As an American student, there were many cultural behaviors, attitudes, and values that I had to adjust to. One of these behaviors that took me a bit to adjust to was the service culture. In France, it is rude for servers to check in on their customers frequently while dining in restaurants. I found myself sitting in restaurants finished with my food, or wanting a refill for a drink for many minutes longer than normal in the US. I had to learn to not feel awkward calling the server over for assistance or for the check. In the US, servers check in on their customers every 15-20 minutes and often bring over the check with no request. After a few weeks in France, I started to remember that it is not rude to call out to a server and that I would sit there all day if I did not do so.
I understand this behavior more and more. In France, they do not want to make their customers feel rushed into ordering or leaving. In the US, we typically sit down, order within 5 minutes, and are out of the restaurant within 30-45 minutes. The lunches and dinners are longer in France, they take their time eating and dining. French servers get paid hourly and do not typically get tips, so it does not matter to them how many customers they have in one shift. Servers in the US get their money through tips rather than through an hourly wage. This makes it important for servers in the US to get their customers in and out. The more customers, the more tips.
I would assume that someone from my host culture would view my experience as busy and very fulfilling. My host family saw that I traveled almost every weekend to various cities with rich cultures. I ate dinner with my host for four out of seven days a week and we would discuss what I learned in my french class and my daily activities.
My time abroad has prepared me for future cultural misunderstandings and conflicts in many ways. As I am an international Business Major, having experience living in a foreign country with different cultural norms is a very important asset. I have learned to never judge another culture. Just because I am used to living one way, does not make another way of living any less than what I am used to. Moving to a new country means one should adapt to follow that country’s norms, as they are a visitor. I am better able to realize that sometimes there may be conflicts due to a cultural difference that has a solution.