Living in France - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

About This Presentation
Title:

Living in France

Description:

Title: Pr sentation g n rale du projet Author: chelly Last modified by: MGP Created Date: 9/4/2001 9:42:01 PM Document presentation format: Affichage l' cran – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:110
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 42
Provided by: chel45
Category:
Tags: brandy | france | living

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Living in France


1
Living in France
  • Cross-cultural Seminar
  • Helena Kasparova

Copyleft - come-to-France.net 2005
2
Introduction
  • Objectives
  • This session is designed to acquaint foreign
    people with the French way of life.
  • The topics range from the cultural issues to
    practical advices for the everyday life
  • Means
  • 40 slides dealing with key-factors to succeed
    ones personal integration in France.
  • A booklet with articles, examples and useful
    figures, also available in a cd-rom.a

3
The instructor
  • Helena Kasparova
  • French and Czech citizen
  • East-west consultant since 1998 and founder of
    Democratie-electronique.org
  • Master's degree in IT management and
    post-graduate diploma in political science.

info_at_democratie-electronique.org
4
Being a foreigner in France
5
How foreigners are perceived in France
  • French people and the rest of world
  • The French dont know geography
  • They respect and fear only big countries
  • About Slovakia
  • Where is Slovakia ? / Current confusions
  • Slovakia has no image in France and in the
    European Union
  • Stereotypes
  • Slovaks in France
  • Slovak community
  • Famous Slovaks
  • The following presentation is designed to help
    Slovaks living and working in France.
    Come-to-France has similar presentations for more
    than 20 countries in the world

6
What distinguish Slovaks with French people in
their values and their way of life
  • Historical heritage in France
  • Importance of republican values
  • As a multicultural and multiethnic country,
    France is used to foreigners presence
  • About French people
  • French people are more sophisticated than Slovaks
  • French are notorious ralors
  • Everyday life differences / habits
  • A pledge has not the same importance
  • To be / or not to be on time
  • (Not) Speaking about ones political opinions

7
Building personal networks
  • The personal networks are fundamental for work
    and social life, but they are difficult to build.
  • Familiarity and too fast testimonies of
    friendship are little appreciated and arise
    suspicion
  • It is recommended to benefit from the richness of
    the French culture before being able to benefit
    from people, which are less accessible.

8
Socializing with French people
  • The French are not an unfriendly, cold or
    arrogant people.
  • This complaint is a misperception of a behavior
    found most often in Paris and not necessarily the
    rest of the country
  • Politeness and appropriate behaviours are
    requested
  • The codes are very present in France shaking
    hands, kissing cheeks of ladies, politeness,
    gallantry, using titles and names...
  • One should be sensitive to the volume of his or
    her voice.

What are the origins of the famous French
galanterie ?
9
The importance of the look
  • The Renaissance period has affected the southern
    catholic part of Europe, where still today the
    look can be more important than the essence.
  • The French are very conscientious of their
    appearance.
  • Clothing count very much for French people
  • Generally, the French take great care to dress
    fashionably, whether they are wearing formal or
    casual attire
  • They feel more at ease with visitors who show the
    same degree of attention to appearance
  • The French are careful about their personal
    habits, being discreet when sneezing, blowing the
    nose, etc.
  • They avoid using personal items, such as combs
    and toothpicks, in public.

A TV star in France must cultivate her look
10
The country of human rights
  • The French are very aware of their presence, and
    are extremely proud of their heritage.
  • They boast of their long history and their
    important roles in world affairs, as well as
    being known as a world center for culture.
  • They are ethnocentric the behaviours of
    foreigners are judged through the prism of the
    values of the French culture

Our more famous King, Louis XIV, was called the
Sun king (1638- 1715)
11
The French spirit fairness and justice
  • The French are very Cartesian, which is an
    heritage of the Greco-Roman Empire (the Greek
    logos).
  • They vow a cult to science and positivism
  • The ideal of social justice, defended by V. Hugo
    and other romantic figures, is still vivid in
    France
  • France has a welfare state, social security for
    all...
  • The goal of justice is the key factor for making
    decisions, whether in professional sphere or in
    the private sphere.
  • Any decision can be made if it seems that it is
    fair, even though it is not the best at the
    collective level.
  • A unequal treatment is acceptable if it helps
    reducing unequalities hold the door to a woman,
    give foreigner more time to solve a problem, etc.

12
What French people accept and deny from foreigners
  • The spirit of tolerance is characteristic of the
    French mentality
  • Each individual is free of its opinions and its
    acts, as long as they do not encroach on the
    freedom of the others
  • France being an immigration country, the French
    accept rather well different manners and habits
    from foreigners

Vérité au-deçà des Pyrénées, erreur au-delà.
Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662).
13
A day in the life of
14
The educational system
  • Schools (and Universities) are free.
  • The school last all day long, with hours and
    hours devoted to the French language and many
    other hours to mathematics.
  • The French Grandes Ecoles an elitist system
  • The average level of education (languages spoken,
    sciences...) is declining gradually.
  • Current issues the veil, violences, illeteracy,
    strikes of teachers...

