Monday, September 14, 2009

The Problem with Being French



Is that you speak English with a strange accent...
Is that your long features and aquiline noses make you look like a snob...
Is that you have the ability to speak through shoulder movements alone...
Shrugging can depict: yes, no, maybe, dont know, dont care, forget it...
A scrunched up nose can depict: funny, yes, no, maybe, dont know, dont care, forget it.
You do the 'bored' look effortlessly...
You might be known for the 'passion' but you dont look like you would enjoy the thought...
You look cool, but not as cool as the Italians...
You look hot, but not as hot at the Spanish...

- And that ladies and gentlemen is based on the French stereotype + observations of a few French friends and colleague over the past few years. But then...I met and saw some of this stereotyped category recently when I went to get a visa to get into France. And while I waited..I watched, not stared but watched and was amused by how much truth lay in the stereotype!

Must say, they were quick, despite the language barriers.
They were efficient despite the gallic shrugs and the nose scrunching.
They looked cool, despite the large amount of black in the room, sharp haircuts and statement making eye wear.

And now I am off..to Paris. To see the one city which I have managed to miss in my 10 years of living in Europe. The one city which I want to see, but did not want to do it alone for some strange reason (talk about stereotype). And not in the summer (have visions of wind blown walks on a rain slicked Avenue des Champs-Élysées). The paintings, the sculpture, the architecture....have read a large amount about it, have heard painting described in loving detail by my grandpa. Have studied French History at a grad level and now. Now I get to see some parts of it! whey-hey!

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Image Credit: Benh shall use it till I can get some of my own or from Marooned

5 comments:

Soulmate said...

Awesome Neels... you are off to France.. I am sure this must have been one of your most awaited trips.. Have fun and come back with some good stories to share..

Titaxy said...

oh my god...you are going to Paris? I'm jealous...:-(..

you have a lotta fun...and come back with awesome stories to share!

Just call me 'A' said...

wow....i want to travel all over Europe...and of course Paris. My husband was in Strasbourg for about 6 months and work and he did not visit Paris because he wanted to go with me....I think it's sweet of you to want to do it with someone special.

Have a fun time

ani_aset said...

enjoy your stay and nice description..i could not stop laughing at shoulder conversations :)))) :P

Morpheus said...

:) thanks all.