What FRENCH PEOPLE Thought of Me When I First Arrived In France 😱 (living in France as a foreigner)

[@TreenaBeena]

You’re so relatable, Rosie. I would’ve never guessed that you’ve dealt with insecurity before. I’m so glad you persevered and found your confidence. Look at what you’ve created! Awesome.

[@ybreton6593]

Hello Mrs ; que voulez vous dire par le mot : Insécurité ? cela concerne la France ? serait ce un pays dangereux ? have a good day

[@TreenaBeena]

@@ybreton6593 bonjour. Non, pas du tout. En disant insecure, je veux dire peu assurée d’elle-même ou manquant confiance.

[@ybreton6593]

@@TreenaBeena Okay, excuse me for having misinterpreted your comment, indeed it takes a certain courage to leave your country, to follow follow your friend "at the other end of the world" is a French expression! the earth being a sphere !!! have a good day

[@Randy_Batswinger]

@@NotEvenFrench Your videos are excellent. So interesting to learn about the French and NZ culture differences. Keep up the brilliant work. 👏👏

[@hoops8534]

You are phenomenal Rosie! Your in-laws must be very proud of what you achieved in your time there. It was no easy feat, that’s for sure!

[@iheysel]

Your love of France radiates from you! What an adventure! It makes me want to go so bad!

[@bennettbullock9690]

Wow, this confirms something I suspected when I was there visiting last week. The French take art, all art, pretty seriously. As in, there are exhibitions all the time of minor and major artists, and people just casually go. The level of noise in the galleries also indicated their near-reverent respect. I also had a suspicion that the exhibitions themselves were a bit better put-together than in the US. Meaning, whereas the US would just have a wall of whatever, in the galleries there they put a lot of thought into the composition of where they put the pieces, the things you would see around them, and the narrative these pieces told. Art is just something normal people do, not like us, who only do it if we're "into art" or when there's a major exhibition in town. I have to admit that by the end of it I felt a little elevated and moved. I have zero eye for art. And it seems that French take this aesthetic priority into many areas - cuisine, fashion, wine, literature, even language. It's probably why people keep visiting. The beauty, the worked-on-ness, the cultivation, is what attracts droves of tourists. My own society, while ridiculously affluent, is pretty ugly and utilitarian by comparison. Professional life in French sounds daunting. I much prefer the free-wheeling American style of working and doing business, but I do have some grudging respect for their seeming love of systematization.

[@joanneboty4882]

I can totally relate to all the things you brought up. I've been in foreign lands for 30 years now, mostly Italy which I call home now. I have to say after all this time I actually like still being different and you can play it to your advantage in so many ways.

[@fancynancy2888]

You are such a great storyteller, Rosie 🙂Thank you for your candor. As an anglophone Canadian, it is nice to know that the French were open to you as a New Zealander (no slight against the English!) I have only met a few New Zealanders but all were very sweet, warm, and humble

[@bodhisattva2348]

After watching all these expats talks about living in France, at this point I'm significantly less interested in French people & moving to France & more interested in new Zealand, a country the rest of the world almost never hear nothing about.

[@rozhin6055]

I'm 8 minutes in and so far everything you mentioned has been very similar to experience moving to France for 7 months at 21 back in 2017. I'm ethnically middle-eastern but grew up in NZ so I totally relate to everything you've said so far 😭

[@gnomealone350]

Your experience of better treatment once it was discovered you weren’t English is very similar to what happens for Canadians when it is revealed that we aren’t American. Thus the ubiquitous 🇨🇦 on our backpacks! 😉

[@TreenaBeena]

I’m actually jealous of the fact you’re Canadian. People have all kinds of preconceived ideas about Americans - that we’re ignorant about the rest of the world, loud, arrogant, rude, etc. It’d be nice to have a nationality with more respect to it so I didn’t have to prove my worth as a human being as much.

[@khaelamensha3624]

@@TreenaBeena Well people and governments are two different things but not everyone is able to separate 😂

[@frazzleface753]

@@khaelamensha3624 This is so true. When people say things like 'Oh, I hate this or that country', it's important to remember that they're almost always talking about the government and not the people.

