***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!*** Congrats to Saundra Hendricks, Cathy S., and David Day, you're the winners! I've replied to your comments below and have invited you to please email me at ouiinfrance at gmail dot com with your address/phone. I'll mail the prizes out Saturday morning. THANK YOU!!!
just wanted to mention that about big cars, i think u forgot a major point : oil ain't just about price it's also about ecological impact. And I think french people are globally closer to that question than americans : i remember these people in a US documentary who were pimping their cars in order to pollute a maximum to express their freedom to do so, ofc they are not representative of all americans people, but they couldn't even exist in France because some ecologists would have killed them before the documentary was released 🤣😂. More seriously USA doesn't seem very sensitive to that question North america countries are the only ones in the whole word who refused to sign Kyoto protocol... Whatever, nice video, keep the good work ;)
Yep, French people do watch your channel : there's so much to learn from foreigners' point of view on France. Once again, your video is relevant. Yes, I do wear slippers as my mom told me to do when I was a kid. Yes, I don't like to stand up when driking my coffee. Yes, I'm not used to cook pumpkin as a sweet (but I do like pumpkin pies). Yes, I do think Imperial system is illogical and oldfashioned but I still drink 'un demi' (and it is not half a liter of beer) and I buy 'une livre de cerise' at the market. And please, please, stop buying oversized pollutant cars ! And yes, on the all, I often think Americans are weird. Thank you for your work, Diana.
@Olivier Obeuf: The Americans drink their coffee or other drinks in the street standing or walking as if they had no time to waste. Normally you French people drink coffee seated at home, or standing if you are in a cafe (bistrot) in front of the 'counter' that you call bar. When someone orders a demi of beer he will get 250 ml of beer because it is half of a Pinte of beer that he ordered. A pinte in the old days in France was 0.5 liter.
Demi is for demi pinte = half pint, since France did use its version of imperial before the revolution, but the pint being exactly 0.5L and a pound being exactly 0.5kg are like, adaptations of existing units to metric after metric was adopted. Like, does it have to be a huge deal that for certain things people especially in rural areas kept using the names of old units of measurements (and way more are used informally for certain things like cloth, wood, etc) even though they fit into the metric system in a way that isn't totally awkward. I'd call 500g of cherries 500g of cherries but I also wouldn't be weirded out if my grandmother called them a livre, chill out.
As a french woman, I usually wear slippers at home, and I see two very logical reasons about that. Many houses have floor tiles which can be really cold even in summer so slippers are a must to insulate your feet from this cold. Most people wear shoes inside so their floors always have a bit of outside dirt on it. They just don't want to put this dirt on their barefoot but still be comfy.
New subscriber here. When I lived in France my French friends were surprised that Americans eat corn on the cob. They explained that corn is grown to feed farm animals. I was able to find American-style sweet corn on the cob in a supermarket over there and served my French friends. I had to show them how to butter it and eat it. They seemed to really enjoy the experience. Great video, Diane!
I am surprised by the explanation of your friends regarding the corn. It is true that French people usually don't eat corn on the cob. But we do eat a lot of corn in mixed salads, including baby corn. Corn flour is used to make bread or, in the south-east, polenta. And, of course, pop-corn.
@@nco1970 Yes, as you say, but I was referring to corn on the cob. They found it unusual to eat something that they associated with animal feed. And it was funny for them to eat it with their hands, holding both ends of the cob. It was a new experience for them. Your English is impeccable by the way!
Corn on the cob is nice because you can sometimes find a set of packaged cobs that were picked a little under full maturity. The best ones to eat. They are more tender and just taste better. Cut corn you have no way to select younger kernels.
Great video, your channel is really interesting 😊 as for the slippers... As a french i find it really strange when people doesn't have some inside. Being bare feet or in socks means that you're feets/socks will get dirty (cuz no one can keep a house spotless clean let's be honest). It is a great way to be confortable, warm in winter, and keep clean feet 😉 and actually in my family we always have some extra pairs for guests coming over 😅
Hi. Am an Arab from Dubai. I’ve lived in the States in the 80s and I find Americans very warm , friendly and down to earth. I can’t tell u how many times, I’ve been helped by the total strangers ! Bless them. I’ve been to Paris once and the French , specially the seniors were helpful to me as well. Ps; I’ve sent u a DM about my experience with the phone operator in Alliance France - Paris while I was calling her overseas from Dubai. Merci.
The metric system is totally the way in engineering, industry, chemistry, and autos now. Imperial is mostly used in repair and renovation. Oh, construction too-- a 2x4 is just the right size for building walls.
Actually, in 1975 the US signed the Metric Conversion Act. I grew up in school learning all metric measurements rather than the pound system. But then it never really happened and we're back to the pound system. Consequently I suck at both measurement systems as a result.
I believe Regan cancelled the metric system act that was passed by a previous administration. I learned a little in school and was so confused but at 55 it would be a distant memory and we’d be on board with the rest of the world now😂
I personally like to cover my feet and wear slippers even during summer because I don't want to have to go through washing my feet everytime I want to lie or sit in my bed, or even on a chair or sofa (I like to put my feet up)
I love these comparison videos. They are always interesting and eye opening. It's always a fun way to remember that "different' is just different. It doesn't make one wrong or right, just different. It's the differences that give us things to talk about. If I were lucky enough to win I would love to try the Nuxe products.
American, I always wear slippers and socks. I'm always cold, and I can't fathom people who go around barefoot! My feet would be always cold and dirty, and that's definitely not my journey. 🥴 My husband is a slippers without socks person, but we both like getting home and switching to slippers immediately.
As a french pharmacist, I am shocked by american pharmacies. In France we are health professionals, I find American pharmacies outside of what should be a place dedicated to health 🥺
Since it is impossible to buy a product without paying tax, and the rates of excise and value added taxes are known to everyone, it is best to note the price with and without taxes on the purchase receipt. But when choosing a product, it is best to see the full price you will pay.
About large cars, it's coming to France and especially here on the sunny Riviera. And if you look at European made cars, they are getting larger and lager. It's quite annoying since our tiny mountain roads and our village streets were made for maybe two donkeys and a cart . It gets worse in the city as our underground parking lots were made for 1980's cars like the WV Golf/Rabbit or a Renault 5.
so true! I was born and raised on lake Como in Italy, every time I visit I see bigger cars, which is horrible in those narrow roads and with our small parking spaces. still not as big as American SUVs and minivans though
I also feel that people driving those cars are somehow less considerate on the road; maybe they're so removed from everything happening outside when sitting in there.
Riviera is in Italy. But beautiful too, I had a girlfriend in Bordighera long ago. Until Napoleon Côte d’Azur belonged to Italy. But this is over 200 years ago. For a good icecream its better to visit todays Riviera. Its not far away, lol. My favorit place is Roccetta Nervia, I established there nude bathing 35 yrears ago. 🙂 Driving and finding a Parking for SUVs is not easy in south of France, escpecially in Nizza or Cannes or Monte Carlo. In those region I had never seen so many Porsche Cayenne, the replaced the Renault R4 of former times... and the drivers speak russian not french...
'To-go coffee' are strange. Everyone stop working at my office, and we made our coffee together, and speak about our week end. The pleasure of stop moving to drink a coffee outside with a friend or even by yourself, reading sports results, is quite enjoyable.
I visited France at the age of fifteen to visit my fathers family. I was there from spring thru the summer and I was ran into quite a few of differences that sometime I found funny and sometimes I just could not understand. Coming from California I was used to running around the house barefoot. I was told that was a huge no no and by doing so I would get a stomach ache. I had to laugh but I respected the rules of the houses and wore slippers. The biggest funny and I had to tease my Dad when I returned home was my conversation about the Fourth of July meal. My uncle wanted to know what we eat on that holiday. I was telling bbq, potato salad and corn on the cob. The whole room went silent to be followed with an “Ohhhh La La”. Your father feeds you cattle food? The horrified looks on the faces around the table was something I will never forget. When I got home and told my father he had the best laugh. Washing my hair more than once a week was a huge no no as well. My aunt told me my hair would fall out. I loved my French experience and would not have traded it for anything. My father told me I would appreciate my life more upon return. It opened up my whole world and what I gained from my relatives Will never be forgotten. I love France!,
Ahah, the barefoot thing tho, we have that saying in France "you catch a cold from your feet, stomach and throat". It's not entirely true but, if you're feeling just a bit cold, wearing socks is waayyyyy more efficient than wearing a sweater.
I’m french, and I eat bbq very often, I wash my hair at least 4 times per week and walk barefoot around my house- 💀 my mom is always yelling at me bc I walk barefoot but I don’t care lmao
I am 62 years old and I have always washed my hair every day, and I have a full head of dark brown hair (I just noticed four single grey hairs…) I think I can attest that “the wive’s tale” is not true.
love the cafe culture in both France and Spain, and such wonderful coffee, much better quality than most brews I have had in the UK or the States for that matter. Add to that the price is ridiculously cheap at between 1 to 2 euro for a cafe solo or americano.
I lived in France. twenty years ago. I adapted immediately to the Bonjour when entering stores, not being invited to handle and gather food items and some other items without sales help. No problem! It was nice. But what I hated was having to announce my entrance in a pharmacy when I was trying to search inconspicuously for feminine or sexual products. Just leave me to poke around on my own, please! Especially when I didn't know what to call it and came up with some very klutzy, literal translations.
Ha ! Ha!(the end of your post). Fortunately or unfortunately the supermarkets don't help one around, but they are convenient. I remember about fifty years ago a friend coming in to see us in a 'state'. She announced that finally the end of civilization was near.. the local little store had a small freezer with (horrors) FROZEN PEAS! And she was an American expat!
It's just a cultural thing between us😂 it's not embarrassing for us asking for those kind of articles, if u want condoms they will ask u which flavor or texture u want and many visitors r shoked 😂in France they normalised feminine product since a long time ago as for sexual products as long as its not things for fetishism or sex objects there is no reason to feel embarrassed about it! The pharmacist is like a doctor sometimes! If u have rash down there they can help u chose the product u need.
Wall, about coffee on the go, we don't need to buy a coffe on the go that we might spill while moving when every work place has its own coffee maker / coffee vending machine, wich is also way cheaper... So yeah, that's a weird thing for us. Shops like Starbucks are more used to sit down a bit, like a normal Café. Even bakery have tables and chairs so that people who buy coffee there can sit while enjoying there coffee.
We are different in the USA because we are a different country. We are doing just fine as we are as I’m sure France is too. No need to change anything.
Yup, I always say that sort of thing in my videos. We're different countries so of course we do things differently and that's what makes it fun. One isn't necessarily better or worse. Thanks for watching!
Having a coffee to go can be compared to young children who constantly need to suck on a bottle to calm themselves down. Or do you know the Linus comics? Linus always needs his blanket in his hand: obviously a form of therapy against the stresses of American way of life.
The fact tax is part of the sticker price is SO much better! I work in retail in the US and international travelers are always perplexed and some even think we're trying to cheat them. I'd love to win the Nuxe set!
