Life in France: Pros and Cons

This is my second time living in France (I studied abroad in Nantes). There are definitely some things, both good and bad, that I’ve forgotten in the two years since I was last here. I’ve also noticed new things about living in France that are making my experiences this time around quite different from Nantes.  So, on the eve of my seven-week anniversary in Saint-Quentin, here are some pros and cons of life in France.

Pro: Food. I have easily taken to the French practice of buying a baguette several times a week from the bakery down the street, with which I eat Camembert cheese almost daily.

Con: Cold. Even with the heat on, buildings never seem to get truly warm here. Given that minimal heating is much better for the environment, I feel a bit of inner conflict with this one…but usually, I settle with the American perspective that I am entitled to a comfortably toasty room in the winter.

Pro: Fashion (“mode” in French. I was in a store last week choosing between different shoes, and the salesman kept pointing to his favorite pair and saying “c’est la mode!” over and over).  I’ve also indulged in buying some new French sweaters with trademark elbow patches. I’m trying to be inspired, rather than intimidated, by how effortlessly chic the French are.

Pro: TV. French TV does weird things like have a program start at 6:25 or 8:50, or have a single 10-minute long commercial break during an hour-long show. I only have a few channels in my apartment, which is a good thing: there’s not so much choice that I waste a ton of time watching TV, but there is enough available that I get to practice my French comprehension through such delights as French Big Bang Theory, French Lord of the Rings, and French news.

Pro: Walking everywhere.  Taking walks has been a nice way to get to know my town, as well as a convenient way to pass time on a sleepy Sunday. (Plus, it’s always good to get fresh air after working on lesson plans for several hours.)

Con: Walking everywhere. Saint-Quentin is very charming and I enjoy walking around… except that a) it rains almost every day in fall/winter, and b) temperatures have started dropping into the 40s and 30s. So I a) have my umbrella with me at all times, and b) wear at least four layers when spending more than fifteen minutes outside. My cold tolerance is…not very high.

Con: Sundays. Pretty much everything is closed on Sunday in a French town of 60,000.

Pro: People. The people in Saint-Quentin have been very nice so far. I don’t know if they hear my accent and just pity me a little, but I’ve found dealing with people here, even just interactions in a store, to be very pleasant. This totally dispels the “snooty Parisian” stereotype.

Con: People. In a way, I was fairly sheltered from the French in Nantes. I had people like teachers and waiters to deal with, but I didn’t need to make any connections with French people on my own – I was conveniently ensconced in my host family and American friends. The French have their own norms for social interactions; they’re more private than Americans to start, and there are other subtler, less easily defined differences.  Americans are told to just smile and be as friendly as possible, but that would come across as fairly pushy and overzealous in France. While acclimating to my new job, I’m also trying to fit in with new colleagues in an environment with implicit norms I don’t fully understand. This has been, I think, the most challenging thing so far.

Pro: Language. It’s just cool to know a second language! Even though I am by no means fluent and certainly ask French people to repeat themselves sometimes, we usually understand each other in the end. It’s fun.

Pro: Travel. Trains here are awesome, and there are tons of little towns all over Picardie that are easy to access. Every city has an interesting historical site, medieval quarter, castle or cathedral that is worth visiting.

Pro: My job. My main purpose for being here is to be an English teaching assistant, and I’m happy to report that it’s definitely a pro so far.  I like the teachers I’m working with, many of the students are enthusiastic learners, and I’m actually enjoying the process of planning lessons (stay tuned for a more detailed teaching post soon).

~ Sunset view from my kitchen (another pro) ~