Hello!
My name is Caroline Kocsi and I’m 18 years old. I was born and raised in Sweden, Köping to Hungarian parents. Köping is a small town located 150 km away from Stockholm. I speak Swedish, English, and Hungarian fluently and a little bit of Spanish as well.
A trip that I was waiting for finally happened. On October 13 I met Emma and her mother at the train station in Lyon. Their warm welcome made me feel a big excitement for the upcoming week. To learn about new cultures is one of my favourite things to do when I travel so I was really excited to be hosted by a French family for a week.
I got along well with Emma and her family, we recognised each other’s differences in the cultures (especially the breakfast) but we still had a very easy going relationship. I could adapt to their routines and lifestyle easily. They are very open so I didn’t feel limited or shy to talk to them at all. Both me and Emma are very competitive so we had an ongoing play fight through the week in who was the winner in different competitions such as Fifa, I’m the winner of course!
The first thing I noticed and the biggest difference between our cultures is school. It was way more strict than the Swedish school and they focus more on the students’ behaviour and rules. Their driving culture is very different as well, in France, they drive very fast no matter what kind of road they go on. A huge difference, which is very different for all the Swedes in general, is how the French introduce themselves with kisses on the cheeks. We have the same style in Hungary so I’m not too unfamiliar with it but the Swedes prefer a handshake instead.
Lyon is a very beautiful city full of culture, history, and activities. The landscape with the rivers Rhone, Saone, and mountains make the city even more beautiful. I’m very jealous of the French students that they have the chance to go and see good football games, the stadium is very close. I couldn’t see any flaws anywhere so they keep the city fresh and renovated properly.
I’m very excited to see the French students again and I can’t wait to spend more time with them here in Sweden!
Hugs!
Caroline Kocsi