[@LauraMorland]

​@@TreenaBeena I live in Paris, and in response to the inevitable question, "Vous venez d'où ?" I always respond that I am from California, and then more particularly, San Francisco. Because while the French have a knee-jerk reaction against Americans, they have an almost universally positive point of view about California. (It's my way of being Canadian. ;-)

[@TreenaBeena]

@@LauraMorland smart! I should start doing this.

[@frazzleface753]

You had to prove yourself, and you did it! Your success is inspiring for people looking to move overseas.

[@lucya8916]

Yes, there is a coldness towards the English but it depends who you're dealing with (like in any culture). Some people will hear the accent and mine is evident and assume you can't speak French or do not understand you. So my French bf will step in if I give him the nudge. He doesn't speak English, always speak French between us, I'm not fluent yet however he said that I am understandable but we meet this filter quite a lot especially in shops. Then other times, I will be chatting to French people just in general (for example a carboot sale) and they say I'm very good and clear. Or people will hear your English accent and immediately start speaking English without asking or some people scoff then do it then other people are warm and polite and will ask. All sorts of people make this world.

[@quoniam426]

@@NotEvenFrench La Poste is notoriously bad nowadays anyway.

[@TheFrederic888]

@@quoniam426 i have never had a really bad experience at La Poste. Though I just realized what was a « normal » Post office service when I went in UK by myself for the first time, I was 23 years old already. I was amazed there was no queue, public officers were nice and quick. INCREDIBLE!

[@LauraMorland]

@@NotEvenFrench That's interesting; I've always had very positive epreriences at La Poste, going back to 1998! Maybe your old arrondissement is staffed by surly postal workers.

[@folk2630]

@@TheFrederic888 - It’s called being in a civilised country ;) hope France gets there one day

[@WithLoveMar]

"What's that?" "That's my FACE" . 💀😂💀😂

[@zerzillia]

Thanks for this video! I feel the same way having moved to France this year. This makes felt a bit better that there's others out there with a similar experience.

[@Peppermintytea]

I, too, moved to France without ever having visited, without knowing the language or a single soul except my French boyfriend. I apparently got stared at constantly (according to bf, who got quite annoyed about it), but I never noticed nor cared. I'm sure my full face of makeup made me stick out but I figured no matter how hard I tried I'd never look French, so why try to fit in through my appearance? That said, I didn't realize quite how shocking/striking/strange I must have looked until I left France to visit Barcelona and saw for the first time in months girls in full makeup, false lashes, etc. in broad daylight and couldn't help staring! I do prefer a less-is-more approach to makeup now, and I can thank my French sisters for that. (I also think my red hair played into the staring, as I only ever met/saw one other natural ginger the whole year I lived in the South of France.)

[@perthfanny3017]

It's weird. I live in Barcelona and barely see full makeup faces. Unless you go to the Rambla where there are plenty of English tourists...

[@Peppermintytea]

@@perthfanny3017 Yes, you're right - I neglected to say they were a group of English tourists.

[@TheFrederic888]

A friend of mine, married with 4 kids, used to say « on peut juger de la beauté d’une femme au saut du lit » 😂

[@LauraMorland]

@@TheFrederic888 He's obviously not married to me! ;-D

[@melaniezette886]

Funny cause à lot of times stereotypes are the opposite of the French way of life. We have change a lot since '30s

[@Leila2023_]

no, i have never felt any coldness about being british in france... it's interesting that you felt that.

[@laurensitter5250]

I’m currently learning French as a beginner and heard there is also a general coldness towards Americans, but I’m very fortunate that my French penpal from Avignon is so patient and kind! She says that there are definitely a ton of rude French people, but also a ton who’d be empathetic and happy to help. I consistently mix up masculine and feminine, and she doesn’t mind at all.

[@christinemcnamara5262]

Thank you for being so transparent. You truly are brave!

[@perthfanny3017]

"Is she ever gonna speak?" 😅😂 I live in Spain and I remember telling my story to a coworker about moving here for my boyfriend and she told me I was strong. I had never thought of myself as strong but yeah you definitely have to be strong in order to do that. I loved this video so much!

