The French Are Like Coconuts

Molly & Scout in their new home
 (France not the chateau).

They have a saying here in France: Americans are like peaches, and the French are like coconuts.  Meaning that Americans are super friendly and sweet, but once you get beneath the surface, they have a hard center. The French on the other hand, have an almost impenetrable exterior (i.e. difficult to get to know), but once you get through the hard and coarse shell, they have a sweet, soft interior.

The Americans we've met so far have been quite eager to become fast friends.  However since moving to France, it's been our preference to interact with non-Americans.  It could be my Peace Corps mentality, but we wanted to move to Europe so that we could learn and experience a new culture and not creating an anglo bubble in Paris.  So given that we live in a country full of coconuts, if we want to get to know the French, it's necessary to find opportunities to interact with them in their own language.


This weekend, Thomas and I decided to participate in a wine concour (contest). This would test both our language level as well as our oenology skills.  We prepared a bit by reviewing the different wine regions of France (I'm glad I did because there was a small quiz!) and having our tutor help us with the vocabulary.
The preparation was useful, since the event was more like speed tasting. We judged 32 wines over the course of two two hour sessions.  What discussions we did have was quick and to the point.

I was proud of Thomas. We purposefully sat at separate tables, and he was able to fully participate in the discussion.  His attitude about learning French is enviable. No matter the situation, he attempts to speak their language.  I'm sure in a few months, his level will be parallel with mine.  This attitude and earnest desire to learn their language and culture i s why he is integrating well in our little town.  He would have made a good peace corps volunteer.

At the second session, I sat at a table of only women.  It was a delight.  They invited comments from everyone in order to come to a consensus. At the end of the session, I took the opportunity to ask them questions- en français of course. I was fascinated by how knowledgeable the French were about their wines. It turns out that wines in France are like political affiliations in the US.  Proclivities are passed down from parents to children.  As American children usually affiliate with the same political parties as their parents at an early age, the young french usually drink the same wine as their parents. The term "family wine" was used.  And as they start to form their own opinions and think for themselves, they develop their own tastes - true for politics as with wine.

Each day we live in France, the veil between us and this new culture we live in slowly starts to lift. Each day we are learning more and more about our neighbors.  The shells are starting to crack.