I think there’s a false delusion that going abroad- particularly to romantic, beautiful, sophisticate France- makes one forget or brush aside the world left behind. As enamored as I often am with the landscape and though openly confessing to endorse much of the French lifestyle, I miss many people and think longingly of the day when we’ll reconnect or I’ll even just hear from you online. At the end of the day, I’m a people person, and it’s the relationships I’ve formed in the past that interest me mostly keenly and make me the happiest. Many letters are premised with something to the extent of “I know you’re in France probably having a great time, but…” in a way that connotes that I’d be too preoccupied with my new/interesting life that somehow I don’t have the same time or interest. It’s a difficult introduction to respond to because while my life might be quite different right now, such is the case on regular occasion and I am still me wherever I may be. And this me, loves being in touch and hearing about your life and not getting lost in the chasm of space and time.
A Word on French Schooling:
A rigorous French classroom can be absolutely terrifying. I have one professor in particular who has a particularly focused way of lecturing with his hands clasped behind his back as he almost chants the lesson by memory, drawing out a word before coming to abrupt, succinct end to emphasize how we too, should reach such reasonable, manageable conclusions. His information packed lessons, to which we’re scrambling to keep pace with as we scribble notes and write down the verbal translations, might be more manageable if class work didn’t also include rapid memorization (or lack there of) and public disclosure of your failure. He has a nasty habit of suddenly looking very directly at you and saying, “Et vous Mademoisellllllllle, QU’EST QUE vous pouvez nous dire pour. numero. un.?” To which you instantly panic as you say to yourself, “My God, I haven’t even finished translating the phrase let alone decided which verb to insert in this blank! Well, either Rendre or s’Acquitter look reasonable… what tense did he mention? Should I go with present, no, that never happens, passé composé, imparfait? No, there seems to be a lot of passé simple. That’s probably the best bet. Shit, why didn’t we do more passé simple in school? I have NO idea how to conjugate this verb.” This is all crammed in to a five second panicked silence of mortification and fear. Luckily, my classmates are all accommodating and friendly and if I’m lucky, during drills on idiomatic expressions, the nice fellow next to me will whisper “ni froid ni chaud, ni froid ni chaud!” The whispering between students out of general goodwill became quite obvious by the end of the day and I couldn’t decide if the professor didn’t mind it or just couldn’t hear. Such high pressure questions certainly inspires you to return home and study quite rigorously.
Today was my birthday and the best part was slowly opening letters throughout the day, smiling and feeling sappy and rejoicing over every sentiment. After 8 hours of class time (miserably long) I went to a pub that was hosting a language exchange and rolled out conversational/comprehendible French for an hour before coming home to find a delightfully clean room and apartment with small presents waiting on my bed. The desserts I was given are delicious enough to daily die for and pretty much every meal out is a culinary triumph. Let me officially make note: 20 was a most excellent year, 21 shall be even better.
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1 comment:
Alanna! Let me just say I think you are fabulous.
Also, I should just write you a letter. :)
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