NSR: Am I a closet Francophile?

[Catfish]

Shhhh....don't tell my English friend, who constantly makes cracks about the French and the Welsh.

Many of my favorite footballers are French: Zidane, Henry, Vieira, Pires, Giuly, and Trezeguet.

I married a 1/2 French woman. She looks very French, seen tons of French foreign films to know what are French features. BTW, she is great at making desserts...maybe that's a French thing..wink.

The most beautiful language in the world is French.

I have always wanted to visit Paris.

And finally I love wine.

[Tony the French]

You are a good guy !!

[Papa Bouba Diop]

Seems to me if you're an anglophone, either you love us (7% of population) or you despise us (83%) while the reminaing 10% are indifferent. Personnaly I hate the human race, I have no problem with any country in particular, but every country has it's share of a$$holes and bitches.

[Catfish]

Seems to me if you're an anglophone, either you love us (7% of population) or you despise us (83%) while the reminaing 10% are indifferent.

Please explain this post. I'm a little confused.

[Papa Bouba Diop]

83% of Anglophones hate the French

[conquerant]

Yes, sorry mate, you're a francophile.

From a footballl prespective:

France-Norway, Euro 2000
Watching Zidane marshalling the midfeild in this match was what changed me from "American who likes soccer" to "Afficianado of the beautiful game."

Now while I was studying in France and went to England I was told by the locals not to mention I was studying in France, because they didn't like France much, and of course many places in France didn't like the English much...and it's not too hard to find people who don't like us Americans much...

[Catfish]

Yes, sorry mate, you're a francophile.

From a footballl prespective:

France-Norway, Euro 2000
Watching Zidane marshalling the midfeild in this match was what changed me from "American who likes soccer" to "Afficianado of the beautiful game."

Now while I was studying in France and went to England I was told by the locals not to mention I was studying in France, because they didn't like France much, and of course many places in France didn't like the English much...and it's not too hard to find people who don't like us Americans much...

Very cool story. The 1st match I ever saw was the 98 WC Final France vs. Brazil. I didn't really like or follow football until my friend 3 yrs later introduced me to the EPL; these last 2yrs I have been obsessed....must have more footie...must have daily fix. But I will always remember Zidane dominating and the French going insane! It was if they all had won the WC.

[soji22]

Hey, Catfish, you definitely rock! I was born in Paris and have been living in America for the past eleven years (exactly half my life). I have just about lost my accent ( which is quite slight since my English mum taught me her language before I started school), but I will get strange looks from some folks when I tell them that I am not American. You are a rare breed indeed; anti-Gallic sentiments have skyrocketed sharply since early last year. You made a great choice in marrying a half French woman. I think French chicks are among the best in the world: they are good cooks, are very attentive and loving, are famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for their liberated views toward sex. It's too bad that the overwhelming majority of the rest of the world feel a need to continually villify us. Oh well, stereotypes die hard. Rock on, dude!

[Another-David]

Hey, Catfish, you definitely rock! I was born in Paris and have been living in America for the past eleven years (exactly half my life). I have just about lost my accent ( which is quite slight since my English mum taught me her language before I started school), but I will get strange looks from some folks when I tell them that I am not American. You are a rare breed indeed; anti-Gallic sentiments have skyrocketed sharply since early last year. You made a great choice in marrying a half French woman. I think French chicks are among the best in the world: they are good cooks, are very attentive and loving, are famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for their liberated views toward sex. It's too bad that the overwhelming majority of the rest of the world feel a need to continually villify us. Oh well, stereotypes die hard. Rock on, dude!

Having dual French/US citizenship, but living in the States and having been raised here for the most part, I find that the most intense and vehement bashing (whether it's Americans bashing the French or the other way around) is done by people who don't have anything to base that contempt on other than stereotypes, caricatures, etc. Here in the states, for instance, you hear about how the French supposedly hate Americans. However, the overwhelming success and popularity of American pop culture in France seems to me to be a rather strange way to demonstrate this "hatred". On a lighter note, here's hoping that this will be a truly banner year for French soccer, what with Monaco's and Marseille's success in European cups, and France's status as the favorite to win the Euro in a month or two. (Here's their chance to prove that 2002 was a fluke!)