My family has always worn slippers (or house shoes) in the house-all year. When my children and grandchildren visit I expect them to leave their outside shoes in the foyer closet. I have asked them to bring slippers ( I volunteered to buy them slippers and house shoes to keep at my house) or keep a pair at my house. I especially want the little ones to wear something as I have marble and tile floors so they can be cold or slippery. I also feel wearing slippers in the house keeps the floors and carpets cleaner. When I visit other people’s homes I always bring a pair of ballet flats to change into. Even if I go out to get the mail, I change into outdoor slides. On a day to day basis, it’s not nearly as annoying as it sounds. My husband and I usually leave through the garage where the cars are and come in that way too. We leave our slippers in the side hallway so they are right there when we come back. It’s just habit. When we garden or play sports we do the same, Those shoes don’t even come into the house. I live in northern NJ, USA- not far from your home town, Diane.
Same in my family in France but instead of real slippers we could have non slippery socks or for the smallest, fine leather slippers with no hard sole.
You need to experience old style Dutch toilets. they are different. The US drugstore is strange where you can pick up your diabetes prescription while also buying a 24 pack of cola
I'm so glad you mentioned slippers! I think it's the same practice in Italy too. I was visiting an American friend in Italy who invited some of his friends over whom I'd never met. His friends saw me barefoot and immediately went and got slippers for me to put on! I was wondering if they thought my feet were unsightly 😂
Bosnia as well, I have Bosnian friends and I would never dream of wearing bare feet in their houses. I now always carry a pair of those collapsible slippers in the bottom of my handbag, it's been unexpectedly convenient more than once.
I'm with you on all of these! I will never give up my pumpkin pie or hearty breakfasts. I remember telling my husband that a French breakfast is basically, coffee, sugar and air lol
I'm french and I love making pumpkin pie (usually use potimarron); sweet potato pie as well. all locally grown of course. It's pretty easy and it's delicious. As for breakfast; for me it usually consists of a cup of coffee and that's it (some say it's healthy to not eat for 12 hours; I don't know). Sometimes I throw in a few nuts or a "tartine". I know if eat big breakfasts I fell stuffed for the day and I take on weight.
As someone someone who took 4 years of French in high school, I always have had an obsession with the culture and people of France. Being from Eastern Pennsylvania, we don’t encounter many French speaking people. Mostly Russian in my area. Thanks for your input and experiences while living in France. If the prize is still up for grabs, I would like the men’s option. Thanks for everything you do!
Correction on the pumpkin one, although it's not common in bakeries, lots of people do bake and love pumpkin cakes/tarts/cupcakes, made with either citrouille, potiron, potimarron, even in my grandmother's generation... I grew up with pumpkin cakes and I love it :)
When I was an elementary school we were informed that we would be taught the metric system in preparation for the U.S.’s change to the metric system. I believe that the U.S. is the only American country that didn’t switch.
American country? Confused. I thought there was only one American country. In England we were supposed to change to the metric system about 30 years ago. We do a bit of both. We still have miles, gallons, and don't forget the pint. So not 100% metric.
Bonjour, Diane! I have been migrating to the metric system for both my sewing and my cooking. So much easier to deal with whole numbers than fractions! Still dealing with temps...28 is approximately 82. A work in progress. I now find myself greeting people first with "hello" (thinking bonjour). Thank you for your videos!
I always wear slippers. I hate having dirty feet or stepping on things that will impale me..lol. And now that I'm older my feet are always cold..but in my young days, bare feet for sure. Mama used to call me a hillbilly for going barefoot.
I love this video! So fun. When I had a French tutor in Burlington, Vermont, she was from France and always gave me slippers and a sweater to wear when I visited her home for my lessons.
The slippers in the house thing is a thing in Mexican culture too. My boyfriend & I are both American with Mexican ancestry (he’s 2nd gen & I’m 3rd gen) and his family consider it taboo to be barefoot. You must wear slippers or slides/house shoes. They think you’ll get sick from walking on cold floor. His mom bought me a pair of adidas slides and slippers to wear at their house because I shouldn’t go barefoot or in socks. I’m Mexican American as well but this isn’t something my parents did, so not sure if it’s a regional thing in Mexico or maybe my parents just didn’t do it because they’re more Americanized than my boyfriends family. But I love being barefoot or in just socks during winter months, so it was a weird habit to break when visiting his family
I wear slippers in the winter, a habit I picked up from my German-American grandmother, but mostly for comfort rather than to ward off illness. If you do get sick from walking barefoot, as my Hispanic friends would say, "ponte Vicks!"
I am barefoot in the woods up to 8 degrees 8celsius) and never catched a cold. If you walk barefoot its healthy for the whole body and pure fun. I met in a train a family in winter times, they all had been barefoot everywhere. Not my stuff but this worked too. They never catched a cold.
@@barfuss2007 I know being barefoot has nothing to do with getting sick, it’s just a superstition. His family also thinks you’ll get sick if you go outside with wet hair and there’s a breeze. I’ve explained to him that you only get sick if there’s a virus or bacteria that you breathe in or if you have bad allergies (there’s high dust and pollen in our area) but old wives tales are hard for people to let go of
When I was growing up, I remember independent pharmacists that had small storefronts. With the rise of the big box corner store, I don't believe there are any more independent pharmacies left that are not a part of chains like Walgreens, CVS, Target, Walmart etc.... The last one I remember going to was sometime in the late 90s . The place closed down with the butcher shop, and magazine soda shop only to be replaced by a Starbucks and Condos. The U.S. has consolidated all of our Main street small businesses to either online or big box merchants giving the wealth to a handful of people versus raising up our own communities by supporting small independent businesses. When I see videos from France, they seem to like to support their local business and merchants. I hope the US starts to adopt that point of view.
North Dakota is an exception to this, at least regarding pharmacies. There is a state law here that a pharmacy has to be majority owned by a pharmacist. The result of this is North Dakota only has independent pharmacies, with a handful of exceptions. There is one walgreens in the state that I'm aware of, and a handful of CVS pharmacies that were formerly Osco Drug; all of these were in the state before the law was passed and thus were grandfathered in.
Little disclaimer from an American: we do use the the meteric system in the S.T.E.M. fields just not in day-to-day life. Our Federal government operates on the meteric system, and reason being is that it has to communicate with the rest of the world that is in meteric.
The barefeet thing hits home with me. My family is American, but have background in Asia. Grandparents both sides, and lived in Japan several times. I CANNOT stand having barefeet. People I know think I am weird and I definitely think barefeet inside or out (except maybe on a sandy beach) is weird. I did not grow up taking coffees everywhere: that started in my mid-to-late 30s (now 70). I do wish our toilets were "hardier", and I don't think it is just water-saving. Always enjoy your videos. Thank you.
I'm french and my mother can't go anywhere without putting slippers in her luggage XD (I bought slippers in my AirB&B in Spain because of the floor tile).
I have an Asian background so totally get the slipper thing. We wear them around the home 24/7. Also agree on the savory breakfast...much prefer it as an Australian. Would love to win the Nuxe sampler kit.
Loved most of your points. For the slippers, now that I think of it, it really depends of regions and generations. The elders are certainly more into it : my grandfather, grandmother, most aunts and my mom always wear slippers. Summer, winter, doesn't matter. Always. Between my friends and siblings and cousins, it's a bit more loose, but what's funny is that the more I grow into an adult, the more I kind of do wear them all the time now. As for coffee, I am sorry I tried coffee on the go, but it's really not a good suitable option for me. It's as if I am not having it, or cant even digest it. Haha, you must have super type of stomach for all that food on the go and savory for breakfast :D congrats for the followers !
Love your channel. You always get right to the point. I agree with everything you said. I was surprised that the French typically like a sweet breakfast but, I'm fine with that. We love, love, love France.
Nuxe sounds so lovely :) My boyfriend is a frenchie living in Paris. You've helped me so much with your videos as to what to expect when I finally get to come there. Thank you!
I enjoy all of your videos so much. There is so much variety! I also love how you are honest about the good and the bad of both your home country and France. I’m so glad to see your subs going up -yay! I don’t think you’ll be mailing anything to Canada but just in case, I’d love the men’s bag. 😊
When I taught in France, my students asked me what I ate for breakfast. When I told them I put avocado on a piece of baguette, they thought that was SUPER weird. As for coffee, my coffee is cold brew and poured down my throat before I go drive on the highway to get to work.
In my younger days I was bare feet as much as possible. Now I have plantar fasciitis and cold feet lol. It’s socks and slippers for me all the time now. J’adore French skincare and I would love the Vichy products. Another comparison: The sunscreen filters available in France are also vastly superior to the US. I’m sure French skincare products are part of the reason you have such great skin, Diane!
Oooh I agree as an Esthetician I’ve tried countless sunscreens and the best are the French ones La Roche Posay in particular. It’s very expensive here in the US though, 35.00. The Anthelios cooling water-lotion sunscreen one is my fav. How much is it there Diane if yr reading this?
Nuxe sounds amazing. I am from South Africa and I also tend to walk around more bare feet in the house. I won't walk like that in public of course. In general here I think people tend to walk with slippers or shoes in the house rather than bare feet. Or at least in my specific culture. I love your channel. I'm learning French & I'm learning so much about France & their culture because of you
Bonjour Diane, I’m French Canadian and enjoy your channel, I had a chuckle for your first one for the metric vs imperial. You popped up Ryan Reynolds looking confused about metric, lol no confusion he is Canadian and grew up with it 😉 . Like I said I enjoy your channel excellent content.
Fantastic video! I am an Italian living in Florida and I noticed the differences between what I had always seen and America was almost exactly as described in your video. Except for the slipper issue. I love walking barefoot in the house (sometimes up to the mailbox 📬) granted it’s Florida and never extra cold except if you go crazy with the AC. AC and tons of ice on everything are other big differences with Europe.
Congratulations on your 71,700 subscribers. Your videos are great and educational. Yes, honestly I grew up wearing Hausschuhs. Now I could never run around in bare feet (except on nice soft sand). All the comparisons are interesting and there are probably many more. The fragrance oils look lovely and please continue the great work. 👍❤💐
Great video Diane ! I love your humorous comparisons which show you have a lot of experience in both cultures. Just one comment about metric system in the USA. All medical and pharmaceutical measurements- especially for content- are metric now. À US urologue will mention liters and all intravenous injections will be in milliliter or centiliter. Easy, convenient and safe. Also the more recent industries in the US ( electronics and semi conductor) have adopted from the start the metric system and Intel, AMD and others will measure grams of gold used per IC . Keep up the good work you’re doing I love it !
Another great video, Diane! American in France here since 2000. I agree with all your votes, except for the "coffee on the go." However, when I worked an office job, I was very much in the habit of buyig a latte and bringing it up to my desk and sipping it for a long time while on my computer as well... so maybe I'm being hypocritical now that I'm not working out of the house any more. Keep up the terrific work, and bonne année ! ;-)
I'm irish in Ireland 🇮🇪 and find the American way of doing things so weird, iced tea, big food potions, tipping everywhere, added sales tax, top ups of coffee, someone to pack groceries, having to pay for medical care, letter(mail) boxes in front of houses, no letter box in the door, referring to the public toilets as the powder room, calling the garden the yard, cooking scrambled eggs in a fryng pan, imperial measurements, cups of flour instood of grammes, pronouncing erbs instood of herbs thats only some things 😂😂😂 would like the womens gift of Nuxe oil
I’m Irish (now living elsewhere) and always had medical insurance, can use imperial and metric (grew up with both) and have always made scrambled eggs in a frying pan 😂
Not all Americans are the same. This American doesn’t care for tea much and I use the ice from my icemaker to quickly cool boiled eggs but not my drinks. At Aldi we always have to bag our own groceries which I actually prefer. A public toilet is called a restroom; a powder room is a room in people’s houses that has a toilet and sink but not a shower or tub. I use my scale every day to measure out recipes in gram(me)s. My car’s thermometer is set in Celsius and would have said -15 first thing this morning (that’s 5f for my countryfolk.) The rest of your list I am pretty guilty of.
