Dear Katia and Kylie Mac, I'm from the US and I love to go to Europe on holiday. The thing I love about your show is the peculiarities of our cultural differences. Upon listening to your encounters on public transport I was wondering if this has this ever happened to you? I have noticed that personal space is not so personal in Europe. On more than one occassion, more like all the time, whenever I'm in an open area that isn't even crowed, people walk within one foot of me practically brushing against me. I'm not talking beggars either. These are normal everyday people: old, young, couples, or singles. I do feel that the Europeans are more social than here in the States and overall it is more normal to strike up a conversation with someone you happen to be sitting/standing near. I would be happy to note that this is going on for other people and that I don't have some weird magnet or something.Thanks for making me laugh!I love your show!Rose

Rose: thankyou for your lovely compliments. We're trying not to brush (I am using a "global we" to speak for myself and Kylie, because I'm CERTAIN she's blushing too).I have to say that I RARELY get people engaging in conversation with me in public places. It happens only usually when there is some sort of problem on the metro (so everyone has a "complain to the nearest person and lets share theories about why everything is going wrong" conversation). The muffin man and I experienced it last weekend when we went to a zoo and we kept bumping into the same people all the time. I think it's a big city phenomenon that you don't necessarily speak to people around you. But perhaps people don't speak to me because I look scary or something. Or MAYBE, and this is a theory that some of the expats may be able to relate to, is because you've got that friendly look about you, where you smile at everyone and so people automatically gravitate towards you. People here don't smile at strangers, as you can occasionally end up inviting trouble. Perhaps that is what it is? In my experience, in Australia, people tend to be generally friendly on the street, and you'll grin at someone you bump into or whatever, but you really don't do that in Paris. In country towns it might be different though.Oh la la, what a long comment. hehe. What I REALLY want to know, however, is whether you sit facing forwards or backwards on the train? ;)ps. and yes, I do think people tend to walk closer, even when they don't need to. Personal space seems to be non-existent here.

Here's a picture for you guys!http://www.flickr.com/photos/scoutj/460446688/Ha!Thanks for keeping me company.

Oh, KM sounds like she is still suffering. Might you try a few Zinc lozenges, followed up with some "Airborneborne Formulas?" Then maybe a large pot of home made ginger and lemon tea?And the we have metro (or rather subway) idgits here in NYC too. Just gets my dander when people do not move away from the doors when they're not getting off. What are they thinking?Cheers,Ang04

I think the Easter bells are weird, too. A French person told me the bunny was stupid, and I pointed out the bunny can at least carry the handle of the basket in his mouth and hop to your house. but bells? insane.

Dear Katia and Kylie Mac,To answer your question about which way I sit on the train is thus: Most of the time I make a point of sitting forward so that I don't get sick. I forget that I don't get sick anymore and when I sit turned around going in the wrong direction I do enjoy the scenery; that is if I'm not too absorbed in the knitting. The bit about the Easter Bells is a new one for me. Never heard of such a thing. I hope you two have as much fun podcasting as we all do listening.Rose

Kylie, my 2 yr old is dancing along with you. Isabella loves that little song (which means I have to play it over and over like ten times before she gets bored).

The seat thing totally drives me crazy. And the worst is in the bathroom - there could be twenty open stalls, but yet the next person who comes in is going to go to the one RIGHT NEXT TO YOURS. Why?? Why must they do that? Hello, give a girl a little privacy!