(asked by Julie from Florida)
Is it normal for two Frenchmen to walk around in their tighty-whiteys in the hostel room they share with two American girls they’ve never met before?
What? What's wrong with white briefs?
Julie, I didn’t know you were such a prude. Just kidding. (Yes I need to come clean here. I personally know Julie. And yes, I’m both flattered and highly disturbed by the fact that now I’m even getting questions from people I know)
Ok, I think we’re facing two phenomenons bundled into one here.
First, yes, indeed, French people, both men and women are less prudish than Americans are and walking around in your underwear in certain situations is not a big deal for most French people, especially when they’re in their 20′s (they are more self-conscious younger, and they become again older - or not…) And being in their hostel room applies to “certain situations” regardless of whether they share said room or not.
The other thing is that those two Frenchmen shared their rooms with two (pretty) American girls, and we may not exclude two things here:
- Either they know that behavior could shock American girls and they totally did it for shock value, finding the whole thing hilarious (and while it’s not the smartest thing to do, I’m not one to throw the first stone at somebody making fun of Americans out of their comfort zone while abroad).
- Or, they were not very savvy guys and they assumed that it could be an efficient method to pick up the girls they were sharing a room with. Yes, some Frenchmen are lame this way, so lame actually that I wonder how they don’t finish their days single and alone (I guess some women like that type of lameness).
If anybody has any other theory…
And you, do you walk around in your underwear when you’re around strangers? Especially foreign strangers?
Is that better?
I have stayed in hostels in about 14 countries, besides France, and I am pretty prudish, but it is not unusual for people in co-ed dorm accommodation to be a little less uptight about these things, French or not. If you are bothered by it you normally don’t stay co-ed.
Having said that, I stay covered either way with a light weight robe and have managed nicely. There’s something very unappealing to me about briefs as opposed to boxers, ( don’t ask me why) so a guy could strut around in front of me all day long and it would not phase me.
Those two explanations sound very plausible. As long as the guy doesn’t smell, it can always be laughed at. And no, I don’t walk in my undies with strangers. And yes, that photo is better.
Yes, the second one is better ! lol
TOTALLY NORMAL
well,it depends how good they look, how clean the underwear is,how fit it is !
They must have really big egos, or really high self-esteems.
Or you never know, they might have been on an illegal substance or drunk, haha.
I’m not one to walk around in my underwear, but I don’t care if others do. If I’m with a guy then sure, why shouldn’t he go around in his boxers? why shouldn’t I go around in my undies either? So, in certain circumstances, I’ll go around in my undies. And that picture is a whole lot better
Well, I’ve recently completed a semester of study at an international college in Denmark, and a group of (male) French exchange students did more than that. On more than one occassion, after downing many drinks, they got completely nude. In their apartments, outside during the daytime having naked garden parties, running aroubnd the apartment blocks, didn’t really bother them. Didn’t really bother me either.
I must admit that it seems totally acceptable to wander around in your underwear (for men) and let’s face it - they all seem quite comfortable making pee pee at the side of the road or in a urinal area that is open to the ladies side of the toilets. I must admit that I am not phased by this kind of thing anymore (being a once prudish Brit), it just becomes natural really (I need to point out that I don’t pee-pee at the side of the road or wander around in my undies!)
Boxers always looks better if your neighbors are spying on you. At least later you look good on the internet
I don’t walk around in my underwear, when with strangers. Although, I walk around in a bikini at the beach - which is just a shiny pair of underwear.
If these guys wore just their briefs, to pick up these girls, then all I have to say to them is; you’re pathetic!
I’ve been on overnight trains in Europe in the men’s sleeper car and all the men wear bikini /briefs and sleep and sit around, stand in them until their destination. At first I stayed covered in bed, but eventually we all just sat around chatting in our brief or bikini underwear. It was a normal, non-issue with them.