Steven P. BarrettVIVE LA FRENCH TOURISTS? NOT IF THEY BEHAVE LIKE FRENCH WAITERS BACK HOME!
July 8th 2008 01:18
Steven Barrett
WELL -- IT'S ABOUT TIME: AMERICAN'S AREN'T THE WORLD'S MOST OBNOXIOUS TOURISTS ANYMORE. THE FRENCH ARE.
TO BE HONEST I NEVER THOUGHT THE AMERICANS WERE THE MOST OBNOXIOUS IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT I WASN'T SURPRISED TO SEE THE FRENCH TAKE TO HONORS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING OBNOXIOUS IN ANYTHING, TOURISM, POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE, CULTURE -- EXCUSE ME -- MAKE IT "CULTURE" WITH QUOTATION MARKS AND THEIR OVERALL SUPERIORITY COMPLEX.
WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE TO A "WORK ETHIC" THE FRENCH HAVE TO RATE AS A FOURTH OR FIFTH WORLD SOCIETY. SO WHAT DO THEY DO, TRAVEL AROUND THE REST OF THE WORLD (ON GOD KNOWS WHAT FOR MONEY THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE EARNED IN A MILLION YEARS) AND LOOK DOWN THEIR GALLIC NOSES AT ANYONE WHO ISN'T REALLY FRENCH.
THE QUEBECOIS -- WELL, THEY'RE TREATED LIKE DISTANT COUSINS THAT LOST OUT TO THE BRITS SO THEY DON'T COUNT. (BUT WOULDN'T THAT MAKE THE MOTHERLODE OF FRENCH ARROGANCE EQUALLY UNCOUNTABLE?)
It's been long held that the Americans had bad overseas manners, and there's some possible truth to that. Sometimes more than a few of us get caught up in our own "American exceptionalism" and forget that there's a world on the other side of those two oceans and one gulf.
But we've must've gotten better at the game of being good overseas tourists. According to a recent Time Magazine/CNN story, Yanks, because we average the fewest vacation days a year (14 compared to the French and Germans who enjoy more than a month respecitvely) are generally more appreciative of these precious moments off and opportunities to spend them abroad, thus we're better tippers and more inclined to demonstrate generosity in general to hotel staffs, tour guides, etc. The French are the cheapest. And no wonder, what you don't have to work for, you won't appreciate as much. The Germans, notwithstanding their long vacations as well, still maintain a strong work ethic and are less stingy with their money. (I wonder how many of them enjoy vacationing in France?)
I've always found the Quebecois in Quebec City to be far more accomodating than their French cousins, and certainly less arrogant than their counterparts in Montreal, aka Paris, Jr.
That's were Americans meet the sandpaper of Gallic superiority complex as practiced in former New France. But I must say, you will rarely, and I mean rarely ever meet a rude Quebecer in Southern Maine, the Riviera of Quebec. After all, they only get 19 days off. Unlike their more "superior" Gallic cousins across le pond, Les Canadiens appreciate their time off like their Yankee hosts.
AS FOR FRANCE ITSELF, LEST THEY TAKE UMBRAGE AT TIME MAGAZINE/CNN AND THIS BLOG, TOO DAMN BAD. AND FOR ALL THOSE OCCASIONAL DISPLAYS OF RUDE AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM MENTIONED ABOVE -- REMIND ME THEM OF A DAY SOME 64 YRS AGO WHEN AMERICANS VISITED A EUROPEAN NATION TO LIBERATE IT FROM ITS GERMAN VICTORS TURNED OPPRESSORS DURING A WAR THAT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE FRENCH ONLY BEEN AS BRAZENLY COURAGEOUS IN DIPLOMACY AND THE THE BATTLEFRONT AS THEY ARE BRAZENLY OUTRAGEOUS CONCERNING THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS ANYBODY WHO ISN'T "TRULY" FRENCH.
I'LL NEVER FORGET READING ABOUT FRENCH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DAMAGE OUR ARMED FORCES CAUSED ON D-DAY AND THE REST OF THE WAR AS IT TOOK PLACE IN FRANCE. SIXTY YEARS LATER SOME OF THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE MORE UPSET THAT WE DESTROYED OR PARTIALLY DAMAGED PART OF THEIR "CULTURE" THAN WHAT DID FOR THEM AT GREAT COST TO AMERICANS, CANADIANS, BRITS, AUSSIES, NEW ZEALANDERS, POLES, DUTCH, AND BELGIANS. THERE WERE FRENCH TROOPS AND PARTISANS -- BUT I HONESTLY BELIEVE THEY'D BE TOO EMBARRASSED BY THE INGRATITUDE AND BOORISHNESS OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN TODAY. BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED.