@@amyschmelzer6445 here in Ireland we have to pack our shopping in every supermarket, both large and small corner shop, grocery, we would never say restroom, the other person would die laughing if we said that 😂 we ask where are the toilets, the room with a toilet and very small washbasin in someone's house is downstairs and called a cloakroom, the main bathroom is called the family bathroom, not the master, we don't tend to say master bedroom, mostly main bedroom, years ago we weighted ingredients for baking in pounds (lbs) and ounces (ozs) but we now use grammes (gms) much more precise
Hi Bernadette, it’s interesting to see what other people think is weird in America. I’m excited to see all the differences when we visit Ireland this Fall when we do a tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland especially as I am half Irish. The US is a big country with many regions and the ones that have hot summers enjoy their tea iced. Not everyone eats huge portions but our restaurant meals are generous so many of us take home half of our meal. Tipping is quite expected because many waiters and waitresses make minimum wage. Not every state has a sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon don’t- lucky them. We all pay federal income tax. If you go to an coffee shop you will get exactly one cup of what you order and pay for ( different sizes of course.) At restaurants and diners, you can ask for as many free refills as you like. The cashiers in our supermarkets do bag the groceries but we usually help. If you bring your recycle bags you must do it yourself. That started with C--d and will probably continue. Our health system is complicated and cumbersome and certainly needs to be improved. There are still communities (at least in my state) where mail deliverers still walk but they are in the cities and older communities where there are sidewalks and the houses are close to the street. My suburban town has only “rural delivery” on the street because our homes can be 100 feet or more from the road and the postal service uses small mail trucks. My sister, at one time, lived a half mile from the road. Delivery to these houses would add hours to the route every day. I have never heard of anyone refer to the bathroom in a public place as a powder room. These exist only in private homes and don’t have a shower or bath. We do call the area around our homes the front or backyard and only the places that have flowers, fruits, or vegetables the garden. Everyone is taught the metric system in school and we use it primarily in maths and sciences. I have to admit it makes much more sense than the Imperial system. It may be that we have carried American Revolution a bit too far and the colonists said if the English were using this- we won’t. Lol. I have no idea why we don’t pronounce the H in herbs. I’m so looking forward to visiting Ireland this year and finding out about your “weird’ customs. That’s half the fun of traveling. Be well.
Regarding the toilet partitions - US partitions are designed so that the floor for multiple stalls can be wet mopped more easily - notice that not only is the bottom of the toilet compartment door well above floor level, but the side partitions are also well above floor height. You can mop adjacent stalls without entering each compartment. Re: the metric system - in my experience I used the metric system when studying chemistry in college, but haven't used it since. I didn't convert from one to the other, just was mindful about where I was and what I was trying to do. For a brief period there was an effort towards working towards using the metric system for transportation projects in California . As you note, there were costs and resistance from some parts of the industry.
We Aussies changed from Imperial to Metric many years back , so much easier to understand , we spell the length " Metre " and use " Meter " for recording amounts of usage , although the American spelling is slowly seeping in I notice lately .
Yes, many American terms and spelling, grammar and pronunciation are infrcting Australia. My twin brother sounds almost American, though he has never been there. I lived there for a few years, never picked up the local accent.
I really enjoy your videos. The comparison videos are my favorite. Your sense of humor comes through making them fun. If I were chosen as a winner I would prefer the Luxe set. Bonne Journée !
Here in France pharmacies are for selling health-related products. I can't even imagine why a pharmacy would sell cigarettes! That is beyond bizarre. Also, whenever I've visited the USA I felt like I was getting ripped off all the time. The prices announced were never ever the prices we ended up paying for anything after taxes, tips etc. It was a pretty unpleasant experience.
I am nursing my coffee right now at work while watching this video! 😄Poor Tom with the plumbing. 🤦♀Félicitations pour les 70000 abonnés Diane ! J'aime les produits Nuxe.🥳
Fun fact: The US was one of the first countries to sign the Treat of the Meter in 1875 & it's been a legal measurement system here ever since. I view variable tax rates as a suitable adaptation for variable costs of living (infrastructure costs, etc). Very generous of you to offer a giveaway. Personally, I'll decline so that others have higher odds of winning.
I LUV, LOVE, LOOOOV your channel. My wife and I travelled to France 20 years ago from Paris to the French Riviera. 20 years later we are planning our bucketlist trip for Sep 2023 for two months! Your channel is awesome in filliing in the blanks and more importantly provides an awesome reference point. We're from Vancouver, BC Canada (USA's northerly neighbor) where our cultures are similar to USA so the differences between US, Canada, France there are cultural differences so, for me, when we go we don't want to offend our French hosts. Thank you for you and your channel I find them helpful, knowledgeable and informative!!!!
Hi Diane, the pharmacies really amazed me when I traveled to NYC. First the different sorts of things you can buy in it, but also the drugs on display. It surprised me that you can buy, for example, diprosone cream for eczema without prescription. About the price taxes, I never figured out the price I was going to pay at the register.🤨
As in anything, with time you get used to it, in reality it's just an after the fact VAT, also makes one aware just how much the item is and what the state cut is. The US being a federal system, there is no national tax, sales tax is left to the states, some higher, some lower, some none. NJ doesn't allow counties and towns to add sales tax of their own. That should be outlawed, pay the state, allocate a portion to where the tax was paid and leave it at that.
In my six months in the US, cigars being purchasable in the drug store struck me as... odd. (Plenty more unoriginal observations where that came from. All best from Over Here.)
Many common drugs have become OTC (over the counter, or nonprescription) in recent years largely because the patents expired, so knock-offs and generics of the same drug are readily available, bringing the prices down. Many folks still don't have insurance and so will not be able to get anything prescribed for anything, so it makes sense to make some, relatively harmless, cheaper drugs available for people to treat themselves.
As an American, I’m with the French on every item except the savory breakfasts which I happen to like (although I might prefer something like the Japanese have). And I haven’t liked American breakfast cereal since about the age of 9. I’ve always _hated_ pumpkin desserts-I think they’re weird, maybe because, like the French, I think of pumpkin as a vegetable. (Would you have a squash pie as a dessert? I wouldn’t.) I _can’t stand_ coffee-to-go in those coated cardboard cups with the plastic lids. I don’t _want_ to stroll around with my cup of coffee. (I think the whole concept is kind of gauche.) I don’t like drinking coffee in my car. I want to sit at a nice restaurant or café, savoring coffee in a proper mug, with something to read or maybe something to listen to.
As French person, I agree with you. The only thing that I would like to change is the breakfast. I love as much savory breakfasts as sweet ones. I already tasted a pumpkin pie, but, in my opinion, the savory Pumpkin soup is much better. I think it's weird to have cigarettes and drugs treating lungs cancer in the same place.. That's my opinion 😅
Sure, but it can also be nice have a cup of coffee when you don't have time to hang out at a cafe, or if you just want to take a walk, or whatever it is. And paper cups aren't a necessity- there are also portable mugs
@@l.a.rivasesq.8841 I don't like that either, really. (And those sweet potato/marshmallow concoctions? I get that they “taste good,” i.e., they’re ultra-sweet, but they're definitely _not_ my thing, either. I'm not knocking people who like that stuff-it’s just not me.) _Adding:_ I think part of it is that sweet potatoes and pumpkins are just too starchy, too. (I really like rice pudding, though, so, okay, I’m not consistent.)
Agree about the coffee to go part - besides the annoying and wasteful paper cups and plastic lids, we Americans are often doing two or three things at once so we're often distracted and not fully enjoying any of it.
Reason for slippers mostly the hard floors in Europe. Wood floors or tiles but never al ever carpet. When I first moved to America I hated carpet flooring but had no choice bcoz it's extremely hard to find hard floor house or apartment. So I slowly quit my slipper habit because I don't have hard floors unfortunately
I've driven on American roads, and it was in a nice area. It took me about 5 minutes to understand why you drive big pick-ups with big tires. My little Peugeot would never get out of these potholes. It's less a car thing than an infrastructure thing.
It is not an infrastructure or manufacturing thing- it is a cultural thing. Here in the US taking to the road is part of our historical legacy as westward expansion on the continent is inextricably tied to our growth as a nation. Also, the United States covers a much greater land mass- NY to California is 3,000 miles- NYC to Miami is 2,500. Our interstate road system connects all the states of the lower 48. And as Americans we travel from state to state for business and pleasure. It is customary come our Thanksgiving holiday where we traditionally celebrate family for upwards of 80 million of us to pile in the car or truck and go visit relatives miles away. An American thinks nothing of taking a 3 hour, 150 mile trip for such a visit then turning around and going back home the same day. You need a big vehicle to do that. Lastly, taking to the open road for what we call a Road Trip is a uniquely American experience. Usually undertaken in a big car for comfort, a powerful engine to motor at exhilarating speeds across states like Nebraska or Nevada and a fantastic sound system to blast out your favorite tunes. If you are lucky maybe your car is a convertible so you can cover hundreds of miles on a straight road at high speeds with the wind ruining your hair. Most Americans take their first Road Trip after graduating high school and again, if you are lucky as I have been, you do it every chance you get as you age. It is the most tangible way to connect with Freedom and that is why we Americans love our big vehicles.
On tipping: you never never never NEEEEVER tip the restaurant/pub owner. In France it's common, in small restaurant or pub, that the owner is also doing the service, so it can be tricky.
I feel like the pandemic has significantly changed the acceptibility of "to go" coffee in France. As someone who has also never been able to break that habit, I often felt self-conscious in the past when I would be walking around the city with a cup of coffee. But now, between the overall caution around dwelling in closed places with others and now the restrictions around "sur place" if you don't have a pass sanitaire, over the past year I now see people walking around with coffee everywhere. There also seems to a generational divide around it, even before the pandemic. At the local pseudo-Starbucks where I live (Columbus Café), there's almost always a line out the door and this has been the case since I moved here (Rennes) five years ago. And 95% of those on line seem to be under 25. They get their coffee and then walk to class or whatever. But rarely anyone my age doing it.
I agree about the generational divide also a city country divide. Here in Australia getting take away coffee in the city has been a thing for close to 20 years. Very rarely from a chain but many little cafes or carts on the street. Many being the operative word, enough not to have to queue making grabbing a coffee on the run and drinking it at your desk feasible. But in the country it's not a quick option, find a park, queue for 5 minutes then another 5 for your coffee to appear, then back to your car and a sprint to the office before your coffee is cold. The only people really willing to do that are young people who have moved from the city!
My Grandmother's, "citation préférée", "What a boring world it would be if everybody was the same". The Nuxe oil collection would make a wonderful gift for a fine lady I know. Oh, and congratulations on your much deserved channel growth!
