Senegalese Etiquette

Two countries that share a language do not necessarily share the same culture. Senegal lists French as an official language, but it has a rich and distinctive culture that is worth looking into, separate from France.

For a little background on Senegal, it's an almost entirely Muslim country, located in Western Africa, and bordering the North Atlantic Ocean. Its capital is Dakar and there are over 12 million people living there. French is the official language, but only a small minority of Senegalese, usually those who were educated in colonial-style French schools, speak it regularly. Most people speak their own ethnic language, and there are over ten ethnic groups, half of them more predominant than the other half. 

If you ever plan on traveling to the country, you should learn their customs and general etiquette. I'm here to help. 

For greeting and meeting:

• Take time to inquire about the health and welfare of family members over a good, long handshake
• If you're close friends with someone, you can hug him/her/them instead of shaking hands. They may also kiss your cheeks three times, beginning with the left and alternating between the two.
• Keep in mind that very religious men/women may not shake hands with the other sex.
• You should first address people by their academic or professional names, or their first or surnames in French. This could change depending on the person's personal preference.
• It's very common for a person to have a nickname, so if you know someone well enough and others are calling him/her by a nickname, you can too. A lot of people are addressed by their title and their nickname.

As for eating:

• Wait to be shown your seat--seating is often a show of hierarchy, and you wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes.
• If you're eating a meal on the floor, sit cross-legged. Try not to let your feet touch the food mat.
• Don't start eating before the oldest male starts.
• If you're eating from a communal bowl, eat from the section in front of you--don't reach across the bowl to get something from the other side.
• Eat with your right hand only
• Sample each dish. Expect to be urged to get seconds.
• Leave a little bit of food on your plate. It shows that you've been looked after well.
• Stay for at least half an hour after eating before you leave, though.

It's always good idea to get to know the practices of a foreign country before visiting it. I hope this will help!

They Have a Language Police, and Other Fun Facts About Québec

If you've always wanted to visit a French-speaking country, keep in mind that France isn't the only place that should be on the list! Although it's not a country, Québec is a very close alternative to satiate your desire for some Francophone culture.

Birthplace to Céline Dion, Québec has much to offer. It is at the centre of French-speaking culture in North America. Its culture is a symbol of a distinct perspective. Not many people know this, but it has some of the strictest language laws in the world.

Signs must be in French, or must use mostly French; food service or retail employees have to greet customers in French; and there are even laws on whether parents can send their children to English or French school. The OQLF (Office québécois de la langue française) are the language police. They hand out fines to noncompliant businesses, and are usually plain clothed and covert.

However, you might be surprised to find that many Québécois speak joual, a "working-class" dialect with unique contractions and anglicisms unlike "proper" Québécois. The most creative and colorful joual usually entails combining multiple words into one, leaving off extra syllables or casually dropping English terms with French pronunciation. For instance, most people simply say le weekend instead of la fin de semaine (which mean the same thing). To punctuate sentences, they use tsé, instead of tu sais (you know)?

Interesting too, Québec has its own national holiday. St. Jean Baptiste Day, or Fête Nationale (translated as "national party") is held on June 24. Because it falls in the beginning of summer, the holiday is characterized by outdoor festivities. St. Jean Baptiste Day is the perfect time to check out the music this province has to offer--just make sure to wear blue, as the background of the Québec flag is blue, as well as the French Canadian version of the flur-de-lis, two symbols of the celebration.

If you ever decide to visit our neighbors up north, make sure to stop by Québec! They might be impressive with your knowledge about their home and it's also a great opportunity to practice your French!

How to Dress More Like the French

One thing the French are known for is fashion. Although I am not personally French and I do not personally live in France, I conducted research for you readers to provide some tips and tricks to look more fashionable if you are French and/or live in France. 

1. Stop wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts. Instead, wear something more classy, yet still casual, like a large oxford shirt and loose trousers.

2. Try layers. Layers always look fashionable and they can keep you warm when it's cold out and comfortable even when it's not.

3. Wear black. It's almost always chic. You can also bring a pop of color to an all black ensemble with accessories or certain pieces of clothing.