[@PriscillaThen]

I love your positive energy and honesty! I cannot believe you moved there without knowing the language (that _was_ indeed brave)! And look at you now, pretty much fluent (at least it sure seems that way)! :)

[@Sarah-xj3oq]

So very true regarding the English reference. I am an American living in France (about 3 years now) and there is a “coldness” if the French assume you are English. I have observed that the English in my region do not seem to try to speak French, or use basic etiquette (Bonjour, merci, au revoir…)…they just speak English. So I can understand some of that coldness.

[@melaniezette886]

Étiquette, politesse is hugely important. Another thing, Latin culture is very different from Anglo-Saxon universe

[@almatoledo1608]

Rosie, super great vid! I am Mexican and I also found Parisians fascinated with Mesoamerican culture:) I did do tons of research prior to my trips because I am a true true reborn Française from another life :) 😃

[@marianjenkins994]

😅

[@rubyanactoria618]

Tysm for your videos, I'm 17 and moving to France for a year (from nz) at the end of January, and I'm very excited but also TERRIFIED. I'll probably be binging all of your videos before I go lol, to hopefully make the transition easier. I can't wait to go back :)

[@CaptainDangeax]

Hi Rosie. I watch your vidéo using my smartphone and my earphone and strangely the sound switches from mono to stéréo and back

[@geoffthomson1686]

Same, with my computer and earphones. Thought it was just me.

[@thestrangestantelope8076]

Oh what a fun video! I just found your channel--as I am falling for a French boy and I want to visit next year. I'm wanting to learn as much as I can, so I can impress him. 😌 I tend to be naive so these tips and stories were really funny and relatable. 😂 I was thinking about if I should wear a lot of makeup like here in the states, but after watching this I think I will research the culture more, as well as learn the language. ❤ Salut!

[@llamathedrama1454]

Your sense of humour is fabulous lol

[@BrockMak]

17:10 When I studied wine in NZ, that was the first French word I know before even talking about French wine because of Tour de France.

[@losingmychic]

"chomps Elisias" absolutely priceless!!!!!!!!!! J'adore!

[@isabelledelacotardiere9230]

Hi Rosie, At the age you moved to France, I moved to Scotland. Not to follow a boy but for the shear thrill of adventure. People also told me I was brave and honestly I couldn't see why, after all France is only a 2-hour-flight away from where I lived then (Brittany). But it was as you said, leaving your family and friends behind. I was luck to be in Endinburgh and not England where the feelings towards French people is what you experienced when people thought you were English. 😉 I was ahead of you in terms of language for I was already fluent in English and hardly had any accent at all, and the hint of accent I had wasn't French. People couldn't really place me. I remember the curiosity. Bout not as much as when I traveled in the US. Brits, and Scots, are discreet and they don't want to come across as prying. Unlike Americans. I would really like to meet you. You sound like a great person. Enjoy the excitement of your trip preparations.

[@frebrd78]

My family came from France and I have always longed to go. Thank you for sharing your experience and kudos to you for having an open mind and willingness to step outside your comfort zone. - Danielle from Southern California 🌻

[@khaelamensha3624]

Quite difficult right now with the panic about covid but you are most welcome. Regards from France

[@geoffthomson1686]

Very interesting Rosie. I see your point about ignorance is bliss, because I also went to France for a year without much of a plan at all other than wanting to stay there for as much of the year as I could to learn the spoken language. Things fell into place for me also surprisingly and my French improved from the experience,...I had at least studied it, but to live there is a wake-up call!:)

[@hc8920]

sounds like an amazing experience.What was the wake-up call ?

[@geoffthomson1686]

@@hc8920 Yes it was, the best year I've had. You wake up to the fact that your level of French isn't really all that crash hot!

[@hc8920]

@@geoffthomson1686 you're a scholar, and a gentleman.

