Au sommaire ;-) :
Direct Marketing
Polish and Poles
Self representation and intercultural communication
DIRECT MARKETING
It's incredible how many leaflets and ads you have to take every day. You are constatly harrassed by these distributors (the most aggressive being the thousands of language schools).
The worse spot is at the entrance of the university, where, some days ago, i was almost forced to eat some dry sausage !
Two days ago, i was waiting for the tram when one arrived, but with really loud music ... impossible to get in : there were bodyguards !
Indeed it was a "defile" tram : some fashion chicks came out, made a defile just in front of the tram stop, handed out ads for a new shopping centre, and went back to the tram, til the next stop !
I always sympathise for the poor-poncho-guy who has to stand with a board advertising a mexican restaurant ... well my conclusion is that he's cheaper than buying a billboard space. And what is more worrying : i saw a panel which required two guys to hold it ...are advertising board that expensive ?!!!!
POLISH AND POLES
Ok, polish language is quite hard to learn, but what is great is that the Poles are very encouraging. They always try to understand with really good will what you want to say (i feel a bit ashamed for France cause i think most of people are less sympathising with foreigners there).
Can you imagine : some days ago i tried to find some Patafix (this yellow sticky paste to glue things on walls without taking their paint off) ...and went throughout Krakow trying to explain in Polish what it was ! And it's not so common here, so most of people really had no idea what i was talking about !
Some days ago i bought a Kebab and ordered in Polish... the woman asked me some "tricky" question about it (like "how spicy ?") and so she eventually understood that i was a foreigner. Then she looked really friendly, and willing to please me, she put a loooooot of sauce, then some salad. then a loooooot of sauce again, then meat, the a looooooooot of sauce .... and i was feeling like saying "stop it pleaaase" but i just couldn't find a polite way to say it in Polish, so i just got a sickening (does this word exist?) kebab !
Oh .... i must also try to remember how to say "without loads of fat please" in Polish because i forget it all the time and it will soon get a matter of survival. They always put some kind of "oil" on anything you get to eat, just before serving it.
Last time at the student canteen, i was not quick enough to react, but when the old lady saw my tortured face when she poured a big spoon (louche) of this greasy stuff on the mashed potatoes, she understood and kindly made another plate for me. 
SELF REPRESENTATION AND INTER-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
You may know that representation and self representation of nations is "my cup of tea" (i will even write my diploma research paper on it).... so of course i am sensitive to it in Poland.
The question i've been asked several times :
By germans : "As a French, what do you think about the germans" ...what a weired question ! Usually followed by series of recriminations and questions about French people always sticking together in an international environement ..."well except you of course"
Some Poles to whom i had talked only one minute asked "What do you think about Poles" ... and when i answer that i really like how helpful they are, and always trying to understand me and encourage to speak polish and so on they said "yeah ? that's the first time i hear that ! Usually people say we're cold!"
Cold ? Come on !
Other questions i've been asked :
But why the hell could someone want to learn Polish ?
(there is also the same version but with "study in Poland")
I am very surpised how "un-proud" of their culture polish people seem to be. I mean in Paris it seems the Polish community is much more a summ of individuals caring about themselves than a "community", and they don't want to be related with Polish stuff (like : they don't know a lot of polish people, don't know where the polish cultural centre is and so on)
And here it's like : "polish music ? Naaa , crappy. Polish litterature ? Naaaa.. i don't like it (except for the famous and adored Mickiewicz) Polish comics ? Stupid". and so on and so on.
Well ok, maybe it's just the people i met who're like that. I don't know.
But at the same time, Poles are quite interested in the image they convey and ask about it.
"Don't think that Polish people are always drunk. People abroad think that" :by some one who had had a few vodkas at a party.
Actually i really think Polish people don't seem to drink a lot. I would say "much less than a "breton" " (come on "bretons", i'm joking ! don't be upset
"Are people in France affraid by Poles?"
Well er ... no. I mean i don't think so.
Ok French people help me : people often ask me what is the stereotype and representation of Poland and the Poles in France. Any idea ?
