I know I have kind of been a bit of a slacker lately, and I am sorry about that...not all that much has been going on, though I know as soon as I start explaining it, it will sound completely different.
So on Monday, while in class, doodling this amazing picture, I came to a realization- I can do whatever and still understand what Florence is saying. And how much I love her- I mean she is SO energetic and enthusiastic, and I just think she is so much fun! And re-learning stuff is realistically a good review, right?
Well, yesterday, I spent the entire class listening to her talk about the difference between "pendant", "dans" and "il y a", realizing that I learned this in the 9th grade. She assigned homework that I glanced at, and did it in my head. Just like that. So I waited until everyone left, went up to Florence, and said "Since I already understand this, can you give me something to do that is a little harder?" *At least this is what I think I said* And she just looked at me and smiled, saying "You know what Stacey? I think you might want to consider moving into level 3. Your french is too advanced for this class." And then walked away, without another word about it.
Today, I went to class and we were learning passe compose, and I just sighed. So I sat there, put in a headphone, and doodled. Every once and a while, I would look up, answer a question, Florence would smile at me, and go "shh...." and I would just smile, and doodle. At a break, she sat down and wrote something, I went off to get some candy, and when I came back, Florence told me to go to the secretary, and I could switch classes. And I said "But I write better than I speak, and I only speak on a level two scale." She told me that I should have some confidence, that I was better than the people in level two, and smiled, waving goodbye.
I looked around and MariaJose gave me kind of a sad smile- we have become quite the duo. Nattathawarin just kind of nodded, but I went through my notebook and found the group assignment that I was working on with the three Mexicans...wrote down some notes on on it (mostly because I was the one writing it...) and gave it to MariaJose, and told her to facebook whenever. Especially about the sushi lunch we had been planning for the free time next Tuesday.
So I go to the secretary, who tells me to go to the other secretary, and the next says the same, until the last just asked me my name, and for my book back. Went out of the room, coming back with a different book and workbook. So I went to the class, now in a different building and they were all silent, listening to something. I wasn't allowed to move until it finished. The teacher, Monique seemed angry, almost bitter. She told me that I came in the middle of a test, unfortunately for me, and handed me a piece of paper. Great. So I took it, a comprehension orale test mind you, and tried, at least. After that, class was almost over. So she had everyone go around the room, say their name, nationality, and profession of choice.
Then lunch, at which MarieJose came to find me, curious as to how it went, I told her, she said "Ouch." And then we continued to remark on this group of Americans next to us: how loud, obnoxious, hyper, arrogant they were. And I asked her if she thought that I was that ridiculous, she kind of laughed and said, "No, actually I forget you're American sometimes. You don't watch trashy shows, you don't eat fast food here, you don't eat meat, you don't like Starbucks, ha, I'm more American than you are." We just laughed and laughed. And then, reassuringly, she told me that my American accent was not even that bad....and then we headed off to our separate classes.
I went to the next class, with the other teacher, Nicole, who seemed even angrier than the first. But this was the written part, and this is where I understand how to do things, how to save things, grammar - so I understood what we read, the questions we had to answer, and I even answered a couple times, paying close attention to how everyone else sounds.
My schedule is now different, and I don't really like it as much as I liked the other one. But there are two gaps where I had classes before, and I don't now. I think I am going to consider asking Alexandra if I can come to the phonetiques for level two on those days, since I am not so great with oral french.
Anyways, now that I am on a higher level, I have the opportunity to take French History and French Culture, but I haven't decided if that is an option I care to pursue. In other news, I have been looking into the price of coming home, but have made no decision in either direction.
Let's see, this past weekend was pretty interesting. On Friday, the girls and I were supposed to get together for drinks, but that fell through. But on Saturday, we went to Chinon, which was great, since I had forgotten my camera the last time, and I got to take all the pictures that I had taken in my head the previous weekend. The weather was gorgeous, and have provided for probably my favorite pictures yet. We also went to Fontevraud (or something like that), which was a gorgeous castle...that night when we got back, we all stood on a corner, making plans for drinks that night.
I remembered that Patrik and Marie had a wedding to go to, so I figured that wasn't any dinner available. I mean I knew Pierre was in town, supposedly, but that didn't have anything to do with me. So I went with Laura to get food- her parents were out too, and she didn't want to eat alone. So I did, I heard my phone ring at some point, tried to get to it, but missed it. And the wonderful thing about these phones is that it is virtually impossible to check missed calls, and I can't call my voicemail. So I had no idea who called.