WELL -- IT'S ABOUT TIME: AMERICAN'S AREN'T THE WORLD'S MOST OBNOXIOUS TOURISTS ANYMORE. THE FRENCH ARE.
TO BE HONEST I NEVER THOUGHT THE AMERICANS WERE THE MOST OBNOXIOUS IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT I WASN'T SURPRISED TO SEE THE FRENCH TAKE TO HONORS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING OBNOXIOUS IN ANYTHING, TOURISM, POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE, CULTURE -- EXCUSE ME -- MAKE IT "CULTURE" WITH QUOTATION MARKS AND THEIR OVERALL SUPERIORITY COMPLEX.
Le Work Ethic? Mon Dieu!
WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE TO A "WORK ETHIC" THE FRENCH HAVE TO RATE AS A FOURTH OR FIFTH WORLD SOCIETY. SO WHAT DO THEY DO, TRAVEL AROUND THE REST OF THE WORLD (ON GOD KNOWS WHAT FOR MONEY THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE EARNED IN A MILLION YEARS) AND LOOK DOWN THEIR GALLIC NOSES AT ANYONE WHO ISN'T REALLY FRENCH.
THE QUEBECOIS -- WELL, THEY'RE TREATED LIKE DISTANT COUSINS THAT LOST OUT TO THE BRITS SO THEY DON'T COUNT. (BUT WOULDN'T THAT MAKE THE MOTHERLODE OF FRENCH ARROGANCE EQUALLY UNCOUNTABLE?)
It's been long held that the Americans had bad overseas manners, and there's some possible truth to that. Sometimes more than a few of us get caught up in our own "American exceptionalism" and forget that there's a world on the other side of those two oceans and one gulf.
I've always found the Quebecois in Quebec City to be far more accomodating than their French cousins, and certainly less arrogant than their counterparts in Montreal, aka Paris, Jr.
That's were Americans meet the sandpaper of Gallic superiority complex as practiced in former New France. But I must say, you will rarely, and I mean rarely ever meet a rude Quebecer in Southern Maine, the Riviera of Quebec. After all, they only get 19 days off. Unlike their more "superior" Gallic cousins across le pond, Les Canadiens appreciate their time off like their Yankee hosts.
AS FOR FRANCE ITSELF, LEST THEY TAKE UMBRAGE AT TIME MAGAZINE/CNN AND THIS BLOG, TOO DAMN BAD. AND FOR ALL THOSE OCCASIONAL DISPLAYS OF RUDE AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM MENTIONED ABOVE -- REMIND ME THEM OF A DAY SOME 64 YRS AGO WHEN AMERICANS VISITED A EUROPEAN NATION TO LIBERATE IT FROM ITS GERMAN VICTORS TURNED OPPRESSORS DURING A WAR THAT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE FRENCH ONLY BEEN AS BRAZENLY COURAGEOUS IN DIPLOMACY AND THE THE BATTLEFRONT AS THEY ARE BRAZENLY OUTRAGEOUS CONCERNING THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS ANYBODY WHO ISN'T "TRULY" FRENCH.
The Price of Decadence and Defeatism
I'LL NEVER FORGET READING ABOUT FRENCH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DAMAGE OUR ARMED FORCES CAUSED ON D-DAY AND THE REST OF THE WAR AS IT TOOK PLACE IN FRANCE. SIXTY YEARS LATER SOME OF THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE MORE UPSET THAT WE DESTROYED OR PARTIALLY DAMAGED PART OF THEIR "CULTURE" THAN WHAT DID FOR THEM AT GREAT COST TO AMERICANS, CANADIANS, BRITS, AUSSIES, NEW ZEALANDERS, POLES, DUTCH, AND BELGIANS. THERE WERE FRENCH TROOPS AND PARTISANS -- BUT I HONESTLY BELIEVE THEY'D BE TOO EMBARRASSED BY THE INGRATITUDE AND BOORISHNESS OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN TODAY. BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED.
Not Your Average American Tourists
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