I loved this piece and generally feel the same way. I did take exception to "espresso culture" in my restack, so we'll see if that sparks some debate!
As far as inconvenience, I guess I've been here for long enough that I don't really notice. There are a lot of places to buy food on Sunday mornings; pharmacies are so convenient compared to the US iteration, and I don't need supermarkets open 24 hours or a bottle of chilled wine delivered to my door.
As for my favorites from your list, the support for culture would be right up there. And I do love the little attentions in shops, for example shopkeepers so often asking "c'est pour offrir?"
Love this list. The part about work not being the centerpiece of identity really stands out, especially comming from someone with dual citizenship who can compare both cultures directly. I've noticed similar patterns in conversations abroad where people are genuinely curious about ideas and experiences rather than just career positioning. That small apartment mentality (28m² being considered great) is such a cultural marker too, complety flips American more-is-better thinking.
This is lovely, and I agree heartily with every single one of them!
I loved this piece and generally feel the same way. I did take exception to "espresso culture" in my restack, so we'll see if that sparks some debate!
As far as inconvenience, I guess I've been here for long enough that I don't really notice. There are a lot of places to buy food on Sunday mornings; pharmacies are so convenient compared to the US iteration, and I don't need supermarkets open 24 hours or a bottle of chilled wine delivered to my door.
As for my favorites from your list, the support for culture would be right up there. And I do love the little attentions in shops, for example shopkeepers so often asking "c'est pour offrir?"
This was posted on my birthday this week and I love your list. I love visiting France too. Happy New Year 🎊
Love this list. The part about work not being the centerpiece of identity really stands out, especially comming from someone with dual citizenship who can compare both cultures directly. I've noticed similar patterns in conversations abroad where people are genuinely curious about ideas and experiences rather than just career positioning. That small apartment mentality (28m² being considered great) is such a cultural marker too, complety flips American more-is-better thinking.