How to act at PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris)

(posted to randon@googlegroups.com)

In this thread I've seen some comments which suggest to me that the "Culture Shock" and similar series of books would be a good read for anyone planning to visit France this year, even if it's only for a few weeks.

In each country there are behavioural traits and knowing them will help you possibly avoid frustration with the locals. I think it's just as important to study this type of material as language material. You will gain some insight on how the locals think and look at the world, and also how some of their systems work.

Of course, learning basic expressions in any local language is a very good idea, but so much can be accomplished by being patient and using hand gestures. I found the expressions s'il vous plait, merci beaucoup and j'ai une probleme very good to know, especially the last one--a french speaker knows right away that you need help, and I was pretty amazed at how helpful they could be.

Reverting to your native tongue really is not that useful unless your conversation partner can speak it, and switching is very frustrating to a listener and can be very upsetting. Learn as many words as possible, and one entertaining way to learn is to use Wikipedia--look up something you know and then look at the left column for a link to the same topic in French.

e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Brest-Paris has a click-through link to the same topic in French at http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Brest-Paris_Randonneur

Now to the bookstore, or the library:

Culture Shock! France
http://www.amazon.com/dp/155868929X

The French Way
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071428070

France-Culture Smart!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1857333071

Xenophobe's Guide to the French (this one is essentially for fun)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1902825284

Dorling Kindersley Visual French Dictionary
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0756612977

I'll leave it you to find your own speaking/listening material for
learning French!

--
Michael Poplawski
BC Randonneurs Cycling Club
Victoria, BC Canada
Ancien 2003

PS My favourite story about French helpfulness was at a grocery store. In France, produce is usually weighed and priced by the purchaser using the honour system, and I didn't know this. The person behind me in line at an Auchun (a huge multidepartmental store) took my produce to the scale about 50 metres away and about 5 minutes later came back with my fruit and vegetables priced. I could not believe it--this exchanged happened with me simply being a Canadian schmuck not knowing what to do in a mall. The PBP experience featured its own helpful highlights, too.