From: Amara Graps (amara@amara.com)
Date: Thu May 16 2002 - 02:55:49 MDT
Olga Bourlin:
>IMO, a child learning the French language (say) in a school in
>the United States will not have as good an insight into the French culture
>as a child who actually goes and lives in France for a few years - whether
>the latter child speaks French in France ... or not.
Naturally. I assumed that you were already traveling to another
country. I heard you say that one doesn't need to know more than
'where is the bathroom?' in another language (!) .
Tips, for those of you traveling to other countries. Please take
some respect and care, hmm? If you wonder why a particular very large
country has a reputation as being very stupid tourists, this is one
big reason. Disrespect for other cultures. At the _very least_
please learn in that language:
'please'
'thank you'
'hello' (polite)
'goodbye' (polite)
'yes'
'no'
counting numbers
(in that order)
*before* learning 'where is the bathroom?' ...
Amara
P.S. I do know some people, Americans (called 'expatriates') and nonAmericans
who strongly support living abroad for some years with their families to
give their children (and themselves) a much broader education and exposure
to the rest of the world. They've never regretted it (they say). Nor have I.
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