Warbird Information Exchange

Forgive the length of this post, but I want to offer the following in defense of the French, and Parisians in particular:

I was fortunate enough to make a three-week backpack tour of Germany, France, and England in the summer of 1992. As I had several years of German, I had zero problems in Germany and had a wonderful time. After a few days in Stuttgart, I hopped a train to Paris and was pretty apprehensive, having heard numerous stories of how rude and inhospitable the French were.

Upon my arrival at the Gare du Nord, I gathered my crap and made my way to the currency exchange counter. On my way there, a nice French lady with her daughter in tow approached me and asked me (in English) if I was looking for a place to stay. I said I had planned on staying at the local hostel, and she said she had house in the midst of Paris and rented rooms to travelers for less than the current hostel rate, if I wished to confirm that. And indeed, the hostel rate was 95F per night, while her rate was 90F plus she would cook for her guests. Well, that was a no-brainer, so I told her I would gladly accept her offer. What happened next still sticks with me to this day.

The woman said that would be great, and that she was escorting a group of three German kids to the house as well, so she would have her daughter show me the way to the house after I finished at the currency exchange. Her TEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, who was fluent in French AND German. I was absolutely flabbergasted at the trust shown by this woman in some random American guy. My French was still quite bad (it had been several years since I had taken any French), so we walked back through the streets of Paris, this young girl and I, having a conversation in German.

I was originally just going to spend two days in Paris- I wound up staying a full week, as the city was absolutely WONDERFUL and I was treated with courtesy and respect by every single Frenchman and woman I encountered. And Maryse Colombo was quite a cook as well... fresh crepes and fruit for breakfast? Man, those were good! The only issue I had, strangely, was with a group of American tourists acting like complete a$$holes while waiting in line to go up in the Eiffel Tower. And seeing these morons treating everyone around them like substandard individuals gave me instant insight as to why the French adopt the attitude they do... no one likes to be disrespected, especially in their own country. Show a little respect and appreciation to a Frenchman for his country and culture, and their kindness will know no bounds.

A bientot,

Lynn

I arrived at the train station in Paris from Hamburg, and someone either asked me if I wanted to rent a room, or sent me to the house. I rented a small upstairs room in a house near the station for a night or so until I got a hotel. They must have a keen eye for Americans needing housing. The trip was a graduation gift and everyone who has not seen Europe should try to do so. I'd like to see the Normandy area, never got out of Paris. I am fluent in Texan, can get by in English, a little Spanish, but speak no French so ordering food was not easy. I could get a sandwich, but if you wanted mustard instead of mayo, or hold the onions it was not as simple. I did find a bartender/cafe man who spoke English and was friendly. He taught me the words to order in French and was quite amused that I actually drank milk instead of wine with breakfast.
This post started out as look at French fighters, with some humor. It seems to have traveled to jests or insults, and focus on rude Americans in Paris. Having grown up in Texas, before so many people from outside the state moved in, my idea of friendly is someone who is polite and pleasant Before they know you and when they Aren't looking to profit monetarily from you. I've heard it said other places reputed to be pretty cold, like NYC that people are friendly "once they get to know you". I am told by British friends that Americans are more outgoing and less reserved by contrast.

_________________
Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill, take heart, most of the Texicans I know who were born here are still friendly " before they get to know you ". As for the latecomers, well, we're workin' on 'em. I haven't had the pleasure to go to Europe but we have hosted multiple nationalities at various times. Most have been polite, friendly, and fun. I was able to initiate a couple of Swiss guys to the Bar-B-Que at the Luling City Market a few weeks ago. That's got to help foreign relations on some level, I'm sure !

_________________
"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

There are as many rude Parisian waiters are there are rude New York waiters....and London outstrips both any way! Similarly with tourists: Brits are THE worst (since we lost the Empire, we have to be tops in something).

But Astixjr's original post wasn't so terrible given France's record: they obviously had some great and brave pilots - it just wasn't always too obvious on whose side they were on! Obviously one lot decamped to Britain to fly with the RAF, whilst another lot stayed with the Vichy and flew against the RAF - and the RAAF, RCAF, USAAF......! Finally, another lot went off to fight with the Russians in 1942, to whom Messrs Sarkozy and Putin unveiled a memorial last October.

This uncertainty of alignment perhaps lingers on to this day. It is obviously the fault of the English: had we enforced the playing of Cricket in their country after we effected Regime Change by removing Napoleon (with Germany's help), none of this would have ever happened.

There's actually a cultural explanation for this that is subtle and probably goes unnoticed for the casual traveller.

In the UK, it is normal for service-people (sales attendants, waiters, what have you) to leave you alone until you ASK for them to help you. Completely the opposite of the US where you practically have to beat salespeople off with a stick.

If you go into a restaurant and don't explicitly ask your waitress/waiter for the bill after you finish eating, you could be sitting there all d@mn night with the waitress/waiter walking back and forth by you servicing all the other patrons.

It's not rudeness...it is simply the cultural standard. Personally, I like going into a store and not being swarmed by people asking if they can help me every 45 seconds. If I need assistance, all I have to do is ask and they'll give me service that is every bit as good as the ol' USA.

Absolutely Randy. When I first moved to the US, I was quite taken aback to continually have my plate whipped away from under my nose in restaurants while I was still chewing the last mouthful, and then have the bill pushed at me a few seconds later. Just one of those cultural differences that you soon get used to.