By mcbitter
As I prepare for my upcoming semester abroad in Paris (fourteen days and counting!), the number one thing on my mind is simple: fit in, fit in, fit in.
Why do I want to blend in with the Parisians, you might ask? Surely such a task is impossible - after all, they are widely regarded as the most chic creatures under the sun. (I’m not sure how they pull off wearing leather so well, but I’m not going to push it. Or try it for that matter.) Ultimately, I am pursuing this goal in an attempt to avoid those awkward stares from the locals (mon dieu, another American tourist). Indeed, there exist certain attitudes that Americans seem to associate with Parisians - that they are not always welcoming, or that they accept us begrudgingly, when we visit the famed City of Lights. While I have not experienced this treatment myself (in fact, all of the Parisians I have encountered in the past were nothing but gracious!), I am still anxious to avoid attracting it. If such an attitude is true, anyway, I would imagine that the Parisians are not entirely at fault - similarly prevalent are stereotypes of tourists ignoring foreign customs and the very culture that draws us to them in the first place.
In an effort to understand and embrace these customs, especially those that are regarded as common courtesy, I have taken to several books, one of which I especially recommend. “The Sweet Life of Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World’s Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City,” is written by David Lebovitz, and it provides an insider’s look into an American’s Paris - what to do (greet shopkeepers with a Bonjour Monsieur/Madame), what not to do (don’t leave the house in comfy clothes and flip flops, for one!), and what to eat (all of the mousse au chocolat, in my case).
By the end of my time in Paris, I hope that I will be able to say that I have had an authentically Parisian experience - and maybe, just maybe, I’ll have tricked some of the locals into thinking I was one of them!