Write Jordan a three-paragraph letter in English, and compare French culture and American culture, especially in terms of foods, sports, transportation, population, and demographics. How is your culture similar to French culture? How is it different? Use a lot of details to help Jordan prepare for the trip, and have fun! You can use the CultureGram link to get ideas and information. (5 points per paragraph)

You could argue that two nations couldn’t be further apart in culture – the fast food, fast paced United States versus the formal, old-school French. It’s true that there are many potential clashes but on the other hand, there are many successful business relationships between America and France, too. Here are a few cultural factors for both sides to consider.

In France, quality of life is important. The French don’t walk around carrying a takeaway Starbucks. They’ll sit in their local café with an espresso instead. People will take a lunch break and it’s perfectly normal to go to a restaurant and even drink a glass of wine.  In the USA, eating at your desk is more likely. Eyebrows are raised at Americans who take long lunch breaks, let alone drink wine during the day. The same attitude applies to holidays. Many Americans fail to use their full allowance of vacation, short as it is, relative to Europe. The French, on the other hand, will usually take their full vacation allowance, often including a long break in August, the grandes vacances, when everything shuts down. Forms of address are much more formal in France than in the USA, face to face, in email correspondence and on the phone. In offices, superiors are referred to as Monsieur or Madame by low-ranking workers. In any new business relationship, the formal ‘vous’ form of address is used before moving on to the familiar ‘tu’ form, although younger people may launch straight into ‘tu’, especially in social situations. Americans are accustomed to starting a relationship on first name terms and may find this formality disconcerting. Dress in France is more formal, too, even in dress-down offices. You will be judged on your personal style and presentation, whereas Americans tend to be more accepting of diversity.

Have you ever experienced one of these cultural differences? How did you feel about it?