countries. I'm so happy this came up in my feed. I'm a subscriber now. Love your accent.

[@penguinabroad]

I just found your videos and I love them. You were talking about how in the States we smile a lot at people/strangers, so I wanted to tell you a funny story. I was in France at Disneyland Paris and this little girl(maybe 4 years old) had a very pretty dress on that looked hand made with Disney characters all over, so I smiled and told her what a pretty dress it was (in French) and her mom looked at me like I had just threatened her child. That was one of my biggest culture shocks from visiting France, and I never smiled at a child in France since lol

[@FrenchTasticExplorations]

Oh 😥 I'm sorry you got that experience 😣

[@penguinabroad]

@@FrenchTasticExplorations It wasn't a bad experience. It was just a culture shock. I laugh about it now, but I know how to act when I am in France as well :)

[@rickwilliams9001]

I lived in France for about a year. I agree with you on the differences. Many of us Americans also agree on your thoughts about premature Christmas decorating!!

[@jamesslick4790]

I was surprised at the Sunday part. I have been led to believe that the US was still a bit more religious than Europe. (I'm an American). I think that NO Christmas decorating should be installed until at LEAST the day after Thanksgiving ("Black Friday"). I'm JEWISH and this "jumping the gun" bugs me on a cultural American level. LOL.

[@chuckh4077]

Can't wait to visit Paris next year. I plan to wear a beret while visiting the nice places in Paris.

[@paulsalyer6866]

Thank you for your openess and honesty. You brighten my days.

[@Macdelaven]

Thanks for the evaluation of the America you experienced. You will be happy to know that Ford is actively exporting Mustangs to Europe now. I love to travel and am planning to visit Europe next year. This is a very nice travel video.

[@sammencia7945]

As many have written, North America is a very big place. I hope you can return one year and see the West, Mountains, Grand Canyon. Joyeux Noël !

[@R777-RLM]

Hi, I'm from Utah, in the western US. It's cool that you like cars. You have to drive most places here, so liking cars makes it a bit more fun. Thanks for visiting our country. Hope you have a good time in Canada. They're great people, and we're lucky to have them as neighbors. Oh, and we hate the public toilets too.

[@RichlandCommunity]

You you have an awesome experience here

[@protonneutron9046]

Neat to hear observations from a person from a different culture

[@rayvanhorn1534]

Oh Marie, so glad you have had a good trip to the states. You have a keen eye for observation & really enjoying your thoughts. Next visit you must try to come to the South. You will find a charm unlike any other part of the country. Don't get me wrong, Americans in general are a kindly people I've found throughout my travels. Some sections of the country moreso than others, but some are genuinely friendly to everyone. Some great sights to see here. Love that you are a car aficionado! Not a fan of Mustangs per se, but muscle cars & classics. I've only been to France once, for a military mission & was unable to venture out. Spent more time in Germany, Spain, Italy & Greece. So many cultural & societal differences. Enjoy your videos, they are a refreshing relief in today's chaotic world.

[@benlaw4647]

Hope you enjoyed your time in North America! We welcome you back anytime you want to come ! Merry Christmas! Stay safe and warm! 🙏❤

[@FrenchTasticExplorations]

Happy holidays!

[@jacqu8]

I love to hear your thoughts on the states! It’s really interesting the difference between how we all do things in different countries. Very cool!

[@markbeck8384]

I had the opportunity to visit France for about 4 months when I was a young man, and liked it very much. It is exhausting to get used to a new country though: so many new things, and not knowing what is the correct way to go about things. I appreciate hearing how the USA and Canada appear to a traveler. I'm glad you got the chance to come here. You speak very good English; (my French was much weaker). Thank you for posting. If you get to Quebec, you will be surprised at how different the French spoken there is: I could understand people in France, but had a much harder time in Quebec.

[@jerryleejohnsonjr1377]

It is interesting to hear other cultures talk about the differences they see. Thank you for the interesting video and welcome to USA!

[@MrZonehawk]

It's so interesting how it's the little differences in new placed that catch us off guard. I remember the yellow headlights in France and it was hard to look at because I was used to them being white. I am glad you enjoyed visiting us here in the USA.