Thanks for your comments. It thought it was very funny. As a French person who moved to the US, I totally agreed with your differences, but not always on the vote (obviously). Still love my French breakfast and even after 25 years in the US, still can not get into pumpkin.. Great video. Thanks
Is it true that in the US you can buy guns, carry them, use them against a stranger who comes in your garden or house without being authorized? I live in Morocco now and here all this is strictly forbidden. In France, if I remember well, you can buy a gun for hunting or using in a shooting club only and under strict control.
Yes, you can buy guns in every state. Each states has it's own requirements to purchase a gun. Many areas around the country are gun free zones. It will be more common in the South or the west to see them carrying a gun. For most states you cannot shoot someone who just happens to trespass. They usually have to be invading your home and putting you in a life threating situation where you have no way to escape. It really depends each states has it's own laws.
@@katepausig8562 hello French here ^^ that must be scary to walk on the street or to go to buy food , and you know people around you know have guns on on them ^^ for many Years I say to myself , I am happy to be French because no guns here like in USA . But France have change. Dangerous everywhere . And now I ask to Myself : many French need to have the right to have a gun like in USA to protect life. That’s make me smile :) you go to a theater with your family and kids to watch a Disney movie , and all the people around you on seats , maybe have a gun ^^
I live in the South. We have open carry here- an adult can carry any weapon, any time, anywhere. We have "stand your ground" laws. You can't shoot an intruder in the back as he is running away, but all you have to say is you felt threatened, that is justification to open fire.
Thank you for your videos. I love France and I had an exchange student from there live with us for a year during her high school years. I learned so much from her, but I realize from your videos, that I'm not good at detective work...I don't ask the right questions to gain more understanding of the culture. Maybe it was because we were so concerned with school, with providing the right foods, with listening and helping with English...I'm not sure. All I know, is that I appreciate your bringing out the nuisances of the culture, so that we have a better understanding of the culture and can make more lasting friendships. Thanks again!
1.) It's what you're used to. The US tried making speed limit signs in metric, and nobody knew how fast to drive. Some people even tore the signs down. Some gas stations reset their gas pumps to liters, and people avoided those gas stations. 2.) In a small car, I feel like I am in a casket. Also, get in a car accident, and you'll be more likely to come out of it uninjured (or alive) if you are in a larger, solid car. I'll take safety. 3.) But aren't you supposed to tip ushers in movie houses in France, even if you're the only people in the theater? I resent a pourboire added to a bill, since it's supposed to be for exceptional service, which is by no means a given. Adding the tax to the advertised price makes sense; but the tax rate changes from time to time, at least it does in the United States, so don't French menus have to be changed and updated from time to time? 4.) I know the French treat food as almost a religion and look at foreign (including American) cuisine as garbage; but that is simply rude. Of course we have some dishes that are native to us. So does every other country on earth. Come up to coastal New England and you'll encounter quite a few local gustatorial delights that do not appear in other parts of the country and which you might or might not like, and it's okay either way--but please don't be so gauche as to condemn it. 5.) France French start the day with juice, coffee, a croissant, and maybe a roll (or something equally unsubstantial for what is called by nutritionists "the most important meal of the day"). French-Canadians, on the other hand, start off with a whopping feed which my French-Canadian-American father could not cram in when he visited the family farm in Quebec. No wonder the France-French take so much time off from work and are lobbying for a four-day work week! The poor things are pooped out on insufficient fuel. 6.) This is a matter of taste and culture. In the Orient, people take off their shoes when they enter a house, their own or someone else's, and may or may not wear slippers. I've heard that in Germany and in some other European countries, it's the same. My impression of the US is that people who insist on shoeless indoors are people with great concern on tracking outdoor dirt on clean indoor flooring. 7.) Americans drink half of the world's coffee every year. We tend to be people on the go. By the way, I think we are the only English-speaking country that prefers coffee to tea, supposedly because after the Boston Tea Party the Colonials refused tea and switched to coffee. I like good coffee and therefore avoid Starbucks. 8.) Hmmmm. I've always heard that French plumbing is the source of many a joke in Europe. A running line among Europeans is that "Hell is a place where the cooking is English, the toilets are French, and the women are American." 9.) If it sells, any store will carry it. I can't remember the last time I went to a gas station that didn't sell a wide variety of other things. Same with pharmacies. Wow, this is a long response. Like you, Diane, I'm not trying to be confrontational, just giving you a few thoughts. And to end with a Québec New Year's wish: Bonne et heureuse année, et le paradis à la fin de vos jours!
I'm french, I never eat croissant for breakfast, simply because it should be eaten fresh and I never will drive to a backery first thing in the morning, we eat bread with jam, honey (tartines) or céréales, some eat ham and eggs like before the farmer. I was rise not to say "it's not good" but "I don't like it "AFTER testing as we say "les goûts et les couleurs..." Never ear about french plumbing, my english in-law never say anything. Just it 's difficult to find one, they're over booked so better to learn to do the basic jobs than to have to wait days or weeks. Yes it's quite difficult to find coffee to go, and it won't be easier because it's not environnemental friendly, people here prefer to have an isotherm cup, feel it at home for the day. The inox bottle are very popular here.
With construction, most components are sized to Imperial. So wall framing is on 16 inch centers, which is an even spacing on eight or four foot drywall or plywood sheets.
Actually, the US made a serious effort in the 1970’s to covert to the metric system. Packages in the grocery stores added metric units of weight and volume alongside Imperial units (you can still see them today). Gas stations started selling gasoline in liters. Federal highways started posting distances in Kilometers and speed limits in KPH. KPH also appeared on speedometers in cars. It all came to an end when Republican president Ronald Regan took office and terminated this conversation effort.
In Russia we always wore slippers inside. There were even extra pairs for guests who came to visit 🇷🇺 (I would be interested in winning the men’s products.)
Interesting you give the win to the French toilets. For me as a Dutch person and when I hear ‘French toilets’, I always have to think of our childhood holidays on French campsites. Back then French toilets where a squatting toilets with a hole in the ground. Fortunately they improved a lot in France and also on Campsites. But definitely European toilets are much better then American. Not just the space below the toilet doors but also the gapes between the door and the door frames. And it’s not just not that somebody can see me they should also not be able to hear my sounds, and I don’t want to hear the sounds of, or smell the person next to me. So America: Start properly closing your toilets!
In French, they are called 'toilettes à la turque' aka 'toilets turkish style'. From what I know, they were not invented in Turkey but Turkish people greatly improved the design by adding the hole. I think it was a Belgian invention.
Imagine the shock when I came back to France to do my military service and discovering they still had those horrible hole on the ground things. Sure they were easy to clean, but our French army boots were quite slippery on that white china floor, one false move and you could slip and fall on back in the middle of your own merde :-(
Yes this "toilettes turques" were commun in campsite, schools, outside and you need to dig the ice in winter ! beginning of the 60 ties, I lived in an old school where my parents were the primary teachers of the village. I don't think we can buy some nowdays. Heureusement !
You need your passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, three utility bills, three months of bank statements, three months of payslips and a notarised attestation de domicile to do ANYTHING here in France. And even then, they might not deign to take your money.
So, so true. I gave up on having a poly tunnel after they (in the mairie) explained the pages and pages of plans, photos, measurements, google map etc needed just to have permission to have it. Then I heard you get taxed on it. I never bothered sadly. Every little thing requires a bagful of proof, certificates, translations etc.
Hello Diane I've finally figured out how to log on to TH-cam and can now comment. I'm a New Yorker and have lived with my English/French Citizen husband since 2005. We are retired professionals and though you and I are in different phases of our lives, I so enjoy your experiences and perceptions of being a transplanted American in France. Thank you so much for so enthusiastically reporting on your life in La Belle France. Merci beaucoup. Susan
Thanks very much!! Oh man, 100k would be amazing. We get a plaque for that milestone and it would mean so much to me and I know my mom would be so proud of it too, looking down from heaven. Crossing my fingers. ;-)
Another great comparison video ! It’s always good to know how other people live and being a bit of a francophile these are my favorites. A peek into a different perspective on life thank you 😊.
The tipping culture has changed radically in Australia. There was a time when we would always tip waiters in restaurants but these days it has become quite rare to do that. Mostly because restaurant and cafe staff are well paid by their employer. Cafes and restaurants commonly have a 'tip jar' near the cash register, the cash contents of which is shared by staff. We certainly do not have a tip built in to the bill, which, as I understand it, is what happens in France. It's also clear that the price displayed on a menu is what you pay. There are no unexpected charges added to the bill.
***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!*** Congrats to Saundra Hendricks, Cathy S., and David Day, you're the winners! I've replied to your comments below and have invited you to please email me at ouiinfrance at gmail dot com with your address/phone. I'll mail the prizes out Saturday morning. THANK YOU!!!
just wanted to mention that about big cars, i think u forgot a major point : oil ain't just about price it's also about ecological impact.
And I think french people are globally closer to that question than americans : i remember these people in a US documentary who were pimping their cars in order to pollute a maximum to express their freedom to do so, ofc they are not representative of all americans people, but they couldn't even exist in France because some ecologists would have killed them before the documentary was released 🤣😂.
More seriously USA doesn't seem very sensitive to that question North america countries are the only ones in the whole word who refused to sign Kyoto protocol...
Whatever, nice video, keep the good work ;)
Yep, French people do watch your channel : there's so much to learn from foreigners' point of view on France. Once again, your video is relevant. Yes, I do wear slippers as my mom told me to do when I was a kid. Yes, I don't like to stand up when driking my coffee. Yes, I'm not used to cook pumpkin as a sweet (but I do like pumpkin pies). Yes, I do think Imperial system is illogical and oldfashioned but I still drink 'un demi' (and it is not half a liter of beer) and I buy 'une livre de cerise' at the market. And please, please, stop buying oversized pollutant cars !
And yes, on the all, I often think Americans are weird.
Thank you for your work, Diana.
@Olivier Obeuf: The Americans drink their coffee or other drinks in the street standing or walking as if they had no time to waste. Normally you French people drink coffee seated at home, or standing if you are in a cafe (bistrot) in front of the 'counter' that you call bar. When someone orders a demi of beer he will get 250 ml of beer because it is half of a Pinte of beer that he ordered. A pinte in the old days in France was 0.5 liter.
Chauvinist is a French word.
Demi is for demi pinte = half pint, since France did use its version of imperial before the revolution, but the pint being exactly 0.5L and a pound being exactly 0.5kg are like, adaptations of existing units to metric after metric was adopted.
Like, does it have to be a huge deal that for certain things people especially in rural areas kept using the names of old units of measurements (and way more are used informally for certain things like cloth, wood, etc) even though they fit into the metric system in a way that isn't totally awkward. I'd call 500g of cherries 500g of cherries but I also wouldn't be weirded out if my grandmother called them a livre, chill out.
@@Matthy63 And don't forget the " stère de bois " for winter ;)
As a french woman, I usually wear slippers at home, and I see two very logical reasons about that. Many houses have floor tiles which can be really cold even in summer so slippers are a must to insulate your feet from this cold. Most people wear shoes inside so their floors always have a bit of outside dirt on it. They just don't want to put this dirt on their barefoot but still be comfy.
New subscriber here. When I lived in France my French friends were surprised that Americans eat corn on the cob. They explained that corn is grown to feed farm animals. I was able to find American-style sweet corn on the cob in a supermarket over there and served my French friends. I had to show them how to butter it and eat it. They seemed to really enjoy the experience. Great video, Diane!
