People from the Normandie

[svandamme]

my grandmother was born in exile during WW1, in Notredame de Touchet, Normandy France...

and throughout these years, now close to 90 years ( grandma was born after the war was ended, but her parents hadn't returned yet to then still bomb crater wastelands of Flanders) my family kept in touch with the farm family where she was born and spent her first years

I hadn't seen or heard from the family in 7 years and it was another 5 years before that, they do keep in touch with the individual members of our family, it's very informal... every once in a while, somebody goes there, every so many years , they come on over to somebody here... when we go , we bring back wine and Calvados, when they come , they go back with Abbey beers

Today they had come over again for somebody's 60th bday in my family, and when i went over to my uncle's place where they had diner, i was wondering if i'de still recognise them, and more if they'de still recognize me... this is a thing of generations, there allready have been 3 generations of father of the farm on their end... and the 4th one just retired, yet this bond is still as strong as ever, the one in charge, of grandma's age , already passed away, grandma's 87, and aging fast, to weak to go there anymore although i'm sure she would love to do so....and the one who's just retiring on the farm, is of the age of my uncles ... who are retiring now, or just retired

it's amazing, when i saw them all this evening, it was a 1 sec deal, and it was just like when i was at their farm 12 years ago, no hesitation, instant "click"

anybody who says that the French are full of it, or whatever, doesn't know the French at all, these are the nicest, most honest, warm people i know, no frills, nothing fake, just down to earth folks... and these are the real French, the ones out in the country, living as a family , on a farm , as they have been doing since long before even the World Wars.
They adapted to modern farming, but the core values are unchanged...

and now , i got a bit more in touch with my generation of that family, they are just 100 km from Le Mans, and it turns out the hubby of the oldest daughter, goes there every year for the 24 hrs without missing a beat... he didn't know about Le Mans Classic, i've been wanting to go to it for quite some time, but never got around to it... and 2008 , is the next edition...

can't wait till 2008, spend a week or 2 on the farm, kick back, relax, eat well, drink well, calvados, du vin, and then head off to Classic Porsche Mekka..and maybe listen if there are any stories about the occupation, and liberation during WW2..

strange, how something as horrible, as WW1, can and does have something positive to it.. 2 families who would otherwise never have met , 550 km's apart, different families, different styles, farm folks, relating quite close to a buch of city slickers, and keeping that sort of thing going for 90 years ,and still going strong...



if it's up to me, i'de like to keep it going for 55-60 more, if i get to live till 86-91 years old and the next generation, well, they're just 3 years old, my cousin delivered those, none of my own yet, but it sure would be nice, if we could manage to keep this thing going as long as we can


things like these, are special,
especially in the days of fast food, fast women, fast life

call me sentimental, but Vive la France!

[red-beard]

Judging the French based on Parisans, is like Judging the USA based on New Yorkers.

[svandamme]

well, i know a couple of Parisian's and although different from the Normandiers, i still don't find 'em bad people, the bad one's are usually those who aren't even Parisian's, and just act out the Parisian act that isn't even the real thing...The Parisian's i know, are perhaps a bit less open then the Normandiers at first, but once you get to know them, they turn out to be good people to spend time with... This rude thing they are famous for, isn't even theirs...it's a misconception based on the so called import parisian, language barrier ( it's another country, if you visit, perhaps you should at least try to speak their language ), and just slightly different culture all together...

i've been to New York, can't say i had much to complain about , quite liked it , other then perhaps the airports that were not what i call great fun: customs on the way in, and on the way out a storm, flights grounded, JFK packed, nobody going out for 8 hours, but other then that, no complaints...NYC was a ok when i was there 16 or so years ago...liked it better then "Orlando, themepark capital" or "st-Petersburg, rental condo with nottn but geriatrics as neighbours" ( no offence, that's just my impression when i was 15 and visiting Orlando/st-Petersburg FL )...

[livi]

Seems good things are coming your way repeatedly, Stijn. I am glad.

Still, I may not be ready to digest a general consensus on the French just yet...

[Rikao4]

Stijn, you are so right, lived in Paris.. GF took me to see her grandma in Deauville..night and day difference. Loved it, Calvados does ring you head. Went back to see them...minus the GF..was always welcome. Rode the bike into town with her to go shopping..young idiot a huffin and puffin..old lady left me in the dust.
Rika

[The Gaijin]

My family left in 1066 and has not been back since.

[LeRoux Strydom]

Gaijin, you ahead of me. My family (from the town Blois) only left France in 1687. I have been back several times, though.

[rammstein]

Awesome story! Things like that are what make life worthwhile.

[MRM]

I spent a whole week on my own in Paris a couple of years ago when my wife was there on business. She got stuck in meetings all day and I was free to roam all I wanted. I would wake up as early as I could, hit the streets, and go until my feet hurt so bad that I couldn't stand anymore. Then I'd go back to the hotel and rest.

I was throughly prepared to dislike Parisians. I can say I had a uniformly wonderful experience, notwithstanding the fact that my French language skills came from a single year in high school. For which I received a C+. I went everywhere, ate at a different place for breakfast lunch and dinner, bought crepes from street vendors, the whole nine yards. The only second looks I got were at the local quicky mart where I would stop in to buy the cheapest wine I could find. And even there I think they were reacting to my choice of wine and nothing else.

I was captivated by the city. I saw some Americans acting oddly, certainly not like they'd act at home (I hope) and then acted surprised when people were offended. I was offended. I know Parisians can act snooty and be deliberately unhelpful, but that was not my experience. I have told my wife I plan to rent a flat in Paris when we retire and spend at least a year exploring the city and the countryside.

Back on topic, a few years ago I visited the home my family lived in when I was 4 and 5. Our best friends across the street still lived in the same house and one of their daughters who was a year older than me bought the place next door. We chatted and had a nice time.

The parents looked the same to me, I wouldn't have picked them out in a crowd but I certainly recognized them. I didn't recognize the daugher, but she had a seven year old daughter of her own. And when I met the seven year old my mind told me I was seeing her mother. It was the weirdest thing. I told the mother that I didn't recognize her, but when I saw her daughter I did.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by MRM

I had a uniformly wonderful experience, notwithstanding the fact that my French language skills came from a single year in high school. For which I received a C+

it's been my experience, that

A they appreciate anybody who tries to speak french, and will go to great lengths to work with it if you at least try. Speaking slower and louder , in english, is not trying

B they are simply not confident to speak english, even when they have some basics(imho a lot can be explained by the fact that all english movies is dubbed in french), and this lack of confidence then get's misinterpreted into rudeness or snottyness, when it's really not intended to be so, it's probably more frustration with their own inability to speak it fluently

i didn't speak much french from what i learned in school , but i went out to french clubs at an early age, and it's the best way to learn... by being surrounded by it, now i'm pretty much accentless and fluent, the only thing that comes up is the occasional gap in vocabulary, which is easy to overcome