Moving to France

"Moving here was the best thing I've ever done. The French lifestyle suits me better, although there are plenty of things I miss. I was quite surprised when I learned how the people outside of the US view Americans and the American way of life. I felt suddenly very exposed. I suppose I had assumed that Americans amuse themselves with TV and movies, a lot of it being self-parodying and self-referencing, and that other countries did the same thing. What I wasn't prepared for is that the rest of the world sees and is interested in all that we do. That not only do they see the good stuff, but they see all of the silly, dumb things too (Cops, Dude, Where's My Car?, Jerry Springer). Then there's the stereotype of France which Americans harbor unconsciously. French people all seem to have a similar story of how some Americans came to visit, carrying with them every modern convenience (like toilet paper) in the belief that here in France, all they would find would be chamberpots and donkeys pulling vegetable carts. The fact that I too had this impression makes me feel both embarrassed for all Americans and closer to my fellow Americans that I've ever felt. I've noticed that small changes in culture can have profound significance on the psyche, while at the same time the world looks more and more homogenous," remarked one expat who made the move to Cannes.