Culture & Etiquette
Garçon
A very efficient and pleasant way to get around Strasbourg (even easier than Paris, since you can see where you’re going!) is the tramway. All the locals use it, because it’s fast, inexpensive, and very practical, and it has helped to make most of the city center a pedestrian area. You can buy a one-way ticket at any stop for about $2.05 U.S. Or buy ten tickets (roughly $17.35) if you’re staying for a few days.
Audrey Riehm, Program Director
Doggy bags
Americans like to share their food in restaurants, but that’s not something the French do very much. We also rarely take our food home in “doggy bags”—unless it really is for the dog!
Audrey Riehm, Program Director
Tips
In French restaurants, service is included in the bill, but waiters only get a minimal salary, so tips are appreciated. Depending on the level of service, it’s customary to leave a tip of between 5 and 10 percent of the bill. Of course, local currency is preferred.
Audrey Riehm, Program Director
Dressing
Sometimes, travelers will ask me, “Why do people know we’re Americans before we’ve even spoken?” A lot of it has to do with different styles of dressing. The French, like the Italians, take the time to make sure everything matches, including shoes and handbags; we don’t wear as many bright colors; and we don’t wear casual clothes much, except at home. But please dress the way you’d like! It’s a way for local people here to discover your culture—unless you want to try French-style dressing, which can also be fun!
Audrey Riehm, Program Director
Flowers
If you visit someone's home while you're in Belgium, bringing flowers for the hostess would be a very nice gesture.
Karla Vanhulle, Program Director
