Communication - and a French Quiz

If this was 1932, or even 1962 the following blog wouldn´t even be an issue but it isn´t it is 2008 - a time of internet and email and blogs. If AJ and I had taken this trip in a bygone time we would have sent written missives across the ocean and folks would have expected to receive them once or twice the whole time we were away. As it is we have set up expectations for ourselves to keep in touch often and with aclarity. And there in lies the rub.
We brought along a little ASUS computer, no bigger than two passports. Lightweight, loaded with programmes like SKYPE, a built in mic and camera and the ability to use European voltage without a convertor. Awesome. Yup, for the first month. Then, things went down hill and Eddie as we came to call it, just wouldn´t perform. Then we began our discussions with the ASUS folks back home. Well they said there are no dealers to fix it in Europe and if you take it somewhere else to get it fixed it will void the warranty. Ok we said, how about if we send it home and you fix it there? Sure they said, just send it in the original packing but we won´t send it back to you unless you pay of course. Sooooo, of course we don´t have the original packing and anyway what good would it do to fix it if we can´t get it back. We will be dealing with ASUS (rhymes with Jesus) when we get home. In the meantime....
We have been forced to ferret out internet cafes like a couple of little hound dogs sniffing out a little action. It has often proved to be unsuccessful. All these cafes are built around the same plan - you would think that there was some kind of corporate design but of course there isn´t - just a general willingness to use the smallest amount of space stuffed with the greatest amount of computers. The computers are usually satisfactory if not always packed with programs. Most often there is no SKYPE so that always makes us sad.
Internet cafes don´t just attract travelers. In many of them very overweight young boys play noisy, scary killing games. Others seem to draw dark skinned men with hoods sitting very close to computers with pictures of girls doing a variety of interesting things. The sound track for all this humanity ranges widely. This morning there was some kind of Arabic music, a bit like a dentist drill - on and on it went. Often it is hip hop, but sometimes it is just the local pop radio station playing the same three songs over and over. Just like home except in a language you can´t sing along with. And then, like a cloud wreathing the entire little room is smoke and lots of it. Smoking, the real religion of the people. It is ubiquitious and absolutley unavoidable. So you end up with this magic mixtures of smoke, heat, noise and strangers bodies just way too close for comfort. It all combines to make being eruidte a huge challenge. Anyway, that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

I didn´t really intend to winge about internet access I intended to dispel some French myths. And now that I have my rant off my chest maybe I will. Take the following true or false test. Four or more correct and you are a real Frenchophile. No looking ahead for answers!


1) French people are rude. T or F
2) French food is the most fantastic in the world. T or F
3) All French people have great clothing sense. T or F
4) The really interesting parts of France are its cities. T or F


Answers: (well our answers)

1) Surprise, they weren´t. They sometimes sighed the long suffering sigh of those who can´t believe everyone hasn´t mastered their lovely language but they always tried to help us. They smiled indulgently at our pathetic attempts at francaise and muddled along with us. They were kind as could be when helping sort out the menus (which often were bilingual thank God). They gave directions with wild waving of hands and big smiles. They encouraged us to try and clarifiy when we were confused and filled in blanks when we just couldn´t find a word or action. In fact their generosity of spirit was one of the lovely surprises of our time in France.

2) Well, food in the grocery stores is inexpensive and fresh. We often cooked at home and AJ continued his tradition of fine cuisine even far away from home. Eating out in restaurants was not the soul enhancing experience we had hoped for however. It was certainly more than edible - especially compared to Ireland - but then we could write pages about the food in Ireland but that is for another time. But we aren´t coming home with a meal that we will always remember except the one of lamb chops that Arne cooked in our little house in Aix.

3) True. Even the old men and ladies have some kind of special way of wearing their clothes that looks effortless and yet elegant. They wear scarves in a thousand different ways and always look just chi chi. They always seem dressed for the occassion whether its shopping in the early morning market or dining out. I am so jealous because although we can dress well in Canada we just don´t. Go to the ballet anytime or wedding or a funeral for that matter. Canadians never seem to be wearing what the occasion calls for even though we could. It seems as if we have taken casual to mean crappy. It makes me sad when I think how much we have on offer and how little energy we seem to put in to it.

4) The beautiful cities take your breath away but for sheer amazing, ¨we will never forget that¨memories¨you just gotta ¨get out of Dodge.¨ The colours of the French country side are so soothing. Pale mauve, soft pink, and every shade of green imaginable. Sunsets that make you weep, vistas small and spreading to make your soul leap. These are things we will always hold close.

Of course if our &/(=(/(%$ computer had worked we would be sending you all those great photos but you know......