It
wasn’t until I arrived in La Roche-Sur-Yon that I realized I had been
living a life deprived of affection. My cheeks were cold from the lack
of casual lips greeting them everyday, and now I look back on my life in
Texas wondering how any drifting cowboy could ever go without a bisous,
bisous.
It took me off guard at first. People whom I hardly knew, kissing me hello, one bisous per cheek whenever I see them. I’m used to extending a firm American handshake of freedom and commerce to everyone, including females, and perhaps I gentle hug to the closest of friends. But when I saw the confusion, and perhaps horror, on the faces of french girls after seeing my extended hand I knew I had to make a change. I had to adapt. It’s the only way someone can survive in a new culture, and sometimes adapting can mean survival.
I admit it was not a difficult decision.
Day-by-day I become more accustomed to bisous,bisous. It’s normal, it’s casual, to authentically greet everyone you encounter for the first time in a day, and sometimes it’s the same for saying goodbye. However, these bisous are not without their setbacks. One time I was on a bisous rampage. One morning I walked in the university to find a group of girl students. After undertaking my cultural duties to greet each one of them i was feeling very liberal with my bisous. Soon after I saw a female professor who I needed to talk about a class, but when I tried to bisous her she slowly moved back. I casually played it off while continuing our discussion, but I knew something was not right. You can’t go around just “bisouing” everybody.
After two months of being here I think I’ve learned how the bisous,bisous works. Perhaps, it is a part of me. It was never more evident than when I left France for the holidays. I met with a Croatian in Brussels, Belgium who told me stop all of these French things and to give her a big hug. When in Holland I learned to greet with three kisses, which was ok, but seemed a bit too much for my newly found French customs. As soon as I came within the Vendee boundaries I knew I was home. Everything made sense again. One bisous, equally placed to each cheek, followed or preceded by a friendly “bonjour”. My cheeks will never be cold again.
It took me off guard at first. People whom I hardly knew, kissing me hello, one bisous per cheek whenever I see them. I’m used to extending a firm American handshake of freedom and commerce to everyone, including females, and perhaps I gentle hug to the closest of friends. But when I saw the confusion, and perhaps horror, on the faces of french girls after seeing my extended hand I knew I had to make a change. I had to adapt. It’s the only way someone can survive in a new culture, and sometimes adapting can mean survival.
I admit it was not a difficult decision.
Day-by-day I become more accustomed to bisous,bisous. It’s normal, it’s casual, to authentically greet everyone you encounter for the first time in a day, and sometimes it’s the same for saying goodbye. However, these bisous are not without their setbacks. One time I was on a bisous rampage. One morning I walked in the university to find a group of girl students. After undertaking my cultural duties to greet each one of them i was feeling very liberal with my bisous. Soon after I saw a female professor who I needed to talk about a class, but when I tried to bisous her she slowly moved back. I casually played it off while continuing our discussion, but I knew something was not right. You can’t go around just “bisouing” everybody.
After two months of being here I think I’ve learned how the bisous,bisous works. Perhaps, it is a part of me. It was never more evident than when I left France for the holidays. I met with a Croatian in Brussels, Belgium who told me stop all of these French things and to give her a big hug. When in Holland I learned to greet with three kisses, which was ok, but seemed a bit too much for my newly found French customs. As soon as I came within the Vendee boundaries I knew I was home. Everything made sense again. One bisous, equally placed to each cheek, followed or preceded by a friendly “bonjour”. My cheeks will never be cold again.
yes bisous bisous is so french, it's style of life :)
ReplyDeleteyou got it ;)
Be very careful when discussing your cold or hot cheeks on line. One day the French students' English will be good enough to read more into what you are saying than you intend!
ReplyDelete