Preconceptions & stereotypes

[Alice Abbott]

OK, here's the scenario.

This morning's market in a small town. We have gone to buy some yeast from the "bio" man and look around generally. We don't often come but we are on the way to visit our Dutch friends with Morris lurcher because they've offered to Frontline him against the ticks and fleas around here at the moment. We didn't dress up for the event so I'm in a rather droopy long cotton skirt, tshirt & old woolly cardigan, doc martin boots and some very fetching "dreadlocks" Pia has made from sheep's wool, cotton and ribbon. These are rather haphazardly attached to an untidy ponytail. In other words I look a mess, but nothing too drastic! Mack has been sorting out the ducks so he's in old trousers, wellies and a waxed jacket, his hair in a ponytail. He needs a shave but managed to avoid the dreadlocks. We have a twin each, wrapped in their Indian cotton shawl slings. We have Morris on a collar & lead (which he hates) and the older kids have dressed themselves in whatever they fancy as usual and Luca still has the remnants of his glorious black eye from his apple tree adventure. Pia has a startling array of her dreadlocks hanging down to her waist and beyond, all sprouting from her favourite stripy woolly beanie hat.

I'm just discussing tisanes with the herbs and spices guy when this hefty lady wearing a large and expensive camera strapped across her chest appears beside me. Can she take our photo? I said "Sure!" - assuming she was one of the usual enthusiastic tourists who like the ambience of the local market. She took three or four photos and then we had this convulated conversation/interview full of misundertandings. I eventually worked out she thought we were hippy travellers who were just passing through, probably with a battered old camper van parked around the corner (whereas we have a battered and oldish Volvo estate slightly illegally parked round the corner...) I think Mack's Irish accent and the dreadlocks has been the final nail in our coffin.

I still haven't worked out whether we should be offended or amused. I'm leaning towards the latter but it was a close run thing when I found out she submits her photos and "little pieces" to one of the ex-pat papers. I can see the headlines now "Lock your Doors, Traveller invasion in the Charente Maritime..." Eventually Mack told her (rather politely I thought in the circumstances), that we would sue the pants off her if she published her piece, or our photographs. He insisted she deleted the photos in front of us too. Darn cheek! Next time we go to the market I'll make sure we dress up...

Anyway, apparently a good ingredient for tisanes is dried coconut - so something came of the adventure. I don't have any but I'm sure I can find some next time we are out shopping.

[Sinmara]

You sound like a pretty cool family *G*

[ina]

Yeah, I think amused would be the better way to go! What idiots - or maybe that's a preconception of mine...

But just as well you made sure the photos were deleted.

Coconut, hey - does that mean the usual dried, shredded stuff?

[Green Aura]

I agree plus, for the record, I've always wanted dreadlocks but they're just too painful. My gal tried to do some for me and made me cry

[Alice Abbott]

Yes I suppose I'm actually as bad as her by having her tagged as a tourist. I was fine with her until she asked Luca & Pia whether they had ever been to school - a sort of "poor little babies" look on her face. In fact it was a pointless quesion as they aren't actually old enough for school here anyway even though they can both read & write (and speak pretty decent French). Silly woman!

So, the coconut is the fresh flesh, chopped fine and dried. I think the dessicatd stuff is just too powdery and fine. I'll buy one anyway, we can use the milk for a curry and make something with the shells later.

And the dreadlocks aren't actually attached to real hair, just hairpins. Very easy to remove. They took Pia hours to make and kept her well entertained.

[pelmetman]

I agree plus, for the record, I've always wanted dreadlocks but they're just too painful. My gal tried to do some for me and made me cry

Dreadlocks!.............................It would be nice to have hair

We are off to France and Spain in our 20 year old camper soon, perhaps I need to get some stick on dreadlocks, but I think they will clash with my old fart image

Dave

[Green Aura]

New trend - old dreadfarts

[ina]

Yes I suppose I'm actually as bad as her by having her tagged as a tourist. I was fine with her until she asked Luca & Pia whether they had ever been to school

What???