15
The French health system
  • Functionning of the health sector a free system
    with excellent medical treatment, but in crisis
  • The Card  Vitale , how it works and what it
    gives
  • Life expectancy at birth the French live 6,5
    years longer than the Slovaks

16
The Media
  • Television the first awaken activity of French
    people
  • Magazine and newspapers a sector in crisis
  • Internet is relatively little developped in France

17
Religion comparison with Slovakia
  • Religion in France has little impact for
    Catholics, but more for Muslims
  • Especially young French people are less and less
    interested in religion

18
Politics comparison with Slovakia
  • There is an alternance in politics between the
    left and the right.
  • At each legislative election since 1978, the
    ruling party has lost.
  • The referendum as means of popular expression

19
Culture and entertainment the Art of Living
  • Dominique de Villepin, a famous French Minister,
    is a poet.
  • President Chirac has said on television that he
    never goes to sleep without reading Apollinaire.
  • Most important in France is how a person lives
    his charm, his level of culture as well as his
    mastery of French.
  • His life is a matter of being living in the
    present.
  • Since the Enlightenments, France officially
    values art and litterature.
  • The French cultural exception
  • But culture concerns mainly an elite
  • Average French people are interested in football
    and television.

20
Food and eating  le "terroir", quality of life
and rituals
  • Gastronomy is considered an art
  • French are proud of their cuisine
  • French wine, champagne, and Brandy are popular.
  • Etiquette is important.
  • Both hands remain above the table at all times.
  • One can ask for water, but not for a dish or
    wine.
  • The couples can be separated in order to
    facilitate the communication.

21
Making friends  intimacy, greetings
  • It is easier for foreigners to make friend with
    other foreigners rather than with French people.
  • When addressing people for the first time, always
    use the family (last) name plus the correct
    French honorific, Monsieur or Madame
  • One should use  vous  rather than  tu 
  • La bise (or the kiss on both cheeks) is a common
    greeting once there is a relationship between
    women and men
  • In formal social activities, clothing is less
    formal than at work, but it must be chosen with
    taste

22
Being invited
  • Gifts are expected for social events, especially
    to thank the host of private dinner parties.
  • Gift giving is left to the foreigners
    discretion.
  • Good gifts to present include flowers, books or
    music (as they demonstrate interest in
    intellectual pursuits), fine chocolates.
  • Avoid wine, because your host no doubt has
    already selected the wine for the meal.
  • A thanking card sent the day after is appreciated

23
Holidays and free time
  • French employees work 35 hours a week and have a
    minimum of 25 days of holidays, plus about 10
    bank holidays.
  • Very much atomized, the tourism sector offer low
    prices.
  • During holidays, French people take the time to
    do...nothing
  • The museums, Le Bois de Boulogne, Eurodisney,
    Parc Astérix, Le Stade de France, Paris Bercy

24
France as home
25
Present issues in France
  • With six million Moslems living in France,
    friendly relations with Islam have been a
    priority of the present French government.
  • People are concerned with their safety, that is
    why the extreme-right Party is strong
  • The referendum for the future of the European
    Union
  • The war in Irak
  • The rights of the Gay community
  • The altermondialists
  • Downloading illegally software

26
How France is not as modern as one would expect
  • France is a very centralized country Paris et
    le Désert français.
  • The French economy had long been rural and
    protectionist, with small enterprises and little
    enterprise spirit.
  • Because of 1500 years of invasions and
    catastrophes, the French are wary and
    conservative
  • The information technologies are less widespread
    than in Northern Europe and the USA
  • Discrimination is common in France, including
    towards women, handicapped people, foreigners...
  • The French Administration has been unable to
    reform for the last thirty years

27
Why France is one of the most agreable countries
in the world to live in
  • France ranks n3 in the world for tourism
  • The country has many world leading tourist
    locations Paris, Mont Saint-Michel, Provence,
    Alps
  • But France ranked n1 two years ago it has been
    overcome by the USA and Spain.
  • France ranks in the world top 20 for the Index of
    Human Development
  • The welfare state is very developped (see
    details)
  • But France ranked n2 ten years ago.
  • France is famous for its Art de Vivre .

