This Site, Just an Observation

General Discussion
1

As a very infrequent poster on here, I wondered why. Its fear really :grinning:. That’s not a criticism of the site, its a reflection of the high standard of the “well read” on here. You lot can be scary though. That said, I’ve had my questions answered, politely, quickly and with more information than a paid lawyer would impart. It has to be the best expat site out there, and I’ve looked at a few.
I was taken by the openness and frankness of the political threads, and how, with the odd exception, it’s all very civil, and I really never thought that my political “leanings” would be inline on this type of site.
Well done to you all for keeping this going.
John

20 Likes
2

And well done to you for speaking your mind!

Don’t be scared @boilerman we need all kinds of comment and all shades of opinion from all quarters of the immigrant tribes for whom living in France is a deliberate choice and not a fortunate accident of birth.

I am sure you have something unique to offer.

What do you mean by “Well read” BTW? :thinking::open_book::upside_down_face:

2 Likes
3

Thanks Peter,
I just meant, someone knows something about any subject that gets posted on here, “well read,” as they say :+1:

2 Likes
4

I think the dinner party analogy engendered by our hosts is a good one. It’s OK to disagree but a punch up is disapproved of. Over time one gets to know people and the impact of the analogy actually grows stronger. I know who I’d prefer to sit beside :smile:

No names, no pack drill.

7 Likes
5

“Don’t tell them your name, Pike!” :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

1 Like
6

I just saw in the FAQs that dinner has been replaced with " same respect you would a public park". Must be social distancing. I hope we’re not going to have flashers.

2 Likes
7

That’s too oblique even for my tortuous mnd! :thinking:

8

Do people actually do dinner parties these days? I thought since the unlamented days of Cameron D. it was all kitchen suppers now.

9

I agree. Like most people (I guess) I started looking at this site for advice on finding my way through the differences we all encounter between life in France and our old homes - but I’ve found you can generally get useful replies here on any subject.

And it’s not just knowledge - if you take a subject like technology, for example, I could get all the detail I need from linux etc forums - but what’s often missing elsewhere, and present here, are the wisdom and judgement calls that come from a lifetime’s experience, as well as the knowledge.

3 Likes
10

You don’t have to do them David, just be able to remember how they were once done.

We’re more an “apéritif dînatoire” couple ourselves now :roll_eyes:.

11

Now that is posh!

12

Well with the couvre-feu it’s just lunch parties now…

2 Likes
13

We sort of hate this habit…we loved it in days gone by when you could invite, or be invited, by everyone and their pet rabbit to an apero.

Which would be a few drinks, and a few small things to eat, and would last around an hour from 6.30’ish to 7.30’ish and then everyone would go home. It’s a great way to get to know people a bit better, without having to invest too much on either side. One very small village we lived in you hardly needed an invite, but could pop by just about anyone’s house around that time. Good friends then stayed on for dinner (or were invited for dinner on otjer occasions).

1 Like
14

I agree Jane, it’s all bolix :face_with_hand_over_mouth: Casual and impromptu is best.

15

We’re more an “apéritif dînatoire”

I think you’ve been here much longer, or are moving in more refined circles. About five years ago in our little bit of la France profonde, my South African wife and UK self felt a lbit more on top of things french when we discovered the phrase ‘apéro dînatoire’. However, a few weeks ago we had some young Parisian dinner guests, who assured us that now everyone says ‘apo/s/dino’.

Meanwhile in one of yesterday’s online journals I noticed that ‘réanimation’ had become “rea”. So, I’m trying my very best to learn French but certainly don’t want to be spraying about the latest slang; nevertheless sometimes one feels the language is evolving tfaster than one can learn it

16

Réa has been common parlance for at least 35 years :blush:

1 Like
17

Thanks - slang dates so quickly.

So, I can use ‘réa’ without necessarily being perceived as an elderly (foreign) poseur.

Just hope I never need to…

1 Like
18

We have two guests for the very occasional meal in the kitchen. We have done aperitifs dinatoire but unless it’s a communal effort with guests it’s a bit of a fag. We do normal apero but there’s never more than five of us and social distancing is easy especially as it’s always been outside this Spring and Summer.

1 Like
19

Have I stumbled into an Oscar Wilde play? :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

Very entertaining, can I be Lady Bracknell?

6 Likes
20

Brave post!

There’s many posters on SF who may seem dauntingly knowlegeable on their pet subjects, but usually their intentions are simply to pass on knowledge gained from their own mistakes or from other, less easily gained direct experiences and understandings.

2 Likes