How would you show a french girl US culture in a nutshell?
July 28, 2009 9:32 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for interesting things to show my french exchange student. What is unique to the US experience?
I have a french exchange student living in the US for about a month. We'll be visiting the local tourist attractions, but I'm looking for something more fundamental. What would be good to show her that encapsulates the current culture of the US?
I'm not concerned in trying to show only the good things about the US. I'm more concerned about avoiding showing her stuff that is the same in France. So, we will probably eat at taco bell, but I wouldn't want to make a big deal of introducing her to orangina.
Any suggestions? People who have lived in France and the US, what are the biggest differences you noticed?
In case it's useful, she's 16 and from a suburb of Paris. I live in Utah.
I have a french exchange student living in the US for about a month. We'll be visiting the local tourist attractions, but I'm looking for something more fundamental. What would be good to show her that encapsulates the current culture of the US?
I'm not concerned in trying to show only the good things about the US. I'm more concerned about avoiding showing her stuff that is the same in France. So, we will probably eat at taco bell, but I wouldn't want to make a big deal of introducing her to orangina.
Any suggestions? People who have lived in France and the US, what are the biggest differences you noticed?
In case it's useful, she's 16 and from a suburb of Paris. I live in Utah.
Where exactly in the U.S. are you? My answer can vary based on that.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:38 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:38 AM on July 28, 2009
They Don't have the Grand Canyon in France. A road trip is very American.
posted by Charlie Lesoine at 9:40 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by Charlie Lesoine at 9:40 AM on July 28, 2009
You should take her to some of the incredible national parks in the southwest. If you can make it to Grand Canyon, do that. Also, you may consider her age more than her nationality - a sixteen year old may, say, prefer a rock concert to a museum
posted by Think_Long at 9:41 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Think_Long at 9:41 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
Baseball game with hot dogs and Cracker Jack?
Wal Mart?
posted by backseatpilot at 9:43 AM on July 28, 2009
Wal Mart?
posted by backseatpilot at 9:43 AM on July 28, 2009
You live in Utah!
There's your answer. The natural beauty of Utah is completely unique- there is nothing like it anywhere in the world, let alone France.
I wouldn't make a big deal out of fast food, France is actually McDonald's 2nd largest market. And I think everyone in France is already more than aware of the cliched shortcomings of the U.S. There's no need to actually go look at fat guys and say, "hey, aren't Americans fat??"
That said, a visit to an Indian reservation would be very very American, and does show a dark side people don't like to think about.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:45 AM on July 28, 2009
There's your answer. The natural beauty of Utah is completely unique- there is nothing like it anywhere in the world, let alone France.
I wouldn't make a big deal out of fast food, France is actually McDonald's 2nd largest market. And I think everyone in France is already more than aware of the cliched shortcomings of the U.S. There's no need to actually go look at fat guys and say, "hey, aren't Americans fat??"
That said, a visit to an Indian reservation would be very very American, and does show a dark side people don't like to think about.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:45 AM on July 28, 2009
-Drive-thrus in general.
-French people are often really into New York City and California (generalization, but it's true). NYC's a little far for you... could you get her to San Francisco easily?
-Skateboarding culture? I don't know what kids these days like.
posted by oinopaponton at 9:45 AM on July 28, 2009
-French people are often really into New York City and California (generalization, but it's true). NYC's a little far for you... could you get her to San Francisco easily?
-Skateboarding culture? I don't know what kids these days like.
posted by oinopaponton at 9:45 AM on July 28, 2009
Most of the French people I've entertained in the US were very enamored of a good, big hamburger. Fast food hamburgers are common over there, but not the sort of grilled onions and bacon type made with meat from a local butcher or the like.
Really, France is only so different from the US. Just do things, she'll see the similarities and differences herself. A lot of times, the most interesting cultural differences are in details that you only notice by living normally, since they are in assumptions about things rather than things themselves. For instance, 24 hour grocery stores are, as best as I can tell, non-existent in France, even Paris. Even being open on Sunday isn't universal.
