Tammy Speaks Again
Salut mes amis!
I'm back for another long retelling of my life in France. Let's just say that I love France and feel right at home. Last night I started writing in my personal diary and could not write in English. Since everything here happened in French, it was so difficult recounting them in English; typing in English is difficult now, sadly. My spoken English has taken on a French sentence structure, my English a light British accent. Ironic, huh? I came to improve my French and my English deteriorates. It's a wonderful feeling when you realize that you're understanding French without having to translate it in your head. Last night, Annie and I were listening to music, and I just casually mentioned that I'm understanding all the French without having to think about it. She exclaimed that she thought it was English--which totally confused me. She and I had to ask a French friend whether it really was French.
And French ducks sound like thugs in the night-- long story as Sandrine and I were going home last night. The ducks suddenly started fighting in the water. The street was dark. The loud noise--it made us scream! We were just a tad bit startled.... okay, scared us out of our wits!
Right now, I'm at a TV interview with the French TV station. Last night was an African dinner served in the French fashion. Yes, it took another 2 hours of my life. Amazing how long they take to enjoy the food. 8 hours of Sunday was spent eating; okay, so 90 minutes was at a café, but whatever.
And the politicians here are so friendly. Yesterday we had a reception with some senators of Aube ( the prefecture here). They food was wonderful--with very good champagne. I think the French drink champagne at all occasions. At least that's the gist of what I got from a conversation with a senator.
I bought 2 pairs of French shoes yesterday, 4 necklaces, a scarf, and French novels at FNAC. I got Les Miserables in French ( 2 volume set!) I love French shoes, they're pointy and chic--just like how I like my shoes to be. (There, see, I forgot how to phrase that in an English structure--and I cant't remember!) Shopping in France is so exciting. I'm going on a shopping trip zith my host, Sandrine, tomorrow because she loves to shop too. And she is so fashionable and beautiful. She is your classic beauty. I have a feeling I'll be revamping my entire zardrobe. I do that every few years, and it's about time, anyways.
Troyes has so many churches and cathedrales. It holds 50% of France's stained glass windows, and the church where Catherine of France and Henry V married is here too. If you know English history, you understand how important that moment in history is. And I was there!!!!!!!
I saw the old Gallo-Roman quarter with the old wall, the church where Joan of Arc was, and other amazing spots in Troyes.
It's only been four days and my camera is already out of memory. I'll have to do some memory transfers...such as burning them onto a CD.
It baffles me that the French want to come to America so badly because I would do anything to come to France to work and live. Just standing by the Seine is a wonderfully tranquil feeling.
Yesterday, I gave my first presentation in French to a room full of people. It was a quite fun. Thank God for my speech experience or else I don't know how I would have survived.... and amazingly, I wasn't nervous. Speaking to a room full of native French speakers in their native language... very interesting experience. Yes yes, I forgot my sister Emilie's age. After I remebered, I had completely lost my train of thought that I forgot the French for fourteen. Just a little embarassing, n'est-ce pas?
à bientôt!
I'm back for another long retelling of my life in France. Let's just say that I love France and feel right at home. Last night I started writing in my personal diary and could not write in English. Since everything here happened in French, it was so difficult recounting them in English; typing in English is difficult now, sadly. My spoken English has taken on a French sentence structure, my English a light British accent. Ironic, huh? I came to improve my French and my English deteriorates. It's a wonderful feeling when you realize that you're understanding French without having to translate it in your head. Last night, Annie and I were listening to music, and I just casually mentioned that I'm understanding all the French without having to think about it. She exclaimed that she thought it was English--which totally confused me. She and I had to ask a French friend whether it really was French.
And French ducks sound like thugs in the night-- long story as Sandrine and I were going home last night. The ducks suddenly started fighting in the water. The street was dark. The loud noise--it made us scream! We were just a tad bit startled.... okay, scared us out of our wits!
Right now, I'm at a TV interview with the French TV station. Last night was an African dinner served in the French fashion. Yes, it took another 2 hours of my life. Amazing how long they take to enjoy the food. 8 hours of Sunday was spent eating; okay, so 90 minutes was at a café, but whatever.
And the politicians here are so friendly. Yesterday we had a reception with some senators of Aube ( the prefecture here). They food was wonderful--with very good champagne. I think the French drink champagne at all occasions. At least that's the gist of what I got from a conversation with a senator.
I bought 2 pairs of French shoes yesterday, 4 necklaces, a scarf, and French novels at FNAC. I got Les Miserables in French ( 2 volume set!) I love French shoes, they're pointy and chic--just like how I like my shoes to be. (There, see, I forgot how to phrase that in an English structure--and I cant't remember!) Shopping in France is so exciting. I'm going on a shopping trip zith my host, Sandrine, tomorrow because she loves to shop too. And she is so fashionable and beautiful. She is your classic beauty. I have a feeling I'll be revamping my entire zardrobe. I do that every few years, and it's about time, anyways.
Troyes has so many churches and cathedrales. It holds 50% of France's stained glass windows, and the church where Catherine of France and Henry V married is here too. If you know English history, you understand how important that moment in history is. And I was there!!!!!!!
I saw the old Gallo-Roman quarter with the old wall, the church where Joan of Arc was, and other amazing spots in Troyes.
It's only been four days and my camera is already out of memory. I'll have to do some memory transfers...such as burning them onto a CD.
It baffles me that the French want to come to America so badly because I would do anything to come to France to work and live. Just standing by the Seine is a wonderfully tranquil feeling.
Yesterday, I gave my first presentation in French to a room full of people. It was a quite fun. Thank God for my speech experience or else I don't know how I would have survived.... and amazingly, I wasn't nervous. Speaking to a room full of native French speakers in their native language... very interesting experience. Yes yes, I forgot my sister Emilie's age. After I remebered, I had completely lost my train of thought that I forgot the French for fourteen. Just a little embarassing, n'est-ce pas?
à bientôt!
posted by Raison d'Etre @ 2:40 AM
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