5 Reasons I’m Becoming More French #JamaicanInFrance

Updated: April 2020

What’s more french than a French person thinking that you’re French?

At my friend’s birthday dinner, one of her french friends said to me in a very convinced tone “you’re french, right?” *throws confetti & jumps around* lolol

“Tu es française, n’est-ce pas?” <~~the ultimate compliment you can give to someone trying to learn and speak a foreign language.

She totally thought I spoke french like a French person *woot*

OK so I don’t have the biggest stereotypical accent but it’s there, no doubt.

This got me thinking about just how “French” have I become? (Some of these things are common across Europe but since I’ve only spent extensive time in France…)

I’m kinda scared at what I will find lol.

1. Becoming More French: I put my bread directly on the table

Sans plate, sans napkin, no nothing.
This is unthinkable in Jamaica. When I first moved to France, this was one of the most disgusting things I’d ever seen. But now? Meh…I’m a JamaicanInFrance now. I don’t do it all the time. But it’s almost as natural as putting my bread on a plate/napkin. Almost 😉

Speaking of food…

2. Becoming More French: I eat eggs for dinner

Yup Yup. I regularly make ham and cheese crepes with eggs for dinner.

Eggs are strictly breakfast food in Jamaica. Maybe if it’s part of a salad then you’ll see it eaten at other times of the day. Au contraire, eggs are not at all breakfast food in France.

When I mention to French people that I had eggs for breakfast, a weird look of surprise and confusion spread across their faces. To which I point out that I used to share the same sentiment towards eggs as dinner. And then we have a back and forth on what’s the normal time for eating eggs during the day…noon is usually the earliest time for a French person, fyi.

3. Becoming More French: I no longer give death stares to the cashier when they take my money without gloves and then directly touch my food

It’s one of those things that you cannot avoid in France. France is known for its street-corner cafés, boulangeries and restaurants. If you go to one of these small eateries, very often the person who handles your money is the person who is going to give you your food. So either prepare to have fingers all over your food or don’t eat out.

4. Becoming More French: I have a growing interest and indulgence in beer.

This is probably more typical of “french student life” but drinking beer is definitely more of a European past time than it is Jamaican. Jamaicans prefer good ole RUM. Beer (when I was growing up in Jamaica) was for old people or women who were not particularly into drinking. And the choices were way less.

There is a strong #beerculture in Europe and while France remains “wine country”, beer is definitely a mainstay for the student/millenial crowd.

For one, it’s cheap. The quantity/quality/cost ratios balance out really well. There are so many different types of beer to be found that I never feel stuck drinking the same ole thing. I get to experiment and discover the varied mass-produced beers vs craft beers.

My favourite beer is a pale lager beer from Belgium called Jupiler. It’s light and crispy with a sort of sweet citrusy taste. It’s surprisingly regular but I really like it for its refreshing taste!

As a Jamaican in France, I have thoroughly enjoyed this foray into beer drinking culture. Plus hangovers are on a minimum.

5. Becoming More French: I now use a Daily Planner/Agenda.

Completely shocked my French friends with this one. Using a daily planner is so completely part of French culture. I mean sure, lots of people scribble away in their daily planners everywhere in the world. But, for me, this is a national past-time in France. EVERYBODY uses one…even little five year olds (mainly to write homework).

Maybe it’s because I am from a culture that is more “fluid” but I was surprised to learn that hardly any French person could function without a daily planner.

I have always wanted to give it a go but I could never keep up with it and I just don’t really know how to use one. Weird right? I normally forget to use my planner halfway through the year.

WELL after years of watching “the experts”, I’ve decided to try.

BONUS: I now drink way more wine. Obviously.

INSERT PHOTO OF WINE GLASSSES ON TABLE

Red wine > White wine #thatisall