French attitudes
by sarahandgareth
This isn't so much a warning as an account of my experiences. In other West African countries, I was generally quite impressed by the relationship between locals and expatriates. However, during my time in Lomé, I constantly encountered long-time French residents who made the most casually racist comments, and whose attitudes to local people were from another age. Elderly African men were often referred to as 'jeune homme' in a derogatory way when they came to sell newspapers or something similar, whereas in local culture they would be given considerable respect. Africans were also consistently addressed with the informal 'tu' even where they deserved respect, as if the French people were speaking to children, whereas I got the full 'vous' treatment.On two separate occasions, I was in establishments where, when I tried to pay, I had to wait for the French manager to return since, as the...