odd email re African plants

[mark smyth]

I got a strange email today but who is it/are they?

subject - African Plants

Hello

      I see you have a good profile in rare plants and i wish to know if you are interested in seeds of rare plants from Africa. I am able to supply you with them and will wish to know your
plant family of interesting.

regards

--
Université de Douala
Faculté des Sciences
Biologie des Organismes Végétaux

[Maggi Young]

The Université de Douala, Faculté des Sciences Biologie des Organismes Végétaux,
in Cameroun,  is real enough... but that is a very odd email. Would be a very rare instance for a university to be  canvassing seed sales.... I don't trust it.

[bulborum]

If true it would be fantastic
but the same for me ---I don't trust it

Roland

[PeterT]

It should be easy enough to contact the university and ask a few pertinant questions....
I found this but I dont have the language to do much research. http://helpforafricanstudents.org/english/

[bulborum]

There are a few French speaking members here

Don't look at me I AM DUTCH 

Roland

[gote]

Why does everybody assume that the staff of an African university is unable to understand English 
Göte

[bulborum]

If you live in France
You can understand my reaction
Even in the Hospital last year they didn't speak English
not even the doctor 

Worse , I visited Marseille a few years ago
searching a Camping
We went to the Tourist information
and you don't believe it
THEY DID JUST SPOKE FRENCH

Roland

[Thomas Huber]

Roland, believe me - most of them CAN, but they don't WANT.
If you are in France, YOU have to talk French!!!
My French friends may please forgive me, but
these are my experiences. Fortunately I can talk a bit French.

[bulborum]

Of-course I speak a some French
Writing is different

But I still don't understand why they don't speak French at the Tourist information
Marseille was for me the most extreme one
Its the fifth largest city of France
but many of the Tourist informations I visited have the same problem
JUST SPEAK FRENCH
If I was the boss my first question would be:
HOW MANY LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK

If you apply in Amsterdam for that job
and your answer isn't six  or more
they will ak you why you want that job

Roland

[PeterT]

Why does everybody assume that the staff of an African university is unable to understand English 
Göte

I would expect some staff to speak English. I can not read the details of the websites without a lot of translation ( something I have to complement people on this forum, whose first language is not English, for).

[Lesley Cox]

It's tricky too, when you're in Wales and they refuse to speak English. Funnily enough, when I mentioned the All Blacks, some men professed to speak English.

[gote]

My experience is that IN FRANCE people are reluctant to speak foreign languages. However, If I show the courtesy to try to speak French, many do speak English.
Considering all that was said in English about France and Frenchmen during the Bush era, it is not surprising that there is a certain reluctance against foreigners trying to impose the language used in the bashing..   

I would assume that university staff - in Africa as well as outside - do speak English enough to be able to answer a letter. Besides: the original request was in English was it not?

I think that it would make sense to enquire rather than discussing French inabilities.
Cheers
Göte
(Back from Paris last week)

   

[bulborum]

I think that it would make sense to enquire rather than discussing French inabilities.

It started here

There are a few French speaking members here

Don't look at me I AM DUTCH   

Roland

I think it was a little joke

You made it serious 

Roland

[gote]

I think that it would make sense to enquire rather than discussing French inabilities.

It started here

There are a few French speaking members here

Don't look at me I AM DUTCH   





Roland

I think it was a little joke

You made it serious 

Roland

I apologize by quoting your other joke:
"But I still don't understand why they don't speak French at the Tourist information Marseille was for me the most extreme one Its the fifth largest city of France Shocked"

By the way, How many Swedish speaking tourist information staff do they have in your hometown or in say Bristol? 

Cheers
Göte

[bulborum]

You tell me 

Roland