Do, however, hit some of the scenery in Utah. National parks are awesome, and don't get the sort of international play they deserve.
posted by Schismatic at 9:56 AM on July 28, 2009
Really, France is only so different from the US. Just do things, she'll see the similarities and differences herself. A lot of times, the most interesting cultural differences are in details that you only notice by living normally, since they are in assumptions about things rather than things themselves. For instance, 24 hour grocery stores are, as best as I can tell, non-existent in France, even Paris. Even being open on Sunday isn't universal.
Do, however, hit some of the scenery in Utah. National parks are awesome, and don't get the sort of international play they deserve.
posted by Schismatic at 9:56 AM on July 28, 2009
You should take her to see Arches, maybe Durango and a trip to the Navajo Nation too.
posted by pravit at 9:56 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by pravit at 9:56 AM on July 28, 2009
Gun range, mega-church. Extra points if you find a mega-church with a gun range.
posted by wrnealis at 9:58 AM on July 28, 2009 [9 favorites]
posted by wrnealis at 9:58 AM on July 28, 2009 [9 favorites]
A high school football game with cheerleaders and a marching band.
A demolition derby: the crowds can be interesting, but nothing shows the American obsession with cars and its indulgence of waste like a demolition derby. And I speak as a fan.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 10:00 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
A demolition derby: the crowds can be interesting, but nothing shows the American obsession with cars and its indulgence of waste like a demolition derby. And I speak as a fan.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 10:00 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
A lot of times, the most interesting cultural differences are in details that you only notice by living normally, since they are in assumptions about things rather than things themselves.
Seconding this. The only time I've been in another country -- Ireland, to visit a longtime friend -- it wasn't the landmarks that gave me the biggest sense of "ordinary day-to-day existance" in that country, it was going to the supermarket with my friend's mother. All the way there I noticed that she instinctively crossed herself whenever we drove past a hospital or cemetery, without once ceasing her conversation with me. Then I also casually remarked that even though it was near Easter, I didn't see any egg-dying kits in the supermarket -- and then had to explain the custom of dying Easter Eggs to my friend's very puzzled mother, who just listened with one eyebrow raised to my whole explanation about how we have the egg dye, and we have hardboiled eggs, see, and we make the egg shells different colors, and it's for decoration, and....and when I was done she just stared at me a few second longer and then said, "That's rather odd."
I also remember lengthy conversations with the German exchange student to my high school which weren't about differences in music or politics or the like -- no, the thing that freaked him out the most was that his whole life, he'd always thought that corn on the cob and creamed corn in a can were from two different plants. It took me ten minutes to convince him, "no, if you scrape the stuff off the cob, then you get the stuff in creamed corn, it's the same thing."
Forget big sights, it was moments like that that made me realize "cultures are different sometimes".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:05 AM on July 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
Seconding this. The only time I've been in another country -- Ireland, to visit a longtime friend -- it wasn't the landmarks that gave me the biggest sense of "ordinary day-to-day existance" in that country, it was going to the supermarket with my friend's mother. All the way there I noticed that she instinctively crossed herself whenever we drove past a hospital or cemetery, without once ceasing her conversation with me. Then I also casually remarked that even though it was near Easter, I didn't see any egg-dying kits in the supermarket -- and then had to explain the custom of dying Easter Eggs to my friend's very puzzled mother, who just listened with one eyebrow raised to my whole explanation about how we have the egg dye, and we have hardboiled eggs, see, and we make the egg shells different colors, and it's for decoration, and....and when I was done she just stared at me a few second longer and then said, "That's rather odd."
I also remember lengthy conversations with the German exchange student to my high school which weren't about differences in music or politics or the like -- no, the thing that freaked him out the most was that his whole life, he'd always thought that corn on the cob and creamed corn in a can were from two different plants. It took me ten minutes to convince him, "no, if you scrape the stuff off the cob, then you get the stuff in creamed corn, it's the same thing."
