Our apartment is located right next to the Élysées Palace, the home of the French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron. The closest metro stop is about an 8 minute walk away. This calls for plenty of time for people watching. Every time I have to walk to the metro station (which is often) we pass tons of locals. Their style and demeanor is wildly different than mine. It’s obvious every time I leave the apartment that I am standing out.
Parisians wear really interesting outfits. They’re not weird, just different. You almost never see any colors. It’s all a mixture of black, gray and white clothes that complete their outfits. Sometimes you’ll see a man in a suit. But most of the time it’s just some bland shirt with bland pants and a dark jacket. That’s why when I wear a simple MSU shirt, it represents a giant flag over my head that says “AMERICAN”.
Like I said in a previous blog post, Parisians mostly keep to themselves on the streets. Heads down, get where they need to go. I love that. I’m not one for meaningless interactions. But it makes me think about American culture. It really shows me that in the United States, it’s normal to throw in a slight “hello” to someone or even a “how are you?”. Sometimes it’s small talk between people who do not even know each other. It seems to be a universal way to break awkwardness. In Paris, that is not the case.
I’m sure in the heart of New York City, you’ll see a lot of bland outfits worn by the many city goers. But a lot of people in America do like to stand out. They like to be different and show who they are via clothing. That’s why you see the red shoes or the navy blue suit. It’s people trying to be a little different and a little remarkable. I think I hold a lot of that characteristic in myself.
Overall, two weeks in Europe has taught me that America is known for being a little bit louder than the rest of the world. I think that’s true literally and figuratively in all aspects of character.
