It's different in France....

What is different?

Hugs.  I only know one person other than my family to hug here and I miss hugs!

Prices.  Meat is more, bread is less.  I'm still figuring the rest out.  BUT the tax is included in the price, so if it says 2 Euros, the final price is 2 Euros!  And you don't tip here.

Walking.  It is just over 2 km to walk to our school from where we live now and will be 1.7 km to walk from the new place.  1/2 km to the little grocery store and 1 km to a bigger one.  We haven't been to the Geant yet.  It is further than we wanted to go without bikes.  We walk everywhere.  This is a good thing.  Great exercise.  BUT, when you don't feel good, or a kid doesn't feel good, it takes a LONG time! (1 km is .621 miles)

Housing. Almost everyone here is in a 'flat' of some sort.  There are beautiful old houses too though.

Gardens.  Everyone seems to have one.  All kinds of flowers and fruits and veggies growing everywhere.

School.  School here is more like year round.  It doesn't finish until Friday July 4 for the children and begins again the beginning of September.  But there are a lot of breaks - two weeks off every couple of months.

.com.  Here it is .fr not .com - some things are .com, but it is google.fr

Time.  Don't expect it today.  But it will be right.  Everything is a bit slower here

Lunches.  2 hr. lunch break from school.  Everyone spends time as a family at lunch and dinner.

No school on Wednesdays.  Not for anyone under 11.  Older kids have some school on Wednesdays.

4th of July.  Nope here it is the 14th of July - Bastille Day - they celebrate with fireworks.

Checks- Same, but written differently and you always put the city where you signed it with the date.

Store hours. Everything closes at 7:30 pm and most things are closed Sundays.  Many places have long lunch hours and random days closed.  You have to read the signs carefully. There are restaurants opened later.

Bread.  It is really good!


| think I'll keep this list going and add as I learn more.