(asked by Bill from somewhere) I believe that many French people think of their country as following Green policies mostly. I also know that pretty much every French person (especially Parisians) seems to walk around with bottled water in plastic bottles. I was wondering if you had any insight to this seeming paradox. Cheers, Bill Hi Bill, Well, first I’m not sure what makes you think that the French think of their country as following green policies mostly. I personally [Read the rest]
(asked by Monique from New Mexico) What do you know of the African American experience in France, the entire country not just Paris as far as living and working there? Are they perceived as Hip Hop culturalists or are you more aware of the diversity that African Americans as a group represent? Can you put it in terms of class meaning how are the bourgeois compared with other classes toward African Americans? Do you have to be famous to get [Read the rest]
(asked by PDD from Vietnam) First, I wanted to commend you on your wonderful blog! I love returning to the site to see what new information you have to offer us. It’s incredibly enlightening, even for a “halfie” (I’m half French, half Vietnamese) as myself! =P Second, I have a question for you, though I know this might be hard to answer without some generalities. My question: I have visited the south of France (in particular Montpellier) with my family [Read the rest]
(asked by Holly from the US) Okay, so you’ve had a question about whether the French can recognize regional American accents BUT what do they think about an American accent when someone speaks French? I have friends living in France who have had several reactions-one man complimented her on her “charming” accent and another told a friend that she shouldn’t speak French so well because American accents are charming and hers wasn’t strong enough. So what…is she supposed to “dumb [Read the rest]
Feb 242010
(asked by Diane from the US) I have been reading your blog Ask a Frenchman for a couple of months now and you are wonderful and funny to read. This has definitely been educational. My question is about the post on customer service. I am considering visiting France at some point eventually and I am from the USA. I have a daughter who is deathly allergic to walnuts, and their use seems more common in France. Would there be any [Read the rest]
(asked by David, from somewhere and currently in Paris… no, it’s not me, I don’t ask questions to myself) Just discovered your blog and am enjoying very much your ability to put cultural differences into context. I’ve been in Paris two years with my family (wife and two teen-agers)and we’ve been having a great experience. I’ve tried to impress on my children that we are guests in France and so we must be respectful of cultural differences, even if we [Read the rest]
Feb 092010
A huge number of people arrived on this blog today with the following query on google: “how to impress a French man”, just in the last 90 minutes, 23 people arrived this way. I was wondering why, and then I stumbled upon that commercial that aired during the Super Bowl last night. The funny thing being that I noticed that commercial, but didn’t really pay attention to it while it was airing (I guess I was checking my e-mail or [Read the rest]
Feb 022010
Hey, my name is Sergio, 16 from Austin, Texas and I was reading your blog…neat stuff. I’m actually a Francophile, meaning I literally have an obsession with learning the French language. I am Mexican-American, obviously speaking both English and Spanish as my native languages and trying to learn French. I was actually wondering if it would be difficult for me to live in France, as an English or Spanish teacher or a civil engineer. I have already read Lola’s e-mail, [Read the rest]
Jan 252010
(asked by Anyuli from Puerto Rico) Hello, I recently stumbled upon your blog, and I think it offers some funny and insightful commentary on French culture. I’m a recent graduate from Puerto Rico, who studied abroad in France for a year and is now moving there to pursue a Master’s degree. In your blog you briefly mention the distinction between the “public and the private spheres”. I glimpsed at this through interactions with my significant other and my French host [Read the rest]
Jan 212010
Not a question today, but just a reminder for my American audience. Regularly on this blog, the question of food arises, and I say that American food is terrible, one of the worst in the world, and some people say that: -American cuisine can be good. -One can find good products in the US. Can American cuisine be good? Yes it can. But it’s more the exception than the rule. All in all, American cuisine is not good, and won’t [Read the rest]
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