We've been here in France for a little over a month now and things have been wonderful! We've met so many nice people and I've had numerous successful interactions with people in french. We've seen some amazing things and have had more than a few adventures. I truly have been very happy here. But that's not to say that everything is easy. The other day I had a mini-melt down. Erin has been having a hard time with school - just getting used to the different system and the more..."energetic" students. And before school she started getting upset with me for not doing more around the house and just in general. And I broke down and explained how everything every day is struggle for me. That I can't do anything without constant fear. Its not that anything is really hard, but its that everything is so different and so things take so much longer. And heaven help me if someone asks me a question when I go shopping or leave the house! While the things I have to do are simple and easy for Erin, they are far from a vacation for me. If she doesn't understand something she can ask for an explanation and only fear a tiny blow to her ego. Me, I've stopped trying to ask questions. I did it a few times in the beginning but now I've learned that asking questions won't result in me learning anything - so I just walk around town hoping people think I'm a mute! Don't get me wrong, no one, not a single person, has ever been anything but extremely nice and helpful. But here are just two examples of some failed interactions when I mistakenly tried to communicate....
So I pulled into a parking lot to check the waves before meeting up with a friend (who speaks english). As I walked passed these two guys I hear: "excuse-moi, monsieur?" I ignored him twice but the third time I figured I should at least acknowledge him.
Me: "Oui?"
Him: "blah blah blah" (I think he asked me if the waves were good)
Me: "Je ne sais pas encore" (I don't know yet.)
Him: "...." (his face tells me I clearly did not give him an answer that made any sense. It was if he asked if I knew where the gas station was and I responded with 'whales are mammals'.)
Me: "Desole, je ne peu peu peu peu"
(I wanted to say 'I can't speak french' which has 3 'p' words back to back which is always a tongue twister for me!)
Me: "Je ne peu peu peu peu"
*Sigh*
(I take a inhale/exhale and try again slowly)
Me: "Je ne peu peu peu pe..."
His friend: "Tu ne peut pas parler francais?"
Me: "Oui! Merci! Desole!"
(and we all have a good laugh and I quickly turn and walk away!)
Then just tonight I was playing badminton. I go with our friend Andreas and his son Victor who both speak english. And the people we play with know I'm from Hawaii and they are very nice. But tonight I was playing doubles without Andreas or Victor nearby. And after the game I walked over to get the "volant" and then joined the other 3 by the net to say "bien jeue". The other three were talking in fast french and I had just met these three people tonight. So here's what how I heard the conversation:
One of the guys: "Daniel?" (pointing at me)
Me: "Oui, Dan comme Daniel" (Yes, Dan, like Daniel)
Them: ".....D'accord, blah blah blah"
(then everyone says oui so I do also and then we get in position to play another game)
After reflecting a little, I realized this is actually what they said:
One of them: "Le dernier?" (One last game?)
Me: "Oui, Dan comme Daniel" (Yes, Dan like Daniel)
Them: ".....D'accord blah blah blah (probably: Ok, well lets play then)
So basically they asked if I wanted to play again and I respond like Tarzan, "Me Dan". I can only imagine how much of a moron I sounded like! Erin had a good laugh but did say that "dernier" is close to "daniel" and since I was arriving late to the conversation etc. etc., bottom line "Me Dan!"
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