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Very interesting, I had the opposite effect. I grew up in a very “red” part of the US and was given a very negative view of the French (or anyone else for that

Very interesting, I had the opposite effect. I grew up in a very “red” part of the US and was given a very negative view of the French (or anyone else for that matter). I was so surprised to find the people were friendly, kind and inviting. A small French restaurant even stayed open late because my friend and I had just arrived in Paris and had no idea of where to find food. The city struck me as beautiful. Everything was so clean and manicured (my town by comparison was dirty, dusty and unkempt). Paris destroyed my sense of exceptionalism.

ip26 7y ago
I grew up in a "blue" part, and visiting third world countries opened my eyes to, "maybe there is something we are doing right in the US". (The exaggerated liberal perspective being, we're doing it all wrong & screwing everything up. The exaggerated conservative perspective being, we are perfect and changing anything risks ruining everything)
- taken_username 7y ago
  You may do many things right in the US, except the fact that you still rank the countries into first, second and third!
vl 7y ago
That’s funny, because Paris in general is pretty dirty city compared to other European cities.
credit_guy 7y ago
I somehow had the opposite effect too. I grew up in Eastern Europe, and people told me Paris is beautiful, but not necessarily more beautiful than, say New York City, or other western big cities. Well, once I visited Paris, I loved it so much, that I can't find any other city that compares with it.
briandear 7y ago
So clean and manicured? I am not sure what part of Paris you were in, but having lived in France for 4 years, “clean and manicured” is about the opposite of what reality is. Dog shit on side walks, people urinating in public, cars parking on sidewalks, crowded, often un-air conditioned subway trains packed with sweaty people, dingy hotel rooms, trash piled up on sidewalks, rats traveling in packs, pickpockets, prevail any graffiti.. Paris is a spectacular city with some incredible beauty, but “clean and manicured,” is a stretch outside of the marquee parks and well scrubbed tourist sites. As far as your good experience with a restaurant, those experiences certainly happen, but try going into a bank five minutes before lunch. Or try to enter a grocery store 10 minutes before closing.. or even many restaurants; your experience was a pleasant exception, but let’s be careful not to judge a city based on a single happy experience — I would be willing to bet in your “red” area of the United States, visitors could argue similar instances of unexpected kindnesses. Humanity is generally good, but we always see the grass as being greener.. Also comparing a world class tourist city to your town is a bit unfair, plenty of blight all over France. Travel 30 minutes north of Paris and it looks like a third world country in many places. But on the French: they can be kind and inviting, no question, but for a real treat, travel to the south of France. Zürich on the other hand is very clean, very orderly, very manicured. Vienna as well.
- asdff 7y ago
  What you describe in the first paragraph accurately describes Beverly Hills. American cities are not spectacular, so with an American perspective, Paris is a big step up.
  - elfexec 7y ago
    >American cities are not spectacular Beverly Hills isn't a "city". NYC isn't spectacular? > Paris is a big step up. I didn't feel it was a big step up from NYC - especially given the hype that paris has.
Dwarfield 7y ago
If you think Paris is clean, you'd probably get Tokyo syndrome if you visit there.
elfexec 7y ago
> I grew up in a very “red” part of the US and was given a very negative view of the French (or anyone else for that matter). Why make it political? What does "red" have to do with it. American exceptionalism is an national traditional. Do you think all the movies and tv shows making fun of the french came from a very "red" part of the US? Last I check NY and LA weren't very "red". > The city struck me as beautiful. Everything was so clean and manicured (my town by comparison was dirty, dusty and unkempt). Are you sure it was paris and not another european city you were in? Parts of Paris is beautiful for sure, but I've never heard anyone describe it as "so clean and manicured". At least those aren't the words I'd use to describe Paris having visited it. > (my town by comparison was dirty, dusty and unkempt). Paris destroyed my sense of exceptionalism. If you were from a small town in a very "red" part of the US, any medium sized city anywhere would have cured you of your sense of exceptionalism.

ip26 7y ago

I grew up in a "blue" part, and visiting third world countries opened my eyes to, "maybe there is something we are doing right in the US". (The exaggerated liberal perspective being, we're doing it all wrong & screwing everything up. The exaggerated conservative perspective being, we are perfect and changing anything risks ruining everything)

taken_username 7y ago
You may do many things right in the US, except the fact that you still rank the countries into first, second and third!

vl 7y ago

That’s funny, because Paris in general is pretty dirty city compared to other European cities.

credit_guy 7y ago

I somehow had the opposite effect too. I grew up in Eastern Europe, and people told me Paris is beautiful, but not necessarily more beautiful than, say New York City, or other western big cities. Well, once I visited Paris, I loved it so much, that I can't find any other city that compares with it.

briandear 7y ago

So clean and manicured? I am not sure what part of Paris you were in, but having lived in France for 4 years, “clean and manicured” is about the opposite of what reality is. Dog shit on side walks, people urinating in public, cars parking on sidewalks, crowded, often un-air conditioned subway trains packed with sweaty people, dingy hotel rooms, trash piled up on sidewalks, rats traveling in packs, pickpockets, prevail any graffiti.. Paris is a spectacular city with some incredible beauty, but “clean and manicured,” is a stretch outside of the marquee parks and well scrubbed tourist sites. As far as your good experience with a restaurant, those experiences certainly happen, but try going into a bank five minutes before lunch. Or try to enter a grocery store 10 minutes before closing.. or even many restaurants; your experience was a pleasant exception, but let’s be careful not to judge a city based on a single happy experience — I would be willing to bet in your “red” area of the United States, visitors could argue similar instances of unexpected kindnesses. Humanity is generally good, but we always see the grass as being greener.. Also comparing a world class tourist city to your town is a bit unfair, plenty of blight all over France. Travel 30 minutes north of Paris and it looks like a third world country in many places. But on the French: they can be kind and inviting, no question, but for a real treat, travel to the south of France. Zürich on the other hand is very clean, very orderly, very manicured. Vienna as well.

asdff 7y ago
What you describe in the first paragraph accurately describes Beverly Hills. American cities are not spectacular, so with an American perspective, Paris is a big step up.
- elfexec 7y ago
  >American cities are not spectacular Beverly Hills isn't a "city". NYC isn't spectacular? > Paris is a big step up. I didn't feel it was a big step up from NYC - especially given the hype that paris has.

Dwarfield 7y ago

If you think Paris is clean, you'd probably get Tokyo syndrome if you visit there.

elfexec 7y ago

> I grew up in a very “red” part of the US and was given a very negative view of the French (or anyone else for that matter). Why make it political? What does "red" have to do with it. American exceptionalism is an national traditional. Do you think all the movies and tv shows making fun of the french came from a very "red" part of the US? Last I check NY and LA weren't very "red". > The city struck me as beautiful. Everything was so clean and manicured (my town by comparison was dirty, dusty and unkempt). Are you sure it was paris and not another european city you were in? Parts of Paris is beautiful for sure, but I've never heard anyone describe it as "so clean and manicured". At least those aren't the words I'd use to describe Paris having visited it. > (my town by comparison was dirty, dusty and unkempt). Paris destroyed my sense of exceptionalism. If you were from a small town in a very "red" part of the US, any medium sized city anywhere would have cured you of your sense of exceptionalism.