[@geoffthomson1686]

@@hc8920 Too kind:)

[@MsJazzyVixen]

I moved to NZ two years ago (for a guy, hey xD) from Poland and I’m sure I came across as shy or even unfriendly, because back at home you wouldn’t chat to strangers - it’s a sort of abuse of personal space and if you’re acting overly friendly people get suspicious! Whereas here in NZ everyone is really chatty and friendly and helpful, it took me a while to break this barrier in my head and just chit chat! :))

[@MsJazzyVixen]

@@NotEvenFrench yes I do! Imagine my reverse culture shock after having visited Poland earlier this year and trying to chat to strangers hahaha they must have thought I was trying to sell them something hahaha

[@barbsmart7373]

#MsJazzieVixen, Welcome to New Zealand. I am glad you explained the Polish perspective. My name is Wanda because I was named after a Polish lady. I have recently taken a big interest in 20th century history. I became very interested in Polish people as I was firstly blown away by the dozens of stories I listened to. They all began with "On September Ist... the speakers were Jewish. I had a book about a Kiwi guy who was a pilot in England. He was friends with a pilot he called Wadek. Wadek stopped coming to the pub so the Kiwi hero thought he must have been shot down. The Kiwi pilot, wrote that he got a letter from Wadek saying "England better than Germany, very bad place". I have tried to find out about Wadek, with no luck. I still wonder about him. I was really amazed when I found out about Polish Air pilots. I was a bit shocked about how they were treated in England when they first arrived to help. I was interested in the Polish underground, enigma code, etc. I phad Polish people on a pedestal. One day I was swimming in a secluded river with my partner and his mate. There were 2 fishermen eventually wading up the river towards us. I asked where they were from. One said Poland. I was genuinely happy to meet a Polish person. I said Poland is my favourite country. But the man looked very serious and soon after he turned and turned walked away. I felt disappointed, and felt he was unfriendly, so he reminded me of all the Germans I have seen. Afterwards I reflected, and realised I was childish and ignorant actually, and don't know anything much about Poles. It is foolish of me to think that everyone is as friendly and happy to meet people as I am. It was my foolishness that caused disappointment that day. I hope you are happy in New Zealand and that you can go to see your family in Poland. I don't think I will find out who the peaceworker was that I was named after. For my birthday my partner bought me a book about Witold Pilecki.

[@SustainableSierra]

When I moved abroad for the first time at 23, mu colleagues and students thought the same: She’s brave or crazy!

[@BoStark]

Hope to see you on a flight soon.

[@sarahferrara4770]

I felt that I was perceived well in France (Grenoble) being English. Educated, modern, chic. Quite different here in Italy now where I live. I feel badly perceived and as that people are indifferent to which country I am from. They probably think I’m uneducated and struggle to understand my accent

[@inmyhead22]

Since I live here too, I must say that I can relate. Yes, sometimes there are awkward moments or gaps but I must say that people could tone down their expectations and judgement towards others who try to fit in. At the end of the day is not a big deal and they should not give a feeling of superiority and make others feel less than, period. With this said there are nice people out there but very often you can stumble upon this profile.

[@MBFORTHEWIN]

I just discovered your channel and have been binge watching all day as I am stuck in Australia and unable to travel or make plans to get back to Europe any time soon. I also immigrated to England as a student many years ago, same age as you and also have too many embarrassing moments to count lol. My dream was to attend Sorbonne what a fantastic experience you had.

[@Randy_Batswinger]

This should be shown to everybody learning languages, especially in the UK. It really helps take the sting out of the fear of diving into the language. 👏👏

[@melaniezette886]

What bores French is when we feel this personne won't do any effort to say only one word in French. If one don't care saying bonjour, merci, au revoir why would we care being nice. Avec plaisir, je vous en prie, après vous, are big plus. Bonjour Madame, bonjour Monsieur are better than simple bonjour. Don't worry French people sometimes don't know what etiquette to apply and when. When you hesitate ask, ask, ask

[@kam3062]

I will never see the Champs Elysées metro station the same way again! From now on, it will forever be the champs station! Love it! 😅

[@borjesuvinen8526]

Votre video est super❣️🇫🇷

[@losingmychic]

I can see you've mastered the art of Quand Meme.... I am trying to get my head around it but not confident enough to use it yet!!!!

[@melaniezette886]

It takes a lifetime for a French to speak almost correctly so don't worry, make mistakes ask that's the way...

[@TheFrederic888]

“I get my ass into gear” 😂I did not know this expression

[@barbsmart7373]

Rather commonly said in NZ, in informal situations.

[@almatoledo1608]

New Zealand 🇳🇿 is in my travel agenda... one day... hopefully.

