Stereotypes

As I said in my last post I would talk about stereotypes. Both Americans and the French believe a lot of things about each others' cultures and ways of life. First off I should say the views mentioned in this post do not necessarily reflect me personally, but may have been something I heard someone say or something I saw on TV.

What Americans think is a typical French person.
Blue and white striped shirt, red beret, baguette.

Let's start with the Americans views on the French:

• French people most definitely do not all look like the image on the left. Stripes are pretty common but they're not always or even usually blue and white. Also I'm not sure I've even seen one beret. As for the baguette, well that's another story. Bread is very common in France. It is eaten with just about every meal, in some way shape or form.
• Stereotype: French people drink a lot of alcohol. It is true with some families but not all. When I am at my host mom's house we almost never drink. At my host dad's house, it is very common for us to have a glass of champagne or red wine with dinner.
• Stereotype: All French people smoke. I think it is very common for the French to smoke, more common than Americans, although not everybody does.
• Stereotype: French women don't shave. As far as I can tell that's not true.
• Stereotype: The French don't bathe. Again as far as I can tell pretty much everybody does.
• Stereotype: Cheese. Yes cheese is eaten after lunch and dinner, sometimes yogurt* instead, but always some form.
• Stereotype: French dress super well: Many French do dress although I find it interesting because many of the French are obsessed with Americans and so they try to dress like a super stereotypical American, but I'll get to that.****

• Stereotype: Crêpes are eaten all the time. At my house we eat them about once a week so yes I'd say they're pretty common- and delicious!

Now how the French view the Americans:

• Stereotype: Americans eat fast food/McDo** all the time. It's funny, I actually eat it here more than in the US.
• Stereotype: All Americans are fat. Well once they see me it kind of disproves that all Americans are fat. (+/- 46kg/100lbs.)
• Stereotype: Americans are huge sports fans: I don't think it's totally true, but pretty true, I mean I still watch American Football online when I can.
• Stereotype: Americans are really nice and caring. I think this is majorly true, but like everywhere there are the nice people and the @**h***s***



yeah this

• Stereotype: Americans wear snap backs and those sports championship jackets (you know the ones from those 80's movies?) Most people don't wear those although snap backs are pretty common.**** 

• Stereotype: Red solo cups are at every party every no matter what even like funerals and baby showers. Okay so they may be pretty common but they're not that common!
• Stereotype: Finally all Americans live in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami or New York although Boston and Texas aren't unheard of.

Well I think that's all for now! Do you guys have any other stereotypes you think of when you think about Americans or the French? If so tell me in a comment below!

Next time I'll talk about school and how that works in France. (If you have a cool topic idea tell me about it!)

*In French the word for yogurt (yaourt) is literally the hardest word ever to pronounce.

**McDo=Mickey D's

*** The Asterisks are just for censoring there isn't actually a side note about this..

**** Since the some French people want to be like Americans a lot of them wear these since it seems very American.