I am surprised by the explanation of your friends regarding the corn. It is true that French people usually don't eat corn on the cob. But we do eat a lot of corn in mixed salads, including baby corn. Corn flour is used to make bread or, in the south-east, polenta. And, of course, pop-corn.
@@nco1970 Yes, as you say, but I was referring to corn on the cob. They found it unusual to eat something that they associated with animal feed. And it was funny for them to eat it with their hands, holding both ends of the cob. It was a new experience for them. Your English is impeccable by the way!
Corn on the cob is nice because you can sometimes find a set of packaged cobs that were picked a little under full maturity. The best ones to eat. They are more tender and just taste better. Cut corn you have no way to select younger kernels.
They sell it at Picard (France's frozen food store) so it's gaining traction
Hahaha
Great video, your channel is really interesting 😊 as for the slippers... As a french i find it really strange when people doesn't have some inside. Being bare feet or in socks means that you're feets/socks will get dirty (cuz no one can keep a house spotless clean let's be honest). It is a great way to be confortable, warm in winter, and keep clean feet 😉 and actually in my family we always have some extra pairs for guests coming over 😅
Hi. Am an Arab from Dubai. I’ve lived in the States in the 80s and I find Americans very warm , friendly and down to earth. I can’t tell u how many times, I’ve been helped by the total strangers ! Bless them. I’ve been to Paris once and the French , specially the seniors were helpful to me as well. Ps; I’ve sent u a DM about my experience with the phone operator in Alliance France - Paris while I was calling her overseas from Dubai. Merci.
Thanks for sharing! So glad you've had good experiences.
Your city looks like it's worth taking a trip to. Wow.
The metric system is totally the way in engineering, industry, chemistry, and autos now. Imperial is mostly used in repair and renovation. Oh, construction too-- a 2x4 is just the right size for building walls.
Actually, in 1975 the US signed the Metric Conversion Act. I grew up in school learning all metric measurements rather than the pound system. But then it never really happened and we're back to the pound system. Consequently I suck at both measurement systems as a result.
Most everything is in metric these days, I am getting ready to throw out my SAE wrenches.
I believe Regan cancelled the metric system act that was passed by a previous administration. I learned a little in school and was so confused but at 55 it would be a distant memory and we’d be on board with the rest of the world now😂
@@tedmoss Remember to buy extra 10 mill sockets 😂😂😂
I personally like to cover my feet and wear slippers even during summer because I don't want to have to go through washing my feet everytime I want to lie or sit in my bed, or even on a chair or sofa (I like to put my feet up)
I love these comparison videos. They are always interesting and eye opening. It's always a fun way to remember that "different' is just different. It doesn't make one wrong or right, just different. It's the differences that give us things to talk about. If I were lucky enough to win I would love to try the Nuxe products.
American, I always wear slippers and socks. I'm always cold, and I can't fathom people who go around barefoot! My feet would be always cold and dirty, and that's definitely not my journey. 🥴 My husband is a slippers without socks person, but we both like getting home and switching to slippers immediately.
As a french pharmacist, I am shocked by american pharmacies. In France we are health professionals, I find American pharmacies outside of what should be a place dedicated to health 🥺
talking about ammos in pharmacies ? definitely shocking ^^ 🤣😂
@@steelskeel Or cigarettes and booze ...
about prices without or with taxes, I think the best is the japanese system where you see the price without taxes AND the price with taxes below.
Since it is impossible to buy a product without paying tax, and the rates of excise and value added taxes are known to everyone, it is best to note the price with and without taxes on the purchase receipt.
But when choosing a product, it is best to see the full price you will pay.
I've lived in the US and France and I find your videos so accurate! They feel like a sociological study between both countries. Bravo!
I think you mean “Brava?” Oui ?
I really like your videos. I am from Belgium, and I also see the differences with Belgium (and France/Belgium)
Thanks! 😃
About large cars, it's coming to France and especially here on the sunny Riviera. And if you look at European made cars, they are getting larger and lager. It's quite annoying since our tiny mountain roads and our village streets were made for maybe two donkeys and a cart . It gets worse in the city as our underground parking lots were made for 1980's cars like the WV Golf/Rabbit or a Renault 5.
so true! I was born and raised on lake Como in Italy, every time I visit I see bigger cars, which is horrible in those narrow roads and with our small parking spaces. still not as big as American SUVs and minivans though
I also feel that people driving those cars are somehow less considerate on the road; maybe they're so removed from everything happening outside when sitting in there.
Riviera is in Italy. But beautiful too, I had a girlfriend in Bordighera long ago.
Until Napoleon Côte d’Azur belonged to Italy. But this is over 200 years ago.
For a good icecream its better to visit todays Riviera. Its not far away, lol.
My favorit place is Roccetta Nervia, I established there nude bathing 35 yrears ago. 🙂
Driving and finding a Parking for SUVs is not easy in south of France, escpecially in Nizza or Cannes or Monte Carlo. In those region I had never seen so many Porsche Cayenne, the replaced the Renault R4 of former times... and the drivers speak russian not french...
@@barfuss2007 you never heard or read about the French Riviera?
When referendum to the Italian riviera, you use the term Riviera dei Fiori.
@@DenisSolaro
that is a WRONG british expression for Cote d´Azur. Ignorant, comme toujours. Thats why nobody likes you
'To-go coffee' are strange. Everyone stop working at my office, and we made our coffee together, and speak about our week end.
The pleasure of stop moving to drink a coffee outside with a friend or even by yourself, reading sports results, is quite enjoyable.
I visited France at the age of fifteen to visit my fathers family. I was there from spring thru the summer and I was ran into quite a few of differences that sometime I found funny and sometimes I just could not understand. Coming from California I was used to running around the house barefoot. I was told that was a huge no no and by doing so I would get a stomach ache. I had to laugh but I respected the rules of the houses and wore slippers. The biggest funny and I had to tease my Dad when I returned home was my conversation about the Fourth of July meal. My uncle wanted to know what we eat on that holiday.
I was telling bbq, potato salad and corn on the cob. The whole room went silent to be followed with an “Ohhhh La La”. Your father feeds you cattle food? The horrified looks on the faces around the table was something I will never forget. When I got home and told my father he had the best laugh.
Washing my hair more than once a week was a huge no no as well. My aunt told me my hair would fall out.
I loved my French experience and would not have traded it for anything. My father told me I would appreciate my life more upon return. It opened up my whole world and what I gained from my relatives
Will never be forgotten.
I love France!,
Ahah, the barefoot thing tho, we have that saying in France "you catch a cold from your feet, stomach and throat". It's not entirely true but, if you're feeling just a bit cold, wearing socks is waayyyyy more efficient than wearing a sweater.
I had a good laugh, thanks!
I’m french, and I eat bbq very often, I wash my hair at least 4 times per week and walk barefoot around my house- 💀 my mom is always yelling at me bc I walk barefoot but I don’t care lmao
I am 62 years old and I have always washed my hair every day, and I have a full head of dark brown hair (I just noticed four single grey hairs…) I think I can attest that “the wive’s tale” is not true.
Pumpkin pie? Sounds interesting! I hope I'll have the occasion to taste it.
love the cafe culture in both France and Spain, and such wonderful coffee, much better quality than most brews I have had in the UK or the States for that matter. Add to that the price is ridiculously cheap at between 1 to 2 euro for a cafe solo or americano.
Yessssss! Coffee lover in France love to say that if you love your Starbucks coffee, you don't really like coffee at all xD
the costs for a coffee for the seller are about 40 cents.
@@Imaginexall
true
Smaller make more sense also because we HAVE JUST ONE PLANET and SUV and big cars are worst for pollution
I lived in France. twenty years ago. I adapted immediately to the Bonjour when entering stores, not being invited to handle and gather food items and some other items without sales help. No problem! It was nice. But what I hated was having to announce my entrance in a pharmacy when I was trying to search inconspicuously for feminine or sexual products. Just leave me to poke around on my own, please! Especially when I didn't know what to call it and came up with some very klutzy, literal translations.
Ha ! Ha!(the end of your post). Fortunately or unfortunately the supermarkets don't help one around, but they are convenient. I remember about fifty years ago a friend coming in to see us in a 'state'. She announced that finally the end of civilization was near.. the local little store had a small freezer with (horrors) FROZEN PEAS! And she was an American expat!
It's just a cultural thing between us😂 it's not embarrassing for us asking for those kind of articles, if u want condoms they will ask u which flavor or texture u want and many visitors r shoked 😂in France they normalised feminine product since a long time ago as for sexual products as long as its not things for fetishism or sex objects there is no reason to feel embarrassed about it! The pharmacist is like a doctor sometimes! If u have rash down there they can help u chose the product u need.
Luckily these days, we can order so much online which helps with not having to buy the more embarrassing things in person!
@@OuiInFrance I do buy every last embarrassing thing in person, before countless people though. Like... well... guess what :D
Boy, would I bug grocers, so used to picking my own onion. Learned to see the trust it engenders.
Wall, about coffee on the go, we don't need to buy a coffe on the go that we might spill while moving when every work place has its own coffee maker / coffee vending machine, wich is also way cheaper... So yeah, that's a weird thing for us. Shops like Starbucks are more used to sit down a bit, like a normal Café. Even bakery have tables and chairs so that people who buy coffee there can sit while enjoying there coffee.
We are different in the USA because we are a different country. We are doing just fine as we are as I’m sure France is too. No need to change anything.
Yup, I always say that sort of thing in my videos. We're different countries so of course we do things differently and that's what makes it fun. One isn't necessarily better or worse. Thanks for watching!
Having a coffee to go can be compared to young children who constantly need to suck on a bottle to calm themselves down. Or do you know the Linus comics? Linus always needs his blanket in his hand: obviously a form of therapy against the stresses of American way of life.
The fact tax is part of the sticker price is SO much better! I work in retail in the US and international travelers are always perplexed and some even think we're trying to cheat them. I'd love to win the Nuxe set!
My family has always worn slippers (or house shoes) in the house-all year. When my children and grandchildren visit I expect them to leave their outside shoes in the foyer closet. I have asked them to bring slippers ( I volunteered to buy them slippers and house shoes to keep at my house) or keep a pair at my house. I especially want the little ones to wear something as I have marble and tile floors so they can be cold or slippery. I also feel wearing slippers in the house keeps the floors and carpets cleaner. When I visit other people’s homes I always bring a pair of ballet flats to change into. Even if I go out to get the mail, I change into outdoor slides. On a day to day basis, it’s not nearly as annoying as it sounds. My husband and I usually leave through the garage where the cars are and come in that way too. We leave our slippers in the side hallway so they are right there when we come back. It’s just habit. When we garden or play sports we do the same, Those shoes don’t even come into the house. I live in northern NJ, USA- not far from your home town, Diane.
Same in my family in France but instead of real slippers we could have non slippery socks or for the smallest, fine leather slippers with no hard sole.
Your analysis is spot on and very fair. Thank you for sharing these differences.
How about fromage in the morning and a slice of toasted bread with olive oil ?
