There were a few things I simply didn't believe before I actually got here. It's like how up until I was about fifteen, I didn't believe in taste buds. Taste buds simply didn't seem logical, so I decided that they just didn't exist. Being in a different country is like the Taste Bud Awakening.
I had read about France before getting here, but I had the same strategy for processing the things I read about the culture. I don't like people making generalizations about any group of people, so when I read about "how the French think" or "how the French eat," I simply ignored it.
It turns out, though, that cultural differences--like taste buds--actually do exist. Like saying "bonjour" so often--entering a store, getting on the bus, coming in to an office. And kissing people.
I am starting to see how it is nice to greet and say goodbye to people, always. The daily handshake with everyone is cool, but the two kisses on the cheek is still a little close-quartered. You can tell if the person smokes. If the person brushes his or her teeth. It still simply isn't something I'm entirely comfortable with. Especially with older men. That's just a little too much.
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1 comment:
People should read this.
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