re: Paris is rioting

quote:

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I've been to Paris a dozen times and I've never had anyone be rude to me. When people say that Parisians were rude to them, they generally mean "I didn't even try to speak their language and acted like an a-hole American tourist."

In other words, it's usually not them. It's you.

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The whole "rude" thing is over played and is a result of people from the US going abroad and experiencing the necessary aloofness that is required of people living in densely populated areas....it is considered impolite, for example, in most of the world, for people in service roles (Taxi drivers, waiters, etc etc) to engage in any more conversation than is necessary to conduct whatever business is at hand. I have had dozens of friends and relatives visit me in Europe and to a person they are offended by waiters in restaurants not coming around every so often asking if there is anything they can do. This is not rude....it is the opposite...it is assumed that you will, as an adult, ask if you need anything....otherwise you will be left alone to enjoy your meal and your company.

When you live among hundreds of thousands of people you simply can't make eye contact and small talk with everyone that happens along...you would be all day every day simply getting to the nearest bust stop....you could never, ever get anything done. Parisians are not rude they are cognizant of the fact that you and they are not friends and therefore have no reason to engage in idol chit chat....it is really pretty refreshing.....