Lukie is a foreign journalist from Natal, Brazil Lukie and her english husband Martin bought a American RV (motorhome) and decided to live in Paris to refresh their honeymoon memories from 1982
in Paris: an elegant and sophisticated couple she dubbed Madame and Monsieur Goodatrek when interviewing and meeting Parisians.
Before I lived in Paris, I was wondering why people make so much fuss about the french from Paris been so arrogant and rude but chic?
Paris taught me not to label anyone
but to thrive on differences and make the most of my life here and above all..learn french! The french will love you for it.
I do think… When I think about French I think about the English…or should I say, the British.
Yes, the French like the english can be seen cold towards those who they aren’t close to and unlike the english, to those who have not been formally introduced to them. The english will talk to strangers and even have a laugh as this is part of their upbringing to be polite. Make no mistake, both Parisians and Londoners, to be close enough for them to be warm, spontaneous and open about themselves, you usually have to be a childhood friend – a college friend at the very least. Now it was said that one also must be from a similar socio-economic background otherwise the friendship will always remain formal. Spontaneousness is never really recommended. Again we are talking about history here…Paris and London the best of Europe in my opinion can afford to be what they want to be! We just can’t have enough of them. Let’s admit it…we all want to live in Paris! I would and I still dream in living in London…it has been my dream!
Having said all that I admit with a american blog that says “A word of warning: the French are the world champions of empty rhetoric and symbolic gestures but also of fair-weather friendship. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that when your French friends are aloof, you’re in the clear. When they become nice and warm, don’t show them your back.
The French hate to talk about work outside of work hours, it’s true and I like it, it comes from the French elitist view of work as an indecent, immoral way of making a living. The French have inherited and still perpetuate their ruling aristocracy’s disdain for money because because it is a vehicle of social mobility. Not only work is an unacceptable conversation topic, the French must work hard at looking like they work as little as they can get away with.” In France, like in England success must be attributed to either luck or raw talent, but never to work because then it would become meaningless, even demeaning. I like that and can totally identify with this philosophy.
As I write this down I am realising how hard must be for the french to have the whole world arriving in their country and they have no intention to go anywhere else and I am beginning to think that YES, they like what they have and yes, they do not wish to compromise… WHY? They have what we all want we want it.I just like the french joie de vivre…
The french has an amazing way of been interested in food without been indulgent….not many fat french I must say.
Mind you the controversy is that France is socialist country but an elitist society where popular hobbies are frown upon and even the working class would die rather than look unsophisticated.
“The French publicly talk about the high-brow literary debates they don’t watch or the pompous books they don’t really read, and rarely admit to watching the low-brow fare they really enjoy behind closed doors.” Nothing wrong about that! Why not?
You can’t understand France if you don’t understand that after centuries of absolute power, the aristocracy has relinquished power but not influence. The French learn from birth to ape the Parisian aristocracy much more so then the english ( I think) and that dictates everything from dinner table etiquette to their warped view of the world and France’s place in it, mind you …they killed their kings and queens! I believe that deep down they really envy the British and their Royal Family in Glory loved by the British and the world, included the french! They would die before they admit it but they read everything about the British Royal Family & Kate and William! This week all magazines had Kate doing topless on their covers. I tried to get a copy but no chance it was sold out!
Loved this views from a lovely american”I lived in Paris for few years …
Paris is a very
beautiful city and a thriving city–there is so much going. haven’t said that
the average person living in Paris, life is not easy as it seems when you see all the buzzing in the cafes chock blocked with people. I don’t think the rich is a representative of the average French
family’s life in Paris. Perhaps people should take in consideration
families in Nanterre or St. Denis, or with the French woman I met in church
who had five locks on the door of her apartment. Make no mistake, we live in a mad world and Paris is a charming,
wonderful city, but I appreciate that some of peoples experience was quite, quite exceptional. And by
the way, the Parisians are not nearly as “snobby” as people make them
out to be. They seem to be comfortable in their own skin but maybe as the english just don’t warm up to strangers very quickly, but once a friend, they will treat you very well. They will speak english with you and love it if you try your best to speak french, after all it is a splendid sound and somehow has some magic that it doesn’t really matter if you understand or not….just enjoy it!”
