Also something I noticed while in France--and maybe this is just a side effect of having tradition of eating two hot meals per day instead of just lunch or maybe it's just my being not used to traditional family life in Germany/USA--: it feels like French society is much less 'progressive' with respect to semi-equal division of household labor between men and women. Almost all of the cooking was done by women in both houses I was in as well as most of the washing up, cleaning, and laundry. Not that this isn't the norm in Germany or the US, but it was kind of like a glass of cold water after living for 4+ (really 10+) years in places with relatively equal division of labor (where there is labor to be done).
There were definitely some moments in Hélène's kitchen while we were getting dinner ready or when I was taking back dishes when I felt completely out of place--not just in terms of me being a visitor, but also in terms of me being young and male. I'm going to let them think what they want, but maybe they'll just chalk it up to me being American and our strange, cultureless way of doing things. In any case, I feel like when we were with the German family earlier this year, I didn't have the same feeling of being so completely out of my normal setting.
Makes me wonder about the family of the future (mine and in general) and how all this will be negotiated. Probably more fairly than what I saw in France. I know I for one am not going to be doing both the cooking and the washing :P.
Showing posts with label frankreich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frankreich. Show all posts
20.10.08
Pfannekuchen (2)
A followup crepe pic:
Just thought I'd note the delicious feigen jam (actually confiture de figue--from Hélène in France) that I've been devouring. Oddly, figs--like persimmons, cactus, some mellons, sometimes bananas, and various other fruits--have a flavor/texture that I just can't stand for more than a few bites. I don't really understand this, but the jam is just fine. I think I like the apricot jam I got even more though, but I took it to work so I can eat it with my morning croissant!
Just thought I'd note the delicious feigen jam (actually confiture de figue--from Hélène in France) that I've been devouring. Oddly, figs--like persimmons, cactus, some mellons, sometimes bananas, and various other fruits--have a flavor/texture that I just can't stand for more than a few bites. I don't really understand this, but the jam is just fine. I think I like the apricot jam I got even more though, but I took it to work so I can eat it with my morning croissant!
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