[@stevenwilliams1805]

Such a sweet young lady. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to America. 👋

[@oxigenarian9763]

Glad you are having a good experience here. We love foreigners and most Americans will want you to share your thoughts about France and about what you have seen so far here. Not criticizing: in the US, we don't drive motorcycles, we ride them. We drive cars but someone on a motorcycle is said to be riding it. Enjoy your stay and I hope you take home many, many pleasant memories!!

[@chillwill8339]

Thank you for sharing your experience here in the states. It makes a lot of sense on the things that peaked your curiosity, we would feel the same way if we visited your country. I look at it as a great way of getting to know other people cultures so you don’t have the ignorance or racism that causes so many problems.❤️

[@BlasphemousBill2023]

It always amuses me to hear what visitors think of us:) I enjoyed your observations. You’re obviously a car girl! Hope you visit Detroit area and if you d; go see The Henry Ford museum!:)

[@SolTerran5050]

First time watching a French perspective vlog on their actual American experience, Pretty cool, watched U.K. reactions, Irish reactions, India reactions, New Zealand reactions, North Korean reactions ( military )

[@DaveM-FFB]

It's very interesting to hear your reaction to the cultural differences. Can you let us know if there are cultural differences between northern France and southern France? In the USA, there are definitely cultural differences between North and South, as well as East and West. Every time I visit New New York, I'm reminded that France gave us the great gift of the Statue of Liberty. Our history books recorded a great celebration when it arrived by ship. Countries don't do that sort of thing anymore.

[@MidnightSmoke]

I am glad my fellow countrymen have been kind to you and you are having a good time. Here is a like and comment to help your channel grow.

[@mikell5087]

When I was a child 50 years ago, in North Carolina any, most everything was closed on Sunday. I don't really think things are much better now that people are so busy on Sunday, not at church or resting, but they tell me it is a thing called "progress", lol.

[@stephaniemccarthy1676]

Love watching your comments. Glad to have you visiting the states. Totally cool.

[@kennethblackwell1137]

I found your observations and impressions very interesting. I hope you had a good time here. Some of your observations wouldn't be the same in other parts of the USA. The country is large with many varieties of people, geography, roads, etc. You commented on the rough roads where you were traveling. This is more common in the colder/northern parts of the country. Here in the "sunny south" and other parts of the country there are many smooth beautiful roads. 😀 a smile for you..!!

[@buzzbomb67]

I love these videos, cuz it illustrates that, for all our differences, we’re still all human. Pretty cool. Thank you for sharing, Marie!

[@lukenshazard127]

Really enjoyed this! I have travelled a lot outside the USA so I have experienced many similar thoughts and experiences elsewhere in the world. Regarding police vehicles being all Dodges, Dodge Chargers and Durango are made as a “police package” and are several thousand dollars less than Ford’s version, so most agencies go with Dodge for budgetary reasons. Regarding ice, we experience the opposite traveling and when we lived in Abu Dhabi, we couldn’t get enough ice for our taste. Again, a very enjoyable commentary😊

[@jackwalker1822]

My dad ordered iced tea in Europe and they served him tea with ice cream in it. Whenever he and my mother tried to ask for ice in their drink the waiter/waitress was completely baffled.

[@kenmuggli4613]

I enjoyed hearing your reactions to the USA. I'm glad you had positive experiences.

[@Tom_From_Alpharetta]

Je suis un américain qui a vécu en France pendant deux ans il y a de nombreuses années (1973 à 1975). Je me souviens des différences que j'ai découvertes mes premiers mois en France. C'est là que j'ai découvert que voir les différences entre les cultures était pour moi l'occasion de choisir ce que j'aimais le plus dans les deux cultures. Je suis chez moi depuis 1975 et je peux dire que j'ai essayé de choisir les bonnes choses de chaque culture comme façon de vivre ma vie. Je suis reconnaissant d'avoir eu l'occasion de vivre dans votre beau pays et de chérir chaque souvenir que j'ai ramené chez moi. J'ai la chance de pouvoir choisir le meilleur de deux merveilleuses cultures qui contribuent à un monde meilleur. Vive la France et les États-Unis... frères et sœurs depuis la naissance des États-Unis.

[@drobichaud1000]

Give up, dude. She's not going to sleep with you.

[@danielreigada1542]

I noticed that in France when you get a beer it tends to come in a small glass and they never ask you if you want another one. In Germany, on the other hand, beer comes in a huge stein or whatever it is called. Here in the USA it usually comes in either a pint or larger glass and they always ask if you want another. Unfortunately the free refills thing does not extend to beer.

