Vive La France & Smarts

If you’ve ever felt more at home in a foreign country than you do at home, this is because every culture has its own personality type and sometimes we’re not born where we “belong.” Other times, we like a place because it’s SO different from us. Like me and France. As a Classic Freedom (SFJ) francophile, I love the big picture thinking of the extroverted Smart Structure (ENTJ) French culture—they don’t sweat the small stuff like I do. So today, Paris and some off the beaten path spots.

We found most of our material this week from “Where in the World Do I Belong?” by Brent Massey. Americans stress me out sometimes because we’re always on the go “doing, doing, doing” or feel as if we should be, which isn’t too surprising given the dominant or overarching personality type in the US is extroverted Classic Structure (ESTJ). This is why France is such a breath of fresh air. They’re not obsessed with doing for the sake of doing and prone to wax prosaic about ideas just for the sake of it. Classic Structures (STJ) are not exactly known to wax prosaic about anything. According to Massey, the French wander from topic to topic just for the hell of it—hello? What else are you going to do sitting at a table drinking coffee for however long you want. But, what really made me believe that Massey was right about the French? I don’t know a single Smart Structure who doesn’t secretly—or not so secretly—think they’re superior to the rest of the world.

My favorite random Paris travel tips

Obviously there isn’t much undiscovered in Paris and L’As Du Fallafel is not some hidden secret but you’d be surprised how many sophisticated travellers wouldn’t think to stop by for one of the most delicious fallafel’s ever. It’s located on Rue de Rosiers in the Marais in the old Jewish quarter. You stand in line outside the shop, someone takes your order, you pay and they give you a slip of paper that you bring up to the window when it’s your turn and get your sandwich. There’s a place indoors to sit but this isn’t the spot to dine in unless it’s raining—did you know that Paris gets more annual rainfall than London? Here’s the NY Times review. But, in general, I find it’s the perfect lunch spot when you’re shopping in the Marais.

Next up is to have tea on the roof of L’Institut Du Monde Arabe. Mainly I love telling people about this spot because nobody would ever think to visit it and I sound so wordly and knowledgeable in doing so. I mean everyone knows about the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries but how many people know about L’Institut du Monde Arabe? Truth be told I’ve only briefly been though the museum. I first went there for tea with an architect student friend who pointed out that the window shades were all camera shutters. I still just think that’s the coolest idea. The tea I had was on the roof on a glorious spring day and you could see Montmartre in the distance.