I dont think messenger would help a lot- as I said- I can read French already... funny thing is scientific papers are easier for me to read in French than their newspapers- guess it isnt too surprising, since science, for convienience, has a large number of words that have become universal...

I could speak French enough to get around when I was lost in paris, and no end of parisians were climbing over eachother to try and help... One guy took me to a closed bank, it was well after dark, and fought and cursed at the guard until he let us in and use the bank phone...

I think, and studies back this up, that most of the reason for 'the French are rude' myth is that they have a different definition of 'personal space'... every time I got into a 1-on-1 discussion with someone in france I felt crowded, they would get rirght up in your face- it wasnt rudeness, just a different concept of what was acceptable... Nevertheless, when I had conversations with people over there I found myself backing across the room as the conversation progressed and the speaker followed me...

Again it was just natural for them, but 18" too close for an american... To be honest I can only recall one incident where I was treated in an irrationally hostile manner in France- a pizza place in a small town - I sat down at a table by a couple with their baby.. I totally flubbed ordering in french and tried to tip the waitress... (a big no-no)... as I finished my drink and meal I could pick up just enough conversation to know the couple was having a derogatory discussion about me- and their glares made their opinion about this american obvious, (I did look like shit having worked an extremely long day, but didnt justify hostility).

Just before I left, their baby got rambuncksious and kicked the table and toppled its high chair, I jumped up and stopped it before it came down... Their attitude towards me changed quite a bit...

NOW I wonder if a French person were to try to live in our country today for a couple of months-especially if their english was as bad as my french- could they say their worst experience with irrational bigotry was as innoccuous as mine? Mind you this is a country that got so silly with its anger at the french that some places started renaming french fries 'freedom fries'....

I saw many problems with French politics and culture, but I see many problems with ours... They just have different problems... In some ways they are better, and in some ways they are worse... On the whole I would say we are equally flawed- Just in different ways...I can't say I have dealt with someone from France personally that I didnt like.