[Idyllchat] Paris question

[Jay Cloidt]

The same thing happens to me in big Italian cities. I study and study
Italian. I try to speak it, and the shop keepers answer me in English.
Though it does come in handy in small villages.

  - Jay

On 7/13/07, TravLnNutt at aol.com <TravLnNutt at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  Dear Arlene,
>
>
> I agree with all the advice you have been given, but would add:
>
>
>
> Always, ALWAYS, greet the proprietor or person at the front desk of any
> store, hotel, restaurant, etc. you enter with a simple, bonjour/bonsoir
> (good day/good evening) Monsieur or Madam, and then au revoir (good bye)
> Monsieur/Madam as you leave.
>
>
>
> And, yes, the people in France are very nice and helpful, especially if
> you try their language. We've often had people stop in the train station to
> offer help when we were obviously looking lost. One young man even watched
> for a while to see that we went in the right direction, then he waved
> goodbye.
>
>
>
> I study and study French, and then when I get to Paris and speak a few
> words, they immediately answer me in English. Hummm! In other parts of
> France it is very helpful to be able to speak/understand at least some
> French.
>
>
>
> When traveling to any city where I don't speak the language, I print out
> the name and address of my hotel to show the taxi drivers just in case they
> don't understand me. I print it in a large font (14 or larger) as they seem
> to always try to read it while driving in traffic.
>
>
>
> One necessary phrase not yet mentioned is "Où sont les toilettes, s'il
> vous plait?" (Where are the bathrooms, please?) For delicacy, the bathrooms
> are spoken of in the plural form.
>
>
>
> Louise
>
>
> In a message dated 7/12/2007 8:16:21 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
> AgentArleneSmith at aol.com writes:
>
> Is it easy enough to get along in Paris speaking no French whatsoever?
> Arlene Smith
>
>
>
>
>
>
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