[@sams3015]

How did I miss this video? It’s funny “I can wait to plan my trip to France” and now it all booked. I’m moving to Montreal and while Canada is pretty normal, people think I’m insane going to the French speaking part.

[@MichelBourgois]

I would be as embarrassed and lost in New Zealand as you were when you came to France for the first time. It must not stop you or discourage you. It's like making mistakes in French. You'll learn from your mistakes, and we easily forgive them coming from a foreigner. And we appreciate your effort to integrate and assimilate.

[@ruskasielu6261]

I think most French people don't mind English people, as long as they're not being loud or annoying, (and that they don't dress too outrageously haha), but that also applies to many other nationalities

[@melaniezette886]

Exact, we hate vulgarité

[@sabbirhasan6934]

French people live in their own bubble. In an ideal world, it is completely fine not knowing the famous/popular french musicians, artists, etc. Everyone has different tastes, and the french think you must have the same tastes as theirs and only then you are cultured. This kind of thinking is so much uncultured that they don't get it. I am sure, for example, people from Cyprus/Uruguay will not expect you to know their famous musicians, artists, etc.

[@nadiairawan9259]

Fellow Kiwi here 🥝 my partner and I have been travelling OZ for almost 2 years now and are planning on visiting NZ before going to France for summer. Super nervous to be in a francophone environment. Do you have any tips for feeling left out with your partner’s friends and family (with the language barrier)? I’m really excited to go but I don’t want to put the pressure on my partner to translate all the conversations we’re having 😅

[@ilhuicatlamatini]

@@NotEvenFrench omg, this is a super helpful thing to know, I’m so glad I happened to read this. I’m nervous about a somewhat similar situation, in which I’ll be working abroad and most likely visiting a friend and their family/friends while there. The working language is English but I’ve been warned everyone socially uses French. So I’ve been studying with Duolingo etc but it all feels so impossible 😂. Anyway, I think I’d probably have burst into tears if I felt ignored like that and didn’t realize it’s a cultural thing. Thanks for the tip!

[@rushdialrashed9627]

Yuu are just wonderful dear. Greetings from Dubai.

[@oliverqueen5883]

4:15 You know someone is French when they say Anglo-Saxon instead of English 😌🤣🤣🤣

[@miyounova]

Anglo-saxon doesn't mean English. It also includes people from the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Ireland and all of the UK and some South Africans as well.

[@melaniezette886]

Don't think so, Irish, Scottish, Wales is welcome, English is our historical enemy, and our best rugby enemy

[@dutchessoftruth5435]

It means white.​@@miyounova

[@mgparis]

I've been pondering the fact that you associated wearing no makeup with self-confidence - I think you could argue the opposite too, let me explain... I'm French but I guess my style is atypical, as I wear a full face of makeup every day because it makes me happy and makes me feel a lot more confident, but if you wear full makeup daily among coworkers who hardly wear any, you do stand out. I find that many French people actually associate wearing makeup with *poor* self-confidence, ie. that you have to "hide" under makeup (and the commonly accepted idea is that wearing minimal, borderline invisible makeup is the chic thing to do). I've received unsolicited comments before about my makeup, which I found extremely insensitive and upsetting, because I think it's such a personal choice. I would never criticise someone's hairstyle or choice of outfit, for instance, just because it wasn't my personal style. For the record my makeup is well applied and suits the rest of my style... and as I said, I wear it for myself :)

[@mgparis]

PS - Le saucisson, c'est la vie :D

[@AY-ln1mk]

perhaps it's about something that the others around you don't do, because you like it. that's what confidence is

[@fip62]

Interesting Rosie and yes you were brave to move across the world. I'm British, in my fifties and have a holiday home in France. I only have positive expériences to report but maybe because it's in rural France and I do speak French, although not brilliantly. I have met indifference but no hostility and tbh I wouldn't blame any Europeans for being pissed off with us, Brexit and Boris have not helped our cause! Hope you get back to France in the new year.

