My French experience was not a culture shock. This is an important takeaway. I am European, and I have been to France before many times, so I was not shocked or too surprised by the things I saw or experienced.
Yet, I discovered that behind a shallow surface, there are so many things I didn’t expect or didn’t understand before. The French culture was not as clear and obvious as it seemed from the start, and I loved that I was able to learn that from the inside.
I feel like with every extra word and new phrase, I learned more about the way people think and reflect. The words highlighted the logic of the French people, their ways of looking at things, and their overall perceptions of the world. It felt like with the language, I was able to get a new identity for myself, a French version of my personality that could think and see the world through the prism of the French language and culture. It made me richer and happier.
Bye, France!
The first time I had a dream in French was very memorable. The dream was very funny, and the French in it was not too advanced, but it was a French conversation anyways, and I dreamed in it. I dreamed about the mustard, or la moutarde, and the French fighting over it because I remembered my professor’s joke over how French people would obsess and complain if there was no mustard.
I don’t like mustard, but I liked the French and France, and I am happy I got to experience what I experienced. The world gets tiny and welcoming when you know how to communicate with it.
A fellow classmate, an Italian girl, and I had a conversation on representation in politics in our respective countries. I told her that Ukraine had a very high representation of people of different ethnicities and origins in our parliament, and it was common to see people with non-Ukrainian last names as important public figures. It was also true for people coming from diverse religious backgrounds.
In Italy, Clara said, the situation was different. Parties mostly consisted of white Italians, and it was rare to see an immigrant or a person who is not an ethnic Italian in national politics. Clara herself comes from the German-speaking part of Italy as she is a part of the Austrian community. She told me she didn’t feel particularly represented in Italy on the national scale.
How diverse is Europe and France in particular?
We asked our professor about representation in France. Was it easy to be non-French born and yet, become an influential political figure? Are there many immigrants who, after obtaining citizenship, became visible and recognized?
Our professor was skeptical.
Yes, there was representation, he said, and yes, there were people of diverse origins in France who made it really big. There were lots of French politicians of Algerian, Senegalese or other origins, and the same was true for arts, education, and other spheres.
The problem was, however, that to get to their current point, they had to work three times as hard as white French people born and raised in France. Their success happened in spite of things, and not because they received a lot of encouragement. Some French complained that there was positive discrimination in the country, and the reason that some immigrant-born people got successful was because they were unjustly favored. So there was stigma, prejudice, and misunderstanding.
That was the reason that far right radicals were getting so much power in the country recently. Antisemitism and anti-immigration became very big talking points which aim to discredit the achievements made by diverse communities. Cultural pluralism is viewed as a sin by some of these right wing groups as they believe that only ethnic French people should live in France, hence they can only speak French at home and follow what they consider traditional French values.
I noticed the racial problems in France early on my arrival here. There are lots of issues when it comes to equality and representation of the African French community, for example, and these issues are translated into politics. I worry about what lies ahead for France and the rest of Europe. It is a beautiful experience to learn the French language, but it also uncovers lots of deeper challenges within French society.
I didn’t budget train trips in my summer experience. I didn’t think I’d do a lot of traveling as I would not have time, but then, I am too restless to stay in one place. Weekend trips and short getaways became very common.
In France, it is easy to travel as long as you have money. Foreigners can easily rent a car, which is a bit pricey, but provides more flexibility. Then, there are buses (like FlixBus, Europe’s biggest bus operator), and trains. The trains are especially efficient because they are faster than buses (super speedy), have lots of direct routes with shortest connections, and provide wonderful comfort.
The problem is that trains are expensive. Very expensive. A trip in a high-speed train that covers around 300 kilometers costs around 100 Euros. Smaller trains are cheaper, but expect to pay something around 50 Euros for a one-way ticket. There are also short-distance trains, where cost would vary from around 5 to 10 euros.
Working on an empty-ish train
Sometimes train workers go on strike. So be aware of that, too. An expensive ticket does not guarantee that the train will show up. The train workers are efficient and transparent, so they inform about strikes in advance – and you can play your journey in-between train interruptions.
