Etiquette of addressing a letter to school?

[NormanH]

[quote user="Daft Doctor"]

Thank god I'm not actually going to be practicing Medicine when I'm there, just the informal consultations to fend off!  As far as getting into Medical School and qualifying goes, the UK mainly does its selection at Medical School entry, with vast majority of students qualifying eventually, even if some retake a year.  Perhaps its kinder to disappoint at the outset, rather than whip away an opportunity 2 or 3 years down the line?  In my day, 3 B's at A level and being a level-headed decent person was enough to get you in (albeit you had to fight off and average of 6 others if you wanted an offer of a place).  These days to get in you have to sit an online personality/attitudinal test, get 3 A*s at A level, and at least have done a voluntary spell at a Vietnamese field hospital or similar to bolster out your 'personal statement' on your UCAS form.  My colleagues and I often say that we wouldn't stand a chance of getting in now, but I suppose you do what you have to do at the time. 

I can see that I will have to reign in my tongue-in-cheek sense of humour when I am over in France, some of it at least will be completely lost and probably adversely miscontrued.   I guess my air stewardess patient who used to avoid lewd jokes, etc by telling people who enquired of what she did for a living that she 'worked in aluminium tubing' would face the same problem!

Thanks to you kind people at least I now have four France-specific conditions to watch out for and can nod knowledgably if they are brought up in conversation.  Must learn the equivalent of 'its just a virus' or 'pull yourself together'....................................

[/quote]

100 % correct.

Until you are very fluent don't even consider trying irony or self-depreciation. When you are good enough to consider it, drop the idea. French irony when it exists is a very different beast.

If you say 'just not a very good one' they will take it literally, and rather than them seeing the joke you will just get a reputation as a failure in life.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Daft Doctor"]

I can see that I will have to reign in my tongue-in-cheek sense of humour when I am over in France, some of it at least will be completely lost and probably adversely miscontrued.  

[/quote]

Yep. Not least when dealing with the expat mob.

[Chancer]

[quote user="idun"]

Chancer I thought that the andropause was the male menopause????????  [8-)]           [:D]         [:-))]

[/quote]

Yes it is, just a perfectly natural gradual not even perceptible loss of sex drive as a man gets older, none of the grief that you girls go through which can also hide more serious conditions yet the menopause is probably the one thing that a French doctor is likely to say doesnt exist and that you should pull yourself together.

Whereas if an 85 year old man were to consult him on his lack of sex drive then all the forces possible would be mobilised for the poor chap including loads of sympathy.

[idun]

I cannot remember any french female friends telling me that our drs were other than helpful with menopausal problems.

 

I would suppose that reduced sex drive would be perceptible depending on who the man in question was with. Ladies do notice these things; some may be thankful, delighted even, some maybe indifferent, and some may be feeling rather or even very disappointed. I have a feeling use it or lose it works with these things.

Now my take on the male menopause is not from the sexual angle at all............ I see the inset of the grumpy old men syndrome, they sit together, usually with a glass or two and whinge about the world, this is in France and the UK I've found little difference in either country.[:-))]