Learn to be Parisian. Drink Your Coffee Slow & Relax in the Elevator.

After a week in Paris, I realized two significant cultural differences between the United States & France.

1. The first distinction between our two cultures is the French elevator. These Parisian lifts lack a button that is essential in American society: the close-door button. How many times have we all anxiously tapped that button as we are rushing to our next appointment? But the real question is, does the button actually make the door close quicker? Or is it just there to keep our sanity and maintain an illusion of control? Either way, the lack of this close-door button manifests the slow-paced and tranquil lifestyle of our European counterparts.

2. The second cultural hallmark of French society I noticed one Sunday morning after grabbing a chocolate croissant. Apparently, unless you manage to find a Starbucks, it is an epic challenge to find a cafe that sells coffee to go. That's right- no inhaling your expresso while racing your way to work or chugging a white chocolate mocha as you weave through traffic. The French seem to understand that coffee is meant to be sipped, not gulped, while lounging outside on a street corner cafe.


But, all that coffee drinking does leave a terrible stain on your teeth. Furthermore, Parisians are not only known for sipping coffee and puffing cigarettes, but also for keeping their hair and skin manicured, and maintaining a sparkling smile. These are a few reasons why Santé Smile selected Paris as a target for promotion this past week, and lucky tourists & Parisians a like were surprised with pleasant gifts from Santé Smile.

Backpackers traversing Europe from Portugal to Prague, like Hippie Cowboy Michael and his girlfriend (see below), were given free on-the-go tooth whitening pens while strolling through the Sacre-Coer, one of Paris' most famous landmarks. After the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, the Catholics of France agreed to build a church as a symbol of remorse & hope. The church was finally completed in 1911, and today attracts hundreds of tourists daily.


Other local Parisian Mademoiselles (see right), also enjoy the Sacre-Coer and were caught off-guard with free tooth whitening products during their picnic with panini's and champagne (delicious!).


Plenty of other pedestrians also received Santé Smile gifts while walking through Notre Dame. On the right is a picture of two summer school students, Ian & Joe, who were caught practicing their French outside this famous cathedral.



Elise, a UCLA alumnus, was also caught outside the Louvre, one of the most famous museums of the world. Elise explained she had traveled all the way to Paris to see her all time favorite portrait in person, the Mona Lisa. After hours of waiting in long museum lines, I finally caught eye of the Mona Lisa, and it was surrounded by three layers of protection. The portrait was enclosed in a glass, surrounded by security, and finally roped off. After squeezing through a dense crowd of photo snapping tourists, I was finally able to see the Mona Lisa beauty with my own eyes, and oh, was she beautiful.


Unfortunately, however, all good things must come to end, and after five short days in Paris it was time to return to the states. This time, though, I'll think twice before ordering my next expresso to go or before pouncing on the close-door button, and instead, I'll keep a little bit of Paris with me, and just breathe and smile.