PARIS III

 Coming from Germany I was used to the custom of “early hours”: For example, the most companies in Germany start somewhere between 7-8 o’clock in the morning and German school also starts at 8 o’clock sharp. Most institutions and venues open their doors at that time. The morning hours are considered in Germany to be the most important and productive. There is even a saying in Germany, that the early bird catches the worm and that the word spoke in the early hours is “gold-standard”. Hence, being late then 8 or at worst case scenario at 9 o’clock at the office, is set to be the norm. On contrary staying late at night in the office, putting extra hours is considering to be not efficient and unorganized. Also, the pupils at school are mostly done by 2 p.m. in the afternoon and kinder garden closes also at this time.

This is quite different in France, and I had to get to use to it at first. For example, all my lectures at the University started not earlier than 9:30 a.m. However, the courses lasted also longer in the day, sometimes ending at 6 p.m. But this didn’t mean that we were the whole time at the University, because a prolonged lunch is considered to be the norm in France. This was also something that was for me quite different compared to Germany: During the working week, Germans tend to have a light lunch at an office canteen or at an office kitchen bringing their self-prepared meal from home, while in France it is common to take an extensive lunch break by visiting a nearby restaurant or brasserie and enjoying the meal with their coworkers.

Having a different “German” time rhythm, it was for me a quite a challenge to adapt to the different “French” schedule at first. In Germany I went to the gym quite early in the morning (around 6-7 a.m.) before going to the University. When I arrived the first time at the door of my gym in Paris, I found the doors locked and the opening hours quite different. When I was invited by my fellow student peers at lunch time to visit a nearby restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal, I asked if we are celebrating a special occasion. And I was quite tired to stay until 7 p.m. at the University for the lectures.

As time went by and my life in Paris unfolded, I started slowly but surely to adapt my daily schedule to the new environment and after a while found even some pleasure in the new time frame, coming from Liechtenstein at the beginning was not very hard for me because I have lived in Mexico before, and I can relate to the French culture when I think about people in France. Mexican people like to eat late and like to use the mealtime to communicate with people around you while eating the meal. Although I still think that the gym should open at 6 so that I can start my day sporty, however, to have an extended lunch with colleagues with a good food and nice glass of wine without a reason of a celebration during a week, can be a welcoming change and I really enjoyed it very much, It reminded me when I was living in Mexico some time ago. Also, to adapt the schedule to the day and not the day to the schedule, is something that I’ve learned during my semester abroad and that I will take with me for my life, I really believe that sometimes is also important to take oneself not too serious and try to enjoy the moment a little bit more. If I need to put in some lengthy hours and stay longer at evenings and hence start next day a bit later, is not necessary a sign of time missmanagement of mine, but rather flexibility and adaptability. The day has 24 hours, and they can be used flexible – this is my learning from France!

Alejandro Rosales Romo, Spring 2022