[@mmklm-nm]

Hi Marie! My first comment to your channel, though I have been watching for a while now. I have been to a lot of places in Europe, but only to France once. I noticed in Europe in general that there is very little road kill in the countryside. I also see very few wild animals relative to the US. Maybe because the US is sparcely populated relative to Europe (though you visited one of the most populated part of the US) and so the wildlife hasn't been pushed out as much as in Europe. In the west, you can travel easily 100 km between towns and in parts, over 200 km. I hope you get a chance to head west or south on a future trip and see the diversity of the people, mini-cultures, and landscapes the US has to offer. P.S., I really enjoyed your Normandy video👍

[@FrenchTasticExplorations]

🤗🤗🤗

[@barbarabisson2551]

I loved hearing the comparisons in France--but "home is where your heart is". Enjoy the rest of your visit! :)

[@31Mike]

Seeing Christmas decorations in September is definitely not normal, at least not in my 53 years and not in the 5 states that I've lived in. Typically, they don't go up until after Thanksgiving (late November). But some people do go all out. The public restrooms issue, isn't really an issue to most (if not all). You walk past each stall and you can see a tiny fraction of a person so that you know that someone's in there, but you can't actually make anything out. Not unless you stop and specifically stare for the purpose of getting a peek... and that could get you arrested lol. As for road condition, that's probably more of a specific location issue. By that, I mean that it isn't everywhere. Sure, there's the occasional pothole here and there, but where I live (southeastern Virginia), the roads are usually fairly flawless. On to Mustangs... I wouldn't want one, I wouldn't have one. But that's based on friends and family members past experiences. Maybe Ford has improved, Mustang luck with those that I've known that owned one, hasn't been great. I've enjoyed your 'tourist' videos, where you're going here or going there. Those are always fun, seeing (for the first time) things through someone else's eyes. But hearing your impressions, good or bad, is even more interesting for me. Seeing the experiences is fun, but hearing your 'inner thoughts' about your experiences is what it's all about (for me). Do a GoFundMe to raise money so that you can bring your parents over, they'd love it and your channel would too.

[@brendafrazier811]

Totally agree about the bathroom stalls. You can’t really see anything unless you try. And that would be incredibly rude. (She did exaggerate the space a bit. One with that much space would be falling down.) I guess we have just been (subconsciously) trained not to look.

[@31Mike]

@Phillip Banes By Thanksgiving? I don't think I've ever seen someone put their tree up before Thanksgiving. That's not to say that my experience is 'typical', just that in my experience, everyone that I've ever known, puts it up the day after Thanksgiving (or the weekend after). I can't think of any time where I've ever seen one up before.

[@writerwade9241]

This was fun! It's cool to see my home country through someone else's eyes. I hope you enjoy your time here. Oh, the motorcycles, we typically don't ride for transportation. Motorcycles are more a pleasure thing for fun. You see many more in the Summer. Here's one more "American" smile - 🤪

[@MotownGuitarJoe]

It's funny you mention the public toilets. I went to the Netherlands about ten years ago and immediately upon landing, I used the restroom in Schipol Airport. I was pleasantly amazed that the stalls were basically like having a room: door from floor to ceiling and no gap on either side of the door. Amazingly, our new building for work in Detroit has these European style bathroom stalls and I love it ( whenever I actually go to the office anymore)

[@joshbratcher1420]

❤I just saw your reaction for the first time and first off the bat! You are so beautiful and you have a classy way about you 💐🌺🌷🌹🇺🇸🫡

[@MsXlr8urself]

Welcome! I hope you enjoy your time exploring the northeast of the US. 🙂

[@theblackbear211]

"Homesickness" is a perfectly natural thing... I enjoyed your video a great deal. I am hoping to hear that you got to spend some time in Quebec.

[@MikeB-in1nd]

It's very refreshing to hear your views I love it!

[@jovetj]

1:11 Not stupid at all. I find the impressions of foreigners interesting. This is especially true since I seem to regularly encounter Europeans with opinions and preconceptions of the United States that are grossly inaccurate or outright laughable. Edit: I watched the whole video. It made me smile!

[@AndyZach]

My first video of you. Liked and subscribed. What a fresh and honest commentary! I love having an outside perspective on our country.