Having focused on French literature and language academically since I was 12 years old, I always knew I would spend an extended amount of time in France at some point in my life. The opportunity presented itself for the first time in college where I came to Paris for a 6-week French language and fashion seminar with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It was during this time that I met and quickly began dating the Frenchman who is now my husband!

Adapting and fully integrating is an ongoing process but I've finally gotten to the stage where I feel more on the "inside" than on the outside. Initially, even with a French boyfriend, I constantly felt like the piece that didn't belong in the puzzle which was made worse by the lack of a solid social network. My husband's friends did not warm up to me immediately and it wasn't until I could say I was really bilingual that they, as well as others, started to really "get me" and take a genuine interest in my life. Everyone's story is different and bilingualism is by no means the key - it was for me because I gained immense confidence in myself and was more  inclined to approach French people in much the same way I would an anglophone. 

The lifestyle. The French are unapologetic hedonists on all fronts and they make sure that hard work is compensated for with relaxations and some form of pleasure. The vacation time is often spoken of but the amount of time off they receive is similar to that of many other European countries and it remains an attractive advantage. They see much more of the world or their own country than Americans, not only because the desire to travel is in their blood but because they actually have the time to do so.

Aside from the fact that you can't cash checks in banks, I think the biggest cultural shock to me was seeing how much the French actually eat! The fact is, when people speak about French thinness, they're primarily thinking of Parisians. Once you get out of the city, you see an entire spectrum of shapes and sizes. I too bought into the fallacy that the French were far slimmer and healthier than us (Anglosaxons) but everything I've seen living in Paris and traveling throughout the rest of the country point to questionable eating habits and a diet limited in nutrients.