Forget big sights, it was moments like that that made me realize "cultures are different sometimes".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:05 AM on July 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
Definitely a road trip. It would be especially interesting in the southwest given the terrain, and a longer trip would show the vastness of America in comparison to France (consider that it only takes about 8 hours to travel diagonally across France in a car). I'd say - depending on what seems to interest her, either traveling through parks or going to a big city (if it's possible to see LA or SF, for example).
Any real American (+Mexican) cuisine that you can introduce her to that's not fast food would likely be a new experience; Most French people have no concept of American cuisine other than MacDo/KFC/etc.
A couple of my French friends who visited the US talked at length about how much they loved Whole Foods. There is really nothing like it in France, so it's maybe something to see if it's not out of the way. On the other hand, huge shopping malls are pretty common, especially in the suburbs.
Also agree with exposing her to Native culture; this is something that she will likely have only been introduced to on a very superficial/basic level.
posted by helios at 10:06 AM on July 28, 2009
Any real American (+Mexican) cuisine that you can introduce her to that's not fast food would likely be a new experience; Most French people have no concept of American cuisine other than MacDo/KFC/etc.
A couple of my French friends who visited the US talked at length about how much they loved Whole Foods. There is really nothing like it in France, so it's maybe something to see if it's not out of the way. On the other hand, huge shopping malls are pretty common, especially in the suburbs.
Also agree with exposing her to Native culture; this is something that she will likely have only been introduced to on a very superficial/basic level.
posted by helios at 10:06 AM on July 28, 2009
- A local parade
- Anything connecting "living history" and Westward migration (wagon trains, bonnets, churning butter)
- The Bonneville Salt Flats
- Arches, Moab, Grand Staircase-Escalante
- Anything that highlights the LDS' church's place in Utah society, either now or in history
- A glider trip over the landscape to get a view of how BIG it is compared to Paris
- Bingham Canyon Mine
posted by mdonley at 10:08 AM on July 28, 2009
- Anything connecting "living history" and Westward migration (wagon trains, bonnets, churning butter)
- The Bonneville Salt Flats
- Arches, Moab, Grand Staircase-Escalante
- Anything that highlights the LDS' church's place in Utah society, either now or in history
- A glider trip over the landscape to get a view of how BIG it is compared to Paris
- Bingham Canyon Mine
posted by mdonley at 10:08 AM on July 28, 2009
Mormon temple.
Costco/Sam's Club.
Universities in the area and high schools.
Farms.
Also, urban poverty and the poor parts of town. That always fascinated me. The economic disparity in the US. Also, mobile homes/trailer parks.
posted by anniecat at 10:16 AM on July 28, 2009
Costco/Sam's Club.
Universities in the area and high schools.
Farms.
Also, urban poverty and the poor parts of town. That always fascinated me. The economic disparity in the US. Also, mobile homes/trailer parks.
posted by anniecat at 10:16 AM on July 28, 2009
I was just going to suggest a state or county fair.
A old-style diner. I'm thinking of something like Mickey's Dining Car in St. Paul.
A minor-league or town-team baseball game. Maybe even a little-league game. IMO, major league games don't have the same feel at all.
posted by chazlarson at 10:17 AM on July 28, 2009
A old-style diner. I'm thinking of something like Mickey's Dining Car in St. Paul.
A minor-league or town-team baseball game. Maybe even a little-league game. IMO, major league games don't have the same feel at all.
posted by chazlarson at 10:17 AM on July 28, 2009
Cowboys! [rodeo]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 10:19 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by TWinbrook8 at 10:19 AM on July 28, 2009
I once drove past a gun store in Pennsylvania that had a giant banner saying "WE RENT MACHINE GUNS". My first thought was "that's America for you."
posted by djb at 10:20 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by djb at 10:20 AM on July 28, 2009
In the same vein as demolition derby, is there a something like the Summer Motorsports Spectacular nearby? Funny cars, nitro Harleys, jet dragsters, monster trucks, the works.
posted by djb at 10:23 AM on July 28, 2009
posted by djb at 10:23 AM on July 28, 2009
I agree that it will be the little things that are really surprising. My French brother in law was amazed that my sister and her friends knew all the words to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song. He also got excited when we pulled out the red plastic keg cups -- he'd thought that was just an American movie cliche.
