Frenchmen

S

sbryan

Well-known member
I'm traveling through Europe here in a couple of months and I believe there are some well-traveled DVX users.

What mannerisms and what kinds of clothes are a dead giveaway that you're American?

What clothes do they wear over there? I've heard I should avoid wearing tennis shoes except when I go running... but that's about the only dress advice I've received.
 
What mannerisms and what kinds of clothes are a dead giveaway that you're American?
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I'd suggest not wearing a pair of these.

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Why don't you want people to think your an american? I honestly think most places don't really care.
 
I'd like to fit in as much as possible. Not that I mind being the outsider/tourist... I'd just like to make an effort to blend in since I'm spending four months in France and Italy.

I have those pants with Bush/Cheney '04 Stiched into the back. They won't be well received.
 
sbryan said:
I have those pants with Bush/Cheney '04 Stiched into the back. They won't be well received.
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No they won't be well recieved....:Drogar-Evil(DBG):, just joking. I don't know how to diference people by their clothes...... Just wear some jeans and a normal not very atractive shirt and I'm sure no one will notice (not until you start talking in english with american accent, or french with american accent).
 
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The clothing over here is still quite traditional. You can just shoot some animals and then you are fine :D
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Well, but I can tell you that many frenchmen don't like english. they are proud of their language.
 
I have one piece of advice about traveling in Europe: No matter what else you do, do NOT buy a pocket watch this this guy:

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:)
 
I have those pants with Bush/Cheney '04 Stiched into the back. They won't be well received.
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I would literlly pay money to see you walk down a street in Paris with those on.
 
Simon Höfer said:
Well, but I can tell you that many frenchmen don't like english. they are proud of their language.
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True, I've been in some of those situations.........I started talking in english to ask for something (don't remenber what) and the man (he was a kind of recepcionist) didn't know english (which is pretty strange cause nearly everybody knows english at some extent) and he even look at me strangely.....
 
ilauzirika said:
True, I've been in some of those situations.........I started talking in english to ask for something (don't remenber what) and the man (he was a kind of recepcionist) didn't know english (which is pretty strange cause nearly everybody knows english at some extent) and he even look at me strangely.....
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Most young people (under 40 !) speak a minimun of english. The most difficult for us is your accent. Really hard for us to understand what you're saying, especially with Texans. But our poor accent is also for you such a pain !!

Regarding your clothes, excepted if you're a clown, you'll remain under radar.

Enjoy your stay. :-)

Most people get the month of August off here (between 3 or 4 weeks off) and
there is a festive, summer-vacation spirit in august, with many festivals.
 
hvpz said:
Most young people (under 40 !) speak a minimun of english. The most difficult for us is your accent. Really hard for us to understand what you're saying, especially with Texans. But our poor accent is also for you such a pain !!
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I'm sure that most of the young french people know english, cause we need it to suceed in any job or just to communicate with friends in other countries....... For example english is really needed filmmaking.

About accents. Each country has its pronuntiation and some are easier to understand than others, this diferences can even happen in the same country (people from south speak differently than people from the north area........

Well, I'm spanish, but I also have problems when understanding french people's accent, for me is easier to understand an american or even an australian (sorry for this australians) than a french, I think that this is because french english accent is softer (well, the word is not softer, but I don't know how to tell) than other accents. And we talk louder, so is harder to understand people speaking soft.........

But, you know, after some years in any english speaking countries you are able to hide your accent at a great extent........(not my case).

It's a bit late and I don't know what I'm saying, if this post doesn't make any sense just skip it.......:)

BTW, Paris has some beautiful spots......

Hope you enjoy your stay in france.....
 
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sbryan said:
I'm traveling through Europe here in a couple of months and I believe there are some well-traveled DVX users.

What mannerisms and what kinds of clothes are a dead giveaway that you're American?

What clothes do they wear over there? I've heard I should avoid wearing tennis shoes except when I go running... but that's about the only dress advice I've received.
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where all are you going? just curious since i'm heading there myself in a few weeks. we're flying in to madrid, visiting family in santiago de compostela (who i've never met and don't speak english), then making our way up to paris.

hey hvpz, any insider tips on something i should check out in paris that i wouldn't know about from travel books?

ilauzirika, any advice on san sebastian? we're stopping there on the way to paris.
 
thanks! this week we're putting together a list of cities we're going to visit. i'll check out those links. my wife was there 8 years ago, but only for a night and really wants to go back. can't wait.

i know san sebastian is in basque country, but will i be able to get by with spanish?
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
I was trapped in a bus terminal once. Didn't really want to go back in there either.

Being trapped anywhere sucks. Now being able to enter and leave at your own free will is usually a better experience. :D
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Yeah, but unfortunately, every person I interacted with fit the stereotype like a glove. I'm sure France is a beautiful place but I can't deal with people like that.

I'd rather just go back to New Zealand.
 
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