[@linneanordstrom4324]

Hi Rosie and thank you for the video! As always, super interesting and insightful. What stood out to me the most is how strong you must have been to endured the first set of “trials”, I don’t know what to call them but from what you’re explaining it seems kinda terrifying to expose yourself and get so judged. At the same time as you beautifully describe the good parts and the learning process it all was! You’re truly my inspiration since I also want to move abroad and work before studying for my master’s. Thank you Rosie🤗❤️

[@artnodulot1525]

ce n est pas que les français n aiment pas les anglais c est plutot que la nouvelle zélande c est beaucoup plus exotique donc attirant

[@Lemonbowl1000]

I do get the sense that a lot of French people don’t realise that most of the world doesn’t think about them or their politics or their celebrities or history. They’re thinking about their own

[@ybreton6593]

Oui mais le monde entier pense que américains qui sont entrain de nous mener dans une escalade de violence

[@ybreton6593]

Because here you are disguised as a soldier Little daddy, tell me if it is for laughs, Or to scare the little children? , Kiss me dear little son, I'll be home soon Tell me mom what is this medal, And this letter that the postman brings? Tell me mom, are you crying and failing? They killed little father adored? "Yes my child they killed your father, Let’s cry together because we hate them, What atrocious war that makes mothers cry, The snow falls at the gates of the city, There sits a child from Strasbourg. cold, the wind, he stays there despite the cold of the day. A man passes, to the boy he gives. he recognizes the German uniform. he refuses the alms given to him, To the enemy he says very proudly: Keep your gold, I keep my power, Prussian soldier go your way I am only a child of France, To the enemy I do not hold out my hand While praying under This Cathedral, My mother died under this collapsed porch, Hit to death by one of your cannonballs, My father died on the battlefield, I did not see the shadow of his coffin, Hit to death by one of your cannonballs. one of your bullets, That's why I'm in mourning. "You had Alsace and Lorraine, You had millions of foreigners, You had Germania and Bohemia, But my little one heart you will never have it, But my little heart it will remain French! Tribute to my grandfather killed by the Gestapo! I know that from the top of the sky you are proud

[@miyounova]

Not at all.

[@barbsmart7373]

@Y Breton I salute your grandfather. I understand your ongoing pain. I don't know if I will ever stop feeling the way I do. I don't live in France, England, or anywhere near Europe. I am a New Zealander. I am surrounded by people whose childhoods were total tragedies because of the barbaric warfare you mentioned. One friend did not meet his father till he was 5. Another friend grew up in an orphanage. Her father broke her mother's leg after he came back from war. Due to her growing up without love, all of her 5 children are very messed up. My beautiful French friend also went to an orphanage where there was insufficient food. Starving, he was very very skinny. I think his father was a POW and also not fed well. My English friend's husband went missing at Dunkirk. Another friend was sent to the countryside from Lodon as a child. After that, his parents didn't want him. He was a flatmate. One day he just left. Hadn't said goodbye. Makes sense. And another best friend not only suffered real poverty as a child during that war, but his father was truly messed up, with shrapnel, physically and also mentally, on the Western Front in 1915. They turned into very hard men. 10% of our population left this tiny country to serve King and country. I visit nearly every graveyard I come across. France is written on may graves. And for me, being a Jewish descendant adds another layer of neverending suffering. Of course I knew holocaust survivors- people who got out. One friend said she was shot at- this child- as she crossed the border. I don't think these people should ever be forgotten. What battle was your grandfather in? Sometimes I feel like I live in 1940. My partner went to Germany to hopefully live with a lady for the rest of his life. She actually had another guy over there. My partner had sold everything and was lured to her country she was so proud of. He told me she said Germany was still paying for the Jews-the ones still alive. I couldn't believe the arrogance. The country got off lightly. I can't forget a comment like that, and a loose and fickle person at that. Thankyou for your comment, honouring your grandfather, and helping me feel that I'm not the only one still very affected.

[@melaniezette886]

I would say that we don't care about others judgments, we have a long history we live with it everyday. There's good bad and ugly certainly.

[@cherls15]

I'm going to sound super negative here but all I got from listening to you was that, France isn't the place to be an individual. It sounds to me like while you were young and probably inexperienced at living in France, you were experienced at simply being yourself, which is such a good thing! Maybe I am reading into it too much but if a fresh French person were to come live in NZ and mentioned how much they liked the little kiddy cocktail "sausages" at a party, kiwis would think that was awesome and offer the French person more. Anyway, yes I am sure it's nice to be around people who seem so cultured and sophisticated but what I love about NZ is how acceptable it is to be yourself and show people who you are instead of showing people how skilled you are at conformity. That being said, I have enjoyed every conversation I've ever had with all the French people I have met in NZ and have also enjoyed looking at their clothes! 😅😉 Awesome video Rosie!

