France

[venkman]

Having spent the last week on a southern Utah National Park vacation and being inundated with Euro's of all stripes, I might have to revise my opinion of France. The French folks I met were by far the coolest of all the Euros.

That got me thinking. Sure the French are easy to make fun of and are quick to get on their knees for Germans, but they are America's oldest friend and have stuck by us for the most part, which can't be said for almost everyone else. Plus, all the Frenchies I have met have been cool and very complimentary of America. Of course, I'll still make fun of the frogs, but it will be a little more good natured now.

p.s. the Germans were assholes (thank god my ancestors got the hell out of there) and the Dutch just seemed wierd. The limeys I talked to were odd, but I know enough cool Brits that I won't just write all of them off like I did with the Krauts. Aussies - awesome as always.

[Katy Lied]

Frenchies do an awful lot of lecturing--Any country will do but Americans are most convenient. I can vouch for this.

I gotta go with the Brits. They throw better parties than the Aussies.

[YOhio]

First you wax poetic about British Royalty and now you're singing the praises of the French? venkman, you okay?

[venkman]

First you wax poetic about British Royalty and now you're singing the praises of the French? venkman, you okay?

haha, thanks for the concern.

I don't know alot of Frenchies, but the ones i met at Zion and Bryce were ok by me. Not the snooty, condescending, panty waist, cheese eating surrender monkeys of the stereotype. Maybe the fact that they like to vacation in the American southwest indicates they are a different breed of frog?

[Katy Lied]

I think the frogs you're talking about are the "pro american cowboy" frogs.

[oxcoug]

Having spent the last week on a southern Utah National Park vacation and being inundated with Euro's of all stripes, I might have to revise my opinion of France. The French folks I met were by far the coolest of all the Euros.

That got me thinking. Sure the French are easy to make fun of and are quick to get on their knees for Germans, but they are America's oldest friend and have stuck by us for the most part, which can't be said for almost everyone else. Plus, all the Frenchies I have met have been cool and very complimentary of America. Of course, I'll still make fun of the frogs, but it will be a little more good natured now.

p.s. the Germans were assholes (thank god my ancestors got the hell out of there) and the Dutch just seemed wierd. The limeys I talked to were odd, but I know enough cool Brits that I won't just write all of them off like I did with the Krauts. Aussies - awesome as always.

I'm holding out the possibility that you might be extrapolating a lot out of a few encounters . But yes, on an individual level most of the French people I know are fantastic. Its their collective voice - which worries too much about things like the stature of France in the world and the purity of the French language - that gets annoying.

I'm w/ you on Aussies. Aussies kick ass, almost w/o exception. Almost always comfortable where they are and comfortable with who they are.

Frenchies do an awful lot of lecturing

That's the damn truth.

I gotta go with the Brits. They throw better parties than the Aussies.

For real? We obviously had very different experiences. In the four years I lived in the UK (dating both an Aussie and a Anglo... though not simultaneously) I went to more good parties hosted in the UK by Australians than I did good parties hosted in their own capital by British peeps.

I love both nationalities - I'm an Anglophile and an Aussiephile, but if there are two parties I'm going to the one hosted by the Aussie.

[venkman]

I'm holding out the possibility that you might be extrapolating a lot out of a few encounters .

Admittedly, I am. I know they're socialist, but ironically, we're moving towards socialism while they're moving away from it (though it's at a snails pace, pun intended).

[il Padrino Ute]

How many of those you met are from Paris? It sounds like you didn't meet any, as I don't ever see a frog from Paris ever coming to the US, let alone Southern Utah for a vacation.

The regular folks that are not from Paris are great. It's the snotty Parisians that will always cause me to mock France.

[Moliere]

I feel like I'm being set up

[Mrs. Funk]

The French people I know personally are among the kindest, most gracious, and lovely people I have ever know. During my time in Paris, I encountered a similar mix of people that I do in any big city. I met some complete strangers who were remarkably kind to me, as well as some typical jerkwads I could have encountered anywhere.

[myboynoah]

Frenchies do an awful lot of lecturing--Any country will do but Americans are most convenient. I can vouch for this.

Ain't that the truth. We were in Paris during Bush W. mrs. myboynoah made some great frienships at the preschool (Mrs. Funk is right about how kind and gracious the French can be), but to a person they went on and on about how much they hated Bush W. It was impossible to get them to shut up about it. I was SOOOOO happy when W got re-elected.

French people absolutely love America, American fashions, American pop culture, American music, American movies, American fast food, etc.

[Moliere]

The French people I know personally are among the kindest, most gracious, and lovely people I have ever know. During my time in Paris, I encountered a similar mix of people that I do in any big city. I met some complete strangers who were remarkably kind to me, as well as some typical jerkwads I could have encountered anywhere.

When I lived in Paris I hated the American tourists, who I found to be completely inconsiderate of anyone around them. The Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian, and even Japanese tourists were considerate, but the Americans were flat out inconsiderate and annoying. There's just something about snobby Americans that travel in packs of 20 people that are all wearing huge backpacks and are all trying to cram into the same metro car all while pushing people out of the way.

[Mrs. Funk]

When I lived in Paris I hated the American tourists, who I found to be completely inconsiderate of anyone around them. The Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian, and even Japanese tourists were considerate, but the Americans were flat out inconsiderate and annoying. There's just something about snobby Americans that travel in packs of 20 people that are all wearing huge backpacks and are all trying to cram into the same metro car all while pushing people out of the way.

To loosely quote the inimitable David Sedaris, Americans in Paris speak two kinds of French—Hard French and Easy French. Hard French involves conjugations and a fumbled mix of pronouns and verbs. Easy French involves screaming English at a supersonic decibal.

I agree with your assessment. I recall waiting in line to take a peep at the Mona Lisa, and the French security guards were trying to usher people along, saying in French to please keep the line moving. An American dude behind me in line bellowed, "I don't speak French. I'm American. Why do they think I speak French?"

[filsdepac]

When I lived in Paris I hated the American tourists, who I found to be completely inconsiderate of anyone around them. The Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian, and even Japanese tourists were considerate, but the Americans were flat out inconsiderate and annoying. There's just something about snobby Americans that travel in packs of 20 people that are all wearing huge backpacks and are all trying to cram into the same metro car all while pushing people out of the way.

I think almost all tourists suck. I won't limit it to a nationality, because it depends on that individual person, but most tourists think the city they're visiting is their playground and don't realize people actually live there. There are some considerate tourists, but again, I won't limit it to a nationality.

I'll agree with the sentiment that Australians are great to travel with.

Paris is like New York, there are plenty of arrogant jerks from there, just look at Viking, or Oxcoug.

[creekster]

For real? We obviously had very different experiences. In the four years I lived in the UK (dating both an Aussie and a Anglo... though not simultaneously) I went to more good parties hosted in the UK by Australians than I did good parties hosted in their own capital by British peeps.

I love both nationalities - I'm an Anglophile and an Aussiephile, but if there are two parties I'm going to the one hosted by the Aussie.

I'm with you on this one. I have visited Australia a couple of times, and my wife's family has a number of Aussies married into it, and I have spent a fair maount of time in the UK (all non-mission) and I have to say I have always had more fun at Australian parties/gatherings than at UK aprties/gatherings. OPf course, it may be that I am just not invited ot the cool UK parties.