You should keep your hands above the table throughout a meal in France. To be courteous, top-off everyone else’s water cup before refilling your own. Almost everything is eaten with a fork and knife, even hamburgers and fries! It took me a while to get used to eating using both my fork and knife in the French way, especially the rule not to switch the utensils between your hands. If you’re offered a dish, the responses in French are “Oui, s’il vous plaît!” and “Non, merci!” (“Yes, please” and “No, thank you”).
I tried oysters for the first time last week. Would you eat one?
At first, I was curious and aprehensive (nervous). I haven't had much exposure to seafood.
Oysters are served raw and un-cooked. Watching my host family shuck the oysters was a totally new experience. They told me it took a lot of practice to be able to open the shells of the oysters safely.
My host family showed me how to check whether the oyster is good to eat using fresh-squeezed lemon juice. They were delicious!
My host family told me that oysters are very popular in France, especially along the coast. The northern coast of France is along the English channel and the western edge borders the Bay of Biscay. France also touches the Mediterranean sea. My host mom's son was visiting from Bordeaux, a city on the southwestern coast of France, and explained that oysters and seafood are even more popular there than in Paris.