[@geoffthomson1686]

I thought the same thing about the saucisson,...go for it! I'm also getting a rather negative vibe about the idea of having to conform to set rules and too much etiquette. Be yourself more I say! It all sounds a bit patronizing.

[@ybreton6593]

hello, the French remain themselves, simply live and enjoy life! in France we work to live unlike the Anglo-Saxons who live to work. Yes we like to get together to: exchange, discuss, talk about life simply. Yes, in all European countries, including Russia, we have a certain general culture; the linguistic diversity means that we speak several languages: French (mother tongue), German, Spanish, and then! English? contrary to what you think; general culture is necessary whether in the field of the arts, science (physics, chemistry, archeology, astronomy, research) sciences: politics, geopolitics, human etc. for the French and other Europeans the goal is not to flaunt our knowledge, but simply to know how to listen to have an opinion on the global world and those around us. unlike the Anglo-Saxons who are and remain in their bubbles

[@Imsemble]

What you're describing is actually the difference between the Catholic and Protestant mindset. The protestants are differentialists, meaning they believe in unity by recognizing each others differences, hence the large amount of different churches with contradicting beliefs that still all call themselves protestants. Catholics are universalists, meaning that they believe in unity through the higher principles, and that those principles can be comprehended by any human being and are higher for all. It's actually super interesting that this dumb saucisson example is a perfect reflection of that difference that has seeped through each of our respective cultures.

[@ybreton6593]

@@Imsemble Yes Catholicism is present in the vast majority of Central European countries eg Poland, Germany, Austria, Hungary etc. but also Italy, Spain, Portugal! Protestantism in the Scandinavian countries (northern Europe) Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland. Orthodoxy: Ukraine, Russia remains the case for France? for the vast majority of French people, religion is not the main center of conversations between friends, knowing that more than 60% of French people are atheists. but the main obedience is Catholic. Does the domain of Laïcité come from? a problem which is very controversial in Anglo-Saxon countries in France all religions are accepted in the private domain and remain private. under no circumstances should religions intervene in the domain of the French state and administrations, hence the law of 1905 on the separation of religion from French state affairs, no religion can substitute itself for the French state . We can parody religions but in any case we have the right to attack the integrity of a person for his religion, the human person is protected by secularism. bonne journée

[@Imsemble]

@@ybreton6593 Of course, I'm not saying they are still acting like that knowingly because they are Catholic and their religion requires it. What I'm saying saying is that these are traces that religion left in our cultures that still distinguish them today.

[@larajnance]

How long did it take to be fluent in French after you arrived?

[@cmolodiets]

I wouldn't dare wearing a crop top shirt to meet my future mother-in-law.

[@ilhuicatlamatini]

😂

[@AY-ln1mk]

I find it a bit narrow minded that some French were surprised you don't know their second-tier celebrities. I'm from Belarus and I find it natural we know what's close the best, and the further out we go, the more surface level our knowledge becomes. I'm sure the French don't know any famous Belarusians, or few New Zealanders. I lived in Hungary for 3 years and I never got that from Hungarians. They are actually, on the contrary, are super pleased if you know their famous people, sometimes even say that they don't know them themselves!

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

it's just that we think we should the center of the world. But we're not, America is, culturally speaking, for good and worse. I think we feel threatened and try to think we matter

[@aureliedelphine]

how did you meet Neels?

