To the French I'm fat?!

When I first arrived in Aix-en-Provence, France I started noticing that everyone seemed to be thinner. No one seemed to be overweight or even fat. This was really strange because I am used to seeing overweight people everywhere in California even children, but in Aix-en-Provence"fat people" were nowhere to be found and to be honest out of the whole entire city I only seen 1 obese man.

While I was in Aix-en-Provence I lived with a host family. 

I remember this one time we were sitting down eating dinner and Saba (French host mom) said to me "I need to put you on a diet" I was shocked and offended. I couldn't believe she would say that! First of all I have never considered myself fat. In the states I am considered to be at a  "normal weight". I couldn't understand why she would make a comment like that. I just remember wanting to jump across the table and wanting to punch her in her face.

On another occasion she asked me for my weight? In the states you never ever ask a girl for her weight! Especially a girl that's a little curvier. They began to make jokes about me and my eating habits. They use to say stuff like " Why do you eat so much", "Why do Americans eat a lot", "Why don't you go exercise" and they would makes jokes such as " I bet you have chips and cookies hiding under your bed", " Don't give it to Nayeli because she will for sure eat it all" or " Do you want seconds? wait of course you want seconds" Ha Ha ha" 

A bit harsh?? More like a lot! Comments like these made me think that I was fat when in reality I was no where close to being fat. Having a big butt, big boobs and a curved tummy was unattractive for the people who lived in this Aix-en-Provence. It was so weird and to be honest I never got use to this. I just couldn't! In California men don't mind my butt or thighs but in Aix it was a whole different story.

One day while I was in school I told my French teacher about it and she told me that I shouldn't let any of those comments hurt me because that's just how they are. It the French culture that was normal. They don't mean it to hurt you.  I explained to her that where I was from people would never say anything like that to anyone. She just said that it was because they are use to people being so thin in Aix so when they see a bigger person they don't know whats appropriate and whats not. In the states we are use to seeing big people so therefor we already know that comments like these are not acceptable. I honestly thought it would literally be common sense, but apparently  it's wasn't.