Zé partiiii for a new edition of “what shocks foreigners in France”. Youhouuuu. After telling you about the clash of cultures between Scandinavians and French, here are some of the most shocking habits for the English! The beautiful and exotic story of a meeting between the Froggies and the Rosbif. It’s nice.
1. Kiss
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We always come back to it, but kissing is a French habit that can very easily make a large number of foreigners, including the English, uncomfortable. Across the Channel, a “Hey! “, a handshake or at most, a hug, will be enough.
2. Go ahead of others in line
This habit should be punishable by law, really. YOU ARE UNBEARABLE DOING THIS ALL THE FUCK TIME. LEARN TO WAIT A LITTLE.
3. Make the V for Victory
No, because in England, making a “V” with your fingers is like doing a brave “fuck”! Right away, it’s less friendly.
4. Take a long lunch break
And take the opportunity to have a little terrace with colleagues. In England, it’s more like a ham and butter sandwich, at his desk, in a handful of minutes. It makes you dream less, let it be said.
5. Use different units of measurement
You see, the nothingness in our eyes, when we are told about “foot”, “miles”, “inch” or “pounds”? Now, watch the eyes of the English when they are told about “meters”, “kilometres”, “kilograms” or “centimeters”. Do you see it, too, the interstellar void?
6. Take 5 weeks of paid vacation
As usual, the French complain that gnagnagna is not enough, bla-bla-bla yea yea yea. Well, take a look at the schedule of our English neighbors! Across the Channel, we are entitled to only 4 weeks of leave per year. Similarly, they only have 8 public holidays, compared to 11 in France.
7. Call his/her boss “Mister” or “Madame”
On the British side, we are more relaxed with the bulb on how to communicate with our hierarchy. We call the boss by his first name, while remaining respectful, and that’s fine. Even if in our country, this mode of operation is installed in many places, we are still looooooooooin to adopt this way of life in all companies.
8. And address everyone
In England, we use “you”, and that’s it. To make distinctions of politeness, one calls his interlocutor by his surname, preceded by “Mr.” or “Mrs. “. It’s a lot simpler though.
9. Having to go to a pharmacy to find Doliprane
Of course, the English ALSO go to a pharmacy when it’s to get antibiotics or any treatment that requires a prescription. On the other hand, to get a box of paracetamol, ibuprofen or other free access remedies, they only have to go to the pharmaceutical department of their supermarket. Yes yes. Funny disappointment when they survey the shelves of our Monop’ 12 times, in vain.
10. Do not practice “Cash back”
WHAT? Yes, in England, you can do something that absolutely does not exist in France: ask for “cash back”. Basically, you go to your usual supermarket, you do your small shopping, and at the checkout, you ask the cashier for a £20 note. He adds it to your overall bill (which you pay by card or check, otherwise it makes no sense, huh), and you leave quietly with your cash. Convenient, especially when there is no ATM nearby.
11. The eternal question of tips in France VS in English-speaking countries
We keep coming back to this, but it’s a fact: in the vast majority of English-speaking countries, tipping is a real cultural element. The server is given at least 10% of the overall score. Do you see the rats running around Paris at night? Bah… This is exactly how the English see the French in restaurants.
12. Always have bread at the restaurant
Speaking of restaurants… Here is something else that is not customary in the English: the small basket of bread at the restaurant, systematically brought and filled at will. Surprising, but not necessarily unpleasant, right?
13. Have a sweet breakfast
Surely one of the biggest cultural shocks! Across the Channel, it’s scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, toast, white beans and why not sausage, when you wake up. Nothing to do with our little butter croissant and our jam sandwiches! But honestly, to choose… Do you prefer the smell of hot bread, or that of grilled bacon fat, at 7am?
14. Punctuating sentences with “baaaaah”, “beeeeeh”, “beeeen”
Or “euuuuuuh”. It’s already complicated to understand this language, let’s avoid adding language tics to it, shall we?
15. Being part of the euro zone
Nah but what an idea, seriously! It’s so much easier to have to go to a currency exchange office as soon as you go from one country to another, isn’t it?
16. Bonus: And from the European Union, actually
Youhouuuuuu, hello Brexit! How’s it going, hehe?