Thinking en francaise

I was watching an episode of a well known television show where a main character goes to France. There was, of course, all this build up where said character had to learn the language, etc. What I noticed most wasn't the fish out of water moments this character had,but the emotional barriers. I know that all (okay MOST) humans are capable of feeling emotion- anger, sadness, joy, peace, but do we all experience these things differently due to our cultures? Of course, I have thought of this before, and the easy and obvious answer is yes. When taking French or Spanish classes (or any other I am sure) we are told to snap out of thinking phrases in literal translation. However, there are so many subtle nuances to emotions. I just find it terribly fascinating that every bit of our culture seeps into who we are as people. How we love, how we speak, how we truly express ourselves. I sometimes find myself admiring people for how calm and cool they are, and hating others for being horribly boring, but I have to remind myself that I would have a much more droll existence were it not for them. Its these reactions that help me weed out whom I want to spend more time with- or avoid completely.

I have never been comfortable being the wide eyed American(or any other American myth- that we talk loud, use our hands a lot, speak with full mouths and we don't know how to behave in foreign countries). Truth is, I find folks from other countries unbelievable fascinating, but I am unwilling to fawn over them or ask them the 5 W questions. (BTW, I hate the 5Ws. I think they are unimaginative and eyeroll worthy. I always try for another way to broach a convo. I save the dubyas as a last ditch effort at conversation.) I like to connect with these people via our likenesses or major differences. Its my own personal sociology/anthropological study. I should have written a thesis on "emotion in another language". I bet I would have gotten a B.