French View of Americans
 

I just hosted two longtime friends from France - two ladies - one 57 and one 71 and i'd like to share what i observed them observe about Americans - I don't agree with all their takes but...
back later

The main thing that seemed to strike the ladies' fancy was the ample girths of more than a few Americans - they were always looking for an 'obese' - a truly obese person they had no trouble seeing - especially when we went to Old Country Buffet - the unlimited eating trough where there are more than usual - they'd say several times "regard, un(e) obese"!

I don't mean to be contentious, but you took two friends to Old Country Buffet?!?

Their "obese" comments speak for themselves.

When I visited France, I saw many with appearances and conditions that I refuse to comment on, preferring to accept the differences amongst us.

I can see what you three have in common.

Hey Pal,

That's it?

((I))

"they were always looking for. . ." and they found it -- what a surprise. Why do we care what two ladies with an obsession in what other people look like think of all Americans?

But I think the funniest part of this is you took them to an "unlimited eating trough" and then seem surprised that they found obese people there? Duh?

The only thing I can decipher from this very strange post is that you have reassured us what we all know -- there are people with strange obsessions all over the world. Your friends seem to be obsessed with putting down other people. How proud you must be of them.

A 71 one year old lady was looking for obese men? Let's give her some credit - still looking at 71!

Here's a very different view, currently running on the US board:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34664311

This is just a really stupid post.

Ira: Perhaps i started it poorly but i see no reason to go much further - i really don't like to anger folks - i meant no harm - it's just that the way foreigners view a people is often inaccurate, dwelling on excesses they most easily see - something we all do when going abroad - it's not the ordinary things but the extremes that stick in our minds. There were many things they thought were wonderful but since it obviously struck a raw nerve.
C'aillez. (I should have taken them to a French restaurant!)

yes its true none of the Parisians are fat but how could anyone be fat there when their food is so bad and expensive?

Gee Mr. Wizard, sounds to me like you took your friends to a target rich environment like Old Country Buffet in order to reinforce their pin headed opinions.

What is up with you?

Since this post is about weight sure there are fat French. The Eastern Frenchman who organized a tournament my son participated in was over 300 lbs.

>C'aillez.<
what is this Pal?@-)

I was taught never to discuss someone's weight, but to watch mine.

Hi, Coco!

Generalising is madness. Otherwise we'd think all Parisian women were tarted up in Hermés, with gold Cartier lighters to light up their Gauloises Disque Bleu cigarettes. In reality, most people in major cities today are only very subtly different, there is no longer this enormous difference.

So true Mimi. :-)

Jocelyn, That is exactly what I went to do, cut and paste the link to that wonderful thread, well done.

Yet again, Attitude is everything!

Mimi, good to see you and I completely agree with your statement.

FainaAgain, As always you have a lovely sense of humor and your comments were fantastic, lol.

PalQ, darling, you took 'em to Old Country Buffet? Oh my, lol. #-O

Happy Friday all, Tiff

hello cigale! good to read you again!>:D<

hello Tiff! and ((s)) to you all!

C'aillez is what all French parents bark at their kids when they want to emphatically say: It's finished! Stop!
Come to think i said this in another post and i think i spelled it wrong - i know how to say it as i watched my French son in France for several summers and had to say it often, but never thought how it was spelled.
Yes, big faux pas - CBuffet - but they had been there before and wanted to go - not to see obese folks but because it's typical American food and these type of Gargauntan buffets don't exist in France - FLUNCH being a poor substitute as you only get unlimited vegetables there i think.
Anyway c'aillez or however it's spelled - please let this debacle sink into the oblivion it so deserves!