What is the World's Perception of France (school, vs.)

[pigeonhole]

Originally Posted by NCInMyMind

My now wife lived in France for two years and I visited her there often. She is fluent, I however have abysmal language skills. I had no problems whatsoever when I traveled around France w/o her. As long as I was polite, the French were polite to me. I did a lot of "miming" to communicate and not one person was rude to me. I even got lost on a local bus during my first visit and the driver drove all over until I recognized where I intended to go.

Now I did observe a few important "rules." I dressed appropriately--no sloppy clothes. I learned a few basic words such as "please" and "thank you." And I was not pushy. I found it embarrassing how pushy and demanding some Americans are overseas. Do they act like this in the US as well?

Paris is fantastic, but there is a whole lot more to France than just Paris. France is a large country with lots of regional diversity. There is an expression that I have often heard, "Even the French don't like Parisians."

Wonderful country, wonderful people, wonderful food...can't wait to go back in September!

Je vous remercie beaucoup mes amis francais!

You are very naive about the French, but they have one quality indeed : they don't like people who lick their ******

[Mooseketeer]

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

You are very naive about the French, but they have one quality indeed : they don't like people who lick their asses.

I am not quite sure what he said that was so naive ? Any reasons to bite his head off simply because you disagree with him ? Did he mention France was paradise on earth where everything is perfect ? Or did he express HIS perfectly valid opinion of his experiences ? Should he make up some terriblt happenings simply to corroborate your distorted and rather unbalanced view of France ?


So he had good experiences and enjoyed it. Good for him . His wife lived there and obviously did not have a problem there. Sometimes Pigeonhole I think you cannot accept that not everyone has the same extreme loathing of France you do .

My Fiance has been going to France for almost 35 years now and remembers the sum total of 3 negative experiences, many neutral ones and some wonderful , helpful , kind and life affirming ones. Should he also deny those simply to keep you happy ?

I know many expats from the UK, US and European countries who live in France and the very vast majority love it. Some have lived there for over 40 years and still no regrets. Obviously they should all have their heads examined because who could possibly be happy living in France ? How naive and misguided of them not to feel like you.



I am French and obviously am terribly naive also as I do not see France as being any worse than any other developed nations , it has exactly the same kind of problems as other places and its inhabitants are not the monsters you constantly describe to us. I am perfectly aware of social issues and some traits of French culture can even sometimes irritate me ( what country does not though...) but this France you describe on a regular basis is nothing like the country I know and love. One does not have to be blind or naive and can still be able to see a place in a balanced manner.


Maybe the problem does not lie with us but with your perception. Your attitude is always so antagonistic. Maybe you should learn the difference between honest, open and simply rude.

People are often what you make of them. Maybe those loathsome French people with their loathsome Nation and loathsome culture simply do not respond well to your astonishing level of negativity ?



Still not leaving " La Douce France" I gather ? I cannot fathom how anyone who hates their lives so much and is obviously as able as you are can remain in a place so loathsome and appalling.....


All the best, living in this sheer hell-hole must be terribly wearing. I would have fled a long time ago. Though I suspect nowhere will ever quite measure up in the long run. Must grumble and all that.

[Mooseketeer]

Originally Posted by Sudcaro

Hum. Not quite. Parisians think Paris is the center of the world. Other French people are usually not very fond of Paris.

That is so true ! mind you to be fair I also think most people in most capitals /huge cities are like that. People in NYC or Rome for example also think themselves the centre of the Universe...

Parisians are despised all over France and it is very common in the Provinces to point out at cars with the 75/76/77/91/92/93/94 ( Paris and surrounding areas) and make jokes about the "Parisians having descended upon their regional lesser cousins to teach us how the civilised live"...

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by Mooseketeer

That is so true ! mind you to be fair I also think most people in most capitals /huge cities are like that. People in NYC or Rome for example also think themselves the centre of the Universe...

Parisians are despised all over France and it is very common in the Provinces to point out at cars with the 75/76/77/91/92/93/94 ( Paris and surrounding areas) and make jokes about the "Parisians having descended upon their regional lesser cousins to teach us how the civilised live"...

I think you are quite right. In southern Portugal the locals roll their eyes and sigh about the "arrogância" of the visitors from Lisbon.

The odd thing is that I tend to agree with them, but whenever I go to Lisbon I am always struck by how helpful people there are and how so many will go way out of their way to assist you.

[Tenzo]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys

[david1990]

I Think France is so cool I visited France whit my family the last year and I said wow!! I was in Paris and the city is so beautiful and the girls are really mmmmm I like them

[clongirl]

Oh goodness! I love France--I've only been twice--once to Brittany for a few weeks, and then another time to Paris. If I could speak French and not embarrass myself, I'd retire there (and I lived in Ireland for several years).

I didn't encounter the rumored "snootiness" of the Parisians (of course I'm from San Francisco where you might hear the same stereotypes) and Brittany was just outstanding (of course you run into the same rudeness/teen angst- just like here!). Any foolish American that has some political issue (or otherwise) with France obviously hasn't been there or is a person that only obsesses about politics and lives to make these rumours true. I just wish I could grasp the language like I semi-do with Spanish- sigh

[pigeonhole]

I didn't encounter the rumored "snootiness" of the Parisians (of course I'm from San Francisco where you might hear the same stereotypes)

Because you've only been there as a tourist (although many tourists complain about Parisians being gross, you're among the lucky ones).
If you live there, work there, commute there, believe me, it's a whole different story.
To make it short, let's say that niceness here is the exception, not the rule.
And there are scores of problems (frequent strikes in public transportation, crammed buses and trains for instance), that only someone who lives there can talk about, not tourists.

[pigeonhole]

As for food, good food is indeed good- but expensive.$
Poor/Young people eat at MacDonald's/KFC or the French equivalent (QuickBurger), or greasy turkish sandwiches.
And the young generation of women, because they all study and Women's Lib ideas are predominant, were not taught cooking skills, so they eat at home mostly frozen pizzas and Danon yoghurts.
Fortunately Bio foods (fruit , vegetables , whole wheat bread, vegetarianism) is gaining ground, but it's mostly an upper middle class phenomenon.

[kerouac2]

I read the strangest things here.