[LAU] So long, and thanks for all the fish.

[Folderol]

On Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:09:44 +1000
Patrick Shirkey <pshirkey at boosthardware.com> wrote:

> On 07/17/2010 08:13 PM, James Stone wrote:
> > On Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 10:07 PM, Gwenhwyfaer<gwenhwyfaer at gmail.com>  wrote:
> >    
> >> Yes, but it's a very British thing to do, throwing a very public
> >> tantrum about something other people are doing that you don't like
> >> rather than simply taking a couple of small steps to avoid it.
> >>      
> > That's a rather sweeping (and as far as I can tell untrue) statement.
> >
> > With the exception of readers of the Daily Mail (a horrible
> > hate-riddled tabloid), most British people (in my experience as a
> > native) have pretty much a live and let live attitude in my
> > experience.
> >
> > You won't see me storming off in a huff, but I do do a fair bit of
> > ignoring (although in this case my British reserve didn't win out...).
> >    
> 
> That may be the case while Brits are in Britain but when they travel 
> they tend to get a bit more mouthy and self absorbed. Perhaps that was 
> what Gwenhwyfaer was alluding to...
> 
> Maybe it's more noticible when you can understand the language being 
> spoken. Perhaps non english speakers have seen similar behaviour from 
> other non english speakers?

I travel quite a bit, and find there are the usual two classes of
people. Tourists & Travellers.

Tourists of any nationality I find a pain in the backside. They are
usually selfish, loud & demanding. I avoid them like the plague.

Travellers generally are actually interested in the countries and
people they visit and will make efforts to fit in. I always have time
for travellers to England.

These days, I can usually make myself understood in (spoken) German and
have a smattering of Spanish. I'm hoping to spend quite a bit of time in
France next year so am considering a short beginners course in French.

-- 
Will J Godfrey
http://www.musically.me.uk
Say you have a poem and I have a tune.
Exchange them and we can both have a poem, a tune, and a song.