French Stereotypes & Parisian Pigeonholes Vol. IV

1 - ALL FRENCH PEOPLE HAVE POODLESMost French people are quite fond of dogs. However, you are not going to see a bunch of high-heeled women running around with poodles everywhere you look.Surprisingly enough, there are several breeds of dog in France. I know - it's weird.What is true is that there are many dog owners in Paris. While you are out & about in the city, you will see dogs everywhere...a few larger breeds, but mostly smaller ones because the majority of these pooches are living in apartments.It's not unusual to see a dog at its master's feet in a restaurant or a shop, or trailing behind the master on the street without a leash. Maybe dogs just have more rights here as opposed to American dogs.Obviously, when you're walking in the streets, you need to watch your step.2 - FRENCH PEOPLE DON'T USE ASSWIPE - ONLY BIDETS (ASS FOUNTAINS)Wow. That would be damn cool if this were...
Read More

French Stereotypes & Parisian Pigeonholes Vol. III

1 - FRENCH PEOPLE NEVER WORKWell, French people DO work - though, it may be a bit strange to Americans. The standard work week is 35 hours as opposed to 40. Really...what's a difference of 5 hours? When I was working a 40-hour week, I spent at least 5 hours a week not working - maybe more.Most Americans probably get around 2 weeks of vacation a year - give or take. The average French person could get somewhere around a month or two. That's not slacking - that's fucking lucky.The productivity rate in France is high even though they work less.Obviously, they do work - they'd just rather not spend their entire fucking life doing it, so get the work done & go on vacation.2 - FRENCH PEOPLE ARE ARROGANT & CONCEITEDWell, yeah - some of them. I suppose an arrogant disposition seems strange to most Americans since there aren't any people in the U.S. that are like that.3 -...
Read More

French Stereotypes & Parisian Pigeonholes Vol. II

1 - FRENCH WOMEN DON'T SHAVEI'm not really sure how or when this one got started, but it is complete bullshit. My theory is that maybe a bunch of GIs landed on the beach in 1944 & found some girls in the countryside who had happened to run out of disposable Bic razors.My husband, being a native of France, informed me: "The first time I ever saw a hairy woman was in California."Hmm...yeah...shocking.2 - YOU GET SOME KIND OF POTATO WITH EVERY MEAL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU ORDERReally...I wish that this were true because I always like me some potato. It's more likely that you'll be served some sort of bread, but even that isn't always the case.Interestingly enough, I have observed that some French people do seem to have an inexplicable phobia in regard to eating the skin of a potato.3 - ALL FRENCH PEOPLE SMOKENope, not all French people smoke. However, a damn lot of them do &...
Read More

French Stereotypes & Parisian Pigeonholes Vol. I

1 - ALL FRENCH PEOPLE ARE RUDEJust imagine this scenario: your city is flooded with tourists every damn day of every damn year. They approach you & yap at you, just assuming that you speak their language. What do you do?If French people (especially Parisians) come across as being rude, maybe it's just because they get a little bored with a bunch of silly American tourists approaching them as though they were employees in an amusement park.One more thing: Americans are a smiley group of people - we smile at each other even if we might not be feeling that smile deep down. We also have a tendency to chat with strangers for no reason. Most French people aren't walking around grinning & chatting with each other & with tourists - especially in Paris. It's not really rudeness...it's just the way it is.2 - FRENCH PEOPLE SMELL LIKE BUTT & B.O.In general, French people do not have funk; they shower...
Read More

The France That Americans May or May Not Know

Recently, I was asked if there were any strange things about the French, or about living in Paris. Of course, the answer was, "Well, uh...yeah".Many people have heard things about the French or Parisians (because they are not always the same thing) that are pure myth & bullshit...other things are very true & then there are still several other things that most Americans might never have thought of.Just to clarify things a bit, I would like to share with all of you just a few things that I have learned during the past year & a half I have spent here in Paris:1. Personal space is useless. When out in public, it is very important to push, touch, smack, poke & nudge as many people as possible. While waiting in line, ALWAYS stand very close to the person in front of you. You should be able to see the hairs on the back of their neck move each time that...
Read More