Culture Shock! France

I found this book fascinating and very practical. The suggestion for us Americans to not ask "what do you do?" and to not expect everyone to agree with us all the time is excellent and important. Also, the suggestion for Americans to not give the insincere smile and compliment which have become "de rigueur" in the United States is accurate. The book has a single error in the glossary: the translations for qui and pourquoi are transposed -- big deal. Fun to read, easy to understand, and funny. Read this book if you're going to France.

I received this book from my sister, who has visited France several times and who speaks the language fluently. She knows the ins and the outs and knew that though I was very excited about my trip I was also nervous. What if they really DO hate Americans? What if they really are as rude as people say? What if, what, if, what if.....I worried that maybe I was not making a good choice for our first trip to a European country that did not speak English as their primary language. I read the book like a crazy person. A lot of the ideas were simple, but things that eased my transition. Speak softly, say hello ALWAYS, when going into a shop, even if you are just looking around and always say thank you and good bye when leaving. Don't smile and make a lot of eye contact on the street with strangers. Understand that going to dinner is an event-don't rush it, and when you want the check ASK for it, or you will be there forever....they do not just slap the bill on your table as soon as, or (gasp), before you finish your meal. You could literally nurse one glass of wine for 2 hours, they don't care. Know that, and slow your pace and enjoy it. Don't be annoyed and think you are getting poor service. Understand that tips are included in most establishments, but that an extra % up to 5% is appreciated for good service. Know that the job of being a wait person there is different than here, they know food and wine and are happy to make recommendations-that is their job and they are very good at it and pride themselves on a job well done. They are efficient and helpful. They are not, however the staff at TGI Fridays-they don't come up to your table, with "flare" on and say "Hi, my name is Rudy and I'll be your waiter". If that is the kind of interaction you need, you should probably skip Paris altogether. Oh, and PLEASE, don't go into a nice restaurant and ask loudly if you can have ketchup for your steak-this is the kind of American that the French just can't stand. I learned some French before going, and always tried to make an attempt to speak the language instead of assuming they were all English speakers and I was in some French version of Disneyland. I found the French people nothing but kind and welcoming to us. If you respect their culture and make attempts to adapt to their way of life they were friendly and helpful. We visited many of the Arrondisements (divisions) and found this to be true whether we were in a tourist section, or farther off the beaten path. I found this book to be extremely helpful to me. Do I think all of the information applied? No, there were some areas that didn't, but all in all I got many good pieces of information I would not have otherwise known, and it made my trip a more pleasurable experience. I highly recommend this book, and would seek it out for other countries that I would visit so I could learn more about the culture before going.

This book was very easy to read. Written so that anyone can understand, it will also have you laughing and rolling around on the ground. It covers practically all aspects of French culture. It will help you if you are travelling to France or moving there.As I've said, it's very easy to read. And, it's hilarious! You won't regret it.

Full disclosure: I myself haven't been to France. I speak French and have close French friends, though, and have invested a good deal of reading and discussion in comprehending French ways of thought and action.This said, what I really liked about this book was that it cut to the heart of some of the areas where my own people (United States) and the French often don't communicate well. Taylor, who has lived a long time in France, explains quite credibly why it is some people find the French to be rude. How shocking to find out that they consider *us* rude. In any event, what makes this book attractive is that it offers sound behavioural tips and suggestions to break these boundaries and have a good time, always bearing in mind that in any place some people will be rude no matter what you do.A simple example, without spoiling the book for you. In my homeland, the American West, a limp handshake with no eye contact (especially between males) often causes distrust or gives actual offense. In France, we are told (and I have verified), to fail to greet the shopkeeper, waiter or whomever ranks at the same level: a slap in the face. This is what I mean about the book: having read it, you would enter the little knickknack shop and politely say 'bonjour, madame' to the proprietrix, and give her the time of day, avoiding a pitfall you'd otherwise maybe not have known existed.I think this book should be read with an open mind. Everything in it that I could test on French people tested accurately. I think it would be a significant help for anyone who plans travel to France or who regularly interacts with French people.

Culture shock series gives an excellent description of culture/business/life in France. It is must for anybody staying in France and wants to enjoy rich lifestyle of France without getting Culture Shock