“Insert Laugh Track Here:” A Cross-Cultural Conversation on Visiting France

Battles of the First World War Podcast

Mike Cunha

History

4.8 • 812 Ratings

🗓️ 29 January 2020

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of visiting France, or felt it was something too foreign and too out of reach?

In this episode, I speak with Carol Kieffer and Randy Gaulke, two experienced residents and tourists of France. Carol, author of “Living and Working in France: Thriving through Understanding” and cross-cultural training coach, and Randy, seasoned tourist of the Meuse-Argonne region of France and battlefield tour leader, come on the show to strip away some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings many Americans may have about France and visiting it.

What follows is a nearly hour-long conversation where we discuss traveling through France, proper social etiquette, what to expect from French restaurants, shops, and supermarkets, how to prepare, and how to set yourself up to make the most of your experience. We even bring up squat toilets...really, it’s worth the listen.

Ultimate credit for the realization of this podcast goes to Mrs. Laurie Gaulke, whose connections created the conditions that allowed everyone to come together. Thank you so much!

Links to Carol Kieffer and her book, “Living and Working in France: Thriving through Understanding”

amazon.com/author/carolkieffer

For cross-cultural coaching contact Carol at [email protected]

Carol is on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carol-kieffer-trainer/

For Randy Gaulke’s excellent website on the Meuse-Argonne

https://meuse-argonne.com, and his new tour company website, https://kneedeepintohistory.com.

For an overview of Randy’s travel tips: http://meuse-argonne.com/?page_id=278

“La Vie en France” blog entries: http://meuse-argonne.com/?cat=275

Mike and Rob Laplander are also offering WW1 battlefield tours through Lost Battalion Tours.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey folks, welcome to the Battles of the First World War podcast. In this standalone episode,
0:09.4	we're going to talk about visiting France and what Americans can expect if it's their first time
0:15.3	going over there. If you've ever wanted to travel to France but been reluctant to do so because of cultural differences, this episode should help clear up some questions or hesitations you might have.
0:31.1	Note, ultimate credit for the creation of this episode goes to Mrs. Laurie Golky. Thank you so, so much for
0:41.4	creating the connections that allowed this episode to happen. All right. So we hope you enjoy
0:48.5	the episode. All right. So we are live and Carol and Randy, welcome to the podcast.
1:00.0	Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.
1:02.6	Cool. Carol, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
1:06.2	Yes. So my name is Carol Kiefer and I'm a cross-cultural trainer specializing in France and the U.S.
1:14.4	I help people effectively navigate the cultural differences between the two countries
1:21.0	so they can be comfortable and have the best possible experience.
1:26.4	Now, that experience could involve visiting France, studying or doing business there, or even
1:33.3	working for a French company in the U.S.
1:36.4	My American business clients gain insight on how to interact and conduct business effectively with the French,
1:46.2	and those who are moving to France also have an easier transition
1:51.0	and assimilation into their new environment so they can enjoy work and life success.
1:57.8	And of course, I also do the same coaching for French people encountering American culture.
2:03.6	Now, I was a student in France and I also worked for French companies both there and in the US.
2:12.6	So I've had time to witness quite a few cultural misunderstandings.
2:18.3	So I felt compelled to become a cross-cultural trainer
2:24.3	and also to write a book that explains French culture to Americans.
2:29.3	And that book combines anecdotes from my experiences
	...

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