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No it has more to do with the idea that if there is a person in your life that you really depend on they are only truly helpful if they disagree with you from time to time and keep you in check. If they just agree all the time (provide no resistance) you cant really depend on them because all they will ever do is agree with what you say.
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I get the idea, but I'm not sure it's really a "saying" with an exact translation, more like a figure of speech or expression. I'll keep looking though.
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Est-ce que c'est vrai que les femmes francaise aiment beaucoup des hommes americains qui parlent mal francais? Nous sommes exotiques et differents, non?
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(Translated: is it true that french women love american men who speak bad french? We are exotic and different, aren't we?)
Yes, definitely, from my experience, french with an american accent is a big turn-on for most of our women.
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What are some of the main reasons that French voters rejected the EU Constitution? Aren't the French generally pro-EU?
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This is a complicated matter. I suggest you read this analysis for a better understanding :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_...rendum%2C_2005
I'll add this: the constitution itself was a big mess, hardly readable or understandable by a common citizen. French people are naturally cautious before signing something they aren't really certain to understand. Also the politicians were divided on the matter inside their own political parties, and that led some to think "they can't even agree between themselves, maybe we shouldn't vote for this thing".
As a general rule the French are very pro-EU, except in the countryside.
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Do you or other French people you know feel guilty or embarrassed about French collaboration during WWII? I know when I lived in Germany, lingering embarrassment about the Nazis played a complex and interesting role in the cultural psyche.
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Excellent question, and the answer is yes: there is still a strong element of guilt and shame about the collaboration. Although it's probably not as big a trauma as what the german population is going through. We are still tracking down and putting to trial french criminals from that era (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pursuit...rators#France. ). That period is often covered in movies or on TV by artists who do not want the memory of this shame to go away.
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I'd assume you're from Paris. Where are you living?
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I live in the 19th precinct (19eme arrondissement), near the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. (north-east of Paris)
My neighborhood:
http://butteschaumont.free.fr/images/VChaumont/plan.gif
The park:
http://parispassion.canalblog.com/im...CHaumont_4.JPG
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Have you spent a significant amount of time living in the United States? Which things do you like about France, and which things do you like about the U.S.?
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I have never lived in the USA but I've been to the country many times, probably around 15-20, for work and pleasure, sometimes for up to a month. What I like most about the USA is the people: I find americans much more friendly and easy-going. I like the way americans work too: professional, practical, to the point. France is simply home so it's hard to tell what I really like about it, but I'd say the architectural coherence is something the U.S. doesn't have that I miss when I go there. Our cities are very ancient and built around a long history, while american cities sometimes seem like they just sprung out of the ground.
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Were you ever a university student? What is your opinion of student work ethic in France?
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Yes I studied history and political science. The university system is very individualistic: students are mostly on their own, there are much fewer fraternities or clubs that in the US. About the work ethic: I've always felt that it was pretty poor. But then again I was a pretty lazy student myself, so...
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Where is your favorite boulangerie?
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Rue de crimée. A small family one with delicious baguette, unbelievable bread variants and cakes. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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What is your opinion about the homeless? What are you thinking when a sans-abri comes onto the Metro and starts to rant?
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You mean those who ask the crowd for money? Also as a general principle I don't give to beggars, and not many french people openly do. This is part of my education: I was taught that these people don't need the extra change, that will just keep them in their beggar state, they need more advanced help finding a job and a place to live. But overall I feel bad and embarassed for them.
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Parisians are known for being very fashionable in the United States. Do you think that Parisians are fashionable, or is this a myth?
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No, it's not a myth, especially for girls. Guys mostly try to stay invisible and all wear pretty much the same jeans/shirt combinations. Unlike in London where you can meet people with a variety of clothing styles, parisians look very much alike. But they wear good branded clothes most of the time.
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What's your favorite place to visit in Paris?
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Strolling down the Champs-Elysées all the way down to the Louvre and then visiting the museum. The Louvre is the most amazing place.