You need to experience old style Dutch toilets. they are different. The US drugstore is strange where you can pick up your diabetes prescription while also buying a 24 pack of cola
We do have pumpkin pie in France, but it may not be very widespread, and might just be in my familly! ahah I love it! 😀
I'm so glad you mentioned slippers! I think it's the same practice in Italy too. I was visiting an American friend in Italy who invited some of his friends over whom I'd never met. His friends saw me barefoot and immediately went and got slippers for me to put on! I was wondering if they thought my feet were unsightly 😂
Bosnia as well, I have Bosnian friends and I would never dream of wearing bare feet in their houses. I now always carry a pair of those collapsible slippers in the bottom of my handbag, it's been unexpectedly convenient more than once.
As an American, I am also baffled by the continued use of the Imperial system of measurements.
I'm with you on all of these! I will never give up my pumpkin pie or hearty breakfasts. I remember telling my husband that a French breakfast is basically, coffee, sugar and air lol
... and a croissant/brioche
American food is not healthy period ...
And a fruit, and a pastry (croissant/Brioche/Pain au Chocolat), and cereals, and bread, and jam etc.
I'm french and I love making pumpkin pie (usually use potimarron); sweet potato pie as well. all locally grown of course. It's pretty easy and it's delicious. As for breakfast; for me it usually consists of a cup of coffee and that's it (some say it's healthy to not eat for 12 hours; I don't know). Sometimes I throw in a few nuts or a "tartine". I know if eat big breakfasts I fell stuffed for the day and I take on weight.
As someone someone who took 4 years of French in high school, I always have had an obsession with the culture and people of France. Being from Eastern Pennsylvania, we don’t encounter many French speaking people. Mostly Russian in my area. Thanks for your input and experiences while living in France. If the prize is still up for grabs, I would like the men’s option. Thanks for everything you do!
So glad you enjoy my videos, Jason!
magic of metric: 1mx1mx1m = 1 m3 = 1000l = 1000kg = 1 ton
Of water, by the way.
Correction on the pumpkin one, although it's not common in bakeries, lots of people do bake and love pumpkin cakes/tarts/cupcakes, made with either citrouille, potiron, potimarron, even in my grandmother's generation... I grew up with pumpkin cakes and I love it :)
Decimal COMA Yes (it is international...).. Decimal point NO (so old fashioned).
When I was an elementary school we were informed that we would be taught the metric system in preparation for the U.S.’s change to the metric system. I believe that the U.S. is the only American country that didn’t switch.
American country? Confused. I thought there was only one American country. In England we were supposed to change to the metric system about 30 years ago. We do a bit of both. We still have miles, gallons, and don't forget the pint. So not 100% metric.
Only one American country? How about Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba...35 in total according to Wikipedia.
@@frankhooper7871 Brésil,Argentine FAUX je suis au Brésil et le système métrique et la norme.
My husband and I love your videos very much. Please keep them coming.
Bonjour, Diane! I have been migrating to the metric system for both my sewing and my cooking. So much easier to deal with whole numbers than fractions! Still dealing with temps...28 is approximately 82. A work in progress. I now find myself greeting people first with "hello" (thinking bonjour). Thank you for your videos!
I always wear slippers. I hate having dirty feet or stepping on things that will impale me..lol. And now that I'm older my feet are always cold..but in my young days, bare feet for sure. Mama used to call me a hillbilly for going barefoot.
I love this video! So fun. When I had a French tutor in Burlington, Vermont, she was from France and always gave me slippers and a sweater to wear when I visited her home for my lessons.
My French teacher in Burlington, Ontario drove my parents insane because she spoke Parisien French and not Quebecois. Tabernac!
*15:45** I was born in 1986 and I've always seen my parents using deodorants AND perfume... AND EVEN SOAP or SHOWER GEL!!!! WOW!!!...*
The slippers in the house thing is a thing in Mexican culture too. My boyfriend & I are both American with Mexican ancestry (he’s 2nd gen & I’m 3rd gen) and his family consider it taboo to be barefoot. You must wear slippers or slides/house shoes. They think you’ll get sick from walking on cold floor. His mom bought me a pair of adidas slides and slippers to wear at their house because I shouldn’t go barefoot or in socks.
I’m Mexican American as well but this isn’t something my parents did, so not sure if it’s a regional thing in Mexico or maybe my parents just didn’t do it because they’re more Americanized than my boyfriends family. But I love being barefoot or in just socks during winter months, so it was a weird habit to break when visiting his family
I wear slippers in the winter, a habit I picked up from my German-American grandmother, but mostly for comfort rather than to ward off illness. If you do get sick from walking barefoot, as my Hispanic friends would say, "ponte Vicks!"
I am barefoot in the woods up to 8 degrees 8celsius) and never catched a cold. If you walk barefoot its healthy for the whole body and pure fun. I met in a train a family in winter times, they all had been barefoot everywhere. Not my stuff but this worked too. They never catched a cold.
@@barfuss2007 I know being barefoot has nothing to do with getting sick, it’s just a superstition. His family also thinks you’ll get sick if you go outside with wet hair and there’s a breeze. I’ve explained to him that you only get sick if there’s a virus or bacteria that you breathe in or if you have bad allergies (there’s high dust and pollen in our area) but old wives tales are hard for people to let go of
I shut down some Brits ragging on pumpkin pie with two words: “carrot cake”
When I was growing up, I remember independent pharmacists that had small storefronts. With the rise of the big box corner store, I don't believe there are any more independent pharmacies left that are not a part of chains like Walgreens, CVS, Target, Walmart etc.... The last one I remember going to was sometime in the late 90s . The place closed down with the butcher shop, and magazine soda shop only to be replaced by a Starbucks and Condos. The U.S. has consolidated all of our Main street small businesses to either online or big box merchants giving the wealth to a handful of people versus raising up our own communities by supporting small independent businesses. When I see videos from France, they seem to like to support their local business and merchants. I hope the US starts to adopt that point of view.
North Dakota is an exception to this, at least regarding pharmacies. There is a state law here that a pharmacy has to be majority owned by a pharmacist. The result of this is North Dakota only has independent pharmacies, with a handful of exceptions. There is one walgreens in the state that I'm aware of, and a handful of CVS pharmacies that were formerly Osco Drug; all of these were in the state before the law was passed and thus were grandfathered in.
Little disclaimer from an American: we do use the the meteric system in the S.T.E.M. fields just not in day-to-day life. Our Federal government operates on the meteric system, and reason being is that it has to communicate with the rest of the world that is in meteric.
The barefeet thing hits home with me. My family is American, but have background in Asia. Grandparents both sides, and lived in Japan several times. I CANNOT stand having barefeet. People I know think I am weird and I definitely think barefeet inside or out (except maybe on a sandy beach) is weird. I did not grow up taking coffees everywhere: that started in my mid-to-late 30s (now 70).
I do wish our toilets were "hardier", and I don't think it is just water-saving.
Always enjoy your videos. Thank you.
I'm french and my mother can't go anywhere without putting slippers in her luggage XD (I bought slippers in my AirB&B in Spain because of the floor tile).
They really do come in handy!
I have an Asian background so totally get the slipper thing. We wear them around the home 24/7. Also agree on the savory breakfast...much prefer it as an Australian. Would love to win the Nuxe sampler kit.
When I was a child my mum used to say "Il n'y a que les fous, qui mangent debout". Coffee to go is impossible for me ;-)
Loved most of your points. For the slippers, now that I think of it, it really depends of regions and generations. The elders are certainly more into it : my grandfather, grandmother, most aunts and my mom always wear slippers. Summer, winter, doesn't matter. Always. Between my friends and siblings and cousins, it's a bit more loose, but what's funny is that the more I grow into an adult, the more I kind of do wear them all the time now.
As for coffee, I am sorry I tried coffee on the go, but it's really not a good suitable option for me. It's as if I am not having it, or cant even digest it. Haha, you must have super type of stomach for all that food on the go and savory for breakfast :D
congrats for the followers !
Love your channel. You always get right to the point. I agree with everything you said. I was surprised that the French typically like a sweet breakfast but, I'm fine with that. We love, love, love France.
SO DO WE !
Nuxe sounds so lovely :) My boyfriend is a frenchie living in Paris. You've helped me so much with your videos as to what to expect when I finally get to come there. Thank you!
I enjoy all of your videos so much. There is so much variety! I also love how you are honest about the good and the bad of both your home country and France. I’m so glad to see your subs going up -yay! I don’t think you’ll be mailing anything to Canada but just in case, I’d love the men’s bag. 😊
Hi Sarah, thanks so much. And just to clarify, the giveaway is open to my subs worldwide so Canada is a-ok!
When I taught in France, my students asked me what I ate for breakfast. When I told them I put avocado on a piece of baguette, they thought that was SUPER weird.
As for coffee, my coffee is cold brew and poured down my throat before I go drive on the highway to get to work.
@@MichaelTheophilus906 they do indeed! I usually bought mine at Intermarché.
@@MichaelTheophilus906 We do, why wouldn't we?
That IS weird!
There are some good surprises with TH-cam's algorithm.
Undoubtedly, your channel is one of them.
Thank you for your job from France!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you enjoy my content!
In my younger days I was bare feet as much as possible. Now I have plantar fasciitis and cold feet lol. It’s socks and slippers for me all the time now. J’adore French skincare and I would love the Vichy products. Another comparison: The sunscreen filters available in France are also vastly superior to the US. I’m sure French skincare products are part of the reason you have such great skin, Diane!
Oooh I agree as an Esthetician I’ve tried countless sunscreens and the best are the French ones La Roche Posay in particular. It’s very expensive here in the US though, 35.00. The Anthelios cooling water-lotion sunscreen one is my fav. How much is it there Diane if yr reading this?
Hi there, sorry for late reply. Looks like it's 10-15 euros depending on what pharmacy you go to!
VIVE LA DIFFÉRENCE
Nuxe sounds amazing. I am from South Africa and I also tend to walk around more bare feet in the house. I won't walk like that in public of course. In general here I think people tend to walk with slippers or shoes in the house rather than bare feet. Or at least in my specific culture. I love your channel. I'm learning French & I'm learning so much about France & their culture because of you
Bonjour Diane, I’m French Canadian and enjoy your channel, I had a chuckle for your first one for the metric vs imperial. You popped up Ryan Reynolds looking confused about metric, lol no confusion he is Canadian and grew up with it 😉 . Like I said I enjoy your channel excellent content.
I couldn't resist using my boy Ryan for that part ;)))))
Fantastic video! I am an Italian living in Florida and I noticed the differences between what I had always seen and America was almost exactly as described in your video. Except for the slipper issue. I love walking barefoot in the house (sometimes up to the mailbox 📬) granted it’s Florida and never extra cold except if you go crazy with the AC. AC and tons of ice on everything are other big differences with Europe.
Congratulations on your 71,700 subscribers. Your videos are great and educational.
Yes, honestly I grew up wearing Hausschuhs. Now I could never run around in bare feet (except on nice soft sand).
All the comparisons are interesting and there are probably many more.
The fragrance oils look lovely and please continue the great work. 👍❤💐
Thank you so much!
Great video Diane ! I love your humorous comparisons which show you have a lot of experience in both cultures. Just one comment about metric system in the USA. All medical and pharmaceutical measurements- especially for content- are metric now. À US urologue will mention liters and all intravenous injections will be in milliliter or centiliter. Easy, convenient and safe. Also the more recent industries in the US ( electronics and semi conductor) have adopted from the start the metric system and Intel, AMD and others will measure grams of gold used per IC . Keep up the good work you’re doing I love it !
