Life & Culturally differences

Ever noticed that life has a way of slipping through your hands? It just keeps going and you don't notice as it trickles through your fingertips. Life is sand, time and memories. Granules that are impossible to keep a hold off but that sparkle as they catch the light but when wet become heavy and so difficult to lift and live.

Deep, profound and meaningful there's my excuse for not writing in a while. Really it's because I got sucked into the treacherous superficial world of the first series of 90210. Luckily for yours and mines sanity the second series appeared crap so I gave up watching it and I've been returned to my fully functioning blogging glory. Pretty awesome huh!

So less than 2 weeks left in France - I'll miss my job and my horses but I am so looking forward to getting home and back to the sarcastic life of Britain. Yesterday I was at  a shopping centre with Ali, my mother for three months and we were exploring the cultural differences of the British and the French and you know what our main one was?

British people generally CARE about people's feeling whereas the French are far more of a clamber over everyone and put yourself first ALWAYS. They also have a bit of a superiority complex; they all think they're better than everyone else. One of the woman I work with has an increasingly annoying habit of phoning people all the time. So she'll be on the phone while I wait, patiently and in boredom as my phone has broken so I don't even have that to distract myself with, and she will not even try to hurry up. They don't really think about other people, and it drives me a little crazy....

Another thing: They don't appreciate initiative. For instance if you do something quickly or early they don't express thanks they just hand you something else to do - they seem to like making more work and then handing it to someone else to do - mainly me. Yay! For example I finish my chores early because I worked hard and quickly they'll hand me something completely inane and bizarre to do - last time I finished mucking out the stables early they sent me to brush around the muckheap. The muckheap was just about to be picked up by a lorry and so after I finished brushing around it, said lorry arrived and made a whole lot more mess... so rule out initiative..

And the worst thing for a British person. They don't use sarcasm and don't acknowledge apologies. We are an apologetic nation - I say sorry if I'm early to work for god's sake! Or sorry if I have to ask the woman to bring a new bale of hay despite the fact it's her job. I know we use apologies when one isn't needed but in Britain one would just reply 'that's no problem I'll get to it'. But the French aren't an effusive people they use words minimally and do not offer sympathetic understanding words. Yes it's unnecessary but it's nice!!! And then sarcasm. They don't use sarcasm. Do they not realise there is a whole world of delightful witty comebacks, sayings and general fun to be had from sarcasm? They say what they mean. But being British, used to sarcasm and unable to accept compliments, I tend to find myself staring blindly at people when they say something like - 'Well Done' after I've mucked out a stable - I mean c'mon why? Did I not do it right? I do it everyday I know how to do it. It's condescending..... unless you're being sarcastic. C'mon you are aren't you - what did I do wrong? But I'm getting better, I know don't bare my teeth when someone says I like your hair..... improvement right?!

Bonne soiree

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