Search Results for “label”
Je m’en fous: French Customer Service
A couple months ago my friend Yann-yves O’Hayon-Crosby had shared a tale of French customer service on Facebook that made me chuckle. I said to myself, this needs to be a post. Besides being a talented filmmaker/photographer/videographer Yann-yves also happens to be Franco-American, so it only seemed appropriate that he could provide a more balanced and insider perspective on the topic. Special thanks too to Ana Clara Soares for the accompanying graphic – a “bonus” French lesson! Je m’en fous = I don’t care! But without further ado, French customer... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSONS: Poisson d’Avril
Today’s French Lesson is technically a day late, as yesterday was officially le poisson d’avril [the fish of April], or April Fool’s Day. According to this article, the holiday of pranks may have even started in France. I saw some really clever internet jokes yesterday, but I have to say that commenters were a bit of the party-pooper variety. It’s far more fun falling for it, even if it’s short lived. Stay tuned tomorrow – I’ll share my favorite April Fish! French Lessons is an ongoing series where I teach you... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSONS: gueule de bois
One of my favorite French past times is the way they translate titles of American movies into “French.” For instance, The Hangover (U.S. version) came to France and was given the translation of Very Bad Trip. Yes, they translated the title into another English title. Not that every movie title needs a direct translation, but I thought “hangover” or [avoir la] gueule du bois would make a fun French Lesson. Literally mouth of wood, gueule is slang for “face” or the mouth of an animal, while bois translates to wood... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSONS: Le But
Every week on the way to my French accounting classes I pass a home goods store called “But City” [see photo below] and I chuckle each time I pass it (same is true for the café called Le But). Now this is just me being an immature American, but when naming any business in this global world you need to consider translations. It’s just unfortunate that le but in French (you don’t pronounce the “t”), translates to “goal,” something positive and a bit more serious than “but” which translates to... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSONS: tomber dans les pommes
For a long time I’ve questioned how the French survive without drinking much water. It still remains a mystery to me, and part of me thinks it must be genetic. I’m just a naturally thirsty American, and staying hydrated is how I beat fatigue (and jetlag). At the pool I’m almost always the only one with a water bottle, and if I know I’m going to a brunch at French friend’s place I always pre-hydrate because water is just not part of the culture. The other day I was in... Read The Rest →
French Lessons: Quand les Poules Auront des Dents
It’s not everyday I get the chance to draw a chicken with teeth. Then again, living in France is not your typical everyday experience. There are many days when I feel like I have seen chickens [les poules] with teeth [les dents] after I’ve finally completed a bureaucratic challenge. Miracles do happen. In English we either say “when hell freezes over” or “when pigs fly.” Still, there is a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to chickens, non? P.S. Speaking of chickens, I bought eggs at this market... Read The Rest →
French Bureaucracy, Explained
One of the things about having a social media presence and clearly being an expat in France is that people can easily find me. Hence I get a lot of questions and emails that go something like: Dear Anne, I want to move to France. I’ve sent dozen of email responses which I tend to never hear back from (I fear it’s because what I say isn’t always what people want to hear). After numerous blog posts on the topic as well, I thought it was time to pull together... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSONS: une planche
There are not many words in any language that can apply to the swimming pool + food at the same time, but in French, anything is possible! The day that I discovered that a kickboard and a meat/cheese plate served on a board both go by une planche, I had to smile. I suppose it’s one of those cases where the two wouldn’t get confused too easily. I just know I for one would be highly amused to see some saucisson [sausage] + fromage [cheese] served on a kickboard! For... Read The Rest →
FRENCH LESSON: Un Ange Qui Passe
There’s a wonderful French saying for the moment when a conversation naturally halts. Christmas / Chanukah / Thanksgiving / Birthday / dinner (or anytime) there is great festivity, and then you take a pause and realize there is no one talking. Someone points out, “C’est un ange qui passe” and everyone agrees, as they smile at the idea of an angel (un ange) passing above. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and festive holiday season! French Lessons is an ongoing series where I teach you French words and cultural lessons while beefing... Read The Rest →
LIFE IN FRANCE
I always feel really bad when someone contacts me with a glimmer in their eye, dreaming of living in France. My life in France has been anything but a straight road, and in fact the destination is often obscured by bureaucracy. But that bureaucracy is a bonding force in its own right, through shared experiences. Last summer Kasia invited me to reflect in her series “The Dream Life” about my life in Paris and why exactly I fight so hard to stay here. And on this episode of The France... Read The Rest →