Breakfast was a pretty big adjustment for him. Apparently, the French don't really do the big bacon-and-eggs breakfast -- they tend to prefer smaller, sweeter breakfasts. (This is a problem, because my sister looooooves breakfast.)
posted by natabat at 10:23 AM on July 28, 2009
Breakfast was a pretty big adjustment for him. Apparently, the French don't really do the big bacon-and-eggs breakfast -- they tend to prefer smaller, sweeter breakfasts. (This is a problem, because my sister looooooves breakfast.)
posted by natabat at 10:23 AM on July 28, 2009
Minor-league baseball or other sports
Gun range
For that matter, you might walk up to the firearms counter at a local wal-mart or similar and see if she, as an alien minor, can legally purchase a rifle or shotgun.
If there's an air show while she's there, those are sources of wonderful horrifying Americana. Especially if they also have Shockwave the Triple-Jet Truck or something like that there.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:00 AM on July 28, 2009
Gun range
For that matter, you might walk up to the firearms counter at a local wal-mart or similar and see if she, as an alien minor, can legally purchase a rifle or shotgun.
If there's an air show while she's there, those are sources of wonderful horrifying Americana. Especially if they also have Shockwave the Triple-Jet Truck or something like that there.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:00 AM on July 28, 2009
What month will she be in the states? If it coincides with a state fair or county fair, I'd bet that would expose her to a great cross-section of Americana that she wouldn't see anyplace else.
posted by chez shoes at 12:26 PM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by chez shoes at 12:26 PM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
Just went through Utah, or a portion of it.
Get to Zion N'Park (and Bryce, staying the at the Park Lodge.) If she is an outdoors type, then you can do some hiking. Otherwise it is visually stunning. American take away- campers, trailers and huge vehicles, country side, etc.
Las Vegas - staying at the Luxor will be a nice touch. The roller coaster at New York, New York. American take away - we have a pyramid.
Check to see if there are any sporting events at the University, could be an easy way to get a game in. Phoenix has a great ballpark but that is along way to go.
Heading East is Glennwood Springs - a spa with a hot natural spring. Go north into Wyoming,a and you have more national parks, but also Buffalo.
Hope she likes to drive!
posted by fluffycreature at 1:00 PM on July 28, 2009
Breakfast was a pretty big adjustment for him.
Yeah. I did an exchange in France, and this is true both ways. A typical french breakfast would be a slice of toast with butter/nutella/jam and a hot drink. I made my host siblings pancakes with maple syrup and they loved it.
Big shopping malls and stores do exist there in some quantity, so that might not be a big deal.
A lot of French people I knew were always asking me about American food, and had this idea that it was all cheap, fast food. They have fast food there, so skip that. Get her some Tex-Mex or Mexican food, and bring her somewhere that makes real, delicious hamburgers. Getting to go to a cookout (watermelon, hamburgers, the works) would be cool, I'd think.
There are classic American things that are just really interesting and unique. Things like the Oregon trail/pioneers, roadtrips, diners, Americana. Also the different cultures all around - Going somewhere like a Hibachi place might be really neat, even though it's not "american." If I had a French exchange student up here near Cleveland, I might take her to the old Jewish and Eastern-European markets, for example.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:06 PM on July 28, 2009
Yeah. I did an exchange in France, and this is true both ways. A typical french breakfast would be a slice of toast with butter/nutella/jam and a hot drink. I made my host siblings pancakes with maple syrup and they loved it.
Big shopping malls and stores do exist there in some quantity, so that might not be a big deal.
A lot of French people I knew were always asking me about American food, and had this idea that it was all cheap, fast food. They have fast food there, so skip that. Get her some Tex-Mex or Mexican food, and bring her somewhere that makes real, delicious hamburgers. Getting to go to a cookout (watermelon, hamburgers, the works) would be cool, I'd think.
