[muglo] Re: Safari redirecting OFF TOPIC

Eric,

Paris is, indeed, a fascinating city, and many other parts of France are 
as fascinating.

However, your "favourite complaint" is the common, common in every sense 
of the word, perception of North Americans that the French have an 
"ingrained phobia of the English ... language".  Moreover, it is said 
that they are haughty, rude, sometimes antagonistic, egocentric and 
every thing else that is bad.

You are "utterly shocked by just how poor their English was", while 
Veronica "astute(ly)" observes "they only provided English information 
when it made *their lives easier". Well, do they or don't they? You and 
Veronica ought to try to get on the same page.

French is a Romance language, whose origin is very different from 
anything northern Europeans speak. And "why the hell can't these 
<censored> learn to speak English like the rest of the world" is surely, 
in part, because it is more difficult for them to acquire a language so 
different.

If they seem to be "a century behind", please consider that they may not 
adhere to some archaic customs but that their conduct is governed by 
their cultural and social dictates (as is ours).

We are a slap-happy bunch who don't mind drinking beer out of a bottle, 
dress most casually even when everyone else looks as grungy as all 
others, like to meet strangers and quickly ask what they do for a living 
and what they are earning.

The French are private people. They want a respectful distance. They 
will never address a colleague by his first name. They will formally 
shake hands at each and every encounter. They will play golf almost 
exclusively with their spouses. They would never consider to go anywhere 
without with their children. If spoken to, they insist that each affords 
the other the time of day. Viva la difference.

Traveling in other countries is rewarding, but if one is consumed by 
"complaints" that the others are so 'other', the whole exercise is for 
nought.

We would take exception if others were to come to our shores and expect 
of us to be more like them.

Kh


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