Anything to know about Paris

Anything to know about Paris?
I'm going to Paris in the spring and I've never been to France. Though I'm not very good, I'm in my third year of advanced French. Besides obvious things like electrical adapters, what should I know before I get there? Actually, speaking of adapters: I have adapters for Great Britain. Will they work for France? Any information at all is appreciated. Phrases, social and cultural no-nos, attire, common misconceptions, etc.
Paris - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Speak as much French as possible. Don't feel bad about not speaking French well. I have come across ppl (in many countries) who were supposed to be English teachers and they could barely speak English. The convertors for the UK will work for France BUT the prongs are different (France like most of western Europe) uses 2 round prongs (unlike the clunky one in the UK). Attire? Well fitting clothes. No tube tops, plunging necklines, baseball caps or jogging suits (except when you're jogging). Misconceptions? French ppl by and large do not wear berets (except for old farmers and veterans at D-Day ceremonies). When you order the prixe fixee lunch/dinner (you have a choice of items-- appetizer, main dish, dessert from a limited # of items) you will notice the words "Service Compris" meaning tip included. If you still leave a tip, you will look like a tourist as local ppl by and large would not. If you just order stuff from the menu, the restaurant will add "Service" (tip) which is typically 18%. This IS the tip so you should not "double tip" by adding another 15% (though unethical waiters want you to). By law, they cannot charge you for a napkin or a "seating charge". Also, if you request "une carafe d'eau" (tap water), they must provide this to you if you order food.
2 :
The French in general are more subdued, less boisterous, more formal, less familiar, and more reserved than Americans. Dial back the volume of your voice. Resist the urge to become instant friends with anyone you meet. Don't begin revealing the intimate details of your life to people you have just met. Address strangers with greater formality. Don't use the familiar (2nd person singular) with strangers. Say please and thank you whenever you even think it might be appropriate. Dress somewhat less colorfully than you might at home. Avoid loud colors. Choose muted tones. Avoid T-shirts with "clever" slogans. In cafes there is often a difference in price for an item purchased while standing at the bar (cheapest), sitting inside the cafe or sitting on the terrace (most expensive). Prices must be posted by law so look for a large card that will usually be in orange and white tacked up on the wall. One reason cafe prices seem so high is that it considered perfectly acceptable to buy a cup of coffee and then spend a couple of hours sitting at the table, watching the world go buy or writing the Great American Novel. In other words you are paying rent and not just for the coffee. Waiters will not come and hustle you to buy another drink or move on. While a service charge is included in the quoted price (NOT added on afterward) it is still the custom to leave some small change if service has been acceptable. If you're going to be in Paris for more than a day or two then pick a convenient cafe and make it a regular stop. You'll find that, assuming you behave well, you're quickly acknowledged as a "regular." Its really one of the joys of Paris to walk into "your" cafe, take your usual table and have the waiter give you a smile and ask "comme habitude?" (the usual?) And no, English and French plugs are different so you need a different adapter.
3 :
If you want information on french culture and life, you can connect on the site below...;enjoy information !!!! and enjoy your trip to paris !!!
4 :
Many, if not most of the people you will see around you will be tourists, Parisians tend to avoid the famous places precisely because they are full of tourists. But in case you meet French people, or go into a shop that isn't in a touristy place, there's a few rules of behaviour which will unlock the French politeness. Always say Bonjour when you talk to a French person, enter a shop or a café. You will get Bonjour back and can start asking for whatever you need. If you need information and stop someone in the street say bonjour, then 'excusez moi, pourriez vous m'aider'. That might sound ultra formal for Americans, it is normal politeness to us. I know, we are old fashioned. Do not expect a smile from a French person, we do not smile when we greet someone, we look politely attentive. This is not an insult but a polite greeting. You can smile (I am a smiler myself), but try not to grin. Tone down your voice and remember that French people understand more English that they make you believe (we are ashamed to speak and make mistakes when we're not fluent so we pretend not to speak English). Paris is a great city to visit but it is also a city where 2 millions people live and work, smack in the centre of a megapole of 12 millions people. So out of the tourist areas the people you will see won't have any interest in you. They are living their own life and tourists are just a bright noisy mass on the edge of it. As we are also living in a 12 millions megapole we are as open, smiling and welcoming as New Yorkers. There's no free refill in restaurants for drinks and coffee and in most fast food joints (I think I saw it once somewhere). If you go to McDonalds our BIG meals are the average ones you have in the US. There's nothing bigger. Same for drink size, you don't have the one liter drinks here. If you start chatting up with a French person there's a good chance that person will start talking politics. This is not an aggression, this is our favourite sport and we don't understand how other people don't share our pleasure in it. Just discuss back as good as you get, defend your point of view. British adapters won't work. Buy a French/European one at the airport. The US dollar if very weak against the Euro right now, expect the prices to be high once translated back into $ Apart from that, we do wash, we don't eat snails or frogs at every meal, the women shave their legs and armpits, we like Americans as a rule (not the ugly tourists) but hate Bush, we are Obama mad right now, the city is clean and you should try the sorbets and ice creams at Berthillon. Smaller scoops than US ones but delicious. Welcome to France
5 :
Not sure which country you are visiting from since you mention UK adaptors. UK plugs are quite different from French ones. You should be able to buy a relevant adaptor at the airport. You mention UK, so it is possible you are a tourist who is also visiting the UK, in which case you will find an adaptor at the Euro Tunnel shopping area or the Euro Star shopping area. In France I have only found adaptors in a very few select stores. French people speak a lot more English than they let on. Their English, when they choose to speak it, is very good. Certainly a lot better than English speakers trying to speak French! They love their language and love to hear foreigners at least attempt to speak it. So don't be shy, go ahead and practice your French.. they will love you for it. If you then get into difficulties trying to make yourself understood, they will be much more inclined to help you out by speaking English... if they speak it.
6 :
Paris is a wonderful city, with lots of things to offer, as in culture, architecture, history, etc., but it has downsides, too. Expect depressing metro stations that offer all kind of bad smells, from B.O. to urine, although the trains are fast and reliable. Expect very high restaurant prices not only in the touristic area. We just came back from Paris and we still make jokes about the stink and the prices. What a shame.

