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rebecca_in_blueHere are some details of my daily life here in France...
Breakfast here is my favorite meal of the day, because I always know exactly what I'm going to get. (Sometimes I can't identify what they serve for lunch and dinner, even after I've eaten it.) Breakfast is a stick of bread, an orange, a bowl of cereal, and a cup of orange juice. The cereal is usually something like Coco-Puffs, although sometimes it's something like Frosted Flakes, and they serve it with hot milk. I know that sounds weird, but it's actually good, because it's cold here in the mornings, and it's nice to have something warm.
Lunch and dinner, as I said, is sometimes food that I have trouble identifying, although they seem to serve a lot of pork dishes. I rarely eat the entire meal, so I always eat the entire stick of bread that is served with every meal here to help me fill up. It used to be a chore, but then I discovered that they served little packets of goat cheese to spread on the bread, and I love, love, love goat cheese. I always tell myself on my way to the cafeteria that no matter how weird the main course may be, at least I'm going to get my bread and goat cheese. It's like dessert, really.
I eat most of my meals with the other assistants. I've gotten into the bad habit of hanging around people who I know speak English, which is stupid, because I came to France to improve my French. But often when I'm around a native speaker or a non-native speaker who speaks it better than I do (and that includes most of the other assistants), I clam up because I'm afraid I'll make a mistake.
I'm still observing classes. I introduce myself to the students and tell them a little bit about myself at the start of each class, and sometimes they ask me questions. I always tell them that I'm from Baton Rouge, because almost every class wants to know why my city has a French name. Most of them speak very, very quietly in English, I guess because they're not sure of what they're saying, so I often have to ask them to repeat themselves when they talk to me. One of the most common mistakes is that they think to rest means to stay (They ask, "How long you rest here?"), which is expected because in French rester means to stay. I made the same mistake until I was in Brager's class. A lot of them either don't use the -ing form of verbs when they should or use it when they shouldn't. But this is also expected, since there is no French equivalent of the -ing form in French.
Breakfast here is my favorite meal of the day, because I always know exactly what I'm going to get. (Sometimes I can't identify what they serve for lunch and dinner, even after I've eaten it.) Breakfast is a stick of bread, an orange, a bowl of cereal, and a cup of orange juice. The cereal is usually something like Coco-Puffs, although sometimes it's something like Frosted Flakes, and they serve it with hot milk. I know that sounds weird, but it's actually good, because it's cold here in the mornings, and it's nice to have something warm.
Lunch and dinner, as I said, is sometimes food that I have trouble identifying, although they seem to serve a lot of pork dishes. I rarely eat the entire meal, so I always eat the entire stick of bread that is served with every meal here to help me fill up. It used to be a chore, but then I discovered that they served little packets of goat cheese to spread on the bread, and I love, love, love goat cheese. I always tell myself on my way to the cafeteria that no matter how weird the main course may be, at least I'm going to get my bread and goat cheese. It's like dessert, really.
I eat most of my meals with the other assistants. I've gotten into the bad habit of hanging around people who I know speak English, which is stupid, because I came to France to improve my French. But often when I'm around a native speaker or a non-native speaker who speaks it better than I do (and that includes most of the other assistants), I clam up because I'm afraid I'll make a mistake.
I'm still observing classes. I introduce myself to the students and tell them a little bit about myself at the start of each class, and sometimes they ask me questions. I always tell them that I'm from Baton Rouge, because almost every class wants to know why my city has a French name. Most of them speak very, very quietly in English, I guess because they're not sure of what they're saying, so I often have to ask them to repeat themselves when they talk to me. One of the most common mistakes is that they think to rest means to stay (They ask, "How long you rest here?"), which is expected because in French rester means to stay. I made the same mistake until I was in Brager's class. A lot of them either don't use the -ing form of verbs when they should or use it when they shouldn't. But this is also expected, since there is no French equivalent of the -ing form in French.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 12:33 am (UTC)aunt connie
no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 08:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 06:33 am (UTC)What will you do when you come back to America and can't get goat cheese every day?!
Don't be too hard on yourself-- you haven't even been there for a month! It takes time to build your confidence up and start talking in your non-native language. I'm sure your French has improved SO much already, you just don't notice it. I'm glad your classes are doing well. Are the students nice? I miss you!
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Date: 2007-10-11 06:35 am (UTC)THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2007-10-12 01:16 am (UTC)Re: THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2007-10-12 06:56 pm (UTC)friday
Date: 2007-10-12 08:37 pm (UTC)Re: friday
Date: 2007-10-14 01:55 pm (UTC)