Buying in the States was Re: HP analyzer probes

From: Joe R. <rigdonj_at_cfl.rr.com>
Date: Wed Jun 30 11:50:41 2004

At 02:08 PM 6/30/04 +0000, Jules wrote:
>On Wed, 2004-06-30 at 11:58, Joe R. wrote:
>> I have found
>> that service in some European counties and in some places in Canada is
>> LOUSY! They act like they're doing you a favor to wait on you or to sell
>> you anything. They only thing that I can says about that is that they would
>> not have a job long here with their attitudes.
>
>Now that's interesting. My view is that they *are* doing you a favour,
>just as I'd expect someone to be polite to me if I were serving them in
>some way and not take me for granted.

  I'm not talking about bossing them around or taking them for granted. I'm
talking about ordinary manners and reasonable service. THE worst service
that I had anywhere in the world was in London. And it wasn't jsut once or
twice but it was consistantly bad. In the restraunts you had to wait and
wait for them to bring a menu. When they did they just threw it on the
table and left without saying a word. The service was just as bad all the
way through the meals. Is that they way that you'd treat someone in your
home???


 Maybe that does highlight a big
>difference between the US and European attitudes (plus Austalia and NZ)
>to service.
>
>One thing I do find is that people often visit foreign countries and
>expect to be treated just as they're used to at home (I'm not suggesting
>that about you, it's just a general observation). For me, part of the
>challenge and fun of going overseas is to experience other beliefs,
>cultures and ways of doing things, and adjusting to the locals' way of
>doing things.
>
>> French Canada (Montreal
>> specificly) was particularly interesting. They REALLY push the French
>> language there and they are required by law to greet you in French and to
>> try and initiate the conversation in French.
>
>Presumably because it's French Canada? :-)

  Is it really FRENCH Canada? If I remember my history, the British took
over from the French in the early to mid 1700s! (We call it the French and
Indians Wars) Exactly how long are the locals supposed to keep their own
language and refuse to speak a common language? Let's see, the US is home
to over 200 different American Indian languages and dialects, then add in
French (ex-French Canadians from Arcadia that settled in Lousianna),
Spanish (this is Florida) then add in all the immgrants; English, Italians,
Polish, Russian, Portuguese, Germans, Irish, Scots, French, dozens of
African langauges, etc etc etc etc etc etc. We would literally have a land
of Babal if everyone only spoke their original language. Since I'm in
Florida I guess that means I should speak only Spanish and refuse to speak
any other langauge. But wait a minute! What about the people and language
that was there before the French Canadians (or Spanish)?



People generally take pride
>in their language and often don't like others making assumptions about
>what language they should speak. (Although I'm not sure how comfortable
>I'd be if I were forced to greet people in a particular tongue - I
>suppose the intention of the law there is to just try and protect the
>local heritage though)

  Exactly but it's gotten well past that point. As I said, it's now
required by law now. It's gotten to the point that it is actually illegal
to post a sign on English! And I've seen many cases where they would
actually refuse to speak to someone in English even though they spoke it
perfectly well. That isn't protecting your heritage, it's just plain rude.

   As a footnote, I'll just say that they (the French Canadians) sure
didn't give any consideration to the rights or desires of the ORIGINAL
inhabitants (the Mohawk Indians). I've been to their reservation south of
Montreal and seen what a dump it is and how they've lost everything.

   Joe


>
>cheers,
>
>Jules
>
>
Received on Wed Jun 30 2004 - 11:50:41 BST