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From: mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: Paris
Message-ID: <2351@cca.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Apr-85 09:38:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: cca.2351
Posted: Mon Apr 29 09:38:57 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 3-May-85 07:42:34 EDT
References: <>
Reply-To: mickey@cca-unix.UUCP (Mickey Levine)
Organization: Computer Corp. of America, Cambridge
Lines: 18


Sorry David, I disagree. If someone stops me on the street and starts asking
me things in some unknown language, I will usually go out of my way to explain
in simple English that I don't understand them and if they have a phrase book,
I'll try to help them out (or point out things on a map). The overwhelming 
feeling I got in Paris alone was similar to the old days of walking near an
undesireable neighborhood. You cross the street when anyone approachs.

Maybe the problem is that the American tourist stands out no matter how hard
he/she tries to blend in. Maybe's it the Nikes/Levis/etc. or how fast we
pull out our plastic. But 9 times out of 10, someone will usually speak 
English to you first and then wait to see if you answer in another language.

						Mickey Levine
						decvax!cca!mickey

P.S. I speak fluent Hebrew and my wife speaks fluent German. We DO try!