There are classic American things that are just really interesting and unique. Things like the Oregon trail/pioneers, roadtrips, diners, Americana. Also the different cultures all around - Going somewhere like a Hibachi place might be really neat, even though it's not "american." If I had a French exchange student up here near Cleveland, I might take her to the old Jewish and Eastern-European markets, for example.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:06 PM on July 28, 2009
I'd just like to echo a lot of the sentiments already expressed: a lot of the differences between France and the US can be found just by going through everyday life and seeing how you both challenge each others' preconceptions of your respective cultures. In large part, and for some reason I always find this interesting, it happens through food.
True story: my French foreign exchange student (when we were both in high school) had never had root beer. She thought it was absolutely the most repulsive thing she had ever tasted and couldn't understand how I loved it. It can also be difficult to express food-related vocabulary in another language, as it's often idiomatic and/or strangely specific. I remember that we had learned practically no food vocabulary in class, and when I was in France my exchange family forced me to put down my dictionary and describe what it was that I wanted to say (in French) with them correcting me once they figured out what I meant. That was actually a really good immersion experience.
If you want to go out on a limb and do something special, I'd consider a road trip -- especially since the West/Southwest is home to a lot of really classic Americana. However, I'd also like to temper some of the things that people have been saying. A road trip could be really good, but if your exchange student winds up miserable on it they'll still be stuck in the car for the rest of the trip. If nothing else, though, it will give them a real feel for the enormousness of the US, which I think is something that a lot of Europeans don't entirely understand.
posted by malthas at 2:12 PM on July 28, 2009
True story: my French foreign exchange student (when we were both in high school) had never had root beer. She thought it was absolutely the most repulsive thing she had ever tasted and couldn't understand how I loved it. It can also be difficult to express food-related vocabulary in another language, as it's often idiomatic and/or strangely specific. I remember that we had learned practically no food vocabulary in class, and when I was in France my exchange family forced me to put down my dictionary and describe what it was that I wanted to say (in French) with them correcting me once they figured out what I meant. That was actually a really good immersion experience.
If you want to go out on a limb and do something special, I'd consider a road trip -- especially since the West/Southwest is home to a lot of really classic Americana. However, I'd also like to temper some of the things that people have been saying. A road trip could be really good, but if your exchange student winds up miserable on it they'll still be stuck in the car for the rest of the trip. If nothing else, though, it will give them a real feel for the enormousness of the US, which I think is something that a lot of Europeans don't entirely understand.
posted by malthas at 2:12 PM on July 28, 2009
This was sort of discussed at Metachat . . . maybe it'll give you some ideas . . .
posted by geekyguy at 2:26 PM on July 28, 2009
posted by geekyguy at 2:26 PM on July 28, 2009
I'm in toronto, but i particularly like taking Europeans to an NBA game. Obviously there isn't any professional basketball in France, but also the whole 'showmanship' and 'entertainment' aspects (the Raptors Dance Pack, the audience participation games, and the free pizza if a certain score was reached were all pretty uniquely american) of nba games are particularly and specifically american.
Also, and i don't know if you'll be going to any big cities, but europe just doesn't have skyscrapers, and paris, i beleive, doesn't have any buildings over 11 stories. Walk around a downtown financial district with skyscrapers, go up the elevators if you can, and then go eat a giant brownie sundae. America!
posted by Kololo at 3:13 PM on July 28, 2009
Also, and i don't know if you'll be going to any big cities, but europe just doesn't have skyscrapers, and paris, i beleive, doesn't have any buildings over 11 stories. Walk around a downtown financial district with skyscrapers, go up the elevators if you can, and then go eat a giant brownie sundae. America!
posted by Kololo at 3:13 PM on July 28, 2009
Oh yeah, and she's sixteen, so go to the biggest shopping mall you can find.
posted by Kololo at 3:13 PM on July 28, 2009
posted by Kololo at 3:13 PM on July 28, 2009
paris, i beleive, doesn't have any buildings over 11 stories
This is false. In addition to the Eiffel Tower, which you might not have counted as a building, there's the whole La Defense area.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:28 PM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is false. In addition to the Eiffel Tower, which you might not have counted as a building, there's the whole La Defense area.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:28 PM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
Having entertained some French co-workers on their visits to the US I can tell you that they loved shopping at the mall! (We are near one of the largest malls in the country, and most of them would stay at a hotel across the street and shop there every night after work.) They all stocked up because prices were a lot lower here than in France.
