The Stereotypical Frenchman

Last night I went out to have a couple of beers with a few guys I know from class. It was me, another American, a French guy, and two Swiss-German guys. We got into a discussion about stereotypes and what our respective countries think of the others. So the French guy went first, saying that French people think Americans are loud, easily excitable and overly demonstrative. For example, he says he met an American in New York, and upon learning he was French, the American yelled, "Oh my GOD, you are FRENCH? Wowwww, like from PARIS OR WHAT? Say something in French!"

Then it was our turn to say what the stereotype in our countries was of the French. We all agreed that the stereotype is a cold, unwelcoming people who are more than a little rude to outsiders. Then, we started talking about how a typical French person looks. We started off with the pointy, overly formal shoes that are worn even on the most informal of occasions. Then the tight, dark blue jeans, a long-sleeve collared shirt covered with a sweater, and then a trendy blazer usually over that. Definitely wearing a scarf; probably carrying a baguette; possibly wearing a beret; prone to carrying a fashionable handbag.

On this last point, the French guy started saying how he needs a new Longchamp hand bag for class. I said, "Oh yeah, my girlfriend was saying she needs one too." He insisted that men and women's Longchamp bags were different, and he even went so far as to sketch the difference out on a napkin. When he drew the "man's" Longchamp bag, I again said,"That is exactly the one my girlfriend wants." It reminded me a lot of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry buys a European carry-all, and when robbed on the street, he yells, "Officer, that guy just stole my European carry-all!" The officer says, "Your what? Oh, you mean your purse?"

We also joked that French people like to ask rhetorical questions in conversation, and then shrug one shoulder and stick their chin out in front of their face and higher than normal. Also, when they do not know the answer to something, they make a peculiar little noise. To replicate this noise, purse your lips and blow air out from between your pursed lips. It sounds like a little fart.

There is a joke that goes like this: There are two French butts sitting on the beach talking to each other. One butt asks the other butt, "What time is it?" The other butt responds with the little fart noise.

The conversation got a little more serious when we started talking about Nicolas Sarkozy and the recently enacted law that the retirement age in France will change from 60 to 62. The French guy got really worked up about it, telling stories about how rude and power hungry Sarkozy acts. Next week there are going to be daily protests against this new law. I am in three-person group for one of my classes, and when we were trying to arrange a time to meet to discuss a research paper, the French guy (a new one, not the same one) said he could not come next Thursday. I asked why not, and he said he is taking part in a protest in France Thursday against the new law. That was honestly the first time someone has told me they could not do something due to a social protest.