Another great video, Diane! American in France here since 2000. I agree with all your votes, except for the "coffee on the go." However, when I worked an office job, I was very much in the habit of buyig a latte and bringing it up to my desk and sipping it for a long time while on my computer as well... so maybe I'm being hypocritical now that I'm not working out of the house any more. Keep up the terrific work, and bonne année ! ;-)
The United States is a BIG place compared to France. We have many very long roads... A large car is much more comfortable on a long ride..
I'm irish in Ireland 🇮🇪 and find the American way of doing things so weird, iced tea, big food potions, tipping everywhere, added sales tax, top ups of coffee, someone to pack groceries, having to pay for medical care, letter(mail) boxes in front of houses, no letter box in the door, referring to the public toilets as the powder room, calling the garden the yard, cooking scrambled eggs in a fryng pan, imperial measurements, cups of flour instood of grammes, pronouncing erbs instood of herbs thats only some things 😂😂😂 would like the womens gift of Nuxe oil
I’m Irish (now living elsewhere) and always had medical insurance, can use imperial and metric (grew up with both) and have always made scrambled eggs in a frying pan 😂
Would love to know your way of scrambling eggs!
Not all Americans are the same. This American doesn’t care for tea much and I use the ice from my icemaker to quickly cool boiled eggs but not my drinks. At Aldi we always have to bag our own groceries which I actually prefer. A public toilet is called a restroom; a powder room is a room in people’s houses that has a toilet and sink but not a shower or tub. I use my scale every day to measure out recipes in gram(me)s. My car’s thermometer is set in Celsius and would have said -15 first thing this morning (that’s 5f for my countryfolk.) The rest of your list I am pretty guilty of.
@@amyschmelzer6445 here in Ireland we have to pack our shopping in every supermarket, both large and small corner shop, grocery, we would never say restroom, the other person would die laughing if we said that 😂 we ask where are the toilets, the room with a toilet and very small washbasin in someone's house is downstairs and called a cloakroom, the main bathroom is called the family bathroom, not the master, we don't tend to say master bedroom, mostly main bedroom, years ago we weighted ingredients for baking in pounds (lbs) and ounces (ozs) but we now use grammes (gms) much more precise
Hi Bernadette, it’s interesting to see what other people think is weird in America. I’m excited to see all the differences when we visit Ireland this Fall when we do a tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland especially as I am half Irish. The US is a big country with many regions and the ones that have hot summers enjoy their tea iced. Not everyone eats huge portions but our restaurant meals are generous so many of us take home half of our meal. Tipping is quite expected because many waiters and waitresses make minimum wage. Not every state has a sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon don’t- lucky them. We all pay federal income tax. If you go to an coffee shop you will get exactly one cup of what you order and pay for ( different sizes of course.) At restaurants and diners, you can ask for as many free refills as you like. The cashiers in our supermarkets do bag the groceries but we usually help. If you bring your recycle bags you must do it yourself. That started with C--d and will probably continue. Our health system is complicated and cumbersome and certainly needs to be improved. There are still communities (at least in my state) where mail deliverers still walk but they are in the cities and older communities where there are sidewalks and the houses are close to the street. My suburban town has only “rural delivery” on the street because our homes can be 100 feet or more from the road and the postal service uses small mail trucks. My sister, at one time, lived a half mile from the road. Delivery to these houses would add hours to the route every day. I have never heard of anyone refer to the bathroom in a public place as a powder room. These exist only in private homes and don’t have a shower or bath. We do call the area around our homes the front or backyard and only the places that have flowers, fruits, or vegetables the garden. Everyone is taught the metric system in school and we use it primarily in maths and sciences. I have to admit it makes much more sense than the Imperial system. It may be that we have carried American Revolution a bit too far and the colonists said if the English were using this- we won’t. Lol. I have no idea why we don’t pronounce the H in herbs. I’m so looking forward to visiting Ireland this year and finding out about your “weird’ customs. That’s half the fun of traveling. Be well.
Regarding the toilet partitions - US partitions are designed so that the floor for multiple stalls can be wet mopped more easily - notice that not only is the bottom of the toilet compartment door well above floor level, but the side partitions are also well above floor height. You can mop adjacent stalls without entering each compartment. Re: the metric system - in my experience I used the metric system when studying chemistry in college, but haven't used it since. I didn't convert from one to the other, just was mindful about where I was and what I was trying to do. For a brief period there was an effort towards working towards using the metric system for transportation projects in California . As you note, there were costs and resistance from some parts of the industry.
We Aussies changed from Imperial to Metric many years back , so much easier to understand , we spell the length " Metre " and use " Meter " for recording amounts of usage , although the American spelling is slowly seeping in I notice lately .
Yes, many American terms and spelling, grammar and pronunciation are infrcting Australia. My twin brother sounds almost American, though he has never been there. I lived there for a few years, never picked up the local accent.
I really enjoy your videos. The comparison videos are my favorite. Your sense of humor comes through making them fun. If I were chosen as a winner I would prefer the Luxe set. Bonne Journée !
Here in France pharmacies are for selling health-related products. I can't even imagine why a pharmacy would sell cigarettes! That is beyond bizarre.
Also, whenever I've visited the USA I felt like I was getting ripped off all the time. The prices announced were never ever the prices we ended up paying for anything after taxes, tips etc. It was a pretty unpleasant experience.
I am nursing my coffee right now at work while watching this video! 😄Poor Tom with the plumbing. 🤦♀Félicitations pour les 70000 abonnés Diane ! J'aime les produits Nuxe.🥳
Thanks so much!!
Fun fact: The US was one of the first countries to sign the Treat of the Meter in 1875 & it's been a legal measurement system here ever since.
I view variable tax rates as a suitable adaptation for variable costs of living (infrastructure costs, etc).
Very generous of you to offer a giveaway. Personally, I'll decline so that others have higher odds of winning.
indeed all units are defined in meters since the different metric acts, like a foot is defined in meters (SI) and not the other way around.
The Metric Act of 1866 legalized metric and in 1893, The Mendenhall Order redefined the units.
Variable tax rates only exist in the USA and Canada because some persons are tax-exempt. For example, Indians.
@@kevinlove4356 I was referring to sales tax, in line with Diane's video item, not income tax.
@@KimberlyGreen Aboriginal persons in the USA are exempt from paying sales tax. Depending upon the state, charities may also be exempt.
I LUV, LOVE, LOOOOV your channel. My wife and I travelled to France 20 years ago from Paris to the French Riviera. 20 years later we are planning our bucketlist trip for Sep 2023 for two months! Your channel is awesome in filliing in the blanks and more importantly provides an awesome reference point. We're from Vancouver, BC Canada (USA's northerly neighbor) where our cultures are similar to USA so the differences between US, Canada, France there are cultural differences so, for me, when we go we don't want to offend our French hosts. Thank you for you and your channel I find them helpful, knowledgeable and informative!!!!
Hi Diane, the pharmacies really amazed me when I traveled to NYC. First the different sorts of things you can buy in it, but also the drugs on display. It surprised me that you can buy, for example, diprosone cream for eczema without prescription. About the price taxes, I never figured out the price I was going to pay at the register.🤨
As in anything, with time you get used to it, in reality it's just an after the fact VAT, also makes one aware just how much the item is and what the state cut is. The US being a federal system, there is no national tax, sales tax is left to the states, some higher, some lower, some none. NJ doesn't allow counties and towns to add sales tax of their own. That should be outlawed, pay the state, allocate a portion to where the tax was paid and leave it at that.
In my six months in the US, cigars being purchasable in the drug store struck me as... odd.
(Plenty more unoriginal observations where that came from. All best from Over Here.)
Many common drugs have become OTC (over the counter, or nonprescription) in recent years largely because the patents expired, so knock-offs and generics of the same drug are readily available, bringing the prices down. Many folks still don't have insurance and so will not be able to get anything prescribed for anything, so it makes sense to make some, relatively harmless, cheaper drugs available for people to treat themselves.
Love your Chanel and all the info you share😘
As an American, I’m with the French on every item except the savory breakfasts which I happen to like (although I might prefer something like the Japanese have). And I haven’t liked American breakfast cereal since about the age of 9.
I’ve always _hated_ pumpkin desserts-I think they’re weird, maybe because, like the French, I think of pumpkin as a vegetable. (Would you have a squash pie as a dessert? I wouldn’t.)
I _can’t stand_ coffee-to-go in those coated cardboard cups with the plastic lids. I don’t _want_ to stroll around with my cup of coffee. (I think the whole concept is kind of gauche.) I don’t like drinking coffee in my car. I want to sit at a nice restaurant or café, savoring coffee in a proper mug, with something to read or maybe something to listen to.
As French person, I agree with you. The only thing that I would like to change is the breakfast. I love as much savory breakfasts as sweet ones.
I already tasted a pumpkin pie, but, in my opinion, the savory Pumpkin soup is much better.
I think it's weird to have cigarettes and drugs treating lungs cancer in the same place.. That's my opinion 😅
No sweet potato pie either?
Sure, but it can also be nice have a cup of coffee when you don't have time to hang out at a cafe, or if you just want to take a walk, or whatever it is. And paper cups aren't a necessity- there are also portable mugs
@@l.a.rivasesq.8841 I don't like that either, really. (And those sweet potato/marshmallow concoctions? I get that they “taste good,” i.e., they’re ultra-sweet, but they're definitely _not_ my thing, either. I'm not knocking people who like that stuff-it’s just not me.)
_Adding:_ I think part of it is that sweet potatoes and pumpkins are just too starchy, too. (I really like rice pudding, though, so, okay, I’m not consistent.)
Agree about the coffee to go part - besides the annoying and wasteful paper cups and plastic lids, we Americans are often doing two or three things at once so we're often distracted and not fully enjoying any of it.
Reason for slippers mostly the hard floors in Europe. Wood floors or tiles but never al ever carpet. When I first moved to America I hated carpet flooring but had no choice bcoz it's extremely hard to find hard floor house or apartment. So I slowly quit my slipper habit because I don't have hard floors unfortunately
My Paris apartment has had carpeting since the 60s... (we've replaced it though :)
I've driven on American roads, and it was in a nice area. It took me about 5 minutes to understand why you drive big pick-ups with big tires. My little Peugeot would never get out of these potholes.
It's less a car thing than an infrastructure thing.
And no way I could park on of those big american SUV in an French underground parking that was engineered for 1980's cars.
I thought the same thing Amelie. FYI…. Peugeot and Citroen are the best!
It is not an infrastructure or manufacturing thing- it is a cultural thing. Here in the US taking to the road is part of our historical legacy as westward expansion on the continent is inextricably tied to our growth as a nation. Also, the United States covers a much greater land mass- NY to California is 3,000 miles- NYC to Miami is 2,500. Our interstate road system connects all the states of the lower 48. And as Americans we travel from state to state for business and pleasure. It is customary come our Thanksgiving holiday where we traditionally celebrate family for upwards of 80 million of us to pile in the car or truck and go visit relatives miles away. An American thinks nothing of taking a 3 hour, 150 mile trip for such a visit then turning around and going back home the same day. You need a big vehicle to do that. Lastly, taking to the open road for what we call a Road Trip is a uniquely American experience. Usually undertaken in a big car for comfort, a powerful engine to motor at exhilarating speeds across states like Nebraska or Nevada and a fantastic sound system to blast out your favorite tunes. If you are lucky maybe your car is a convertible so you can cover hundreds of miles on a straight road at high speeds with the wind ruining your hair. Most Americans take their first Road Trip after graduating high school and again, if you are lucky as I have been, you do it every chance you get as you age. It is the most tangible way to connect with Freedom and that is why we Americans love our big vehicles.