Anyway - none of their business! Plenty of well educated, home schooled kids around...

I've got a bit of a problem with tourists myself - especially the American kind with at least three cameras sticking out in all directions... (Mind you, in this time of digital cameras, I suppose it's not so obvious any more!) There's an American photo album somewhere with a picture of me in it as a "typical Irish girl". Well, I was cycling with a friend (who was Irish) in Ireland somewhere in the late 70s; my hair was red (thanks to Henna!) - so naturally, I was typically Irish and had to have my photo taken!

[fran]

I would love to have seen the photo, as you all sound absolutely fabulous. Just wish I was young and brave enough to get away with it. I'm going to have to be part of the 'old dreadfarts' club

[Mrs H]

Why should you dress up to go to market? You all sound pretty dam cool to me!! When I first started farm work many years ago my then farm manager who then became the most influential person in my life asked me why I was going home to get changed before going to Tescos, I told him I didn't think I should go in my boiler suit and wellies, his reply, the woman from the post office doesn't get changed before going so why should we. That evening I proudly tramped in straight from work and he taught me a valuable lesson. Why do we all feel like we should conform to the 'norm'? Now, I wear what I want and I'm teaching my kids the same. If we're comfy we're happy!! Xx

[snapdragon]

oh fer evans sakes some people are just sooooo weird, whatever gave her the impression she had the right to question

I haven't the hair for dreads, though I would love them, can't even keep a hairgrip in my hair. A friend of similar age to me has, but I reckon she has one of 'those' portrait's in the attic

[Stonehead]

People assume I'm a bearded, toothless, mingin', threadbare, stupid, grumpy old yokel with a penchant for flinging muck about.

Okay, it isn't too far from the truth...

But it does get irritating when they stop their cars and shoot video of me using the scythe, using the push plough, digging ditches and wrestling pigs. I mean, does that description include the words "tourist attraction".

[Mrs H]

People assume I'm a bearded, toothless, mingin', threadbare, stupid, grumpy old yokel with a penchant for flinging muck about.

Okay, it isn't too far from the truth...

But it does get irritating when they stop their cars and shoot video of me using the scythe, using the push plough, digging ditches and wrestling pigs. I mean, does that description include the words "tourist attraction".

LMAO stonehead!!! U sound like my kind of bloke!!! I can't believe people stop and video u, some people have no manners. The world would be a shite place if we were all the same, live and let live. Xxx

[happyhippy]

Some people!Seriously!I have to admit though,I tend to dress down here in the UK.When I lived in Australia,it was alot more liberal.No one would bat an eyelid at my kids school back then,me in a floor length tye dye dress,headband on,and barefooted!!!! I live in a village here,and if I dressed like that here,I'd probably get stoned..........to death! I recall at my kids school once,all the teachers were the usual straight looking conservative dresser types.One day a relief teacher had been sent to fill an absent teachers job.Her name was Kath,and well most people were in shock(not us hippy types of course)She had blonde hair,all dreadlocked,a peasant type top on,tye dye floor length skirt,with Doc Martens on!!!She had just returned from India(where else haha)and boy did she make an impression.All the kids loved her and kept requesting she return!!!!!! So don't feel too bad about people gawking at you!Just their ignorance and maybe they are curious too!I'd love to meet you,you sound like my kind of family!xx

[KathyLauren]

We call them "FT"s. "T for tourist - you can figure out the rest. They think nothing of driving into our driveway and asking directions to the chocolate factory or the pottery studio. They must have thought that the "Private Property" sign said "Tourist Information". An easy mistake to make.

The only way you'll get to see the chocolate factory is by appointment, and if you'd made an appointment, they'd have given you directions. There's a reason there's no sign. The pottery studio sign said half a mile; does this look like it's half a mile? There's a reason there's a sign.

I've had an FT stop me in front of the General Store and ask me where "downtown" is. Well, the General Store is right in the heart of downtown. See these eight buildings all within walking distance of each other? It's as urban as we get. Don't blink or you'll miss it. Isn't the rural, bucolic character of our community the whole reason the FTs come here in the first place?