In Search Of Being Parisian.

I shared an article on my Facebook page the other day that listed all of the signs that you were ever so slightly French. My favourites were about being snooty towards supermarket bread and talking only in shrugs and hand gestures. Two things that definitely apply to me. It got me thinking. This is basically the idea behind my blog isn't it? Trying to define what it is that makes us go More Native Than The Natives! My life is currently littered with daily occurrences that make be believe that I am slowly but surely turning to the cheese-eating side. 

Take today for example. I spent a good 15 minutes on the phone ranting in French as I tried to reorganise the delivery of a parcel to my home address. After being handed from pillar to post and around the houses several times, I finally got to speak to the person who could help me. I thought, no wonder the French get so stroppy with such horrific systems in place to help customers. After insisting that this parcel was incredibly urgent I managed to negotiate its delivery for first thing Monday morning. Thus proving that being snooty and not caving into being a polite British woman actually gets things done! 

I should clarify that usually I am delightful to whomever is trying to help me but sometimes when you're at the end of you tether you just have to get things done the French way. The same goes for trying to get people to stop being anti-social on public transport. Usually I just don my cap of English politeness and stiff upper lip but recently I've taken to giving people who dare to eat smelly sandwiches or listen to loud music the most almighty glare that the obviously feel my stare burning into what soul they have left that they stop.  

All in all, I think that in certain situations we should all be much more French. They say that one of the benefits of living abroad and studying another language is that you have the ability to see the world through another pair of eyes. Being a touch more Gallic certainly has its benefits, so I say let's be more snooty!!