YOu evidently just love Rugby Union,like me, David. Although totally English, my wife is 100% Welsh and I have to admit that most of the time, Welsh rugby is far more pleasing on the eye than the English version. Now that I'm in France, I find myself celebrating French victories [except against England or Wales]; but my heart is really in Top 14 rugby, particularly my local [and very good]team Castres Olympique.
Regarding rugby Steve this is often more difficult than may be imagined. I am British having been born in England and always lived and was educated there. However my mother was Welsh and we have strong Welsh connections, although we were firmly English speaking as were many at that time. My father was English born but etnically mixed in that he was only 50% English. To see us we looked, sounded and acted totally English. Amongst other sports I played some rugby and afterwards I often went to Twickenham where I certainly supported England except when they were playing Wales. I have to an extent become more Welsh as I have become older, even sometimes watching Welsh language television, as I did last night when I watched rugby, an eisteddfod and a presentation on the Royal Welsh Show, where my uncle was a President. Some might say how sad can you get, but I live in a very firmly celtic country, Brittany, where many of the early Welsh saints ended up. On rugby I have a sort of chart of support. Generally support Wales, support England against everybody except Wales, support France against Ireland, Scotland and others except Wales, England and Italy. Support Italy against everybody except Wales and England. That's the northern hemisphere. It get's more complicated against the southern. Yesterday I watched Wales but could not get anything other than highlights of the English match which turned out to be an absolute classic. One of my best match experiences ever was at Cardiff in the last but one World Cup when with French and Welsh friends we watched France beat the All Blacks. Howevere we were with many Kiwis after the match and whilst they were very put out, as they would have been last night, one could all agree that the match had been great and won by the best team. Certainly at Cardiff yesterday the Welsh were unlucky and although they played better than they very recently have they may have learned something before this season's 6 nations!
Quite honestly when I now in the UK I frequently find it impossible to understand many assumed to be British people talking as well. I sometimes watch British television here in France and also hear things being said which require great efforts to comprehend. My French has after French O level taken over 50 years ago simply come from talking and reading it for about 40 years has a heavy British accent which I will never lose, but at least I make efforts, and try to extend my ability. One thing that I don't like though is after ordering something in a shop or restaurant one is replied to in appalling English far worse than at least I assume my French is! I don't really enjoy having to act as interpreter at social or other events for expats who have made no effort to learn even the simplest French, as it often rather spoils one's own enjoyment of the event.
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My Swiss OH tends to be ranked similarly. Delightful - what a patronising word used that way!
The exception is when she, English being her fourth language but near on fluent nonetheless, is seeing a house and the vendor makes comments about her English should be better. French clients ask politely about her accent then done. It is English speakers who complain because she has an accent, missing the point that unlike other agents she has both French and English more than adequately well to work perfectly reasonably with both. Some even claim not to understand a word she says. This is someone who stood up in front of university classes, conferences and seminars and spoke English that nobody failed to understand, with exception of people who did not understand English anyway.
Then, of course, when she has a problem with an English dialect so far it has not been Aussies, Irish, Scots and so on who can't accept that but (thus far) only people from England. It is as though she is expected to understand them just because instead of them moderating their English, as most people can, she is expected to be everything FOR all people. She has already had a couple of 'she would have sold the house by now' comments from people who put it down to her misunderstanding them. That they are with three or four other agencies doing no better does not come into it.
I agree!
et idem encore, Richard. It's a bit like trying to describe the French... My OH, our kids, friends and family obviously coming under the "delightfull" category ;-)
Had a bout of that near me but fortunately living in the country its easy to avoid them and most have had to go back to the uk now. It seems they can spout and spout endless rubbish about people they dont even know on just hear say alone that when they finally meet you they tend to just slink away. I have lost a far few good friends over idiots like this but guess they were never really great friends in the first place. I guess that they are jealous about what you know and who you know and their best form of defence is attack.
What's 5% of two in human terms, Martin?
Hi Lib!
Any chance of a profile photo please as you are now an established member...! ta x
The majority of Brits I have met here have been a total nightmare. All seem to have something to prove and appear to want to give the impression that their lives are something they aren't. There are bitchy factions galore, and frankly, I tend to avoid them as best I can... I clearly need to move to a place where people are comfortable in their own skins, whatever their nationality!
I socialise in French, and have only one Brit that I can say I "know".. lives in a village where I work in summer. If asked to describe him in one work, I'd say "unpleasant", but that might be something to do with the way he was extremely drunk in the early afternoon the first 5 or six times I saw him.
