Justin Copisarow

FL 2033
10 July 2016
Les Attitudes des Franais
The selection of this topic was an interesting one for me, as I vacillated
between writing about either the citizens of France or the architecture of
France. After pondering for a while at Montsouris Park, I observed a variety of
people passing by. It then became evident to me that there are two
interpretations of the French: One will either say confidently "that's what you
expect from the French," or one might scratch one's head wondering "I
suppose that it's just the French way." To foreigners, the French way is
fascinating and an engaging view of the world. To the French, it's the only
way.
A universal stereotype of the French is clearly rudeness and ignorance of
other people's needs (and only their own). My parents personally
experienced this back in the 1990s when they visited Paris, and I was
expecting the same thing today even with a new generation. Such origins of
these perceptions are difficult to trace, and the French are guilty of the exact
same thing when it comes to their view of Americans. The book, Au Contraire
provides a list of critical remarks about these two nationalities, and does a
fairly thorough job, even though the actual claims are often inaccurate.

The universal perception of French rudeness most likely originates from

the fact that the French are one of the most polite civilizations in the world
today. Whether it is asking questions, making introductions, aiding in
someone's needs or inconveniencing someone in the slightest way, the
French are very particular about making the situation adhere to the highest
standards of respect that they know possible. The book, Sixty Million
Frenchmen mentions the politeness of a beggar on the Mtro whose
vocabulary was broad and his delivery was of someone who was quite wellto-do, because he wanted to show his fellow passengers that he was a polite
gentleman and worthy being given money for a good cause. A similar
situation that I witnessed occurred on the Mtro near the end of my journey:
A raggedy old man, typical of a homeless person, stumbled onto the
Mtro after likely jumping the turnstile. It should be noted that beggars
typically make themselves appear in more dire straits than they are in
reality, so many citizens do not fall for this (especially as they know a euro
will most likely be spent on drugs or alcohol). Next, he announced to the
passengers that he was very sorry to inconvenience them on their journey,
but that he was in need of help and that he would sing to the passengers,
hoping that their humanitarianism would shine through and help a lost and
hungry soul. Once he began to sing, some people rolled their eyes in
frustration, while many ears were promptly plugged with earphones. His
singing certainly didn't deserve any money, but he still sounded better than
many artists today.

Politeness certainly shines through when you see two French citizens
communicating, with the well-known cheek kisses and social interactions.
However, you will encounter rudeness from the French only if you do not
make an effort to adjust to their culture in some way. The "when in Rome"
attitude is fervent among most citizens of France, and while the youth are
much more accepting towards English speakers, you will notice an increase
in their politeness towards you if you act like a Frenchman.
At Versailles, there are a few restaurants right next to the lavish gardens,
and it's perfectly understandable that the servers have to speak some
English to account for the nearly six million tourists every year. I ate at one
restaurant, and my server was a young Frenchman who spoke to me in
English, even after I said "bonjour." You will notice that if you speak some
French to a natural-born citizen, they will most likely reply to you in English
to make the conversation easier for you. It's this new wave of being more
understanding towards people who don't speak French, but it does not
replace the preference of having a visitor make an effort to be more like
them in their home country.
My server was surprised when I ordered completely in French, including
asking for condiments and asking for the bill. Even at his young age, his
nationalism shown through and he was immediately more chipper towards
me. He complimented my speaking skills, and we talked in French for a bit,
discussing my studies and my time in France. This was not expected, and I

was very grateful that he was so taken by my effort. A post on my blog,

http://justininparis.weebly.com, also details my encounter with a nice owner
of a bistro I visited in Paris.
If you comprehend what the French have to experience in one of the most
popular tourist destinations in the world, you will realize that they constantly
have to sacrifice part of their lifestyle in order to serve the often challenging
behavior or habits of foreign visitors. You can compare this conflict of
cultures to life in New York City, where you have many different languages
being spoken and lifestyles exhibited while you are just trying to live your life
as a New Yorker. Eventually your frustration will probably show through and
you will appear rude.
My efforts to repeatedly counter the server's sentences in English with his
own language are the key to unlocking the world of understanding how the
French converse, and discovering how much more eloquent they are in
addressing each other, compared to what we experience with our American
culture. Speak some French, and politeness once again shows its face, and
any trace of a stereotype is dissipated.
Let's now move onto the opposite of stereotypes; actions that you never
would have thought would be associated with the French until you have
actually witnessed or experienced them for yourself. Sometimes customs of
the French are recognized and praised, such as their love of wine and
culinary delights. Other customs are unknown, such as their instinctive need

to embrace history and continue to promote it as the foundation of their

culture. I was initially considering writing about the protected and restored
architecture of France, but it occurred to me upon further examination that
this is simply a branch of the French people's practice and culture of
preserving history.
My first impression of seeing history protected and promoted upon my
arrival in Paris was that the French did so just to attract visitors and tourists,
but this act goes far back in time. As explained in chapter 1 of Sixty Million
Frenchmen and chapter 3 of Au Contraire, history is not just the past, but an
extension of what the French know as the present and what they imagine to
be their future.
In my final week, I made a visit to the Pantheon and in doing so I wanted
to find out why it carried that name. A pantheon is the collection of all the
gods and goddesses of a civilization. The Greek and Roman pantheons are
the most well-known. Paris' Pantheon was built in the 18th century, originally
to honor St. Genevive. Over time however, it was decided that the building
would instead become a mausoleum to honor the men of France who shaped
it into what it is today. In a sense, these men are the "gods" who brought
innovation to the country, and they are France's pantheon. This is a very
secular mausoleum, which is underground, and the sanctuary above ground
still has mosaics of St. Genevive. However, the overall design of the
building was simplified since it was no longer intended purely for the Saint.