Ukrainian citizens are allowed to travel on some trains for free. This is because of Russian invasion into Ukraine, and the help that the French government is providing to Ukrainian citizens. Not every municipality or a community is aware of that, but it is possible to get free tickets when you know your rights.
I got myself two free train tickets this way. I didn’t care about the destination too much as long as I got to enjoy the view as I went. I figured that as long as I get to see something new, I can go anywhere.
I visited Nantes, Paris, and Strasbourg this way. For some tickets, I decided to pay (I felt awkward getting free tickets) – but I was happy I saved up some money on the two tickets I got with my passport.
There are lots of train discounts for students in France. If you are younger than 26, you pay only a small fraction of the price, which makes travels much more affordable. For people who plan to stay in France for a very long time, there is an option to purchase a long-term train ticket which allows you to travel on a certain route for less money. Overall, there are many options.
I encourage people to do small or longer trips if they can. There is something about the train, its typical noise and movements that makes the experience so memorable.
Food is key to the French culture. This may sound cliché, and it is, but it is also the truth. Some of my most memorable moments in France are related to food. Even if you’re not big on trying out new things or don’t pay much attention to your diet, France can change that easily. Food connects people here. Literally.
Here’s how.
Learning a language can get dull sometimes, especially if that’s your only activity in a foreign land. I am one of those people who desperately needs a change of scenery. New people, new stories, new experiences. It gets dull to connect with the same students all the time, too, so I seek out strangers from the outside. And I found some.
I decided to crush an event that seemed really cool in the local youth center, a very beautiful culture house where there are books, comfy chairs, and lots of company. The event was on Europe, European solidarity, and youth involvement. Hence, the audience was young, active, and French.
The event was open to the public, but it seemed like everyone knew everyone. Well, except for me. People were chatting over wine which I don’t drink, and having a good time, and I, on the other hand, had a hard time to strike a conversation with anyone. So instead, I grabbed a book that was nearby and tried to read it in the middle of the networking/party thing.
Now, a kind soul, a nice local French man, started talking to me. He and his friend were kind enough to ask me about the book, and when they heard my accent, they even tried to switch to English – a nice effort which I immediately rejected. So we chatted in French. Soon, their friends joined us, and we were having a nice conversation in French of how good/bad Macron is, and whether fascists will gain even more momentum in Europe (scary reality we’re seeing across many places).
As we were chatting, I complained a bit that I don’t know a lot of French people, and I would love to experience France in a way that’s different from the classroom.
Delicious French bread by Alan Rodriguez.
Maybe it was my voice, or just the sad look on my face, but I got an invite to a brunch that was happening the same week, on Saturday. And obviously, I went.
Now, when I was coming to brunch, I didn’t expect that there’d be so many bread-things. I am from Ukraine, and we are quite famous for our grains (bread is great), but we would not offer so many different types of bread and cookies in one event. There would normally be a variety of foods, so you’d choose some veggies, fruit, cheese, or else.
But the French brunch to which I went definitely had bread as its main course. There were obviously croissants and baguettes, but then, there was a gigantic variety of majestic breads with different colors, structure, and shapes. They tasted differently, too. Then, there were cookies and non-sweet pastries that were something in between a piece of bread and a biscuit.
Now, turns out that my host’s father is a baker. They have a farm with lots of grain fields, so they grow and produce everything altogether. This is a family business, which is quite profitable and joyful – or so it seemed.
I was fascinated. In my home in Ukraine, we used to bake bread for some years (I also grew up on a farm), but then, we stopped as the bread production got more expensive – so it was cheaper to buy mass produced bread than to make your own.
This is the same in France, so many smaller producers are forced out of business because of the trend. Nils’ father, however, still gets by and even makes profits.
“We know that the agricultural business in Ukraine is very competitive, and we are ready to welcome you in Europe,” Paul (the father) told me during the brunch, “French farmers have accepted that Ukrainian farmers may crush us, but that’s because you’re very good at what you do.”
I was flattered to hear that, but even more, I was happy to hear that the guy knew and welcomed Ukrainian businesses coming to France even if it meant more challenges for him. To this man – as well as many people I have meet here – Europe was about being open and welcoming.
