Stop and Stare or just Nosey ?
By jason1308
@jason1308 (1586)
France
March 28, 2009 6:07pm CST
For the last eight years I have lived in France and noticed that a lot of the French just Stop, and literally Stare.
For example, in our village there is an oldish chap who whenever you drive past his house at any time of the day seems to be always stood on his doorstep just staring. Staring at what, I don't know, but staring nether or less.
yesterday I was waiting for my daughter at school in the Main Town, and again another chap was once again stood on the pavement staring , this time at two cars. He would look at one and then the other for no apparent reason.
Today when I was at the supermarket, I was just putting the shopping in the car, and out of the corner of my eye, yes you guessed it, another chap looking directly at me loading up the car, he wasn't even discreet.
When I lived in the United Kingdom, I never noticed this, and was wondering if this happens where you live ? Is this Normal ? Or am I being just Daft ?
2 people like this
8 responses
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Thanks for your reply, Danizzle and may I also say welcome to MyLot, I hope that you will enjoy yourself on here and make plenty of friends as well.
Although I don't wave at them, I sometimes will try and stare them out, but I give up, they seem to be in a world of their own, so best leave them in it.
Happy Mylotting 
@irdeano (7)
•
29 Mar 09
I currently live in the U.K. and I think people do things like this more secretly so people don't know they're being nosey. I've been to France quite regularly on holidays and I have noticed how people over there do be nosey in a more obvious way, maybe because of my poor French!
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Hi there irdeano, thanks for your reply and may I also say welcome to MyLot, I hope that you will enjoy yourself on here and make plenty of friends as well.
I am from the UK myself, and although it is a while since I have been back, I cannot remember people being so blatant with it.
Yes you always had the curtain twitches, but a guy in my village spends what looks like the whole day stood on the doorstep, he doesn't even bother to sit, staring at nothing. It is not as if we are a busy village and he watching the traffic pass by.
Happy MyLotting
@coldmoon (1088)
• France
29 Mar 09
Hi Jason, I've lived in France as long as you, but I've never found something as weird as you said about French. Maybe since I live in a tourist city, the natives get aquainted to foreigners.
My French friends said that the Frenchs and the Englishmen don't like much each other, I don't know but that may explain why they behave strangely when they hear you speaking English. The young men can understand, but the old chap might not.
One day, my cousin who came from the US visited me, and I took her to the countryside. When the farmers heard her speaking English, they asked me if she came here to star in a film. It's funny.
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Thanks coldmoon for your reply, and although the French do stare when My family speak English, I expect this, even nowadays with so many of them learning English, but I am more on about the older generation who just stare at everything that is happening or sometimes not happening around them.
Happy Mylotting
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Thanks Fortunata for your response, I wouldn't like to generalize and say the French were Rude, in most cases especially where I live they seem to fall over themselves to be helpful and nice to us, but like you, I was always taught not to Stare at others as well.
I wouldn't mind, but they make it so obvious.
Happy MyLotting
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
29 Mar 09
Hi Jason
I was born and partly grew up in Italy and as mysdianait said it is a common thing amongst older people; they don't seem to have anything better to do. It seems to be a very ignorant and rude thing and I don't know if there are any specific reasons why they do it. I know having spent part of my childhood in Italy and the other in Australia that (mass generalisation coming up) in Italy they are not big on manners and the older generation especially can behave quite ignorantly.
The French I have encountered while travelling were generally arrogant and rude although having said that years ago we made friends with a fellow traveller who was French and very nice.
I don't think you are being daft I've been to Italy and France and they do blatantly stare, politeness does not seem as important to them whereas in Australia it is considered rude to stare.
@gjsmile616 (62)
• China
29 Mar 09
I do not know why the french man like staring ,I am only staring on the beautiful things.May it is a custom
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Thanks gjsmile for your response, I don't know either why a French man stares, but it seems to happen also in Italy as well, as fellow Mylotters above have commented.
Happy MyLotting
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
29 Mar 09
HiJason!
You know we are neighbours right?
Here in Italy the older folks do the same thing too. Not the younger ones but it is very common to see older people just staring. They stare at anything and everything and I would love to know what they are thinking about while they stare so hard. I can understand them staring at people but not at parked cars and lamp posts! At the market and in the shops I see husbands staring into thin air while their womenfolk do the shopping. They have such a blank look about them too. I too don't remember seeing the same thing in UK. Thought they do talk a lot there too!
@jason1308 (1586)
• France
29 Mar 09
Thanks for your reply, you do make me chuckle, I am glad the whole staring thing isn't restricted just To France, perhaps it is just continental Europe ?
It is strange that it is just the men though, although where I live they seem to be stuck in a bit of a time warp, so the women are busy dashing around doing the chores and the men just have time to stare.
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
29 Mar 09
Sometimes I go to the city and just watch people go about their daily life, it puts things in perspective, sometimes we are too busy doing things and don't take time to slow down and watch life. You could be a completely boring and random person but to some your life might interest them because sometimes ordinary is interesting to watch.
