About the French

Finally, I have found my book and here are some facts about the French:

• Fitting in and making friends was harder than she had expected because of the fact that the French are not used to meeting foreigners. For them, friendships form over years, at school or university.
  
• On drink parties serving alcohol is very much a male domain.
  
• In France oblique messages are rewarded as subtle and sophisticated while direct language is considered too blunt.
  
• The book French or Foe, which was written by another expat, advised her that she should pretend to be a chair on cocktail parties. So it would be easier for her when she is ignored. Who would make an effort to speak with an chair? (But they are not rude, they are simply French).
  
• In Paris parks you are not allowed to sit on the grass-you are supposed to admire it, not use it.
  
• Dressing up is very important. No matter where you go. Even if you only rush to the bakery, dress up. In Paris, failure to dress up leads to instant condemnation.
  
• Women, as well as men, are expected to pay close attention to their appearances. To make the most of yourself is a important rule.
  
• The only drunks you see in Paris are clochards, people who live on the street. For Sarah, this seemed surreal compared to Australia.
  
• Roots are everything in France. They are attached to the region where they grew up.
  
• The women in France, particularly Parisian women, perceive those of the same sex as rivals, not as potential friends.
  
• French women didn’t get the vote right until 1944 (three decades later than women in Britain). They haven’t fought for their rights because the haven been treated with respect.
  
• Being funny isn’t considered as feminine.
  
• When the French do something, they like to be good at it. They don’t want to look funny or foolish (e.g. when they are dancing).
  
• Lateness is institutionalised in Paris. If you arrive for dinner on time your hosts might not be pleased.

Sarah’s conclusion: It just takes time in France.

Almost French

‘Driving over Lemons’ by Chris Stewart was a little bit disappointing in view of a lively written expat experience. Quite the contrary was ‘Almost French’ by Sarah Turnbull.

This is her story. Sarah, an Australian journalist, felt in love with a Frenchman, whom she decided to visit in Paris. However, what had happened is that it went extraordinary well that she decided to stay with him (but I can guarantee you, it is definitely not one of these trashy love stories).

One might think it is not hard to live in Paris but Sarah proves that the French have their own codes of behaviour furthermore it is almost impossible to get by without adopting to them.

While reading the book I have tried to underline most of the differences between the French and Australian culture, which may help you. Unfortunately I can not find it the book, but I will try to catch up on this as soon as possible.

Driving Over Lemons

There is another book I've read during my semester break (as you can see I had a lot of time for reading :)

What can I tell you about this one. Well, Chris Stewart, an English sheep shearer, and his wife Ana bought a rustic house in the mountains outside of Granada, Spain. Having no running water, access to road or electricity makes their life a little bit harder than they had expected. Their new life is worlds away from the one the had in England. New dialects, droughts, flooding, bridge building, local rituals, new friends (some of them are absolutely nice but some are quite weird) etc.
In my opinion, Chris Stewart describes all the new animals, plants, rituals or surrounding in a long-winded way. What was more, I missed interesting facts about the Spanish culture.

The book I’m reading at the moment is Almost French by Sarah Turnbull. I’ve to admit that prefer this one more. There is a little love story involved and the French culture (and all the stereotypes) are picturesque described.

Book Sharing

It would be great to share books, so we could safe some money. These are the ones I’ve, which I would also love to share with you. Just let me konw if you want to read one of them.

The Zahir by Paulo Coelho
Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho (one of my favorites)
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
How To Be Good by Nick Hornby
The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell (not one of my favorites but maybe you'll like it)
Post Mortem by Patricia Cornwell
Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart
First Love by Paul Bailey (pocket-sized anthologies)
Almost French by Sarah Turnball
Hard Work by Polly Toynbee
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Nickel And Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich :)

How To Be Good

How To Be Good by Nick Hornby is a funny book I would definitely recommend. It's one of the books you can't/won’t put down.

Nick Hornby, as in most of his books, is tempted to make us think about our life. So what does it really mean to be a ‘good person’? Katie Carr, one of the characters in the book, is trying hard to be one. She is a GP, cares about homeless, the Third World, wants to be a caring and excellent mother etc. Being the opposite of her sarcastic husband David, who seems to be the angriest man in Holloway, Katie made a fatal mistake. She slept with another man.
Contrary to expectations, this does change David’s life for the better. He meets an mysterious faith healer, who made him convert to an optimistic do-gooder. At this point there is a twist in the tale, which makes the story hilarious.

I've read the book over the semester break because Nick Hornby is always a good choice. If there should be anyone interested in reading it, let me know and I'll bring it along.