FRANCE - LYON

Having grown up in Germany, France is a close neighbour. In school, I learnt French for six years and visited the country for holidays. Therefore, I didn’t have a cultural shock when I first arrived in Lyon. The biggest difference was the size, as I have never lived in such an environment. Lyon, the third-biggest city in France, has much to offer. However, the “city of lights” how it’s been attributed, has a calm, cozy and friendly vibe, that I didn’t necessarily expect. I was positively surprised by the friendliness and willingness to help of the people here, regardless of if I asked them in French or in English. As my host university offers a special program for international students, I unfortunately have few classes with French students, which makes it hard to really get to know locals. To find other ways of meeting locals, I joined the university climbing team and signed up to a buddy program, where I got paired up with a student from the psychology department. Thus, I am increasing my contact to the real French culture but haven’t had the full experience yet.

Starting with every-day-life at the university, I first noticed the appearance and way of clothing that French students share. In my opinion, the dress code is chicer and more elegant than I am used to. Girls for instance will come to university in a fully styled look, with their hair and makeup done, enhancing their natural beauty and often using rouge and a red lipstick, and some are also wearing high-heeled shoes. In comparison to Liechtenstein, where the dress code is a bit more casual and sportive, this would have probably been the look you would come in for a presentation. Some common criteria I spotted in Lyon were for example the colours. Most French students wear a lot of brown, beige, black or creamy-white clothes. Also, you don’t see a lot of big prints or bright and strong colours or patterns. Initially, I felt a bit unsure, as I don’t normally spend too much time for styling in the morning. Entering the university, I felt a bit underdressed and thought a lot about my own relation to physical appearance and its effects on belonging somewhere. While I didn’t want to change my style or spend an hour getting ready, I recognized the unwritten dress code and felt like it might be easier to connect to others dressing up a bit. Also, I acknowledged that I valued practical outfits in FL where I bike to Uni, whereas in Lyon I take the bus. A couple of weeks later, I now adapted slightly and dress on the level of having a presentation in FL, which mainly means less sportive like suit trousers instead of jeans. Yet, I figured that I don’t like all the outfits of that style and also, that it may seem elegant, classic and chic, but some colours don’t do a harm either. In short, I tried to take out the best parts of it and integrate them, seeing that the French students have some great clothing habits but are not perfect either.

Another typical French custom is the “bisous”-greeting habit. French like to kiss cheeks when meeting, with friends, but also colleagues and people they don’t know that well. I experienced this once so far when I had a dinner with a French family, which was an activity offered by a students association. As I experienced this before, I was prepared. The number of kisses varies by region, so it’s best to follow their lead. One could think from this experience, that French people have a smaller personal space, but I would not agree. Apart from the greeting, I think it is about the same which makes me feel very comfortable. Also, I am used to hug friends back home, so I don ‘t mind the bisous, as it’s not much more intimate to me. Still, I find hugging somehow more heartful because the bisous can sometimes be quite fake or at least you can see that people just do it to be polite, but not necessarily because they like the other person or know them very well. For this reason, I personally prefer the handshake in business relations, as it‘s a bit more formal and seems professional to me.

When it comes to groceries, French supermarkets are similar but offer a vast selection of affordable (soft) cheese and wine. Also, France is known for having so-called hypermarchés, which are giant supermarkets with all kinds of products from food to clothing, electronic devices, kitchen utensils or books. While I always find those quite overstimulating, they are useful for newcomers. I live in a studio lacking cooking essentials, so it was great to find everything I needed in one place.

Overall, the French culture I’ve experienced in Lyon is similar to that of Liechtenstein and Germany, however, each place has its own ways of doing things. Concluding, I am sure this experience is broadening my perspective and I’ll take valuable learnings back home!