Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel
pfff ! funny story. i really wonder what the waitress thought she was asking, at first. 
i can't speak for everybody living here, but personally i find it really annoying when tourists don't make even the slightest effort to understand the different culture and adapt to the fact they are in a different country. they don't have to speak french perfectly, but if they are going to ask directions (or whatever) from a french person, the very least they can do is learn to say "bonjour", "s'il vous plaît" and "merci", it's really not that hard. it's like, when you go to italy, at the very least you learn to say "buon giornio," "dove," "grazie," "per favore". after that you'll find most people are very friendly and glad to help. i think that's true anywhere in fact. actually if a rude tourist comes up to me and starts bellowing in english i pretend i don't understand him and keep walking.  but i have a low tolerance for rudeness, and being a tourist is really no excuse. on the other hand, if a tourist is trying to speak to me in french and clearly having a really difficult time, i will ask them if they prefer to speak in english. i appreciate that they tried. |
See I did say bonjour, and please and thank you (someone had to teach me "you're welcome"). But I was always very courteous, and spoke slowly (not too slowly). I would do the same if I were in you're situation (if someone started bellowing at me).
I remember we used to go to this bar that was on the corner of where are hotels were (right across from the Montmartre subway station). THe old guy there was hilarious. I tried to order some french fries in french, but MANGLED "patates frites." I said pa-ta-tehs free-tehs and he died laughing (then told me how to correctly say it). I for the life of me cannot read french out loud. Anyway he was a super cool guy who got me drunk more than once. He always gave me way too much vodka, and when I asked for less, he gave me even more and giggled about it.