Here goes another comment:
“What is all this about?
I am slack jawed when I read comments that essentially ‘discount’ the writer’s opinion/experience as idealistic and untrue. Somehow their – I can only assume unhappy know-it-alls – experience trumps anything to be gleaned or appreciated that is direct contrast with what they know to be ‘true.’ Truth is self-authenticating so instead of putting someone down – just read this blog and appreciate it or not. Posting how this writer’s opinion is somehow off-based minimises THEIR experience and what they want to share. You don’t have to buy into it but at the very least be open-minded enough to know that others can have a view and experience different from yours. Very sensitive view.”
This second comment gave me the confidence to carry on writing my views about the French and the British. I just have a passion for both and by the way I love the way americans goes on and on about both cultures too. It amuses me their passion and fascination for The best duo french and british!
Please take in consideration that they are my views only. Some of the texts I had picked up by others views and by talking to french over coffee. Oh, well…VIVE LA DEFERENCE!
Welcome to MacJournal my life in Bois de Bologne
Introducing Caravana dos Manes a group of 49 brazilians on wheels that I had the pleasure of meeting and interview
Arrived in Paris!
32 yrs ago we were here in our honeymoon….how come I don’t remember much?
yeah…I had other interests and I was only 21 and madly in love and worried that I was not good enough! My husband invited his younger brother to keep us company how would you feel if that were you?
Let’s not go there! 32 yrs passed and we are still married and this time my husband brought only me and me only! And although we brought a motorbike with us this time around I asked him to bring one and that will be useful if nothing else to keep us flowing through Paris traffic!
By the way, yes the weather is just perfect not too hot just perfect and while Martin is driving the Goodastrek (our motorhome) bought especially for this trip, I am having the time or my life…that is a lie! I wish our children would be here with us to see Paris in its splendour from the top as Goodastrek is as high as a touring bus.
But the GPS is taking us no where and there is nowhere to park so Martin is not having fun anymore but he asks me for a Weather Originals ( the best thing when you are close to danger). We are still lost in the centre of Paris! I am loving it! It feels like a scene of a movie and as always my husbands thoughts are keep calm and carry on following the GPS. I tried to get him to change directions but he would not have it. No Not me he then decided to get out of City Centre and we ended up in La Defense ( ten times worst to drive than the Arc of Thriomfe for those who did this route and can appreciate.
I could see Martin had enough but he kept his cool as he saw my enjoyment and decided to follow the River Seine all the way. It was beautiful could not have enough of it! Little did we know we were so close from Bois de Bologne so we decided to get away from Paris and got to the Motorway…oh well that was a bad move! We had to pay high for getting out of Paris and soon after getting back again…no I am not joking! The french are not as tolerant of silliness as the english …No SIR you have to pay again that was the answer when we try the traditional phrase that thousands may have used “ we made a mistake” the answer was PAY FOR IT! This would not happen in England at all! To begin with its FREE to have the pleasure of driving in the whole country I mean the whole of United Kingdom with the exception of places that you pay a bargain of £1 and people still complain. God although I am loving been in Paris I just have to say loud I MISS ENGLAND!
Oh well, we are in Paris and that is what this is all about…our new life in Paris! Yes, we finally found our way with the help of a french man that turned out to be portuguese and by the way he was amazed to meet a english man that spoke such a good english, my husband! Now we are talking. Easy now, found our way to our final direction and after we arrived …time for a good english cup of tea! Look at his face…
Welcome to MacJournal my life in Paris
Introducing Margot (zinha)
my cousin Monalisa’s baby
Margot just love walking in the streets of Paris! She has an outfit for ever occasion but as you can see in the pictures she loves Paris Coffee Shops and as you can expect she is allowed and welcome in Cafes…. Monalisa my cousin takes Margot everywhere and I have the privilege to accompany them sometimes!
GOODA-TREK 