Unwritten rules series

Cultural Codes

The Unwritten Rules #2: Being Right Doesn’t Work in France

If you don’t frame your request correctly, you’ll be ignored. It was a Sunday lunch at my parents-in-law’s. The room was filled with the sound of knives on plates but no one was talking, so I took my moment to complain about the French exam that I

Unwritten rules series

The Unwritten Rules #1: Making Friends in France

How Cultural Norms Shape First Impressions We were sitting in the grass at Buttes-Chaumont having a picnic. My American friends were chatting with and asking my French friend questions like they’d known her for years. I remember thinking, “I knew they’d like each other, but this is going