NadaTeTurbe Posted June 28, 2015 Author Posted June 28, 2015 One thing I did learn is that you have to trust in the schedule. If the Sisters suggest you take a nap or just go and rest for a bit. Do so! (Though it may be advisable to set an alarm). I think part of the reason that you may need less sleep in general is that there is a rhythm to the day. It is not always going full tilt. Even if it doesn't mean a nap there are times for rest. For example lunch and recreation. I don't know of many people who actually sit down and have a full lunch in a normal life. I know personally if I had only a 30 minute lunch I was rushing trying to heat up food, eat it and be back to the work on time. If I had an hour lunch break I was using that time to take care of errands which oddly meant even less time for eating. It really has only been on retreats and convent visits that I really take time to sit down and eat. Well, it's a question of culture, for lunch and time to rest. In France, worker have 1 hour - 1 h 30 of time to eat their lunch (and, generally, it's entrée-plat-fromage-dessert). In France culture, not working and resting, taking the time to eat, to be with your friends, is very important. We can't imagine not sitting down and having a full lunch, because the only sacred thing in France is food. My dad have 1h30 to eat, at his work. At home, we take between 1 to 2 hours to eat. American are more "time is monney"
MarysLittleFlower Posted June 28, 2015 Posted June 28, 2015 Well, it's a question of culture, for lunch and time to rest. In France, worker have 1 hour - 1 h 30 of time to eat their lunch (and, generally, it's entrée-plat-fromage-dessert). In France culture, not working and resting, taking the time to eat, to be with your friends, is very important. We can't imagine not sitting down and having a full lunch, because the only sacred thing in France is food. My dad have 1h30 to eat, at his work. At home, we take between 1 to 2 hours to eat. American are more "time is monney" I wish there was more time here.. For one thing its unhealthy to eat a lunch in 4 minutes. :p. Not saying I get 4 minutes but if you have other stuff to do at lunch and you're at work, its like half working half eating your sandwich as quick as possible. Speaking of sleep I'm here now because I woke up in the middle of the night unable to sleep and started thinking and thinking.
Yaatee Posted June 28, 2015 Posted June 28, 2015 Well, it's a question of culture, for lunch and time to rest. In France, worker have 1 hour - 1 h 30 of time to eat their lunch (and, generally, it's entrée-plat-fromage-dessert). In France culture, not working and resting, taking the time to eat, to be with your friends, is very important. We can't imagine not sitting down and having a full lunch, because the only sacred thing in France is food. My dad have 1h30 to eat, at his work. At home, we take between 1 to 2 hours to eat. American are more "time is monney" France also has less obseity (of course they smoke...). Anyway, I think the French food customs are very wise.
marigold Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 Well, it's a question of culture, for lunch and time to rest. In France, worker have 1 hour - 1 h 30 of time to eat their lunch (and, generally, it's entrée-plat-fromage-dessert). In France culture, not working and resting, taking the time to eat, to be with your friends, is very important. We can't imagine not sitting down and having a full lunch, because the only sacred thing in France is food. My dad have 1h30 to eat, at his work. At home, we take between 1 to 2 hours to eat. American are more "time is monney" When I was a nanny, I read a book called 'French Children Don't Throw Food'. I was fascinated by the differences in food culture, and especially how the children learn the 'right' approach to food. The author talks about them eating chocolate sandwiches every day, and because of that they don't go crazy on sweets when they have the opportunity. Very different to Anglophone culture where you are supposed to feed the children as healthily as possible all the time (one of my mums told me, 'Salt is like CRACK for children!') and yet strangely we are the fattest in the western world... I also chuckled when I read the story of the birthday party, and when the parents said the cake was ready, all the children were instantly sitting down at the table, silent as mice.
NadaTeTurbe Posted June 29, 2015 Author Posted June 29, 2015 When I was a nanny, I read a book called 'French Children Don't Throw Food'. I was fascinated by the differences in food culture, and especially how the children learn the 'right' approach to food. The author talks about them eating chocolate sandwiches every day, and because of that they don't go crazy on sweets when they have the opportunity. Very different to Anglophone culture where you are supposed to feed the children as healthily as possible all the time (one of my mums told me, 'Salt is like CRACK for children!') and yet strangely we are the fattest in the western world... I also chuckled when I read the story of the birthday party, and when the parents said the cake was ready, all the children were instantly sitting down at the table, silent as mice. I think it is more about how we see food... In France (well, traditionnal France, we also have obesity and Mc Do), we see it as a pleasure. I'm going to make a generalization : when a French sees food, he just think: good / not good, but an American will think: good, not good, calorie, carbohydrate, lipid, protide ... A French will just think "so I can eat this a lot, and I can not this eat too much,". So, there is not the same relationship with food. For French, it is associated with the pleasure of eating with friends or family, while for an American, it is a useful thing. Also, when you're a kid, and at the end of the day of school your mum bring you a chocolate sandwich, it's the happiest moment of your day ! I read this book ! It was strangely good. Usually the books written by Americans about France are bad (because they do not understand that France is not Paris, and that french are not all white bourgeois who wears Prada and drink champagne), But this one was great !
puellapaschalis Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 Excuse me while I make and eat a chocolate sandwich.
truthfinder Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 How come I've never heard of this chocolate sandwich before!?!
NadaTeTurbe Posted June 29, 2015 Author Posted June 29, 2015 Take a baguette. Cut it in two. Put chocolate into it. You have mastered the first level of french childhood. The supreme hapiness is still when you go into a bakery and your mom buys you a chocolatine :
vee Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 I didnt know there was a competition between the two. Ive had one or both in Paris years ago. i think my final decision on which I might like better will require a lot more research
NadaTeTurbe Posted June 29, 2015 Author Posted June 29, 2015 haha, so in the north (i.e not in Toulouse & bordeaux), they call the "chocolatine" a "pain au chocolat", when in the South (Toulosue & Bordeaux), we call it a chocolatine. So people in the north mock southerner because "chocolatine" is ridicule, and us we are very proud to make the difference between the two :D
dominicansoul Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 i want to TEXAS-IZE this and make a chocolate tortilla!
truthfinder Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 Take a baguette. Cut it in two. Put chocolate into it. You have mastered the first level of french childhood. The supreme hapiness is still when you go into a bakery and your mom buys you a chocolatine : So, is this like a bar of milk or dark chocolate between bread or is it spread chocolate (akin to nutella)? Because, either way, this is amesome. I don't know what we call them in Canada, but I've definitely had a chocolatine (or at least the Tim Horton's equivalency).
NadaTeTurbe Posted June 29, 2015 Author Posted June 29, 2015 It's a bar of milk or dark chocolate between bread ! (my mom also did bread, butter, and chocolate powder on the butter.) (I really miss the time where my mom did my afternoon snack)
Sponsa-Christi Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 This thread is making me nostalgic for Rome! One of my favorite small things about living in Italy was that chocolate was a legitimate breakfast food. My go-to daily breakfast was a hunk of bread with a think layer of nutella.
truthfinder Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 It's a bar of milk or dark chocolate between bread ! (my mom also did bread, butter, and chocolate powder on the butter.) (I really miss the time where my mom did my afternoon snack) !!!!! I'm an absolute chocoholic and not even in my wildest dreams would this be a thing - now I've got an excuse to eat chocolate for a meal.
Strictlyinkblot Posted June 30, 2015 Posted June 30, 2015 Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean so chocolate is a vegetable. Therefore it counts as one of your five a day. Yes, I am in denial
Strictlyinkblot Posted June 30, 2015 Posted June 30, 2015 And I'm not quite sure how we went from discussing hours of sleep to chocolate as a breakfast food but I like it
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