Nils’ parents, Paul and Lillie, got married thanks to their love for bread, by the way. So the food literally connected this fun family.
I had a wonderful time there, and I realized that during brunch, I communicated in French completely at ease. Proud moment.
To be honest, I find it a bit frustrating to talk to the French. I try my best, and I am not shy despite a very strong accent. Yet, whenever people hear me, they try to be accommodating and switch to English. I noticed this the most around young people. They are most likely to know English, and they are normally the most interested in speaking it. While I appreciate the kind gesture, I wish they would stop. After all, I want to practice, especially in situations that are unpredictable.
The dislike for English language is nothing but a stereotype in France. People do like to speak English; it’s just a lot of them (and this is great for me, actually) don’t know any foreign language. The lack of other language skills among the locals is perfect for those who want to be in situations where it’s French or nothing.
A beautiful green creature in a park in Nantes, which I visited for a short trip (Northwestern France).
French people talk extremely fast. They use slang a lot, too, and they “eat” some words sometimes, so it is tricky to understand them. News, podcasts, and official announcements are much easier than the spoken language that I hear on the streets because locals don’t care that much about grammar, perfect pacing, and other standards. I feel like if I can master a long conversation with a perfect stranger on a variety of topics ranging from Macron to Ukraine, then it is when I can say that I made it in my language learning.
A thing that’s a little bit unique to me is the fact that I am Ukrainian. Therefore, a lot of French people ask me about Ukraine, how things are back home, and so on. It is quite kind and logical given the Russian war; therefore, I get to educate and explain a lot of things about Ukraine while practicing my French. I found this to be rewarding and challenging at the same time, and I am happy to see that my French is getting to the level where I can actually express whatever it is that I want to convey on this difficult and important topic. I learned such words as imperialism, colonialism, European responsibility, values, and so on. Great!
Overall, I like the French. Interactions are interesting. People are straightforward and have a good sense of humor (for the most part!). They are content with their lives, and this is contagious.
One phenomenon that has intrigued me for some time is the music festival. I have learned that there are two main types: private and public. A few weeks ago, I attended the Marsatac festival in Marseille to see my favorite artist of all time, Damso. It was magical; so much so that I cried happy tears on the walk home from the bus station.
This concert was quite honestly one of the best moments of my life. I also made friends with some French people on the bus and stuck with them for part of the night.
At the festival, there were other attractions and artists to see, as well as food and drink, and it took place in a large park that was not far from one of the larger beaches in Marseille. This was my impression of a music festival, so the notion of something more public was very intriguing to me. Online, the public music festival of Aix looked to be similar; the tourism office promotes it as a cultural gathering with all types of music. At the same time, there was a similar festival that same night in Marseille right by the beach, but this was marketed as more of an EDM rave. Although it was a tough decision, I decided to stay in Aix with my friends from class and explore La Fête de La Musique in Aix. I made the right choice. The main street in Aix, le Cours Mirabeau, was absolutely full of people waiting to see the next act on a stage at the end of the street. We walked a few minutes to the main squares further into the city center, and they were also full of people. Bars played music loud, and there were makeshift stages in the corners of the squares. Essentially, almost everywhere you went, there was music and people. I learned that the scene earlier in the day was much different, consisting of more folk music exhibitions.
A large group of Brazilian street performers were also in attendance at the music festival in Aix.
Broadly, however, it was an intensely gratifying experience to hear French music in stores, bars, and clubs. I have been listening to French music for the past six years, but I have never heard it in public, let alone with everyone around me singing along. I mentioned in my application that I wanted to go to Marseille because some of my favorite rappers come from that city. Yet, I did not know the grip that two of them, Jul and Naps, exerted on the city.
This is the sign of the most famous rapper from Marseille, Jul.
As I explored Marseille, I recognized monuments and street names from song lyrics, and it made me feel like I knew the city so much better. All in all, I know for a fact that I will dearly miss the music scene in Provence, but I find comfort in knowing that I can take it with me wherever I go.
