Sacré bleu! American mom who lives in Paris reveals the strangest ‘REVERSE culture shocks’ she faces whenever she returns to the US – from issues with food to bizarre social interactions
- Isabelle Bertolami, from New York, shared the realities of coming back to the US
- She praised the healthcare system, customer service and even car sizes
- And social media users were left mesmerized by the mom-of-one’s revelations
An American mom who lives in Paris has revealed the major culture shocks she faces when she returns home.
Isabelle Bertolami, originally from New York, took to TikTok to expose the realities of being back in the US.
She posted a clip that praised the American healthcare system, customer service and even car sizes – among other factors.
And social media users were left mesmerized as they rushed to heap praise on the insight.
Isabelle Bertolami, originally from New York, took to TikTok to expose the realities of being back in the US
In the clip, which has been viewed more than 157,000 times, Isabelle talks to camera as she begins: ‘These are my reverse culture shocks as an American living in France who is back in America visiting.’
She says: ‘Everybody is so nice – like so so so nice. It’s not that French people aren’t nice, they’re just not nice in the same way that Americans are with the small chitchat.
‘I keep being so awkward like doing the “are you talking to me?” thing because I’m just not used to it anymore.
‘It kind of takes me back when people come over – just strangers – and start talking to you but it’s nice, I like it.’
Isabelle continues: ‘Food wise, the food here [in the US] is very salty and very sweet. My mouth keeps puckering on a lot of things. In Europe or France at least – it just has less salt and sugar in it than the processed food here.
‘Also just like very painfully bloated since I’ve been here.’
But Isabelle does not stop there, adding: ‘I was super pleasantly surprised when I had to bring my daughter to urgent care that it was affordable.
‘We have no insurance here so I paid $100 and I think it was $39 to see a doctor and then $12 for a prescription.’
She posted a clip that praised the American healthcare system, customer service and even car sizes – among other factors
Isabelle said that she was ‘super pleasantly surprised’ when she had to take her daughter to urgent care and praised it for being ‘affordable’
Turning her attention to fashions, the mother-of-one said: ‘There’s such a difference in the way the kids dress here. There’s so much Disney.
‘They’re way more mismatched and my daughter is definitely always mismatched because she dresses herself and will not let anyone choose what she is going to wear.
‘We realize in France or where I am in Paris the kids kind of dress a little bit more like adults. The children’s clothing looks more like adult clothing.’
Isabelle continues: ‘The cars are so big. I would happily drive like a gigantic black suburban but you just can’t have a big car in Paris. The parking is tiny, it’s impossible.’
Discussing the food, Isabelle revealed that she had been left ‘very painfully bloated’ since returning to the US
And social media users were quick to heap praise on the insight as one wrote: ‘It’s nice to hear nice things about America’
She also adds: ‘Dinner time. Tonight, we are going out to dinner and our reservation is for five o’clock.’
‘My gosh, customer service. People are so nice. They’re just so happy to help. I love this. I miss this about the US.’
And social media users were quick to heap praise on the insight as one wrote: ‘It’s nice to hear nice things about America.’
Another added: ‘I love your perspective. Feels so real.’
And a third said: ‘Your stories are so interesting! Love to hear the differences.’
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