Howdy! My name is Lindsey Jendrusch and I am a Junior Marketing Professional Sales student currently on the Summer Marketing Study Abroad Trip. Our trip begins in France and ends in the United Kingdom, spending equal time in both over the next month. I have been moving through France for about a week now and it is truly amazing. We have explored Lisieux, Normandy, Mont Saint Michel, and now Paris. France, especially Paris, has an incredibly different culture than the United States and it has taken a while to get used to. First, some of the smaller changes, such as no ice, scarce bathrooms, and the difficulty of finding water! Those things seem small but added together, it can really make the day tough. The days are also full of exercise, as we walk or bike everywhere all day long! One of the biggest obstacles so far has been the language barrier. The French love speaking French and they often don?t want to accommodate you and speak English. Ordering meals, asking for directions, and even understanding our tour guides is a little bit of a struggle. But, we are all improving our French daily and now sound a little bit more natural when speaking. While these differences have made each day a little bit of work, it is more than worth it for the beauty of France. The cities are lined with beautiful cafes full of tables spreading out all the way to the sidewalk. Each city has its own unique set of beautiful historical buildings. From castles to palaces to churches, each one is full of exciting history and astonishing architecture. Some of the most breathtaking architecture I have seen has been at Lisieux Cathedral, Mont Saint Michel Abbaye, the Palace of Versailles, and the Opera Garnier. I have been truly blown away by the beauty of each of these cities. Learning each of their individual cultures has been a fun challenge that leaves me eager to learn more.
While exploring all of these places, we have also had the opportunity to learn about how business is conducted in France. We have asked locals and heard presentations about the differences between business/marketing in France versus the United States. Today in our presentation on French Luxury goods and Marketing in France we learned about the three largest barriers to entering the market in France: the language barrier, difficulty in finding clients, and high startup cost. Our speaker at the Paris Chamber of Commerce said that language is the biggest thing that makes it difficult to enter the French market because the French prefer to do business only in French. Second, he said that approaching buyers can be difficult because they don?t want to be noticed, they want to be able to choose who they work with on their own. Lastly, he says the cost of breaking into the market is very high here and if you don?t invest big your business won?t make it. In just one week, I can see how true each of these is. I have also noticed the French love things written out even if it?s excessive. They don?t want to hear you say your ideas, they would rather read them. They also love products from their own country and love innovation just like us. Overall, everything in France is different from the social culture to the business culture. But with time and practice, anything is possible, even in France! I have loved my first week studying abroad and I can?t wait to see what these next three weeks hold.