It's amazing though, just how proud the citizens of France are today to have
this shrine, and the descriptions of all the men buried there (figures such as
Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Jean Jurs and Louis Braille) provide elaborate
descriptions and praise of these men for their genius.
Unfortunately, in much of America you do not see such high regard for
her history, and many Americans shamefully don't know the meaning of July
4th, 1776. Surprisingly though, the French know a lot more about it and in
fact still cherish it! This was confirmed during my visit to the Palace of
Versailles. Of course, visitors will see many artifacts and objects dedicated to
the famous King Louis XIV and Louis XVI, but I marveled at seeing a brand
new exhibit which opened the day of my visit, titled "Versailles and the
Independence of America." The various plaques highlighted the strife
between America and Britain and the purpose of the Declaration of
Independence. And since this was a French exhibit, it emphasized France's
involvement in the war by helping America. The paintings and documents in
the exhibit were on loan from both America and Britain, while there were also
French artifacts. What amused me was the description about the final battle
at Yorktown which led to Britain's surrender. While America won with help
from the French, the description made it sound like the French won! Of
course they mentioned America's new life, but it's amazing how even to this
day, the French find glory in any world event from which they benefited.

My visits to the Pantheon and Versailles both presented excellent

examples of the efforts of the French to essentially elevate the past to
today's level, in terms of relevance and importance, and show their use of
them as a guide on how best to preserve France's national identity.
The third and final area of French culture that I became aware of and
familiar with encompassed public demonstrations or celebrations. Since the
French Revolution, frequent protesting against the establishment has
become expected, and the French authorities are easily prepared to deal with
this in the best way they perceive possible, which in fact isn't a great way at
all. Throughout the month, there were demonstrations around France against
anything you might imagine: Wages, pickpockets, work conditions,
transportation, trash pickup etc. On my visit to the Palace of Versailles, there
was a strike which delayed the opening by an hour. Protests by Mtro
employees constantly make trains late, and the French weren't visually
annoyed in the slightest. It is simply part of the French way, and even with
notices ahead of time which are printed in the newspapers, you are sure to
experience some inconvenience with these strikes.
An example of the preparedness of the authorities occurred during the
French gay pride festival. Several giant floats, covered in rainbows and other
gay symbols were making their way around the river Seine, close to NotreDame Cathedral. As a result of these floats and the many spectators, a wave
of trash was being left behind. Food, water bottles, confetti, rainbow

necklaces and paper were strewn everywhere as the parade progressed. I

was flabbergasted when I saw what was right behind the parade: A fleet of
about twenty-five green sanitation trucks and dozens of city workers in green
uniforms cleaning the mess, alongside the parade (as it was still
progressing).
In America, one expects to see trash left behind after a parade, and the
mess is usually cleaned up after everyone goes home or the following day. In
France however, you can expect the trash to disappear as soon as it
appears! All the trash was being picked up and dumped into the waste
trucks, while anything stuck to the pavement was sprayed by the giant water
trucks. Tourists were taking pictures in amazement, as was I. Meanwhile,
French citizens simply ignored it or paid no direct attention, as it was typical.
France's citizens have one of the longest life spans, and the reason was
immediately made clear to me. Their love of life in all aspects, even in times
of trouble, is astonishing. Two tragic terrorist attacks in the past two years
along with a huge immigration problem has certainly worried them, but has
not deterred them. Socializing at parks, cafs, historical monuments (such as
the Roman arena) and relaxing or playing by the River Seine is unlike
anything I have seen in America. Whether in Paris or at the vineyards in the
Loire Valley, these experiences may be seen as refreshing for many, and a
complete change of culture and essentially a different way of living life for
others. To the French, this life may not always be as it seems, but it is real.

Without hesitation, looking back over my blog and the events described in
this writing, I may have experienced the life of a French citizen for a month,
but I feel like I have lived here for a year. During this month, my pre-existing
and often unfavorable views of French culture almost completely vanished,
being most often replaced by positive and practical viewpoints and an
admiration of France's unique and inspiring customs that I never would have
expected. If I could speak directly to any person now who may feel as I did
before visiting France, I would simply suggest that he/she first learn basic
French, be open to debate regarding any preconceived ideas, and imagine
that the most fruitful and fulfilling experience awaits. This was truly an
educational opportunity of a lifetime. Merci UTSA et Vive les Franais!

Bibliography
Asselin, Gilles, and Ruth Mastron. Au Contraire!: Figuring out the French.
Yarmouth, Me.: Intercultural, 2010. Print.
Garance, Jacques, and Maud Ratton. Secret Paris. Versailles: Jonglez, 2010.
Print.
Nadeau, Jean-Benoit, and Julie Barlow. Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be
Wrong: Why We Love
France but Not the French. Naperville, IL: Source, 2003. Print.
Steele, Ross. The French Way: The Keys to the Behavior, Attitudes, and
Customs of the French. London: McGraw-Hill Education - Europe, 2006.
Print.