Culture Shock!!!

It has almost been a month in France and the cultural differences that I have seen is just an amazing experience so far. I stayed in Paris for a couple of weeks and I did go through lots of cultural shock. I had always expected that Europeans were good in communicating with foreigners but I was shocked to see them silent and not willing to speak even a single word. Before I came to France, I stayed a couple of weeks in the United States of America and it was a different experience than what I have been experiencing so far. Americans do know how to communicate. Even if you’re walking down the street and you see a stranger passing by, they greet you with the most pleasant smile and a word “Hello”. I did expect the same with the French people but it is quite the opposite as they only feel secured within the circle of people they know. Till now I haven’t met any French greeting me while I am walking on the streets. Rather than being forward they are more preservative. This might be because they possess a different nature and their perception of thinking is different than what we have.
In my culture consumption of any form of alcohol in the daytime is strictly prohibited and one might get penalized if not followed the law. But in France I saw an opposite side of my culture. The people occupied every restaurant in Paris consuming different forms of alcohol. I noticed one of the best features of French people that made them stand among rest is that they don’t consume alcohol to get wasted rather just for the taste.
One of the other cultural differences I have gone through is that French people express their love wherever they want. I came across many couples kissing passionately everywhere. No wonder France is known as the “City of Love”. This is totally different from what I have learned from my culture. It’s difficult for the couples to roam around even if they were just holding hands. The society might take it as an immoral activity.
If I try to point out the cultural differences that I have gone through, then I would write a book out of it. No matter what you do or how you do it, it is all based on the customs that each country plays. Wherever I go I have always respected the fact that the people I meet have different perceptions towards me and I have a different perception towards them. All in all, cultures play a vital role in human’s lives and these are the ones which helps you to identify.