Through talking with friends from my classes and with other French people whom I have met, my perspective of the United States is changing greatly. Of course, the stereotypes about being ignorant, without good fashion, and reasonably patriotic make sense to me. In fact, I was asked to verify a TikTok about American high school students who made egregious mistakes in basic geography, and my friends were shocked to find out what me and most of my fellow Notre Dame students normally wear to class. A classmate from Turkey even referred to me regularly as “le capitaliste”! Despite these negative stereotypes, a prevailing attitude about the United States is that it is a popular travel destination or even a desired destination for work, if one’s English is at a sufficient level. More broadly, however, certain policies and norms in the United States came under question as “backwards” relative to France. Between the recent leaked Roe opinion and the longstanding drinking age of 21, many of my friends see the United States as more socially conservative than France. Personally, I was shocked to find out that high school students start going out to nightclubs as young as 15.
Another cultural difference is driving. It is much less common for people my age to have a driver’s license, and the rules of the road also differ slightly. I personally prefer the more accessible public transportation and the smaller cars, but I would still be intimidated by the process of obtaining a driver’s license abroad. (You can also see Mont Saint Victoire in the background here!)
Another peculiarity that came up in conversation was the double-sided stereotype that Americans are overly nice and that French people are somewhat caustic in conversation. While the vast majority of my interactions in France were friendly, I was made aware that southern France, specifically Marseille, differs slightly in attitude from more touristic cities like Paris. Maybe it was because I was speaking the language, but I almost never felt dismissed or unwelcome. In fact, in talking with a girl from Paris at a concert, I learned that the perceived hostility likely comes from a lack of desire to converse in the excessively cheery American fashion. I actually found it refreshing to be free from the obligation to engage in small talk, and now that I’ve been here for some time, it sometimes feels uncomfortable to break those periodic moments of silence.
On the bus ride to a concert this week, I met a Notre Dame alum. I noticed that him and his wife were confused about which bus to take, so I offered help and soon learned that I was talking to a fellow Domer: Professor Thomas Cavanaugh at University of San Francisco! For a classmate’s 18th birthday, I suggested that we buy a book of maps and write a message on the page that corresponds with our country. It was cool to see the culture that everyone highlighted in their own country.
In both Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, there are plenty of diverse options for food. Of course, I had to try Provençal cuisine at least once. It was quite delicious, and I have also tried cuisine from prevalent minority cultures in the region, like Vietnamese nem chua, Moroccan tajine, and even Senegalese thiep. Above all, however, I have fallen completely in love with kebab. I am not familiar with an equivalent of kebab in America, but the general concept consists of a sandwich (bread or wrap) with meat, standard vegetables, french fries, and a sauce, of which you can choose from around fifteen different flavors (my favorites are sauce biggy and algerienne). In fact, I was lucky enough to eat at a kebab shop in which the sole employee was willing to walk through the sauce menu and describe each of them to me and my friends. I also performed some of my own research because of how much this menu overwhelmed me. Notably, both Algerian sauce and Samurai sauce have their origins in Belgium, and American sauce is in fact just mayonnaise and ketchup, a combination that I have yet to see in an American grocery store.
This was one of my favorite kebab shops in Aix. I asked the kebabiers there if they sell their t-shirts as promotional merchandise, but they are out of stock until after I will leave.
The prevalence of kebab shops also is astounding—on Rue de la Couronne in Aix-en-Provence, for example, you can pass five different kebab places, each with its own nuanced personality. In Marseille, most kebab shops will stay open until the early morning, and there are plenty of kebab kiosks in the less dense parts of Aix-en-Provence.
This kebab shop was my favorite in Marseille. By the end of my time there, we got to know this kebabier very well. My order was the 3.50 euro tournedos on galette with sauce algerienne.
While some might see the offerings of kebab shops as snack food that only tastes good after 3 AM, I am attracted to kebab as a fascinating mix of cultures: the traditional French sandwich meets meat from the Middle East meets sauces from around the world meets the global fast food staple of French fries. Perhaps because kebab is undeniably a global fast food, it is easy to meet other young people at kebab shops at any hour of the day over any combination of great foods.
