During my time abroad in Aix en Provance, France I observed through the lived experience with my hosts, through conversations with my peers, and in my public interactions that young adults in their mid-to-late twenties often live with their parents or in a family home. In addition to the more obvious motives for this lifestyle, like financial ease, it seemed the families legitimately enjoyed spending time together regularly. This included eating meals together and being intentional with connecting regularly.
The biggest cultural difference I observed with this lifestyle from how this is viewed in the United States was the lack of a stigma. The young adults living with their parents were not viewed, or seemed to not be viewed, as not capable or lacking in motivation or success. This is to say their living together was not as a result of failing in any way, or not working or being lazy. Culturally, continuing to live with your parents into adulthood isn’t a situational default, it is a choice, and the children in these situations are able to have individual adult lives while living at home. I loved seeing this cultural difference. It seems financially responsible and comfortable. The families seemed happy and comfortable with the arrangement. I like the idea of being close to my family into adult life and not being culturally peer pressured into having to “leave the nest” to pursue career success or just start an independent life. Having both would be ideal and having it in a space where you can support and trust each other while respecting each other’s space is sensible.
I think if I was having a discussion with any French person about this cultural difference they would mostly be surprised to learn of how differently this is viewed in the United States and that it was recognized as a cultural difference at all. I’ve been to other regions of the world where the cultural behavior of the French being discussed was also the cultural norm, and I imagine they would want to know why the United States’ views on this were so different at all, and the why behind it. Even though my experience shaped my view of this cultural difference with a positive and empathetic lens, I too still want to be able to live on my own after college, but hopefully very close to family.
The contemplation of this cultural difference through my firsthand experience in the study abroad program allowed for not only recognizing cultural differences and seeing them as positive, but also for reflection on personal preferences likely developed from societal expectations and norms in my own culture. Recognizing cultural differences challenges preconceptions and allows a path for similar contemplations to this exercise when encountering diversity in the world.