When in doubt, copy what the natives do
February 4, 2014
Post written by Matt Watts. So, the Christmas holidays are over and it’s back to work now! I’m still enjoying the job but also looking forward to doing something different in Brazil over the summer! I think I’ve adapted to life over here in France now and have also noticed some cultural differences, as per …
Well… I’ve been home for a while now, and it’s probably time for an update.
Hi everyone! As the title suggests, I’m back in England, and I’ve been here for a few weeks now: all settled in and ready to write another post. By the end of the placement I was completely ready to come home, mostly because of a wisdom tooth that made my face swell up and left …
Learning how the French do it
When living in a different country the first step is to learn the language. The next step is to adapt to the culture, which I have experienced to be quite difficult in certain situations where I’m so used to my own cultural behaviour and way of thinking. When I first arrived in Montpellier, I was …
A two hour lunch seems a little excessive
February 3, 2014
Although I have faced many challenges whilst being on my year abroad luckily adjusting to the French culture has not been one of the harder ones. However that is not to say that I haven’t found a few things frustrating. Firstly the concept of Sunday closure; In France almost everything closes on a Sunday and …
Enjoying adapting to Spanish culture
When people ask me about the cultural differences between the UK and Spain I find it hard to pin point a lot of things but the timing of a normal working day is certainly one of the most noticeable differences! I found myself getting a bit lost in terms of when was suitable to eat …
You can’t expect to become totally Spanish I suppose!
Despite just having finished my first five months in Spain and having loved every minute of it, there have undeniably been a few cultural challenges that I’ve had to overcome and get used to. The first of these is the concept of mañana. The Spanish are probably the most relaxed nation of people I’ve ever …
Cultural differences are what makes living abroad such a unique experience
When living abroad it is hard to escape noticing the cultural differences that exist between your own country and the way of life you’re used to living, and the one you now reside in and the new norms and ‘rules’ you are to abide to. And whilst still living in Europe this may not be …
The ‘jeitinho brasileiro’
February 2, 2014
Post written by Ben West. Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil So, 1 week into my study placement in Brazil, and I have already learned so much about the culture here. I can’t write about everything – the fact that everywhere you go there is grass and trees and fruit and building works and very few …
The Spanish…they’re noisy but refreshingly relaxed
Just over 2 hours away from the UK lies Spain; familiar, sunny and an obvious tourist destination for many Brits. I always thought I knew Spain and its culture quite well after various holidays here as well as studying it throughout school and university. However it has only been since living here for a prolonged …
The challenge of vegetarianism in France
February 1, 2014
During my time in France, I came across a number of cultural challenges. For example, I discovered that the French really do not share the English sense of humour. This resulted in many embarrassing situations where I seemed inadvertently to offend people (note to self: never use sarcasm in France) or to get into a …
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