"Paris Syndrome" leaves Japanese tourists in shock

:rofl:

Boston College hosts Japanese exchange students, and it kills me that they're SO friendly-- when I speak to them (in Japanese) they talk SOOOO POLITELY it's HILLARIOUS.

japanese exchange students when i was in grad school, and i was treated lower than shit (well, lower than they treated my white classmates, anyway)

Ourside of the city though, people were fine.

But it was fine.
I was an airline pilot and had many Paris layovers.
Maybe because we had a local bar/brasserie hangout and got to be friendly with the owners and patrons.
About the only rudeness I got was from cab drivers, but not any worse than New York.

I took French in High school and college, but was very reluctant to 'try it out' in Paris.
Most folks were very helpful and seemed to be pleased I was at least trying.
Naturally the more I spoke the better I got.
Anyway...to coin a phrase..."I Love Paris".
;-)

not treated with disdain: Les Deux Musees cafe outside the Louvre, and a little family eatery in a back alley near the hotel I stayed at. I took French for three years in college. In one restaurant, the waiter actually made fun of my pronounciation. No doubt my pronounciation wasn't good! but the gentleman was an asshole.

My visit to Paris came at the end of a three week tour. First, Corfu, Greece. Then Venice, Italy. Then Munich, Germany and finally Paris. I am not unused to unfamiliar people or places, but I will not stay in Paris again.

I have done Starbucks, but otherwise I've done no American chains (no KFC, either, even though they're all over Kyoto).

And I really want to do the Shakey's in Kyoto. I'm really pissed that when I'm there I forget that it exists, except a few times that I've passed it AFTER I've eaten, and so I haven't been yet. :grr:

I hate to admit it, especially because I won't venture into the place when in the U.S., but I did go to McDonald's while in Paris. I was so depressed while I was there that I thought it would make me feel better. It didn't!

If you are a traveler to Japan, I have to ask this: Have you been to the museum that I. M. Pei designed in Mizuno? (I think it's Mizuno - Sorry, I've had a Martini, and my brain has slowed down) It was the most awesome (in the true sense of the word "awe" plus "-some") artistic experience I have ever had in my life. Abso-fucking-lutely beyond comprehension.

I suck. I know it.

located at Misono. :-)

And no, I haven't been to it. Must go sometime, but I won't have time on this next trip.

:hi:

Bloody amazing museum.

it's worth a trip to Japan just to see that.

p.s. - I just realized that I got the word "Mizuno" because that's the name of the friend I went with. How embarrassing!

My mom let me go to France with a student group when I was 16 because I'd been getting A's in French. My prof said she thought I had "the ear," so I was really complimented.

When we were in Paris, she ran into some acquaintances she knew from years before who were sitting outside, and went and spoke to them for what seemed like HOURS!

Meanwhile, inside, we were getting really hungry! Finally, I knew someone would have to take the bull by the horns, and began ordering for everyone. The waitress was very sweet and friendly, and didn't correct my pronunciation at all. I only had to ask her one question that was a translation thing...but when I was done, everyone at the table was blown away.

When Prof came back in and apologized for staying outside so long, and said "Well we can order now!" everybody said, "Fudge already did!"

fsc
{{{{{{preening}}}}}

rather than French character.

Especially since I don't speak Japanese, I feel especially guilty that they go so far out of their way to help me out and be polite when they should, by all rights, tell me to go fuck myself.

But even beyond the guilt for not speaking Japanese is the just-plain-weirdness that is the normal level of Japanese politeness and helpfulness from store clerks. It's so different from the US - I feel like royalty when I'm there.

I like it. :-)

I'll never forget going into tourist attractions and having people bow to me as I entered. That was their entire job. To bow to people.

I am not Japanese, but I 'Bow' to my fellow Oregonian!!!!!!


KULONGOSKI FOR GOVERNOR DEFEAT RON SHAXSHTON

I could get used to that! :hi:

if we would just hire extra people like they do in Japan - people to greet, people to bow, people to wrap, people to run the elevator, people to help us use the automatic ticketing machines at tourist attractions, people to point "up" on the up escalators and "down" on the down escalators, and -- the part I really love -- enough people to actually serve the fucking customers!

of customer service.
Everything else seems to stem from that when it comes to problems in business, I think. EVERYthing.

In department stores.
Self-service elevators, but young uniformed women to smile, bow, and point to the open door.

"Oh, THANK YOU! This one? Here? Where the door is open? Oh god, MANY thnaks. I would NEVER have found this open elevator door on my own. I'm SUCH a klutz! DOMO ARIGATO!"
;-)

I think they find you intimidating.

I don't look like a train car at all. :shrug:

It's not every day one of the Great Old Ones (you're not trying to be incognito these days, are you?) drops into Tokyo. You probably don't even realize that destroying ten city blocks and killing a few hundred people could be construed as anything other than absent-minded sloppiness. Hell, they haven't even seen you get really pissed off. And they don't want to, either.

...is one of my favorite experiences whenever I go to Japan. I actually make a special trip to the Golden Arches, just for the hilarious incongruity of it. It makes a refreshing change from the "waddaya want" attitude of Mickey D's in the rest of the world.

all these years...:think:

I should sue, dammit, SUE!!!



Actually, I loved the street vendors there. They had no issue speaking English (naturally, they had to make a buck), and were a hoot. Everywhere else I visited in France people were friendly...

The one thing I was taken aback when I was there (admittedly quite a few years ago) was the fashion. I expected everyone to be incredibly fashionable, and - well - many of them were dressed like my elderly parents. :rofl:

there are advertisements up on the street that have pictures of totally naked people in them. But I don't really think that's true... :crazy:

The Japanese idea of pornography is showing pubic hair. Therefore, you can show anything in silhouette or with strategically placed pieces of furniture or leaves or something.

Parisiens are notorious for being assholes.

Been there six times, and they've always been very accommodating of my fractured high-school French. They do appreciate that I start my sentences with "bonjour" rather than "excuse me" or "how much is".

OTOH I've never been during tourist season, so I'm guessing they get tired of "ugly American syndrome" by the end of the summer, so maybe they're ruder then. :shrug:

and i don't speak french at all.

beautiful country and fantastic food but best of all, the French people. I love 'em because they are French.