Every society has different values that influence how people think, act, work and spend their free time. Sometimes these differences are very small, and I didn’t even realize some of the small things in the United States until I came to France.
One big difference that I noticed between the United States and France is the work-life balance. In France, the 35-hour work week is standard compared to the 40 hours that most people in the United States work. Even though I am not spending my semester abroad in a corporate business setting, the shortened workweek applies to everyone, including pharmacies and stores. For example, most stores are closed or have very limited hours on Sunday. Popular clothing stores and convenience shops are completely closed Sundays because of French values of spending time with family and resting. It is common to see parks filled with young families having a picnic near older men playing a game of boules (a popular French game similar to bocce) on a nice day. A few things that are opened on a Sunday include museums and restaurants, both of which are perfect locations to meet with friends or spend time with your family. Another important difference between the United States and France is the role of food and its preparation in society.
