Since my arrival in this country I have felt it was best to temper my complaints about it. I am well aware that one, especially if that one is me, can, by giving voice to grievance, get a little carried away with it. While on the one hand I feel that complaining about France could conceivably erode our ability to stay and be happy here, on the other hand it might be quite the French thing to do! Everyone is always complaining here. I mean except for when they're talking about how great it is.
I'm actually saying I can relate!
So maybe I'll just make sure to alternate: Wax eloquent? Then a bitter screed would certainly be acceptable. Bitter screed? Then surely I can say something nice next time. Like, there's always the cheese. Or to be less cliched, there's always the unnerving but kind of fun way everyone is always saying "goodbye" like three times. I'm pretty sure I could work that into a positive post.
And what's my giant beef with France anyway? It really isn't any of that obvious stuff everyone's always going on about; the bureaucracy, the lack of creativity, the judgementalism. Whatever, that's like going for a swim in the sea and complaining about the fishes! My real complaint, aye the great and horrible disaster of France is both tempered and horrible, and it is so strange that my very suggestion of it elicits nothing but resistance back where I come from, pronouncing a great gulf of misunderstanding back where most of the people I know still are. I imagine it would offend the French horribly as well. But here it is:
France is an awful lot like America.
I'll try to say something nice next time.
Bonne journee.
Au revoir.
A bientot.
