Why must a french person always be late? Is it really necessary to NEVER be on time in this country? I'm directing this mostly at my professors. What exactly are they doing that requires them to arrive late every week? The topper came this week when my professor for comparitive political institutions arrived a whopping 25 minutes late for class, and what is really even more insane, is that I only saw two people get up and leave because he was so late. Has no one hear heard of the five minute rule! I almost had to inact the specially formulated, specifically for France, 30 minute rule in which I only wait 30 minutes for a class to start and if the Prof doesn't show in 30 minutes, well, as the french would say, tant pis, his loss. I think I have one, no two, professors who show up on time and attempt to begin class within the first 15 minutes of the appropriately designated hour. Most of the students come in late to those classes, I'm sure because they figured the prof wouldn't arrive on time and they could have one more cigarette before having to spend two hours sitting in an uncomfortable seat taking notes from a man who just sits at a desk and talks, looking almost as bored as the students.
Which brings me to another subject, the cigarette break. Now, classes here in France generally run for two hours and the prof is not required by any government statute to give us a break at the end of the first hour, so many don't. What is funny about this is that most students expect this break, and believe me, most of the time we need it. Me, I need it to wake myself up, go down to the vending machines, and get a cup of what has to be the best coffee every produced by a vending machine. The French, well, they need it for a cigarette. What makes this really funny is when we don't get the break. I remember the first time we didn't get the break in the middle of my French Economy class. The fidgeting got so loud I thought the prof was going to have a hissy fit. You could almost hear every student thinking, "Why isn't he giving us a break? Doesn't he know I need this break? I can't smoke here, what on earth am I going to do if I can't have my cigarette? No break? I can't deal! Help!" Yeah, well, it goes something like that. Anyway, they get all pissed because some snooty politics know-it-all is keeping them from their nicotine. It has to be one of the funniest things I have seen in my recent years. I'm surprised the government here hasn't mandated the nicotine break yet. It would cut down on a lot of noise in the classroom and the French would all be a little calmer and the beginning of every hour.
Conclusion du jour: never worry about being late for ANYTHING in France 'cause the only thing that is on time is the train (and even that is negotionable) and watch out for a Frenchie who has missed their cigarette break, things could turn deadly.

First off, I am terribly sorry for having let this site go but I was on vacation for a week and then was hanging out with my dad and brother who were wonderful and made the trip all over the big blue ocean just to see me!!!!!!! So I spent my week winter break in Scotland and England and all I can say is I love that island. First they had Starbucks. I know, I know, it is a horrible world-wide organisation that is throwing mom-and-pop coffee shops out on the street, but have you had a carmel frappocino? I mean really, who can deny themselves that after trying it? They are sinful they are so good. And it was just so nice to speak to someone and not have to think out the entire conversation before doing so, though we still had problems with people understanding us. It appears that no one in England or Scotland is really from England or Scotland. Everywhere we went, be it our hostels, restaurants, or museums, the person rarely appeared to be a native english speaker. That just seemed so strange and it became a problem because those people had all learned "British English" (said with your nose turned up and a slightly snooty accent) and we spoke "americn english" (said with a disgusted look but still the snooty accent), which these people just were not accustomed to. Finally, one night, we just started speaking to the waiter in French because he was from one of France's old african colonies.
Conclusion: if you want to be understood, stick to the US and learn a lot of languages if you go to england 'cause no one really speaks english.