Culture tips - France Video Transcripts
Video 1 Transcript
You'll get to know a lot of people from everywhere. You'll find a lot of people from South America, South Africa, Africa, Romania, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, almost everywhere to be honest. So really you just gotta try to adapt yourself to every single culture because they think differently. And just give love to everyone honestly, because if they see that you really are trying to know, especially with languages, if you're trying to learn at least two words in their own language, they will love you.
Video 2 Transcript
For French culture, I think the best tip that I can give is just to really learn to love the culture that's there and be very expressive about that. French people, especially, are very, very proud of the culture that they've developed. And you can kind of tell that they love being French and they love everything about France. And so if you learn to love French things as well, just like learning the way that they speak and loving the things that they love and kind of trying to get a lot, assimilate yourself to the French culture as much as possible, that will be a really good way for you to, for them to be, you to be more approachable to them and they'll accept you a little bit more the more you try and be expressive about your love for the culture and how you're trying to incorporate that.
Video 3 Transcript
The French people, I feel like they like compliments, you know, I feel like they take compliments pretty well. So, you know, I think it's a good idea to like try like, you know, complimenting the French people. They always dress really good, so there's lots of things you can, you know, compliment them about and I think it's a good conversation starter as well.
Video 4 Transcript
sometimes French people when they don't know something they just do this
Video 5 Transcript
So, as far as culture goes, one thing to remember is that French people are very blunt. They will tell you things exactly how they see them. If they do not like you, they will tell you. So, don't get offended by what they say. They just say it how it is. I've learned to love it because you know they're honest and also it takes them a while to open up to people. If you're talking to them on the tram or the bus and they give you a weird look, that's okay. They just aren't very open. But once they do open up, they are very loyal people and you make amazing friends and they're just good people.
Video 6 Transcript
Do your best at integrating into their culture, at trying to be a part of it, at speaking the French language as much as you can. If you make an effort to learn about their history, the intricacies of their language, the French people really appreciate that. They are already interested in foreigners, especially if you're American, they kind of like that, but if you make an effort to learn about them, they will open up a lot more to you. I'm sure that's true for many places, but I think it's especially true for the French people, because they are very proud of their culture. It's something that's very important to them, that's lasted through centuries. So if you make an effort to learn it, it will serve you really well.
Video 7 Transcript
Two culture tips for living in France. One, get a hat, or a few, and also a scarf. They're very chic and they look very nice, everybody wears them. The other thing, if you want to cross the street, you need to treat every car as if it is volatile and it will kill you. It doesn't matter if you're at a crosswalk, halfway across the crosswalk, or anywhere in between, they will continue to go if they have a green light. So please, please, please look both ways before crossing the street, and don't follow the random old guy who is just crazily wandering and meandering his way through the town.
Video 8 Transcript
Despite popular belief, French people are the nicest humans ever. Like, if you give them the time of day and you show them that you're trying to learn their language and you're trying to get to know them and you care about them, they just like become the biggest like teddy bears ever. French people are really reserved and it's hard to become their friend right away, but once you're their friend, you are their friend for life. And that's kind of opposite to the American culture where like Americans, they're just friends with everyone, but you don't get like a super like deep relationship with them. And then if like anything's bad in your life, they don't always come and help you out. But like French people, once you hit that level where it's no longer superficial, they literally will just like welcome you into their lives and give you anything that they can. So just be genuine and love them. Just try to love them and they will love you. There's always going to be someone that makes a mean comment, but like in general, French people are some of the nicest people I've ever met, especially the old people. I love them.
Video 9 Transcript
Do whatever you can to show appreciation for their culture. Try to understand where they're coming from because it won't be the same motivation, won't be the same sentiment that North Americans might have, and yet as you come to understand it and as they, especially as they sense you coming to understand it, it will change their opinion of you and open them more to, you know, developing a relationship with you. So if that means a slower meal or if that means using a quieter voice when you're on a bus or on the subway, you know, those things go a long way. Or doing your best to speak French even if you don't speak French that well.
Video 10 Transcript
It's really true that French people eat bread and cheese with every meal at the end of every meal. Something I recommend is going to the grocery store and just buying a ton of different cheeses, trying them all out, figuring out what you like, what you don't like, what you could learn to like, because they really like it if you have a favorite cheese that you can ask for them to have when you go over to their house. It makes them feel like you're really appreciating their culture.