[@dm7761]

She has a video that tells the story...😀

[@timmy3423ify]

Been very lucky having a French fiancee as being English isn't much of an issue. There is definitely tension between our 2 nation's though

[@EliasBac]

As a French, I guarantee you French people don’t really have hard feeling towards toward British people. You’re correct tho, the only thing we find annoying is the drunk/loud/etc tourist thing ;) Now politically, the UK and France have had tensions literally for ever 😂 Two of the historically most powerful nations on earth and being right at each other’s faces can’t go without tensions I guess :p

[@khaelamensha3624]

The makeup story was quite a laugh 😉 Well yes it is a major difference here. My girl (around 20) is used to go at parties unprepared and then take a moment with friends pour se pomponner (to prepare herself in familial slang French) and to arrive at their best. Almost all French women do this, how many times a woman arrived in a party and ask for bathrooms in order to fix things or change herself. But the main point that women do not get is : whatever your makeup or your clothes they are here in order to make you good and not you being a model or a discard place for the last 45 newest makeup articles. 😂

[@trevorgwelch7412]

It really doesn't matter what people think of you , anything goes now a days .

[@augustine.c8204]

lol im a working artist but if someone were to ask me about italian sculptors, i cant name a single one except michelangelo. if theyre gonna assume im ignorant bc im only into painting & dont know about sculptors, that's just snobbery....... Or it's as if a chinese person were to be shocked that a french person wouldn't know any chinese history. Duh, different countires, different educations, one's not necesssarily better for knowing a specific area

[@mollywelsh9395]

I back this comment on how the French view the English (as an English person) hahahah

[@stephen10.]

Now you are in NZ , you are safe again 😂

[@marshall886]

This is very interesting, I have always thought France and Europe was more advanced than NZ.

[@Randy_Batswinger]

When you say English do you mean British? I'm English but say I'm Irish since Brexit. I'm a 1/4 Irish so eligible for citizenship & passport. I must get round to that actually. Btw, the English hate the 'English' too. 'English' = Brexit voting gammon (see Essex).

[@quoniam426]

English people and American people can be either very arrogant, acting as if they own the place or be quite untasty. Kiwis and Aussies will attract more sympathy from us on the get go. My first English teacher was in fact a Kiwi ! (and a former air steward who tragically lost his girlfriend in a air accident on a flight he couldn't come on because he was ill that day... he would have died with her had he been in shape...) Dumb and ignorant are two different things. Ignorance can be remedied by knowledge. Dumb is forever.

[@catherinewarner9947]

I really don't think English and American people fall into the categories of arrogance or dumbness. A minority of US or UK nationals spoil it for ordinary citizens of those countries but I really wouldn't extrapolate from isolated incidences of bad behaviour to generalise on national traits. Xenophobic stereotyping is not great, nobody chooses their country of birth

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

that's a typical arrogant french thing to say... it's narrow minded at best. You can't expect other nations to think like the French and vice versa.

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

@@catherinewarner9947 no need to apologize, you guys are normal people, we are just struggling with a low self esteem and insecurities

[@marklee1960]

You fell in love with a Frenchman and it never occurred to you to study French BEFORE you landed in France? Seriously?

[@papaspacenas]

That you don't speak French , which immediately creates a cold atmosphere and distance from a lot of French ppl. Hopefully I get your dialect lol

[@alextuzov904]

I can't wait to gain a gratest experience in my life - relocate to NZ)) I can only imagine how dumb and stupid i will feel myself, but who of an emigrants have dodged this?

[@GronkMasqué]

i flew in france and i have like hear peoples speaking french is this french ? look c'est français sa? hein

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

French people are more distant with anyone not just english people, don"t take it personnally it's just the way they are. Actually we are, more than not, afraid of others.

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

we're also afraid that our culture is dying and the english speaking world is better and all those identity related stuff

[@markholm6955]

Well hopefully the new Omicron variant will not disrupt your plans.

[@batesstrickland]

I do believe if anyone ‘shh’ed me in a Park , the American aggressiveness would come out -

[@bunnybgood411]

Your accent doesn't sound English to me. I can tell you're a Kiwi...or Aussie, lol. For perspective, I grew up in Colorado, USA, and have lived around the American West. To me the New Zealand accent sounds like a softer version of an Australian accent. To an American, anyway.

[@MH-tn3pp]

They are judgmental, very judgmental, that's very true.

[@melaniezette886]

C'est bien vrai, but French judges French a lot more

[@annewilson8106]

How about when they pronounce the names of American or British musicians it is so funny, I say who? Who? Their accent then they can’t believe that they are mispronouncing it.

[@air7920]

Mdrrr je suis français je comprends rien

[@melaniezette886]

Faut faire un effort pour avoir une meilleure réputation 😃