Mon, 28 May 2012
| Index | Last | Var.(%) |
|---|---|---|
| BEL 20 | 2116.24 | -0.15 |
| DAX | 6325.63 | -0.23 |
| IBEX 30 | 6411.6 | -2.01 |
| CAC 40 | 3047.13 | -0.03 |
| FTSE 100 | 5364.42 | 0.24 |
| AEX | 293.2 | 0.15 |
| DJIA | 12454.83 | -0.60 |
| Nasdaq | 2837.53 | -0.07 |
| FTSE MIB | 13071.08 | -0.64 |
| TSX Composite | 11576.47 | 0.09 |
| ASX | 4120.2 | 0.96 |
| Hang seng | 18800.99 | 0.47 |
| Straits Times | 2787.22 | 0.52 |
| ISEQ 20 | 502.76 | 0.36 |
Text size
One kiss, two kiss, three kiss, four? Former expat Maria Foley describes the five W's of French kissing culture.
Maria Foley is a Canadian who lived and raised a family as an expat for many years. Aside from writing for Suite 101, Foley still writes about her expat life on her blog, I was an expat wife.
I first got married to a French girl in 1970, and the whole "kissing thing" was a fundemental shock to my system. She was living in England at the time, but we moved to France in 1980, and struggled for years to come to terms with it, which I eventually did! I've worked and living in a Francophone environment since 1974, but was no way prepared for the next culture shock when I came to Cote d'Ivoire (Abidjan) to discover that it is perfectly acceptable, and usual, for men who are friends to hold hands. The first couple of years, that sent shockwaves up my spine!! However, I learnt it was a very effective mwthod of dealing with the interminable police and military road checks ... if they were stupid enough to put their hand on the sill of the window, or even to profer their hand, I would grab it, and say something like "et commewnt vas tu, mon frere?" Road check rapidly terminated !!
My friends and began to faire la bise in Englnd around 2000. I remember having to explain why we did this to several people, but it just seemed like a nice way to greet one another.
Now that I've been living in France for 5 years, it is completely natural. However, I note that it is now very common in England and not just between francophones.
Personally, I love the practice. I think that it puts more humanity into a an increasingly sterile modern world.
I first got married to a French girl in 1970, and the whole "kissing thing" was a fundemental shock to my system. She was living in England at the time, but we moved to France in 1980, and struggled for years to come to terms with it, which I eventually did! I've worked and living in a Francophone environment since 1974, but was no way prepared for the next culture shock when I came to Cote d'Ivoire (Abidjan) to discover that it is perfectly acceptable, and usual, for men who are friends to hold hands. The first couple of years, that sent shockwaves up my spine!! However, I learnt it was a very effective mwthod of dealing with the interminable police and military road checks ... if they were stupid enough to put their hand on the sill of the window, or even to profer their hand, I would grab it, and say something like "et commewnt vas tu, mon frere?" Road check rapidly terminated !!
My friends and began to faire la bise in Englnd around 2000. I remember having to explain why we did this to several people, but it just seemed like a nice way to greet one another.
Now that I've been living in France for 5 years, it is completely natural. However, I note that it is now very common in England and not just between francophones.
Personally, I love the practice. I think that it puts more humanity into a an increasingly sterile modern world.
This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes information on business hierarchy, negotiations, and etiquette.
A listing of organizations in the Paris area that cater primarily to Americans living in France. Updated April 2011.
Our handy guide to the British community in Paris, from cricket clubs to Scottish country dancing lessons to where to find a jar of Marmite.
Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France, from how to open a bank account to Islamic banking and investments.
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
Google+
2
