OK I give in.......re Little England

[Rabbie]

 I am sorry to hear about your cancer, Rose. I hope things are going well for you.  

The tone of commentary on the program betrays the fact that it is meant as entertainment rather than documentary but that is symptomatic of UK TV nowadays

[Rose]

Norman - I reckon you've been way more brave than me!  I do hope that things are going well for you at the moment xx

Rabbie - I'm very well indeed thank you and my cancer is totally under control.

I agree with you both about the tone of the programme - it couldn't be classed as a documentary, nor really a fly-on the wall as there is a lot of editing.  I see it as light entertainment and to be honest I did think this when I agreed to take part.

I can see that the programme could create a false impression of life in France .. and certainly of the Dordogne.  It suggests that there are wall to wall brits and that for example language skills may not be needed as it really is Little England.

In reality if I go to our local market I generally only hear French voices (unless it's high summer and full of tourists of all nationalities), the hospitals and doctors speak french, my information is in French, my son is the only non-french child in college... and so on.  There may be plenty of Brits here (nowhere near 20,000 though) but the Dordogne is a very large department and certainly it is still very French. 

There are many Brits who already live in France who are convinced that the Dordogne is wall to wall brits, with expats on ever corner and fish and chips in every village, so goodness only know what folks think in the UK... when they decide to live here they could quite possibly be dissappointed.

Having said that I still enjoy watching... simply for the cinematography and because it's interesting to see what other folks are up to. I also get the impression from friends back in the UK that they watch it for much the same reasons... folks have said it reminds them of holidays and they like spotting places they've visited.

I do think it would be interesting to have a programme that did show a few more of the realities of life over here, a proper documentary, that took a more serious approach, without the voice-over too ... but having said that it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom... France doesn't create life's problems - business fail, folks get ill, neighbours can be horrible and beauracracy can be a nightmare all over the world... maybe that's why folks like a bit of escapism with programmes like Little England? 

[kiss]

[Gardengirl]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"][quote user="NormanH"]"in 91% of all households in the UK, everyone speaks English. That's

despite the fact that in London alone, 37% of residents are not UK born.

And, regrettably, that is a thing upon which far too many native

English speakers rely as they travel or relocate across the globe. What I

can't understand is why those who can't won't or simply don't make the

effort are so bloody proud of the fact."

Come on betty, we all know that these people are immigrants so they bl**dy well should learn English!

Brits in France on the other hand are 'expats', so the French should bl**dy well speak English to them.

[6]

[/quote]

At the risk of treading a well-worn furrow...Do people ever wonder what happens if a Chinese person arrives in France, or a Russian, or a Swede? Is there, somewhere, a corner of cyberspace with forums for these people, where they go to ask if anyone in Trou Perdu knows Chinese/Russian/Swedish speaking dentist/doctor/hairdresser/car mechanic? Or do they perhaps simply heave a sigh, and get busy learning French?

[/quote]

Funny you should mention that, Betty; we know somebody who goes to French classes at the Université Populaire. He's a total beginner (his wife says she doesn't want any help - she'll just get on by herself, but so far only seems to know 'poubelle'), and was put in a specially arranged new class for just him and a Chinese person, who didn't know any French or any English! He reckoned it was all pretty much a waste of time, and is relieved to have been put with others instead. This couple do spend most of their time socialising with other English people, many of whom can speak French to a greater or lesser extent. I told them of a really nice chap in our branch of AVF , who has begun to take a group each Friday morning for total beginners - and once you've paid your annual fee of about €23, anything you choose to attend is free. They don't want to know.

This kind volunteer is a really pleasant chap, very friendly and accommodating, who sits there every Friday morning and waits to see if anyone turns up. Sometimes nobody does, so he sits and reads his newspaper; English people he was expecting don't bother to email or phone to say they can't make it, which makes me feel ashamed. Mind you, we find the same thing with French people, who mostlydon't let us know they can't make it to an English group we take; but we have 25 in the group, so there are always plenty attending, whereas he only has about 4 on his list.

[Gardengirl]

Nice to read you, Rose! It was interesting to hear that they seemed interested in you and cancer and even followed it up with your appointment. But as you say, they were probably out more for the light touch side of things.

Hope you're keeping well, and that your lovely son is still enjoying school, rugby - and classic cars! OH and I have just been down memory lane about our lovely group lunch together on Cooperlola's tour, and our splendid time afterwards spent chez-toi having long chats and eating lots of your delicious cakes!

[Rose]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

Hope you're keeping well, and that your lovely son is still enjoying school, rugby - and classic cars! OH and I have just been down memory lane about our lovely group lunch together on Cooperlola's tour, and our splendid time afterwards spent chez-toi having long chats and eating lots of your delicious cakes!

[/quote]

All going well thanks - and yes it was a lovely day.  Maybe we should arrange something else next year when you and Just John, Sweets and all are around... we can raise a glass to toast the lovely coops too

xx

[Gardengirl]

[quote user="Rose"][quote user="gardengirl "]

Hope you're keeping well, and that your lovely son is still enjoying school, rugby - and classic cars! OH and I have just been down memory lane about our lovely group lunch together on Cooperlola's tour, and our splendid time afterwards spent chez-toi having long chats and eating lots of your delicious cakes!

[/quote]

All going well thanks - and yes it was a lovely day.  Maybe we should arrange something else next year when you and Just John, Sweets and all are around... we can raise a glass to toast the lovely coops too

xx

[/quote]

Lovely idea, Rose. We all met through Cooperlola that day. A toast together sounds splendid. Would JJ be wearing his head, I wonder?!

[just john]

[quote user="gardengirl "][quote user="Rose"][quote user="gardengirl "]
Hope you're keeping well, and that your lovely son is still enjoying school, rugby - and classic cars! OH and I have just been down memory lane about our lovely group lunch together on Cooperlola's tour, and our splendid time afterwards spent chez-toi having long chats and eating lots of your delicious cakes!
[/quote]

All going well thanks - and yes it was a lovely day.  Maybe we should arrange something else next year when you and Just John, Sweets and all are around... we can raise a glass to toast the lovely coops too

xx
[/quote]

Lovely idea, Rose. We all met through Cooperlola that day. A toast together sounds splendid. Would JJ be wearing his head, I wonder?!
[/quote]

[:P] Unlikely Gardengirl [:D] I lent it to someone who wore it to a party, everyone wanted a go and it 'disappeared';
but that shouldn't stop us getting together again, and drinking a toast to Coops too.
ps. Yours was the most entertaining bit of Little England Rose [8-|]

 

[Rose]

[quote user="just john "]

ps. Yours was the most entertaining bit of Little England Rose [8-|]

[/quote]

[:$]