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11/12/2011

The French seen by the Indians

The other day I was asked a rather… surprising question: How do the Indians see the French??

 

It surprised me, because firstly it is really egocentric, and quite typical of a French! (But well I guess every people genuinely feel that the world evolves around it…).

 

I thus answered that, for the large majority of Indians, there is India and the U.K. And maybe America. No France! Question of perspective…

Cf my Indian physician who tells me “ah France! It is next to Vietnam isn’t it?”

I also found myself once in a situation which I perhaps already told:

-          Vèrrre from?

-          France.

-          Vèrrre?

-          Mmhhh Europe?

-          Vèrrre??

-          The U.K.?

-          Ahhhhhhh! (with a look like why didn’t you say it immediately??)

 

Those who have been to France will (in general) remember 2 things: we do not speak English and our food is bland; besides it is very difficult to find vegetarian food.

Some also know the world-famous clichés: most guys are gay, we eat cheese, we are arrogant, revolutionist.

 

In Bollywood style, they know of our political community only Carla Bruni.

 

And in the news recently, they are outraged enough by prohibition to wear the burka.

 

In short a French, before being a French, is a (white) foreigner. And if you want to know how Indians see foreigners than there is lot more to say!!

 

Cf: http://www.indiandacoit.com/archive/2010/09/27/the-world-according-to-the-indians-and-the-french.html