Amy Glazier-Torgerson, Sciences Po Exchange, Fall 2013
During my travels beyond Paris this semester, many foreigners have asked me leading questions about how I find Paris. “Do you hate it?” “Aren’t the people cold there?” they ask. I understand the truth behind the stereotype: many Parisians are less outwardly warm than people from other big cities, especially Chicago. Among my French friends and host family members there are few people who feel comfortable talking openly about themselves and asking about you, beyond the initial “ça va?” (how’s it going?) to which you respond most often “ça va” (it’s going.) So people aren’t cuddly by any means, but when it comes to the rudeness stereotype I have found little basis for its validity. From time to time I’ve encountered the grumpy waiter who wants his tab paid the second I lay it down, or the security officer at the Musée d’Orsay who freaks out when the edge of my shoe touches the couch on which I am sitting, but harshness, especially in staff, can be easily found in every country.
When people ask me whether all Parisians are rude and cold, I want to shut down the stereotype with stories of how energetic and engaging people have been around and with me. For example, yesterday, I entered the Saint Michel métro stop to find an amazing surprise. A two-person band, using only guitars, a tambourine, and their voices, was performing for a crowd of around 50 people who otherwise thought they’d just be taking the métro! When people came into the station, most would abandon their plans to listen to the band play popular songs and dance to the music with complete strangers. A man in the crowd had his harmonica on him, and asked if he could jump in for an impromptu solo once in a while. The spontaneity of the performance and energy of the crowd amongst strangers was so attractive that I stayed with friends for 45 minutes!
When I arrived in Paris, I feared offending anyone with my less than perfect French. I assumed people would dislike me for having English as my first language. I knew that wait staff frequently switch into English for English speaking customers, even if they address them in French, and I took that as a sign of rudeness, as if my French were inadequate to continue in that language. This doesn’t happen nearly as often as I expected. Even though my French has improved significantly, I believe this to be because people often aren’t trying to be rude when they switch to English- they are trying to accommodate. If you speak confidently and demonstrate that you want to speak French, most people will let you continue. In Paris, French is the first language, and English is the second; don’t assume the second language is rudeness, otherwise you’ll get it.