It seems like you're always here. You spent a lot of time in the US as a student and in business. You speak perfect English, and I'm sure you know our slang and idioms well. So, you would know:  Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Familiarity breeds contempt. Fish, house guests, and visiting dignitaries start

SIMON KUPER writes regularly for the Financial Times on culture, politics, and sport. He's lived in Paris for 10 years. I've read him off and on and find him unremarkable.  His column in the FT on May 5 has his picture in the upper right corner, and opens with "Anyone who spends time in Paris comes