In the hotel I see many expats, and some are nicer than others... "country of origin" acftually DOES kick up patterns, and yes, "Brits" are a group I'll avoid giving myself up to until I have seen how they act towards our staff, and to each other. At times I will just pretend to be French to them, and get away with it, because, Gordon, as you point out, many, as in MANY,MANY decide that they should not have to speak the language of the country they live in.
I was invited down to the Dordogne for a weekend about 20 years ago with a lot of city types. Some were clients. One evening we visited a restaurant where the only clients were British making a great deal of noise. I nearly hit one particularly unpleasant oaf I was so annoyed with the behaviour. The next day some golf had been organised (not my strongest suit!) and one was made to feel in some way inadequate if you did not agree to huge wagers on sundry aspects of the game. On another occasion I was in the Algarve and invited to join a party in a restaurant which I entered and found the whole of Fulham in. I had to make conversation with people I knew on four tables before I could get to mine. One has moved on and I don't get many Christmas cards from these types anymore!
I'll agree on worst dressed but over recent years the French have clearly been competing for that honour. I left a village in Cambridgeshire because of those types you say are found in Wiltshire, etc. They brayed and barked, wore expensive clothes lacking any style whatsoever and treated everybody who did not commute down to the city as peasants. I was a postgraduate and can remember how they would say: "Ohhhh, a student. You lot are always making trouble for the rest of us. A good day's work will do you some good". As if they did the latter themselves. They are still like that.
People should not be judged on appearance but put all the components together and often the composite picture is scary. However, I think they are a diminishing group here in France. They certainly were the plague of the Dordogne clusters at one time and yes they still exist but I wish people would just let them know rather than turning a blind eye. Maybe, if not too late, they might learn.
I get what you mean David, but I try not to just people on appearances. You'd be very surprised at how wrong you can be.
Some of the most well dressed people, usually hanging around in the city of London... Traders is the label they go by, some of the loudest most horrible people you might ever meet. ;)
I agree with you Ben. You can however find the same people in places like Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. You can usually identify peole by the way they walk, dress, do their hair etc. Often the Brits are the worst dressed.
To me, a native Dutch in France (who is often mistaken by the locals for a Canadian of all peoples ;-), the English stand out from the crowd. That can be negative, as in loud, feeling better then the locals, red-roasted like a lobster etc., but also funny like in trying to adapt to the local ways of living.
But to be honest, when I'm with a group of my country(wo)men I behave a bit differently then when alone and I see that also in the bars, restaurants of Bordeaux and Limoges with the English speaking part of the crowd. But what I can't stand is the condescending way of treating the local people that was popular amongst the "nouveau riche" Brits who invested their City money in an old barn in some French small town and acted like his-and-her majesty....
Dear David,
No I have never ridden a bicycle out of Downing Street, or anywhere else in London, where I lived for many years.
It is the accents that get me - particularly the Essex variety, which really grates on me!
TIMOTHY
I found the French were excellent to us as a family when my father died. My brothers where at the local college at the time of my father passing away. Couldnt of expected anymore from the maire and as we arrived at the church for the funeral my brothers school friends where their with their teachers.
In fact it was not until many years later that I found out the it was my brothers french friends that wanted to go and on the morning cycled the 4/5kilometres from the school to the church to give surport to us as a family in a difficult time, even now my father gets spoken about at soirées by the eldery. In my view the french never forget. My thoughts of that day is sad but also very happy time. I found the same when my Scottish friend died as well several years later.
Its easy to have all French friends by not trying hard. My brother is english married to a french girl and has two children, he know's of english people like me but rather not be friends with them of course friendly thats a big difference.
I live 30 clicks north of Bergerac.. and it's quite multi-nationalshire here.. one good friend is Italian and just moved here from Milan, my Dutch neighbours have been here 8 years, my other Dutch friend alternates between Paris and here for summer, another Dutch goes between Holland and here.. with intention of living here soon.. my immediate neighbours just moved in from Paris.. and according to our village mag, there's a large active Lithuanian community here.. and yes, there are numerous brits.
a young guy from uk was on holiday during the summer and at a restaurant where many brits meet up.. he was curious why there were so many brits. he found 50 people there, 3 of which were under 60, the rest 65+.. ex customs, architects, head master and other interesting trades.. but all well travelled and with a zest to make the greener grass home.. I doubt anyone comes here to make "little England".. we just find it a great place to live.. and do the best to make it home and integrate, or not as we choose.. a workmate back in UK refused point blank to talk to any of the Polish, Philipino or non white workers we employed.. others were almost as bad.. so we're doing pretty well to have been accepted here, despite my awful French.. I don't have any hostility from my neighbours or those I meet...Heinz Beenz look at the "ethnic" rayon in the supers. loadsa engligh grub to be found.. thank you intermarché and others.. happy days..