What are aspects of good communication in your culture?

Comparison between Lebanese and French cultures

I was born and grew up in Lebanon, the heart of many cultures and traditions. Lebanon used to be colonized by France in 1920 after the First World War. Since it declared its independence in 1943, Lebanon has kept a big part of French cultures and traditions. To this day, Lebanese people can go as far as thinking of France as their second home country.

·      Fashion

I believe you can tell a lot about a culture by the fashion its population follows. In Lebanon, fashion is considered to be the melding of history, art and culture all together. It is the center of so many discussions, arguments… It is a big deal for both genders; it is a mean to represent yourself well and to express yourself and your thoughts. In Lebanon, people give importance to the way they dress: the clothes are always classy, preppy and elegant.

However, French fashion has been known to be the ultimate lazy fashion, no effort fashion. The French have a much more mellow approach to fashion. This could be an indication as to the difference between the French people’s approach to life and the Lebanese people’s.

                         

·      Food

Although the two cultures resemble each other, they have a lot in common; they present a ton of differences especially in the food business. Like everything in the Lebanese culture, the food is supposed to be planned, designed and has a good connotation regarding the getting together of people. In France, the approach towards food is a lot more easy-going.

 

·      Language

Lebanese people are known to have easy access to languages; the three main languages they speak

are Arabic, French and English. However, French people obviously use their mother tongue which is the French language and have been known not be too open to developments and learning new languages.

·      Architecture

Lebanon is the reunion of many genres of architectures, dependently to the many cultures, which have passed through it, has an architecture based on rooftops, natural air conditioning… France has more of the architecture of a nation-state, under the Italian influence mainly because of the many trips to and fro. It is also a grandiose architecture and is a school of architecture in Europe.

·      Human relations

Lebanese people have been known through time to have traditions that always involve family, people and being generous. Although the French are more known for their independence and not relying on other people even members of their family, the state institutes a family-like nation with the devise ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité’.