4. Speaking of accessories and certain pieces of clothing, subtle embellishments go a long way.

5. Keep makeup light--the classic Parisian style includes playing up your natural beauty with nude lipsticks and light mascara. 

6. Invest in at least one classic piece. A long trenchcoat and heels always look good.

7. Leather is often a good go-to-fabric.

8. Bathe less often. Seriously. It makes your hair easier to style, and apparently it's Jane Birkin's secret.

9. Elegance is not only in your clothing--posture, etiquette, social habits, and overall demeanor can make you look much classier and classically Parisian.

10. Focus on fit. You don't necessarily need to exclusively buy perfectly-tailored clothing, but try to avoid extremely loose fitting and tight fitting clothes.

11. Less is more. Too many patterns can be thought of as tacky. Interesting shapes and textures are generally safe to experiment with.

12. Heels aren't the only shoes you should wear. Flats are Parisians' and your best friend!

13. Invest in some staple clothing. You can build a more flashy style after you nail the basics.

14. Jacket and scarves are essentials. It's hard to look bad in a simple jacket and scarf combo.

15. Have fun with it! Part of the reason we strive so much to be and look more like the French is because they make it look so effortless. Their secret? They're probably not putting massive amounts of effort into it. 

Remember clothing and fashion are not the most important things in the world. Whether you look like a Parisian or like an American doesn't matter so much in the long run. It's always fun to dress up and try to look classy, but don't forget to love yourself for who you are because you are beautiful in your own way! 

The Sweet Smell of France

What do you think of when you hear "perfume"? For me, the mixture of oils and aromatic swirls is associated with the epitome of femininity and generally pleasant causes of sensation: sweetness, lightness, and freshness. Perfume is such an incredibly delicate and ephemeral item that we have to use music terminology to describe its makeup.

We say perfume has three layers of notes. As we pick up an imaginary bottle and let the scent fill the air, let's pretend the smells dance their way into your senses.

The top notes are the scents that first hit you--they form that initial impression. They're the notes that either pique your interest or disgust you into leaving the perfume right then and there and to go buy some shoes or something instead. Usually they're light and disappear quickly, disappearing into the middle notes.

The middle notes form the "heart" of the perfume; they're the main body. Although they're not necessarily the main attraction, they serve an important role. Often, they mask the initial impression of base notes, which, often, are unpleasant. Together, the middle and base form the theme of the scent. Although initially slightly gross, the base notes become more pleasant.

As we near the departure of the perfume, the base notes come out. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a perfume. People typically describes this element of the perfume as "rich" and "deep." You usually don't perceive the base notes until about half an hour after you spritz. The scents chosen for the these notes influence the scents chosen for the top and middle notes.

Now that you know a little more about perfume, let's appreciate some classically French scents chosen and commented on by French nose Francis Kurkdjian, found in Vogue.

Chanel No. 5 (1921)

“It’s the ultimate iconic fragrance that translates the ultimate idea of femininity," Kurkdjian said, "You have the memory of Marilyn Monroe, who wore it, and you have the house of Chanel—together, it’s something incredible."

Cacharel Anaïs Anaïs (1978)

"It’s a bright, sheer floral....It’s something more innocent, the way things were 20 years ago."

Guerlain Shalimar (1925)

"It’s very, very French. You smell it in the theaters, you smell it at the opera. And it really looks like a bottle of perfume."

Yves Saint Laurent Opium (1977)

"The scent is a bit like a perfume done in another century, because the perfumes of that time did not yet have fruit notes, which we use a lot today. The idea of the fragrance itself isn’t as scandalous as it used to be, but it’s still something you identify in a certain way."

Kenzo Flower by Kenzo (2000)

"An Oriental fragrance that's super big and more sheer than dark. You have a rosy, lipstick effect on top and something very powdery, almost like the smell of a compact powder."

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (2001)

"It’s the idea of a French girl. Very contemporary, chic, elegant. It is a fruity, floral chypre [a family of perfumes]."

Whatever your style of perfume or signature scent, you can find something for you with these classically French fragrances.