There was one guy in particular who was totally into American movies. I think he taught himself English based on Terminator movies or something. So he definitely appreciated seeing the latest blockbusters before their European release.
I think a really neat way to learn about any culture is to see where they do their daily shopping. Especially in the US, supermarkets can be overwhelming to visitors. I took an international business class where the instructor told us about a French woman who moved to the US when her husband's job transferred him, and she started crying in the middle of the cereal aisle at the supermarket because all the choices were just too overwhelming.
Also, authentic Mexican food (not Taco Bell).
posted by LolaGeek at 3:51 PM on July 28, 2009
There was one guy in particular who was totally into American movies. I think he taught himself English based on Terminator movies or something. So he definitely appreciated seeing the latest blockbusters before their European release.
I think a really neat way to learn about any culture is to see where they do their daily shopping. Especially in the US, supermarkets can be overwhelming to visitors. I took an international business class where the instructor told us about a French woman who moved to the US when her husband's job transferred him, and she started crying in the middle of the cereal aisle at the supermarket because all the choices were just too overwhelming.
Also, authentic Mexican food (not Taco Bell).
posted by LolaGeek at 3:51 PM on July 28, 2009
ROU_Xenophobe, sorry, i meant 12 stories: http://www.planetizen.com/node/29084
posted by Kololo at 4:20 PM on July 28, 2009
posted by Kololo at 4:20 PM on July 28, 2009
From Utah, Yellowstone isn't too far, and it is truly compelling for Europeans. In a similar vein, natural (and wild) hot springs can be an enormous treat. They can be found throughout the West. Ghost towns are also a uniquely western item.
If no one above mentioned it, take her to a rodeo. If she's there at the right time, take her to the Utah State Fair.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 5:20 PM on July 28, 2009
If no one above mentioned it, take her to a rodeo. If she's there at the right time, take her to the Utah State Fair.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 5:20 PM on July 28, 2009
In Europe one can't drive for hours and hours and not see anyone, not pass through any major cities. The space will amaze her. Show her space.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 7:22 PM on July 28, 2009
posted by ethnomethodologist at 7:22 PM on July 28, 2009
In Europe one can't drive for hours and hours and not see anyone, not pass through any major cities. The space will amaze her. Show her space.
When I lived in Germany, this was one of the most striking differences to me (or rather, the inverse, that it was so dense). It was also one of the most difficult to explain to people around me.
I also agree with the natural beauty aspect of things. You can capture the expansive spaces and the beauty simultaneously by taking a road trip down to Moab, UT, which is one of the prettiest desert places I've been to.
They also don't have Native Americans. Native Americans had a huge diverse culture that we basically destroyed in the name of progress.
I also agree with that everyday things are really one of the most interesting. The German village I lived in was laid out in a sort of ring and spoke system with the church at the center, and the main road being a ring around the village where the walls used to be. The American city I come from is a grid. Houses are also very different there.
posted by !Jim at 7:39 PM on July 28, 2009
When I lived in Germany, this was one of the most striking differences to me (or rather, the inverse, that it was so dense). It was also one of the most difficult to explain to people around me.
I also agree with the natural beauty aspect of things. You can capture the expansive spaces and the beauty simultaneously by taking a road trip down to Moab, UT, which is one of the prettiest desert places I've been to.
They also don't have Native Americans. Native Americans had a huge diverse culture that we basically destroyed in the name of progress.
