Category: French
Culture Notes Jan. 31 ‘08
Robrohan describes the perils of trying to fit in with other cultures (when you don’t really know what you’re doing) – includes a great overview of Chinese dragon symbols.
The travel rats describe the Sensory Overload they experience in their first two weeks in India.
My Grandma is More Sexy than You! The Taiwan News reviews an [...] Read More »
Cinco de Mayo
The “Fifth of May,” is a holiday that is widely celebrated in the United States both by people of Mexican background and by Americans regardless of their ethnic origins. In Mexico, it’s not that big a deal. Similar to St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is more widely observed in [...] Read More »
The Maypole and other May Day Traditions
The beginning of May was an important feast day in many ancient cultures, a time to celebrate the coming of summer. The Druids of the British Isles thought that May 1, the Feast of Beltane, divided the year in half, with the other half ending on Samhain on November 1. Both days were celebrated by [...] Read More »
Expat: American in Paris
We see many great blogs written by expatriates living in other cultures. When we find ones that we like, we will create a post and then list them on our Expats page.
Polly is a consultant who moved to Paris in March of 2006. Her blog offers humorous observations on topics ranging from American bumper stickers [...] Read More »
Culture News March 23 ‘07
It’s Official: Video Games Part of French Culture
French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres has inducted three game designers into the prestigious Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature), following on a new law signed earlier this month that provides generous tax breaks for video games made on French soil. Wired [...] Read More »
Culture News March 20 ‘07
A Random Collection of News and Notes on World Cultures
Expatriate blogger Ben Ross tries to explain American satire to his Chinese readers.
Somali Muslim cashiers at Target stores in Minneapolis are given the option of wearing gloves or being assigned to other duties after they refuse to touch pork products and some customers complained. Eating [...] Read More »
Groundhog Day
February 2 is Groundhog Day in the United States and in Canada. The groundhog, also known as a woodchuck (Marmota monax), is a member of the squirrel family. According to American legend, the local television news and Hollywood, he is also a weatherman.
If he sees his shadow when he emerges from his [...] Read More »
The Tooth Fairy is a Mouse in France and a Magpie in Korea
In American culture, the tooth fairy visits whenever a child looses a baby tooth. Children put the tooth under their pillow when they go to bed at night, and wake up in the morning to find that the tooth has been replaced by some money! Sometimes the tooth is put in a decorated [...] Read More »
Twelfth Night, Epiphany, or Three Kings Day
Don’t Forget to Leave Out Some Food for the Camels!
January 6th is the twelfth day after Christmas, celebrated as Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings in many countries with strong Christian traditions, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Argentina. It commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men, or [...] Read More »
The Yule Log and La Bûche de Noël
At Christmas time, people all over France and Belgium serve the “Bûche de Noël” – a cake shaped and decorated to look like a tree trunk. In Anglo-Saxon cultures, many people still burn a “yule log” in their fireplace at Christmas. There is even a television station in New York that shows a [...] Read More »
