Many countries dislike each other simply because of neighboring borders.
Canada and America seem to share a mutual dislike for each other for no
particular reason apart from the fact that they share a border. The same
could be said for Australia and New Zealand; they have never had a notable
conflict but thanks to their geographical proximity they have always shared
a fierce rivalry.
The state of affairs between England and France is something more than
dislike, slightly stronger than a rivalry. They don’t even share a border. 26
miles of the English Channel separates England and France yet the enmity
shared by these two nations is unrivaled by any. But why? History has the
answers…..
The Napoleonic war was won by the English in Waterloo; the Battle of 1066
was won by the French in Hastings; the Allies fought the Germans on French
soil at Dunkirk, without help from the French. Each generation it seems has
had a reason to dislike the French. After 15 wars spanning over
800 years, countless invasions, and a strong whiff of garlic across
the Channel, it’s no wonder France hasn’t always found itself on top of
England’s Christmas card list.
Since I was young, I was always given the impression that French people
were arrogant, pompous and rude. Never having experienced France alone, I
was willing to convey this stereotype as my own viewpoint. A skinny, garlic
eating artist wearing a beret and stripy t shirt sporting an oversized, over-
groomed moustache. Sounds about right to a 12 year old boy.
My first lone airplane trip was to Paris aged 18; I wanted to see for
myself! Prior to leaving I was told how expensive Paris was, how it smelt
terrible and how disdainful Parisians were of tourists. Apparently the French
hold little patience with bumbling Englishman like Myself, unable to string a
sentence together. I was to meet my Girlfriend Maria from Cattalica, Italy. It
was hard enough trying to understand each other; being in France was
another matter altogether.
The first hours in Paris were shrouded in confusion, this new city looming
over us, dark alleys secreting smoky jazz music, crowds of people like ants
rushing to their destinations. Lost, we stumbled upon an information booth.
To my surprise and delight the operator spoke English. He showed us the
route home on a small map, the kind you get at museums or theme parks. Of
course we went the wrong way, the operator sprung from his position “Wait,
wait”. He explained much slower this time and sent us on our way as if he
was a mother, sending her child to the first day of school. This was my first
experience of courtesy in Paris. Was the operator just doing his Job? Or
was this an Act of compassion? Was this Frenchman, taught over
generations to repel the English, actually showing concern for his Anglo-Gaul
comrade? I wasn’t sure at this point; all I could think about was
sleep.
New Year’s Eve is a celebration embraced by every big city in the world. One
of the most synonymous images of this celebration is fireworks
illuminating the Eiffel tower when the clock strikes 12. The Tour Eiffel’s
beauty revealed by this festive, colorful milieu. I remember thinking how
different this place would have been in 1941,42 and 43 under German
occupation. Oppressed, the citizens of Paris probably sat at home scared for
their lives. Now it is one of the most liberalized places in the western world.
The juxtaposition between old and new is more noticeable in Paris than in
any other city in Europe. Over the following days I visited the Louvre, Notre
Dame, and the arc de triumph; none are more than Ten minutes apart. They
seem to merge into the fast Parisian life as high risers do in Manhattan or red
buses in London. The American poet Allen Gisburg once said “You can't escape
the past in Paris, and yet what's so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle
so intangibly that it doesn't seem to burden”. And it’s this fact that made me realize
that it’s us, the English who have a problem with France and not vice versa.
We are a nation that dwells on our past in comparison to the French who do
not. Still deep in the English psyche are the world wars; we still attach
stigma to Germany, Italy and France due to their misgivings in a war that
was in the last century.
Monarchy is the best example of England’s inability to free itself
from the shackles of its past. The Monarch in England holds less power than
a low order government cabinet minister in parliament yet they are still paid
tax payer’s money to travel the world and live in luxury. I personally believe
that it is time for England to grow with our tradition rather than to continue
to adhere to its principles which often carry connotations of stubbornness,
arrogance and racism. England’s citizens are proud and fierce in their
defense of the monarch. How apt it is that the first King of England was a Frenchman.
Visiting France helped me to dispel the common misconceptions about the French that
are rife within British society. When I returned to London came across an
English tourist booth operator. He was extremely distant and had very little
patience with me. Suddenly the meeting with the French booth operator held more
resonance. It made me realized that courtesy is relevant to the individual and
not to nationality.

Another thing that struck me about Paris was the diversity of other Europeans
visiting. Italians, German’s and Russians scattered the city like decorations on a
Christmas tree. The Italians were there for the shopping, the Germans for the Culture
and the Russians to explore their newfound freedom. Seeing this changed the way I
viewed Europe and myself. I felt happy that day, I felt like a young European. This is a
strange concept for many English people. England is not part of mainland Europe and
often differs in politics and policies. England has not adopted the Euro as currency and
we seldom agree with EU law proposals. However after seeing Paris’s Beauty, feeling its
warm atmosphere and experiencing its courteousness I love the idea of being a
European.