I also agree with that everyday things are really one of the most interesting. The German village I lived in was laid out in a sort of ring and spoke system with the church at the center, and the main road being a ring around the village where the walls used to be. The American city I come from is a grid. Houses are also very different there.
posted by !Jim at 7:39 PM on July 28, 2009
i meant 12 stories
The Tour Montparnasse in the XVème arrondissement is 59 stories tall.
posted by Wolof at 10:37 PM on July 28, 2009
The Tour Montparnasse in the XVème arrondissement is 59 stories tall.
posted by Wolof at 10:37 PM on July 28, 2009
If she's from the suburbs, she'll almost surely be used to big box stores like Carrefour, Leroy Merlin, Mr Bricolage, and the like. The subtle differences might be interesting, though, like the absence of obvious security guards near the entrance. (American stores do loss prevention more subtly than a lot of French stores.)
A short road trip would be a good idea. There are some wilderness areas in France but you have to go pretty far to see them. I was hiking in the Alps near Grenoble a couple days ago, and that was pretty wild, but the forests around Paris are criss-crossed with straight forest roads. A lot of France is rural but there's not much wilderness.
Chez Shoe's suggestion of a state or county fair is great.
A lot of daily life will be just unfamiliar enough to be intriguing (unless she's a 16-year-old whose adolescent rebellion takes the form of a mask of indifference...). Houses in American towns are not all surrounded by big fences or walls; my French friends find that deeply weird. In the US, road signs usually point you toward a road (e.g. I-80 W or E); in France, they usually point you toward places (e.g. leaving Paris you'll see signs indicating the direction to, let's say, Mantes-la-Jolie, but they won't necessarily say that it's via the A13 unless there's a choice of routes). If you see a French flag flying in France, it's almost always in front of a public building; ordinary citizens don't fly flags in front of their houses. American refrigerators are HUGE by French standards. If she pays attention, she'll pick up a lot of cultural differences regardless of where you go or what you do.
posted by brianogilvie at 4:29 AM on July 29, 2009
A short road trip would be a good idea. There are some wilderness areas in France but you have to go pretty far to see them. I was hiking in the Alps near Grenoble a couple days ago, and that was pretty wild, but the forests around Paris are criss-crossed with straight forest roads. A lot of France is rural but there's not much wilderness.
Chez Shoe's suggestion of a state or county fair is great.
A lot of daily life will be just unfamiliar enough to be intriguing (unless she's a 16-year-old whose adolescent rebellion takes the form of a mask of indifference...). Houses in American towns are not all surrounded by big fences or walls; my French friends find that deeply weird. In the US, road signs usually point you toward a road (e.g. I-80 W or E); in France, they usually point you toward places (e.g. leaving Paris you'll see signs indicating the direction to, let's say, Mantes-la-Jolie, but they won't necessarily say that it's via the A13 unless there's a choice of routes). If you see a French flag flying in France, it's almost always in front of a public building; ordinary citizens don't fly flags in front of their houses. American refrigerators are HUGE by French standards. If she pays attention, she'll pick up a lot of cultural differences regardless of where you go or what you do.
posted by brianogilvie at 4:29 AM on July 29, 2009
i meant 12 stories
They must be referring to some set of old municipal limits, not to the larger metropolitan entity of Paris.
La Defense is what you see if you're facing away from the city center at the Arc d'Triomphe, and it's a collection of 30--50 story buildings.
The point being only that non-extreme skyscrapers will be old hat to someone from metro Paris.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:42 AM on July 29, 2009
They must be referring to some set of old municipal limits, not to the larger metropolitan entity of Paris.
La Defense is what you see if you're facing away from the city center at the Arc d'Triomphe, and it's a collection of 30--50 story buildings.
The point being only that non-extreme skyscrapers will be old hat to someone from metro Paris.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:42 AM on July 29, 2009
Uh, I'm sorry. i was under the impression that walking down a street surrounded by skyscrapers on all sides was a signficantly different urban experience than having one tall building in your city. My point wasn't to get into a debate about whether or not there are a couple tall buildings in france, my point was that spending a bit of time in a major city in a physical environment completely unlike any should could experience in france, might be interesting for her. Just like driving through long empty country side might be interesting, even though there is country side in france too. Yeesh.
posted by Kololo at 3:47 PM on August 5, 2009
posted by Kololo at 3:47 PM on August 5, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
A road trip on the interstate, complete with rest stops, is pretty American too.
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:34 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]