It’s summer and if you live in a place where tourists gravitate, you can’t help but encounter some people who ask some very dumb questions. If they’re from a different country, they may not even speak your language. Nor will you speak theirs.
Are you going to assume your welcome wagon best behavior or run the other way? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” is sometimes easier said than done.
Living in Paris is an eye-opener. The city is inundated by people from so many different countries that there’s no rule when it comes defining someone’s nationality, unless they’re wearing native garb. You know who’s of Asian descent. But they could easily be from the U.S. or anywhere else for that matter.
Parisians (supposedly) leave the city in the summer. Not all of them do and there are many of us who wouldn’t consider fleeing. Who wants to fight for hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and, if you’re in a trendy place, parking spaces to get into the grocery store lot. A vacation should be a vacation and not an exercise about who’s the fittest when it comes to fighting crowds.
If we don’t have school-age children, we take off before or after, the masses return. One of our favorite games is spotting tourists and betting on who’s from where. This is usually done at a cafe near a metro stop so we can see our subjects as soon as they hit street level.
How not to look like a tourist?
We’re OK because we know better, right? We know—and we care—so we don’t stick out like sore-thumbs, like … well, tourists.
But there are plenty who don’t know, don’t care and frankly don’t give a damn; and probably (I hate to say it) wouldn’t know how to dress for the situation or the occasion. After all, what’s wrong with wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip-flops in a big city?
Throw a camera around your neck. Don’t forget the backpack. Be sure to wear a baseball hat. You’ll be noticed. If you’re waving a map and have that desperate “I am lost look” on your face, people will surmise you have little to no idea of where you are or your destination.
If a group is following someone who’s carrying a flag and looking authoritarian, there’s no question they’re tourists. When a couple is fighting (what’s in male DNA that causes most men not to ask directions?), chances are excellent they’re also tourists.
You’ll usually hear them before you’ll see them. They tend to be louder (especially those in groups) when they’re in other countries. This is especially true of Americans. But no nationality is exempt. Perhaps it’s because they’re convinced no one understands them and if they speak at a higher decibel level, they’ll make themselves clear(er)?
How do you cope with tourists?
How are you going to deal with these strangers from foreign lands? Are you going to stop and give them directions, take them to their destination, draw a map on a napkin and hope it doesn’t tear, or pretend you don’t speak the language?
The tourist phenomenon is by no means confined to places other than the U.S. Many New Yorkers voice they’re invariably surprised when people show up dressed as if they’re going to the beach. One friend commented that he wonders whether or not they bring goggles to get a better view of the city’s “weird” inhabitants.
Residents do contract tourist fatigue. When I first arrived in Paris (and actually began to get my geographic bearings and might even be able to give people directions that were on the mark), I’d speak to anyone and everyone who was muttering in English, looking at a map, and offer my services.
It dawned on me that I was so eager to speak English that I was delighted to help. It was the least I could do, and as a self-proclaimed representative of the French Government tourist office, I felt a responsibility.
Twenty-two years later, I must admit I’m no longer always as charitable. If I’m in a rush or late for a meeting, I’ll smile and say I don’t speak English or aren’t from the quartier (neighborhood), which is standard operating procedure, especially in Paris. It’s better for someone to admit to not knowing the area than sending you in the opposite direction hither and yon. Good manners would preclude me from asking for their identity papers or following them home to find out they live around the corner. Besides, it’s none of my business, merci.
I try not to be hard-nosed because I so vividly recall my days of being lost in the City of Light. And to be honest, if I’m not in my immediate neighborhood or one that I frequent often, you’ll find me peering at a map or a plan de Paris. I am contemplating activating the GPS function on my cell phone, but that feels as if I’m giving in and why isn’t it free?
When people ask for directions, I’m ever so thrilled when Anglophones ask them in French and then compliment me on my excellent English when I respond. I always debate whether or not I should admit to being an American in Paris.
What do you do if you live in a tourist Mecca no matter where it is? Do you accord strangers (and lost souls) acts of kindness? Or do you run in the other direction? Do you give them wardrobe advice? Or tell them it is illegal to photograph the Eiffel Tower? Or just cross the street? When all is said and done, it’s a question of etiquette. Non?
Post your solutions:
Please list all the ways you help newcomers — if you do. Plus, how would you appreciate being treated if the situation were reversed? Is there an easy way to be a tourist unless you have a car and a driver who speaks your language?
What preparations should you have made prior to your trip? Do you think people will be carrying IPads or another electronic equivalent to help them navigate? Will people walk around holding language translations devices?
Traveling can be challenging whether or not it’s simply for fun. How are some of the ways you de-stress the experience? Any and all tips are appreciated because when I’m not in Paris, I am frequently on the road with “tourist” engraved on my forehead.
Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris.
Karen Fawcett loves to travel anywhere. Karen was a founder & president BonjourParis.com while living in Paris for more than 25 years. She has traveled across Europe and the rest of the world. She is now based in Washington, DC.