Richard Dawkins plans to have the Pope arrested if he visits Britain.

Richard Dawkins plans to have the Pope arrested if he visits Britain.?
Dawkins is working with his attorneys to find a way to put the Pope under arrest when he comes to Great Britain again. Do you believe Dawkins is acting out of concern for the welfare of innocent children? Or do you believe he is trying to further his attacks against faith in God?
Religion & Spirituality - 16 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It would be cynical to claim that Dawkins is only doing this to attack faith in God.
2 :
Self serving Dawkins attacks faith again. Duh.
3 :
Dawkins is acting out of concern for the welfare of innocent children. He is likely also trying to show more people how harmful religious belief can be. Is it sinking in yet?
4 :
Dawkins has his own agenda. He is just a very bitter angry man. Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
5 :
Dawkins is an idiot.
6 :
And then what? Have him deported? He's posturing.
7 :
i dont think hed do it for either of those reasons. the pope being in jail wouldnt prevent any sexual abuse. i think hed do it cuz everyone is supposed to have equal rights and no one is above the law. i dont know what exactly the pope did thats illegal but if he has broken the law then i see no reason why he shouldnt be put in jail.
8 :
Or you should never trust Rupert Murdoch.
9 :
what a disgusting piece of humanity, the pope i mean. he should be arrested. justice demands he pay for his crimes against innocent children. i only wish they had the death penalty in the uk. perhaps we could extradite him to texas, and dim the lights in huntsville with his sorry a s s.
10 :
Dawkins makes a living off the atheist cause. I doubt he has any sort of valid case. Besides, why would the Pope want to go to England? Can you say "publicity stunt"? Shouldn't Obama then be tried for supporting ACORN, an organization instrumental in his election which had to shut down due to promoting prostitution and voter fraud?
11 :
He should be. If it had been anyone else covering up so many crimes against children they would have been locked up and the key thrown away. Why should he be any different? He's a wicked old man.
12 :
I don't care if the pope gets arrested...but I don't see how he has been directly linked to any of the cover ups yet...Certainly clergy in the Vatican deserve to be arrested.
13 :
i think he has his own personal agenda, but if he has a case... then that is some really interesting information that the pope should know... by the way, tell him surprise attacks involve a key element, surprise.
14 :
He just wants to attack god since god is all for pedophilia...
15 :
I'd say both. Both are beneficial projects.
16 :
Oh dear yet another defensive christian surely?!! The Vatican is trying to say it is a "Zionist Plot"!! for goodness sake the catholic church has the largest pedophile ring in history and this is about saving the little children!!! Would any responsible adult leave a child alone with a priest? Surely the answer must be NO!! And that illustrates the damage the Vatican is doing with it's cover ups and excuses!! The Pope and the vatican in trying to cover up and limit the damage are doing the exact opposite and whilst leading the catholic church into ridicule and derision but are harming christianity as a whole!! An arrest and investigation would be good for the survival of the catholic church which at the moment appears bent on self destruction!!

please help on my home work on european history

please help on my home work on european history?
1. Teen deaths and economic stress led to what in france in 2005? 2.why did the u.s.s.r collapse and who was the last leader of the u.s.s.r 3.what european country had a civil war for most of the 1990's 4. what took place in 1998 in regard to the ireland conflict 5.what took place in spain 2004 and Great Britain 2005
Homework Help - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
1- Riots that lasted about one month. Many cars burned and much disorder on the street. Order was restored by military. 2- Economic weakness. Gorbatchev 3- Yugoslavia which broken into Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia... 4- Good Friday accords (peace between Unionist and IRA's parlementary wing) 5- Terrorist attacks. By Maghreb immigrants in Spain and home grown terrorists in Britain

i'm curious as to how immigrant healthcare in Britain works.n who in society struggles to get healthcare

i'm curious as to how immigrant healthcare in Britain works.n who in society struggles to get healthcare?
other than the homeless? opinions on immigrant healthcare would be great too
Immigration - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Legal immigrants may get something -if they have job they will contribute to NHS and get health care. All others have to go for private or charity (if any).
2 :
Everybody gets free emergency healthcare in the UK ..Its a basic human right...
3 :
Every body get free emergency care but you have to reside in the country for 6 months to get normal PCP or GP health care.