'Paris Syndrome' leaves Japanese tourists in shock - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cmac2012 · #1 12-24-2006, 11:42 PM

I heard about this in a radio piece. Apparently Japanese tourists are semi-regularly shocked at the rude treatment they receive in Paris. Many go, expecting to find a city of un-ending charm like they saw in the movie "Amelie," and instead find waiters who curse at them because their French is so bad.

The Japanese embassy has to assist in repatriating some for return to Japan.

aklim · #2 12-24-2006, 11:52 PM

Bunch of losers anyways. Think things are going to be like in the movies and then need to get mindfawked? They are damaged goods. No loss.

I went to the french areas of Canada and they were unfriendly there too. I haven't lost any sleep over that. Just won't go back there unless I have to. Met a few people there that repeated the same story.

On a side note, can we scam these people with the "As Seen On TV" crap?

cmac2012 · #3 12-25-2006, 12:10 AM

I think there's more to it than that. For unfathomable reasons, the Japanese treat each other and guests differently than the French, to enough of an extent anyway, that more than a few Japanese go through serious culture shock.

I don't want to jump on the 'French are *********s' bandwagon with both feet, but it is an interesting story. Something to be learned here, or observed at least, about human nature.

aklim · #4 12-25-2006, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I think there's more to it than that. For unfathomable reasons, the Japanese treat each other and guests differently than the French, to enough of an extent anyway, that more than a few Japanese go through serious culture shock.

I don't want to jump on the 'French are *********s' bandwagon with both feet, but it is an interesting story. Something to be learned here, or observed at least, about human nature.

Like what? Japs and French treat each and guests other differently. They are from opposite ends of the world. Is that such a big surprise? Lets see, I was born in Singapore where people were one way and Americans were another. I came here when I was young back in 80 (13 yo at that time) and I never expected things to be the same. So, you hop on a plane and go somewhere foreign and people behave differently. No fake!! Who'd thunk it!

Even people in the Yankee states behave differently from the Confederate states. You travel abroad to see different things and when they are different, you get so shocked you need a mindfawk. Maybe these people should stay in their own village or whatever rock they crawled out from.

I don't know if they are *******s since I haven't been around them enough. However, I do know that they tend to be a colder sort of people from across the pond and not as warm as we are used to. However, I don't see what there is to be learnt other than people are different in different parts of the world and don't believe everything that you see on TV.

You know, I see on TV that girls here are just waiting to hop into the sack. I was so shocked when it didn't happen that I am going to need some Prozac.

I also read the streets were paved with gold. Closest thing I have seen is a $20 bill. WTF? I am shocked. Shocked, I say!!I also saw on TV that we have can travel back or forward in time. Where is the time machine?

Ara T. · #5 12-25-2006, 12:35 AM

If you visit the cliched tourist attractions of course the French that work near the restaurants and the museums are going to be rude. It gets old being around tourists all the time you know?

aklim · #6 12-25-2006, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

If you visit the cliched tourist attractions of course the French that work near the restaurants and the museums are going to be rude. It gets old being around tourists all the time you know?

Actually, I didn't. Montreal and Quebec people seemed colder than say New York or SF most places in the US. Still, that is the way people there are and we have to accept it. Our habits seem strange to them and their's seem strange to us. BTW, having been around many tourist spots, I have met a lot of the tourist places where they realize that we, the tourists, are their bread and butter and their attitude is more welcoming than when I was in say Niagara Falls or other touristy places in Canada. I don't know about you but when it is my bread and butter, you bet I will try to be nicer. Take Fisherman's Wharf in CA. They weren't that sick of tourists. In fact, they realize that those bastards are their life blood as opposed to the touristy places I visited in Canada. If Niagara Falls dried up, think the Canadian side of that area would have anything else to sell? Who, if not the tourist feeds them?

That being said, I realize it is their culture and their way of life. Can I change it? Nope. So, my options are to put up with it or not spend my money there. Either choice isn't going to send me to a mindfawk and lie on his couch for $150 or more per hour.

cmac2012 · #7 12-25-2006, 12:47 AM

One summer, I worked as a pedi-cab driver on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I thought it might be a fun workout.

Had a few good times, money was irregular but not bad, and Jeez, did I get in shape.

One of the spots we were allowed to line up and solicit tourists was near the boarding point for Alcatraz Island. After a while, the river of bored looking tourists became sort of comically predictable.

We'd be there, making our pitch, trying to find the magic style that would make them first, want to get on a pedi-cab and pay for a sight-seeing ride, and second, want to do it on your pedicab instead of someone else's.

The ultimate score was to pull someone in at the end of the que, after the other guys had unsuccessfully run their pitch. I pulled it off a few times, had it done to me a few times as well.

aklim · #8 12-25-2006, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

The ultimate score was to pull someone in at the end of the que, after the other guys had unsuccessfully run their pitch. I pulled it off a few times, had it done to me a few times as well.

Some days, you get the bear. Some days, the bear gets you.

TheDon · #9 12-25-2006, 01:37 AM

i love Amelie.. im learning french just so i can watch it without subtitles... and yann tierson does some awesome music for it

t walgamuth · #10 12-25-2006, 05:10 AM

having visited france and french quebec i will say that they are pretty chauvinistic. but if you get away from the touristy areas folks are pretty much folks.

even in town you found plenty of folks that were nice. just not all of them.

in quebec i noticed that the women seemed to be pretty hot.

tom w

LaRondo · #11 12-25-2006, 08:52 AM

There's an ever growing influx of nationalism going around on this planet.
The flag waving kind of a thing ...

Chauvinism is part of the french culture, primarily among men. When it comes to women, situations can be quite charming.

aklim · #12 12-25-2006, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

having visited france and french quebec i will say that they are pretty chauvinistic. but if you get away from the touristy areas folks are pretty much folks.

even in town you found plenty of folks that were nice. just not all of them.

in quebec i noticed that the women seemed to be pretty hot.

tom w

Dunno. I was in both touristy areas and other areas. I drove thru parts of Canada. Comparing touristy areas with US touristy areas and rural areas, with US rural areas, etc, etc, it was my opinion that the Canadians weren't as welcoming of others in the French areas. However, that is just our opinion. Maybe we got into the "not so good" parts.