Ditzy moments

Ok, I just finished doing a interview with a French interviewer for French TV. Zut alors! It was incredibly hard! I could not understand some of the questions and I felt like such an idiot. I do not really want to know what I sounded like because I probably will not be able to come back to France without dying of shame. I will just have to trust that it will not be shown when anyone is watching.
Speaking in French has become a bit easier. I still rely too much on my French friends’ willingness to help me out in English, though. Julien is my French/English dictionary! He can translate anything for me and practically all of my new vocabulary is from those discussions. But then I forget it because I have to learn everything in French eight times before it really sticks in my brain, so Julien is really the only one getting stuff out of this experience! No, I am lying, I am learning a lot. It is just that I see how much I need to improve. I can not wait until I get to the point where I don not have to rehearse every phrase before I say it. When I get caught off guard---like the real way you actually use a language!—I have trouble coming up with a phrase. I do not want to be too pessimistic, though. I am learning a lot and I am excited about learning more now that I see how useful it is.
I am so happy right now to be redeemed from another ditzy moment. First, I threw away my boarding pass for the Newark to Paris flight. Slightly important thing, I guess. I figured out that I needed it right before we boarded and a feeling of abject fear/terror swept over my face, according to Tammy. MY ONE CHANCE TO GO TO FRANCE AND I GET LEFT IN NEWARK NEW JERSEY! Thank God, the airline knows how to handle people like me and gave me a special ticket that had a --you are an idiot--signature on it. So I made it onto the plane, where I then left my travel journal with all of my homework assignments and travel information. Then I was saved by Michelle! She found my journal in her bag this morning and I am oh so thankful that she grabbed it. Now I will not be too lost in Paris (or fail the homework due right when we get back).
-Mary