Handbags

- How do you see the French character in general?
"Paris Syndrome" leaves tourists in shock Mon Oct 23, 12:53 AM ET PARIS (Reuters) - Around a dozen Japanese tourists a year need psychological treatment after visiting Paris as the reality of unfriendly locals and scruffy streets clashes with their expectations, a newspaper reported on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENT "A third of patients get better immediately, a third suffer relapses and the rest have psychoses," Yousef Mahmoudia, a psychologist at the Hotel-Dieu hospital, next to Notre Dame cathedral, told the newspaper Journal du Dimanche. Already this year, Japan's embassy in Paris has had to repatriate at least four visitors -- including two women who believed their hotel room was being bugged and there was a plot against them. Previous cases include a man convinced he was the French "Sun King", Louis XIV, and a woman who believed she was being attacked with microwaves, the paper cited Japanese embassy official Yoshikatsu Aoyagi as saying. "Fragile travellers can lose their bearings. When the idea they have of the country meets the reality of what they discover it can provoke a crisis," psychologist Herve Benhamou told the paper. The phenomenon, which the newspaper dubbed "Paris Syndrome", was first detailed in the psychiatric journal Nervure in 2004. Bernard Delage of Jeunes Japon, an association that helps Japanese families settle in France, said: "In Japanese shops, the customer is king, whereas here assistants hardly look at them ... People using public transport all look stern, and handbag snatchers increase the ill feeling." A Japanese woman, Aimi, told the paper: "For us, Paris is a dream city. All the French are beautiful and elegant ... And then, when they arrive, the Japanese find the French character is the complete opposite of their own."

A Hi, as I'm a french woman, I hope my opinion will be usefull. I heard about this problem in french press. There are some information I'd like to give. I can read a lot of awful things about France and french people in american forums. Many of them are pure racism, or are based on false facts, and it's a pity. Of course, a lot of tourists imagine our country in a very different way from reality. France is not a dream-like country with only romantic and refined people ! We just have as much stupid and agressive people as anywhere else on this planet... One very important thing : people must understand that some parisian people never travel out from Paris, just work and become stressed and narrow-minded persons. Those people use to be unpleasant, but you can't generalise and say that french people are unpleasant ! Japanese often have a very special idea of our country, and when they meet that kind of people, they can get very disappointed. Many people also think that french people are unpleasant or arrogant because they don't try to speak in english or any other language that french. Actually this is a totally different problem. Linguistic teaching system in french schools is quite inappropriate. As a consequence, very few french people, particularly people that are more than 40, are able to speak english with someone, even badly (just like me, I'm sorry but at least I'm trying to communicate). Please, don't think that we are as unpleasant people as some tv shows are trying to make american people think. If you ever visit France, don't only visit Paris, discover Brittany, Normandy, south coast, meet different people, try to communicate with french people, don't give up if you're unlucky with some stupid persons, and I'm sure you'll see that we're not as different as you, not as different as any other people.

- I have an interview at the US embassy in London for a visa...anyone had one before? I have some questions!?
So I'm going to camp this summer and I have to attend a visa interview in March. I was wondering what happens at this interview/ questions to expect? How many hours will I be there? Did anyone take their mobile? it's going to be very very boring with all the waiting and nothing to do... Can you take handbags?..is there restrictions to what you can take with you? How do you get to the embassy from kings cross train station? and is there many shops nearby? (going to try and drag some friends but I don't want them bored waiting for me) Has anyone waited in the queue with a friend? I read that your not supposed to wait with anyone but are they really that strict? I'm just trying to think of how I'm going to pass all the time waiting.. Thank you in advance =)

A -Hours depend on how many they've scheduled at your time slot... expect to be there at least/about 3 hours, -No, you cannot take your mobile with you. They're absolutely strict about that. The only thing you can bring in with you are your documents for the interview... and maybe your keys and your wallet. Certainly no electronics! Not even a handheld game or an iPod. -No, they do not allow handbags anymore in the consulate. What you can do is bring a big clear plastic envelope that you can put your wallet and other personal stuff in together with your documents. If you bring your purse with you, they make you leave it somewhere. -I don't know about this... sorry, -No, you cannot wait with a friend... unless that friend has an appointment with the consulate herself. Yes, they are that strict and do not be surprised if they bark orders at you!