This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at San Francisco chapter.
When I chose to attend school in Paris for a semester, it sounded glamorous and exciting. My only thoughts were of breakfasts at cafes, jogging around the Eiffel Tower and shopping in the world’s fashion capitol. However, Paris is more than a place to find great pastries, fast forward fashion and historical landmarks. There are also a lot of stereotypes that surround it. Some true, some false. Here I’m going to list five things I’ve heard about Paris that ended up being false.
1) “Almost everyone speaks English. Even the street signs are in English.”
I heard this multiple times when I voiced my concern about knowing a small amount of French. Once I arrived in Paris, I quickly learned this isn’t the case. Most people I’ve met only speak a small amount of English, if any at all. Once you get to the tourist spots, it changes. Still, it wouldn’t have hurt to spend more time working on my French over the summer.
2) “They hate Americans.”
I’ve done my best to blend in and avoid looking like a tourist. I wear a scarf with every outfit and avoid wearing my Nike shoes as casual streetwear. However, my accent, or lackthereof, gives me away. So far, no one has treated me any different. Once they recognize my lack of knowledge in the French language, they are patient and helpful while I try to explain what I need. Some have even taught me how to speak certain words in French. In short, I don’t need to fear being ran out of the city for coming from the great USA.
3) “French people are rude.”
I’ve heard this from numerous people when I asked others about their Paris experience. I haven’t met anyone who has been rude, short or impatient with me. There are a lot of people who will say “Bonjour” or “Bon soir” as I pass by them. If anything, I’ve found that they’re more polite than Americans. I very rarely pass through San Francisco and get “Good morning” or “Good evening” out of a stranger walking by.
4) “It’s always cold and raining.”
Weather was a big concern for me. It’s nice that we have Accuweather so I was able to stalk Paris weather all summer, but it isn’t always accurate. Even though August in California is a month full of sun and bloomed flowers, I had always heard that Paris was like San Francisco, only colder. I did the smart thing and packed my cardigans, peacoats and long sleeved shirts. Now that I’m here, though, I regret not bringing more sundresses and skirts. This week I’ve seen warmer weather in Paris than I’ve seen in San Francisco all summer. Others have warned me, though, that it won’t stay this way for long.
5) “Pack a lot of high heels. You’ll see most Parisian women wearing them, even casually.” In the fashion capitol of the world, I expected to see women walking down the sidewalk like it’s a runway. This isn’t the case. I’m not saying they aren’t dressed in a sophisticated manner–there have been times I felt frumpy standing next to a Parisian woman. However, I’ve seen more women in converse than I have in high heels. Lesson: You don’t need to bring all of your stilettos to Paris. Women here are fashionable as well as practical.