#cuinparis

Prompt 1 (extended): Pick a concept from the chapter 14 reading on cross-cultural communication and PR that you have seen exemplified during our time here so far. Perhaps at a cafe you've witnessed differences in how space is used (Proxemics). Maybe on a weekend trip you've seen ways that people from some countries view time differently than we tend to (Chronemics). Or perhaps you've seen a really clever ad that bridges cultural/linguistic boundaries. Post a photo or video, and explain how it captures or illustrates the concept you choose. 

While I don’t have a photo of the restaurant, I have many pictures of our meal and experience. Prior to arriving in Germany, I spent three days in Paris. If there is one thing that stood out to be above all else it is the lax approach they take to eating meals. Noted in the reading, “In some cultures, a designated time is a flexible timeline; in others, it’s a specific target,” (G&M, p.431). Prior to this experience, I never thought that meals would be what set us apart from Europeans, nonetheless I appreciate their approach to meal time. 

In the United States, we don’t have a set timeline for dinner, however, it is common for most families in America to eat from 5:00-7:00. While we eat earlier in America, we also don’t emphasize meal time as a time to share with loved ones, catch up, or converse about life in general. We shove meals into our schedules as if they are a burden and are constantly ready to move onto the next thing. After a long day of exploring Paris, Kellen and I decided to go have dinner around 8:30 which we thought was a rather late meal. Much to our surprise, we were some of the first ones at the restaurant. It wasn’t until about 9:00 or 9:30 that people began to sit down for their meals. 

When Kellen and I sat down at our restaurant in Paris, I immediately noticed the opposite. Not only where they not rushing, they weren’t rushing through their meals or constantly flagging the waiter down. We waited ten minutes before our waiter spoke to us and when he came over we ordered drinks and meals at the same time. He would drop off bread and drinks to our table without saying a word, giving a polite smile. It was such a contrast to the American restaurant experience. Waiters in the United States make it a point to get you in and out the door because they need their next tip desperately. 

Not only did our waiter give us time and space, I spent a lot of time observing the people eating around me. Not only did they arrive to dinner around the time that I would go to bed, they were very present. No one was on their phones or scrolling through Instagram, people were conversing, ordering drinks, laughing and talking to one another. This seems like a lost concept to me as an American. Specifically as an American who grew up in the biggest technology explosion to date, I am so used to my friends sitting on their phones at dinner or sitting in a room and everyone scrolling through social media.