A collection of some other food from my trip so far. Clockwise from top left: escargot, tapas the Panier neighborhood of Marseille, Provencal daube, a French cookout (grocery shopping is so much fun), and a Vietnamese noodle bowl.
Today, I leave for my six-week trip to Tours, France. Before this trip, I have only traveled outside of the United States once, which was a trip to Ireland for one week. Needless to say, I have never spent an extended time in a place where I have had to not only adjust to differing cultural idiosyncrasies and customs, but to also utilize a non-native language 100 percent of the time. With that being said, over the course of my life and education at Notre Dame, I know that I have cultivated the language and cultural competency skills to effectively learn and benefit from this immersion. I am currently a bundle of excitement and nervousness, ultimately because I know that this will be one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life.
I have reminded myself particularly of the language challenges that will arise. Compared to my classroom experience with the French language thus far, I am prepared to hear a much faster speaking pace, one that may even be discouraging in the initial days. I know it will take some adjusting to comprehend that pace as well as the different formalities, slang, and vocabulary that I likely have not encountered in my 3 years at Notre Dame. Yet, with the challenge of keeping up with the native speakers comes the ultimate opportunity. I will be surrounded by experts of the language and culture 24/7. This is the perfect predicament for me to become a sponge, absorbing all of the differing nuances of the language that I hear and asking questions to understand the world through the eyes of the people I meet and form relationships with.
Along with that, I cannot wait to utilize my language and communication abilities to dive into French popular culture and cuisine. At the Institute where I will be studying, I will take part in excursions to cinemas, culinary classes, and art museums. Further, I plan to volunteer at a local organization in the area where I will interact with the native speakers and citizens of Tours, asking them questions about their day to day lives, their favorite foods, their favorite pop culture works, and their opinions about the state of France today. In doing so, I hope to gain perspective on how different people view the world and find joy and meaning in their lives.
Overall, I cannot wait to be challenged and to struggle in between the times of excitement, learning, and joy. I cannot wait to be in a position where I am in a place completely new and out of my comfort zone. I cannot wait for this experience because I know it will make me a more flexible, adaptable, well-rounded, worldly, and resilient human being.
As of my writing this post, I am a week away from flying to France to begin studying at the Institut de Touraine. I would be lying if I said I was not a little nervous about living in another country for six weeks, fully immersed in another language. That anxiousness, however, is overshadowed by my excitement for this experience. Full immersion is certainly intimidating, but I believe it will help me to learn French at a much more rapid rate than classroom learning. At Notre Dame, I am used to switching my mental focus around constantly to keep up with all of my classes. It will be a refreshing change of pace to not have to worry about other assignments or exams in other classes that normally take my focus away from learning French. Additionally, the immersion will help me to constantly expand my knowledge, even outside of my time studying at the Institut de Touraine, in speaking French with my host family, at restaurants, and with other students. The learning never stops!
Outside of the general goal of becoming more proficient in French, there are a few specific ways I would like to use the language and learn more about French culture during my time there. I would like to become fully comfortable with using French to be a self-sufficient traveler: ordering meals, asking for directions, holding basic conversations, etc. I would also like to learn more about French politics from the people there. As someone interested in working internationally after graduation, it is incredibly important to understand the current state of geopolitics. I believe that the best way to learn about the current affairs of a country is talking to the people living within it, which the Summer Language Abroad grant has given me the opportunity to do this summer. Given the very recent French presidential election, there is much to learn from the people there when I arrive.
I believe that my time in Tours will allow me to become more appreciative of the vibrancy and distinctiveness of the world’s different cultures–in this specific case, French culture. This summer is the first time I have traveled out of the United States, so I have not had much opportunity to see the small intricacies that make each culture unique. What I have learned in my French classes about French culture has truly fascinated me, and I am excited to witness these things first-hand. I also believe that this experience will help me to become more adaptable. Living in a city with completely different customs that speaks French will be a shock at first, but adapting to these differences will prepare me for traveling to different countries in the future. I am incredibly grateful that I am able to have this opportunity, and I look forward to being in France in one week!
