Death.... then integration

French Culture

Death.... then integration

Nicole 05/05/2008, 14:16

I have just returned from our local shop / café / bar / post office.

This village shop is run by a husband and wife, in their fifties who make am excellent team and have always welcomed us since we arrived 6 years ago.

After all my letters had been weighed and stamped, the lunchtime baguette purchased I settled myself at the bar with a small cup of deliciously hot strong coffee. Not long after, a woman breezed into the shop giving Joelle four kisses, quite normal practice for close friends and family, but her husband received just a nod of the head, which to me seemed a bit odd. The woman and Joelle chatted for a while and after she left I asked why Yannik had received such a cool reception. They both laughed, and Yannik replied ‘Although I have lived here for thirty years, I’m a foreigner like you… my grandmother isn’t buried in the village cemetery !!’

Re: Death.... then integration

powerdesal 05/05/2008, 19:14
It definitely must be a local / regional attitude.
Last week I attempted to walk out of the bank and was reminded in no uncertain terms that I had inadvertently forgotten to kiss the young lady banker goodbye. My mind must have been on other things because she is a VERY attractive young lady but the whole bank were made aware with "hey, what about my kisses". Big Smile [:D]
Steve
now ex-Sharjah + 50 (in France)
...........................................................................

Re: Death.... then integration

Ron Avery 05/05/2008, 19:50

"Last week I attempted to walk out of the bank and was reminded in no uncertain terms that I had inadvertently forgotten to kiss the young lady banker goodbye. My mind must have been on other things because she is a VERY attractive young lady but the whole bank were made aware with "hey, what about my kisses"

and this happened where exactly? UAE or France?

It does not sound like the France that I know.  Unless you know the bank clerk outside of the bank personally, IMHO it would be treated as the height of rudeness to exchange kisses in a formal business situation of clerk and client.  Who initiated this greeting by kissing?   I wonder what the French contributors think of this?

Why not post a sensible answer, people will appreciate it more

Re: Death.... then integration

Russethouse 05/05/2008, 20:00
We had some French friends, a widowed grandmother, her only child, a daughter, the son in law and  two teenagers. The grandmother lived in a village and the rest of the family in a town nearby but they spent every weekend at the grandmothers home, when ill health happened to the grandmother the family converted a basement to a granny flat and she lived with them in town in the week, still returning to the grandmothers home each weekend. The grandmother relied heavily on her son in law, but when he was proposed to be deputy mayor of the village she let it be known she was voting for his opposition on the grounds that he was a local chap where as the son in law came from a village 70 miles away.......
www.quimperclub.org

99

Re: Death.... then integration

Cathy 05/05/2008, 21:00

I have noticed that parents greet my son's teacher with two cheek kisses but so far, despite meeting her twice per day in the playground for 8 months, I get a head nod.  Mind you, I am probably 30 years' older than her (OK exaggeration - 20 years at least) and 6 inches taller.

Cathy
-----
Your children won't remember you ironing their pyjamas but they will remember you reading them a bedside story.

Re: Death.... then integration

powerdesal 06/05/2008, 9:01
 Ron Avery wrote:

"Last week I attempted to walk out of the bank and was reminded in no uncertain terms that I had inadvertently forgotten to kiss the young lady banker goodbye. My mind must have been on other things because she is a VERY attractive young lady but the whole bank were made aware with "hey, what about my kisses"

and this happened where exactly? UAE or France?

It does not sound like the France that I know.  Unless you know the bank clerk outside of the bank personally, IMHO it would be treated as the height of rudeness to exchange kisses in a formal business situation of clerk and client.  Who initiated this greeting by kissing?   I wonder what the French contributors think of this?



In Villedieu les Poeles (ie France). The kissing was initiated by the Bank Manageress in the first instance, not by me. I do not know any of the bank staff outside the business situation. I was surprised but not averse to the idea of kissing either the manageress or the young lady in question.

edit. Maybe I am a very kissable person (in my dreams) Stick out tongue [:P]
Steve
now ex-Sharjah + 50 (in France)
...........................................................................

Re: Death.... then integration

TWINKLE 06/05/2008, 10:35
 Ron Avery wrote:

"It does not sound like the France that I know.  Unless you know the bank clerk outside of the bank personally, IMHO it would be treated as the height of rudeness to exchange kisses in a formal business situation of clerk and client.  Who initiated this greeting by kissing?   I wonder what the French contributors think of this?

I think Ron is a tad jealousDevil [6]

Re: Death.... then integration

sweet 17 06/05/2008, 12:46

 powerdesal wrote:
 Ron Avery wrote:



edit. Maybe I am a very kissable person (in my dreams) Stick out tongue [:P]

Steve, you must have that "je ne sais quoi", animal magnetism, whatever.  Hows abouts you turn up here in Charente and let the locals judge for themselves?

Re: Death.... then integration

Cathy 06/05/2008, 13:04
 powerdesal wrote:
 Ron Avery wrote:

"Last week I attempted to walk out of the bank and was reminded in no uncertain terms that I had inadvertently forgotten to kiss the young lady banker goodbye. My mind must have been on other things because she is a VERY attractive young lady but the whole bank were made aware with "hey, what about my kisses"

and this happened where exactly? UAE or France?

It does not sound like the France that I know.  Unless you know the bank clerk outside of the bank personally, IMHO it would be treated as the height of rudeness to exchange kisses in a formal business situation of clerk and client.  Who initiated this greeting by kissing?   I wonder what the French contributors think of this?



In Villedieu les Poeles (ie France). The kissing was initiated by the Bank Manageress in the first instance, not by me. I do not know any of the bank staff outside the business situation. I was surprised but not averse to the idea of kissing either the manageress or the young lady in question.

edit. Maybe I am a very kissable person (in my dreams) Stick out tongue [:P]

Maybe you are SOOOOOOOOOO rich the bank manageress wants to keep you in her sights? Whistles [Www]

Cathy
-----
Your children won't remember you ironing their pyjamas but they will remember you reading them a bedside story.
 Page 1 of 5 (42 items) 1 2 3 4 5 >

Powered by Community Server, by Telligent Systems

Please note that any unsolicited advertising will be removed