I'm an American married to a French man. We have a lot in common, but there are a few cultural divides we can't bridge.

"We managed to ignore the cultural divide during those first six months of honeymoon-phase bliss. It was easy since he was fluent in English and I had a basic knowledge of French, but the longer we went on, the harder it became to pretend we hadn't had upbringings in countries thousands of miles apart."

"Reliable health insurance was never a sure thing for my family when I was growing up. That meant that we'd often treat illnesses on our own when possible, keeping the medicine cabinet stocked at all times with Costco-sized bottles of every over-the-counter painkiller you can imagine."

"In France, painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen aren't easy to buy in bulk or get at the grocery store - and even at pharmacies, you can't grab them off the shelf yourself. Instead, you have to get them straight from the pharmacist, who will then typically debrief you."

An American woman who moved to Berlin in 2017 met and married a Frenchman, discovering significant cultural differences despite initial compatibility. While they share common interests and core values, they've adapted to contrasting approaches in various aspects of life. One key difference involves self-medication practices: the American grew up with readily available over-the-counter painkillers purchased in bulk, while in France, medications like ibuprofen require pharmacist consultation and cannot be casually purchased. Additional differences emerge in hosting practices and meal times, reflecting their distinct upbringings thousands of miles apart. The couple has learned to accept these differences and find compromises rather than expecting complete alignment.

Read at Business Insider