Anyways, after dinner, we headed back to my house to grab my warmer coat, to meet Sameen and then walk to Charity's meeting spot. So I walk in, hear a lot of voices, but disregard them, mostly because we are running late, and I have to go to the bathroom so much. Laura and I make it up the first flight of stairs, and then I hear "Allo?" from downstairs, and we climb back down. To meet gorgeous son #2. So I smile, and it's really awkward, and he says "Hi, I'm Pierre." And then something else...looking at Laura, then me. So I say "Hi, I'm Stacey. This is my friend Laura." And he asks me if I am the one who live there, and I reply, to which he asks if I would like something to eat. I say no, I already ate, and am now just grabbing a coat and heading out. He seems kind of confused, but says okay, and I run upstairs.
On my way out, I walk over to the kitchen door, see about 7 guys sitting there, drinking and smoking, and wave to Pierre before running out the door, both because we are late, and because WOW, that was awkward. So I take off down the street, Laura following, yelling "Since when are you athletic? I didn't know you could run..." I just laugh. Laura almost gets run over by this old guy on a bike, who makes a sound, much like that of a dying cat. Laura just freezes, and squeals, which he mimics, and keeps riding. So we get for drinks, have awkward moments with Charity and her friend, then we head home.
I go to bed after talking on the phone for hours, finally making an appearance downstairs at like noon. I am met at the bottom of the first flight of stairs by Marie, who tells me that she tried to call me last night. Pierre and his friends apparently had been waiting for me, and waited like 3 hours, and yeah...but honestly, I didn't get back from the excursion until later, and I didn't even know. Plus Pierre never said a word. So I said I understood, and I'm sorry. Then went downstairs, only to be met by Patrik, who gave me the same lecture.
Ouch. So I apologized profusely, and tried to explain, clumsily. He said he understood, telling me about a little party they were having at the house with the family. I hid. I felt so bad about Pierre and his friend waiting! Marie came and found me, and asked me if I was scared, which I was, and told her honestly. And she just explained that they weren't mad, she was just worried about me, since it was so late before I got back. I sat through the party- which was actually just a lunch. They were having roast beef- and I have eaten most of the meat products they have served for dinner, but when they cut this, blood ran onto the chopping board, and the middle was VERY pink. And I just no....upon hearing this, Patrik made me some eggs (still not cooked all the way) to which I ate. And felt sick about later.
That day, I decided to people watch. I went to the park, and just watched- children play, the role of Dads, old people- and I listened, hearing bits and pieces of conversation. Delighting in the way children shout, and how simple French becomes, and wonder why I have never paid more attention to the English that children in America speak.
Patrik and Marie took me to the movies with them to see "Le Crime est Notre Affaire" It's a movie adaptation of Agatha Christie's book, and I understood a lot of it, except maybe the ending, which Patrik promptly explained in the car. We got a pizza (nothing like ours, I knew this, but still found myself disappointed), and headed home.
Let's see, any other highlights? This weekend, we are going to Normandy, to see Mont St. Michel, which is great, but Saturday is my birthday, and we are spending the entire day at cemeteries. Modern cemeteries. *sigh* I'll find something to make it better, maybe a fancy dessert at some elegant restaurant or something. Really though, I am just going to wait, and celebrate when I get home with my friends.
So a harder class, yeah, great. I guess it's good in the sense, that my French isn't THAT bad, and if I stayed next semester, I would be in level 4, and I hear that once you complete level four, one is practically fluent. I think I am going to read the French grammar book that is in my room at home, and go to the library, and look at like pre-teen books because I think that I can read those comfortably, and see what I can do from there.
I talked about this with Kevin, who said that I was an interesting case. Like for testing in level 2, it was crazy that I wrote like I did in Paris. Level 2 students struggle and struggle to write, but I wrote more than the other girls, and just as well. And it totally threw him off, but he was SO impressed with me. Way to tell me this now....
...I may also consider reading French cookbook, I think that could be fun, and a different approach at French. Or even just craft books or something. Something that is not so tedious- that is actually real French. Patrik has a newspaper on the counter in the kitchen every day- I think I will try to read it, highlight words that I don't know, and become more studious about writing it down.
While I don't really care for French as much as I use to, it deserves an adequate amount of attention, to say the least.
I think that's all I have for today, I'll try to write again before we leave for the weekend, but if not, I'll talk to you after the trip.
I guess I should just work on enjoying my last 3 days as a teenager.
On to bigger and better things~~
~~~like always for me.
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