28
Practical question and answer session about
settling down in France
  • Questions are open in any field
  • Lodging, leisure, culture, holidays, raising
    children
  • Cost of life in Paris / Paris compared with other
    cities

29
Useful places to know in Paris and/or Lyon
  • The Prefecture
  • The townhall
  • The police
  • La Fourrière

30
Analysis of a few differences between Slovakia
and France
  • French people have less values than Slovaks they
    aim at achieving their personal development
    without exterior pressions (family, work,
    religion).
  • The professional career, whether in the public or
    the private sector, is valued by more people in
    France than in Slovakia.
  • Some French people build their identity only
    around their professional position
  • The separation between private and professional
    life is strong
  • People do not have the same position in the
    society and they do not mix with each other.
  • France is a highly stratified society, with
    strong definition and competition between classes.

31
Communicating with the French
32
Deciphering the communication  à la française 
  • French people feel committed to what they write,
    but not to what they say.
  • French people hesitate to say no, they prefer not
    to answer or to answer in a vague way.

To say that he or she is cold, a French person
will use ambiguous expressions such as  il ne
fait pas chaud (It is not hot),  je nai pas
chaud (I dont feel hot), etc.
33
Greetings and contact
  • Shaking hands upon greeting and parting is
    customary in France
  • French handshakes are not as firm as in other
    countries
  • Many business people speak English, but
    correspondence and negotiations in the French
    language provide a distinct advantage over
    competitors who use only English.
  • The French have a great appreciation for the art
    of conversation.
  • It is done in a spirit of camaraderie and in an
    effort to build a relationship based on
    intellectual prowess and élan.
  • People will be not be judged on their opinion if
    they are founded on logical

34
A non verbal communication with limited
constraints
  • One can use his or her body to express oneself
    (gestures, steps, expressions of the face), but
    it is not compulsary
  • Gestures complement the arguments, but they
    should be avoided for communication (pointing
    with the finger, waving with the hand)
  • Smiles are not interpreted in a particular way
  • Silences are uncommon during a conversation,
    except when everything that could be said has
    been said

35
How far to stay from ones counterpart ?
  • The French have a great respect for privacy.
  • One should knock and wait before entering into a
    room and give notice before arriving.
  • An aggressive handshake is considered impolite
  • The optimal distance between two people which are
    communicating (proxemics) is similar for French
    and Slovaks (about 60-70 cm)
  • But frontiers are more permeable for the French
    than for the Slovaks.
  • Eye contact is frequent and relatively intense,
    and can be intimidating to other cultures

36
Conversation topics and areas to avoid
  • Almost all topics of conversation are accepted,
    but they preferably should be general and not
    personal
  • French people hesitate to state their opinions or
    to debate issues where there is not a consensus
  • Frankness is not always a virtue, lying not
    always a sin
  • People do not disclose the amount of their
    salaries

37
Complaining a French speciality
To the traditional question  ça va ?  The
expected answer is ça va  and  et toi, ça
va ? 
  • French people criticize many things and often
    complain, but it generally concerns general
    problems (politics, weather, traffic jams)
    rather than their personal problems
  • One should not talk about ones unhappiness
  •  ça ne va pas bien (I dont feel well) is not
    an expected nor appreciated answer

38
Working in another language  points to keep in
mind with French people
  • Some characteristics of the communication  à la
    Française  are wrongly perceived as aggressive
    behavior or impoliteness by foreigners
  • The French frequently interrupt each other, as
    the argument is a form of entertainment.
  • The French give lessons in correct pronunciation
    it should be taken as a compliment that they
    are interested enough in you to help you get it
    right.
  • The French have certitudes based upon their
    logical spirit, which seems arrogant to other
    cultures.
  • When a French person thinks to be right, he or
    she gives her opinion, even though without been
    asked for it.
  • Making fun at somebody is more a matter of humour
    rather than a will to hurt.

French Président Jacques Chirac gives lessons
The behavior of Eastern European countries is
ill-educated  They have missed an occasion to
stay quiet 
39
Etiquette and formality
  • The most important characteristics of French
    business behavior are its emphasis on courtesy
    and a certain formality.
  • Communication is more written (and often hand
    written) than oral
  • Correspondence, whether by mail or by fax, should
    be acknowledged promptly.
  • The Business card is very much used
  • Appointment schedules and hierarchical titles are
    to be respected
  • Gifts are not necessary in business but Greetings
    cards can be send to clients for the New Year.

Veuillez agréer, chère Madame, lexpression de
mes salutations distinguées. How to translate
this sentence in Slovak ?
40
Appearance and dress
  • Professional attire is expected.
  • At work, employees are expected to dress
    conservative and invest in well-tailored clothing
    and branded and quality cloths
  • Patterned fabrics and dark colors are most
    acceptable, unlike bright colors, even for women,
    or glitzy or overpowering objects, such as flashy
    jewelry.
  • French businessmen do not loosen their ties or
    take off their jackets in the office.

41
The End
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com