Closing the French-American divide

Wachusett Regional High School

After 18 years of living in France, my family and I have relocated to just seven miles from my American high school, located in central Massachusetts.  This is month four.

It has been educational and enlightening coming back to live in a country that is so talked about by my French compatriots, my English colleagues and the European media. 

I have spent months of time in the U.S. over the past 18 years, if we total up vacation times, which have been as long as six weeks long.  I have maintained contact through these visits - and more recently via the internet.  But this time it is clearly different.

I am working and attending school here, rather than simply being a visitor and hanging out with family and old-time friends.  I am listening to NPR during my 90-minute commute to work in a wealthy Boston suburb.  I am encountering a new group of people in my Master's classes at Clark University and as an ESL trainer at two universities here.

In the ESL classroom, I had previously only dealt with the French or people living in France who'd adapted to the French mindset, even if no one group of people can be completely the same - thankfully.  Here I am meeting Saudis and South Americans, which opens up a whole new world view - and closes the gap between the U.S. and France.

My memories of the U.S. had been based on an America under Clinton (yes, that is far away!) and I've discovered that if you don't live it, you don't get it fully.  I feel totally at home here and have 'caught up' with things, but until I came back and lived it for myself, I couldn't form a complete picture.  The view had been distorted by the French and American medias, by what so many people in France feel compelled to share with me and by my own absence and non-participation in American society.

After four months, I feel so much more in touch with the U.S. now that I have breathed the air, seen trees changing colors, bathed in its waters, listened to its music in context, watched the incessant political bantering, spoken to its inhabitants and so many other precious things one can not do from abroad.  I have reconnected.

I have been surprised to hear about the rampant disillusionment of Americans with their government - on a very personal level.  To see the large immigrant population that has difficulty speaking English, which had never been apparent to me before.  To hear repeatedly when I say I've moved back here from France:  "Why did you leave?"  The question full of doubt and wonder as to why I would leave such a comfortable place.

Granted, this may be because I am located in New England - and more specifically Massachusetts - a traditionally democratic state.  But it seems that a real shift has occurred since I left:  Americans are no longer boastful of the greatness of their country and seem to think highly of other countries and even look to them for solutions.  They seem to be modest and wishful to attain something like greener grass on the other side.

I must say I like this new America.  Even if it's harder to get a job in it.

This brings me to my main point:  how much is it possible to learn about a country in intercultural training seminars?  Clearly we can not aspire to dissect each culture taught and make everything apparent to learners.  But we can help people to see the cultural parameters that exist and help people to understand and interpret what they observe.  We need to give clear-cut present-day examples to help them see some first examples in order to find others on their own.  And we all need to understand that each observation and conclusion is biased by our own personalities and life experiences.

The full picture will not come into focus until many years of living in a host country.  Just like perfect language acquisition will remain impossible for many.   But training can help professionals anticipate - perhaps even avoid - confusing situations and give them tools to deal better in these foreign settings.