Parisians vs. Americans

Coming here for the first time, I knew people could be different from what I know at home. I knew I would look like an American tourist no matter what I did, so I tried fitting in as much as possible.

While in Paris, we have seen many rainy days. Parisians are always prepared for any type of weather, while I get caught in the rain with shorts and a t-shirt on with no umbrella. Even when its hot here, people can be seen in long pants and coats on. Soccer jerseys or clothes with the local PSG badge on them are popular, which isn't much different from seeing someone in America supporting their sports team back home on their clothes.

Despite being a busy place from sunrise to well after sunset, the metro is a quiet place. People in Paris keep to themselves, everyone has a pair of headphones or a book to read while they wait to get off at their destination. With so many people all in one place, I expected it to be very loud, but in Paris thats one thing they are not. In large groups we can be louder than everyone else, and it easy to tell we are not from Paris.

With my time here, I have wondered if I have lived up to the American stereotype. When Parisians see me, do they know or think I'm American? I have learned a lot about life outside America but despite many differences, Americans and Parisians are similar in more ways than one.