Thought Number One: What is my dad going to wear?
Because literally everything the man owns has an American flag on it.
Basically, I figured they were going to hate us as much as my dad was going to hate them.
Surprisingly however, I was totally wrong. Despite the stereotype of the French HATING tourists, everyone was incredibly nice. From the flight attendant who despite speaking no English managed to help me navigate getting a new seat on the plane (because mine was inexplicably broken) to the cab driver who told me "You look like a very nice girl. Smile a little less and don't ever take more money out than you need to pay. Don't get taken advantage of. And take lots of pictures." everyone was incredibly nice.
What's more, is they don't all hate Americans. In visiting the beaches of Normandy, our French tour guides credited the Americans so much. "The statue at the beaches of Normandy is representative of the American youth, coming out of the water to save our lady, France. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are today. They saved us." In fact, the land at the cemetery at Normandy was a gift to America and is managed by the American government.
Advice for obnoxious Americans like myself who want to travel to the City of Love? TRY EVERYTHING. Learn some French phrases. Eat some French food. If they see you are trying, they will be more likely to help you or meet you halfway.
Happy travels y'all!