A bit of both😊. Where I live the streets are pretty nicely maintained. Still some people like gigantic trucks or jeeps just because they like them.
On tipping: you never never never NEEEEVER tip the restaurant/pub owner. In France it's common, in small restaurant or pub, that the owner is also doing the service, so it can be tricky.
I feel like the pandemic has significantly changed the acceptibility of "to go" coffee in France. As someone who has also never been able to break that habit, I often felt self-conscious in the past when I would be walking around the city with a cup of coffee. But now, between the overall caution around dwelling in closed places with others and now the restrictions around "sur place" if you don't have a pass sanitaire, over the past year I now see people walking around with coffee everywhere.
There also seems to a generational divide around it, even before the pandemic. At the local pseudo-Starbucks where I live (Columbus Café), there's almost always a line out the door and this has been the case since I moved here (Rennes) five years ago. And 95% of those on line seem to be under 25. They get their coffee and then walk to class or whatever. But rarely anyone my age doing it.
I agree about the generational divide also a city country divide. Here in Australia getting take away coffee in the city has been a thing for close to 20 years. Very rarely from a chain but many little cafes or carts on the street. Many being the operative word, enough not to have to queue making grabbing a coffee on the run and drinking it at your desk feasible.
But in the country it's not a quick option, find a park, queue for 5 minutes then another 5 for your coffee to appear, then back to your car and a sprint to the office before your coffee is cold. The only people really willing to do that are young people who have moved from the city!
I would love to try the Nuxe products. I’ve heard so much about them. Happy New Year to you and Tom!
My Grandmother's, "citation préférée", "What a boring world it would be if everybody was the same". The Nuxe oil collection would make a wonderful gift for a fine lady I know. Oh, and congratulations on your much deserved channel growth!
Thanks very much, Peter. And I agree with your grandma!
Thanks for your comments. It thought it was very funny. As a French person who moved to the US, I totally agreed with your differences, but not always on the vote (obviously). Still love my French breakfast and even after 25 years in the US, still can not get into pumpkin.. Great video. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Is it true that in the US you can buy guns, carry them, use them against a stranger who comes in your garden or house without being authorized?
I live in Morocco now and here all this is strictly forbidden. In France, if I remember well, you can buy a gun for hunting or using in a shooting club only and under strict control.
Yes, you can buy guns in every state. Each states has it's own requirements to purchase a gun. Many areas around the country are gun free zones. It will be more common in the South or the west to see them carrying a gun. For most states you cannot shoot someone who just happens to trespass. They usually have to be invading your home and putting you in a life threating situation where you have no way to escape. It really depends each states has it's own laws.
@@katepausig8562 hello French here ^^ that must be scary to walk on the street or to go to buy food , and you know people around you know have guns on on them ^^ for many Years I say to myself , I am happy to be French because no guns here like in USA . But France have change. Dangerous everywhere . And now I ask to Myself : many French need to have the right to have a gun like in USA to protect life. That’s make me smile :) you go to a theater with your family and kids to watch a Disney movie , and all the people around you on seats , maybe have a gun ^^
I live in the South. We have open carry here- an adult can carry any weapon, any time, anywhere. We have "stand your ground" laws. You can't shoot an intruder in the back as he is running away, but all you have to say is you felt threatened, that is justification to open fire.
Thank you for your videos. I love France and I had an exchange student from there live with us for a year during her high school years. I learned so much from her, but I realize from your videos, that I'm not good at detective work...I don't ask the right questions to gain more understanding of the culture. Maybe it was because we were so concerned with school, with providing the right foods, with listening and helping with English...I'm not sure. All I know, is that I appreciate your bringing out the nuisances of the culture, so that we have a better understanding of the culture and can make more lasting friendships. Thanks again!
1.) It's what you're used to. The US tried making speed limit signs in metric, and nobody knew how fast to drive. Some people even tore the signs down. Some gas stations reset their gas pumps to liters, and people avoided those gas stations. 2.) In a small car, I feel like I am in a casket. Also, get in a car accident, and you'll be more likely to come out of it uninjured (or alive) if you are in a larger, solid car. I'll take safety. 3.) But aren't you supposed to tip ushers in movie houses in France, even if you're the only people in the theater? I resent a pourboire added to a bill, since it's supposed to be for exceptional service, which is by no means a given. Adding the tax to the advertised price makes sense; but the tax rate changes from time to time, at least it does in the United States, so don't French menus have to be changed and updated from time to time? 4.) I know the French treat food as almost a religion and look at foreign (including American) cuisine as garbage; but that is simply rude. Of course we have some dishes that are native to us. So does every other country on earth. Come up to coastal New England and you'll encounter quite a few local gustatorial delights that do not appear in other parts of the country and which you might or might not like, and it's okay either way--but please don't be so gauche as to condemn it. 5.) France French start the day with juice, coffee, a croissant, and maybe a roll (or something equally unsubstantial for what is called by nutritionists "the most important meal of the day"). French-Canadians, on the other hand, start off with a whopping feed which my French-Canadian-American father could not cram in when he visited the family farm in Quebec. No wonder the France-French take so much time off from work and are lobbying for a four-day work week! The poor things are pooped out on insufficient fuel. 6.) This is a matter of taste and culture. In the Orient, people take off their shoes when they enter a house, their own or someone else's, and may or may not wear slippers. I've heard that in Germany and in some other European countries, it's the same. My impression of the US is that people who insist on shoeless indoors are people with great concern on tracking outdoor dirt on clean indoor flooring. 7.) Americans drink half of the world's coffee every year. We tend to be people on the go. By the way, I think we are the only English-speaking country that prefers coffee to tea, supposedly because after the Boston Tea Party the Colonials refused tea and switched to coffee. I like good coffee and therefore avoid Starbucks. 8.) Hmmmm. I've always heard that French plumbing is the source of many a joke in Europe. A running line among Europeans is that "Hell is a place where the cooking is English, the toilets are French, and the women are American." 9.) If it sells, any store will carry it. I can't remember the last time I went to a gas station that didn't sell a wide variety of other things. Same with pharmacies.
Wow, this is a long response. Like you, Diane, I'm not trying to be confrontational, just giving you a few thoughts.
And to end with a Québec New Year's wish: Bonne et heureuse année, et le paradis à la fin de vos jours!
Enjoyed your synopsis. Good thoughts & humorous.
I'm french, I never eat croissant for breakfast, simply because it should be eaten fresh and I never will drive to a backery first thing in the morning, we eat bread with jam, honey (tartines) or céréales, some eat ham and eggs like before the farmer.
I was rise not to say "it's not good" but "I don't like it "AFTER testing as we say "les goûts et les couleurs..."
Never ear about french plumbing, my english in-law never say anything. Just it
's difficult to find one, they're over booked so better to learn to do the basic jobs than to have to wait days or weeks.
Yes it's quite difficult to find coffee to go, and it won't be easier because it's not environnemental friendly, people here prefer to have an isotherm cup, feel it at home for the day. The inox bottle are very popular here.
With construction, most components are sized to Imperial. So wall framing is on 16 inch centers, which is an even spacing on eight or four foot drywall or plywood sheets.
Actually, the US made a serious effort in the 1970’s to covert to the metric system. Packages in the grocery stores added metric units of weight and volume alongside Imperial units (you can still see them today). Gas stations started selling gasoline in liters. Federal highways started posting distances in Kilometers and speed limits in KPH. KPH also appeared on speedometers in cars. It all came to an end when Republican president Ronald Regan took office and terminated this conversation effort.
In Russia we always wore slippers inside. There were even extra pairs for guests who came to visit 🇷🇺 (I would be interested in winning the men’s products.)
Interesting you give the win to the French toilets. For me as a Dutch person and when I hear ‘French toilets’, I always have to think of our childhood holidays on French campsites. Back then French toilets where a squatting toilets with a hole in the ground. Fortunately they improved a lot in France and also on Campsites.
But definitely European toilets are much better then American. Not just the space below the toilet doors but also the gapes between the door and the door frames. And it’s not just not that somebody can see me they should also not be able to hear my sounds, and I don’t want to hear the sounds of, or smell the person next to me. So America: Start properly closing your toilets!
Oh man don't even get me started on the squat toilets. I tried once, peed on my shoe, and never again!
In French, they are called 'toilettes à la turque' aka 'toilets turkish style'. From what I know, they were not invented in Turkey but Turkish people greatly improved the design by adding the hole. I think it was a Belgian invention.
Imagine the shock when I came back to France to do my military service and discovering they still had those horrible hole on the ground things.
Sure they were easy to clean, but our French army boots were quite slippery on that white china floor, one false move and you could slip and fall on back in the middle of your own merde :-(
Yes this "toilettes turques" were commun in campsite, schools, outside and you need to dig the ice in winter ! beginning of the 60 ties, I lived in an old school where my parents were the primary teachers of the village.
I don't think we can buy some nowdays. Heureusement !
You need your passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, three utility bills, three months of bank statements, three months of payslips and a notarised attestation de domicile to do ANYTHING here in France. And even then, they might not deign to take your money.
So, so true. I gave up on having a poly tunnel after they (in the mairie) explained the pages and pages of plans, photos, measurements, google map etc needed just to have permission to have it. Then I heard you get taxed on it. I never bothered sadly. Every little thing requires a bagful of proof, certificates, translations etc.
Hello Diane
I've finally figured out how to log on to TH-cam and can now comment. I'm a New Yorker and have lived with my English/French Citizen husband since 2005. We are retired professionals and though you and I are in different phases of our lives, I so enjoy your experiences and perceptions of being a transplanted American in France. Thank you so much for so enthusiastically reporting on your life in La Belle France. Merci beaucoup.
Susan
So happy you enjoy my videos, Susan! Thank you
Congratulations on 70K! I know you will also hit 100K in no time. Yes please to a 'Part 2' video! Luxe oil's would be my choice.
Thanks very much!! Oh man, 100k would be amazing. We get a plaque for that milestone and it would mean so much to me and I know my mom would be so proud of it too, looking down from heaven. Crossing my fingers. ;-)
Another great comparison video ! It’s always good to know how other people live and being a bit of a francophile these are my favorites. A peek into a different perspective on life thank you 😊.
Happy new years, hope 2022 is a great year for you. I find your vlogs fun, informative and interesting. Nuxe sample please!
The tipping culture has changed radically in Australia. There was a time when we would always tip waiters in restaurants but these days it has become quite rare to do that. Mostly because restaurant and cafe staff are well paid by their employer. Cafes and restaurants commonly have a 'tip jar' near the cash register, the cash contents of which is shared by staff. We certainly do not have a tip built in to the bill, which, as I understand it, is what happens in France. It's also clear that the price displayed on a menu is what you pay. There are no unexpected charges added to the bill.
No sales tax here in New Hampshire. Life is simple, and a beautiful place for a vacation all are welcome