Here's an example. After attending high school classes with my younger daughter for a week or so, we prompted our guest to share her honest impressions of class here in America. She told us that students here strike her as more disrespectful to their teachers than what she is accustomed to in her native France.
Where are our children learning how to behave this way? Oh, that's right -- it's us.
7.6.2023 update to this post
As mentioned in my last post found here -- my wife and I visited France last month and I'd like to retire the old canard about the French people being rude to foreigners and especially Americans.
I always winced a little bit when I heard that charge because my lineage according to the DNA experts is predominantly French ~ 40% (I'm also ~ 36% Italian,). The point is, I long feared that the criticism of native French citizens might be true.
My eleven days in France leave me with the solid feeling that this criticism is not true. The French are deservedly proud of their culture and contributions to the arts. Perhaps some of us have confused pride with rudeness. On my trip, the French were nothing but patient, kind and fun-loving!
 |
| Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik |
UPDATE TO THIS POST
9/22/2025
Although our DNA doesn't change, the experts are able to refine what it tells us as time goes on. For the record, my ethnic derivation has been updated thus:
Italian - 48%
French - 47%
English - 3%
Greek - 2%
It is still very close to what my parents always told me!
