Or not if you're me. I spent my first three days of spring break being sick and sitting in bed and not profiting. :( Luckily I'm 99% better now and just in time because... TOMORROW I'M GOING TO LONDON! So excited.
I have honestly no idea what I did this past week. I keep meaning to keep track of it so these last few weeks don't all pass in a blur, but I think I'm too busy doing to blog it all, you know? I do remember a few things, so I'll walk you through the highlights.
First I decided the dramatic tragedy Ruy Blas should actually be reinterpreted as a comedy. Just throwing it out there. (Crap, it looks like someone already did it. Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué, this looks perfect.)
Wednesday night I saw a show at the theater where I intern. It was a show for children. Small children, aged 3 to 10 probably. It was about the creation of the world and how we're now polluting it. Luckily, it was just about at my level of comprehension. It's kind of sad, because I didn't even understand everything they said. Just when I think I'm good at French, a three year old has to come and show me up. Rude.
France has a smell. A certain smell I've never smelled anywhere but in France. I don't know what it comes from. It's not a bakery, it's not cheese, maybe it's a plant? I've smelled it in Tours and in Aix. It's just a magical French smell, come back to haunt me with it's mysterious origins.
The kids at my internship continue to amaze and perplex me in terms of language learning. I'm becoming such a nerd when it comes to this stuff.
First thing, one of the little girls was told to do something and she responded, "Okay, sans problemo." You just spoke three languages in one sentence. I know, it's not like it's a huge feat it was just so funny to me because we always say "no problemo" and it never occurred to me that in France they'd say "sans" instead of "no". SO COOL.
Second thing, it's so interesting to hear kids argue about the gender of certain words. When was the last time you heard kids do that? Probably never because English doesn't really have genders. It made me feel a little better too because they weren't born with this innate knowledge, thus I can learn it too. Right? Right.
The third thing comes from some kids at the park. They were rolling down the hill and before they would roll they'd count "One, two, three!" instead of "Un, deux, trois!". I thought that was so cool. We Americans throw "bonjour", "merci", "hola", "gracias", and whatever else into our normal speech, it makes sense that other language speakers throw in English, but it's weird to hear. Who would have thought.
I think I've run out of wise reflections. There is nothing new to reflect. Except, this weird moment I had where I was just hanging out in my room thinking about how normal it is being here, this room is normal, is mine, and I'm used to it. Then out of nowhere, I was hit by it. This isn't my normal place... I kind of have to struggle to remember what my room at home looks like.
Let's do the usual run through of time I have left:
-one week in London and one weekend in Aix
-four days of classes and a Sunday trip
-five days of classes and one weekend in Aix
-FINALS WEEK... and that Sunday going to Paris to go back to the US.
Umm... When did that happen?
Let me tell you, it's so much fun ordering things online and sending them to my house, because when I get home it'll be like Christmas.
PS. Pittsburghers, don't get snowed in today! Hahahaha snow in April.
I have honestly no idea what I did this past week. I keep meaning to keep track of it so these last few weeks don't all pass in a blur, but I think I'm too busy doing to blog it all, you know? I do remember a few things, so I'll walk you through the highlights.
First I decided the dramatic tragedy Ruy Blas should actually be reinterpreted as a comedy. Just throwing it out there. (Crap, it looks like someone already did it. Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué, this looks perfect.)
Wednesday night I saw a show at the theater where I intern. It was a show for children. Small children, aged 3 to 10 probably. It was about the creation of the world and how we're now polluting it. Luckily, it was just about at my level of comprehension. It's kind of sad, because I didn't even understand everything they said. Just when I think I'm good at French, a three year old has to come and show me up. Rude.
France has a smell. A certain smell I've never smelled anywhere but in France. I don't know what it comes from. It's not a bakery, it's not cheese, maybe it's a plant? I've smelled it in Tours and in Aix. It's just a magical French smell, come back to haunt me with it's mysterious origins.
The kids at my internship continue to amaze and perplex me in terms of language learning. I'm becoming such a nerd when it comes to this stuff.
First thing, one of the little girls was told to do something and she responded, "Okay, sans problemo." You just spoke three languages in one sentence. I know, it's not like it's a huge feat it was just so funny to me because we always say "no problemo" and it never occurred to me that in France they'd say "sans" instead of "no". SO COOL.
Second thing, it's so interesting to hear kids argue about the gender of certain words. When was the last time you heard kids do that? Probably never because English doesn't really have genders. It made me feel a little better too because they weren't born with this innate knowledge, thus I can learn it too. Right? Right.
The third thing comes from some kids at the park. They were rolling down the hill and before they would roll they'd count "One, two, three!" instead of "Un, deux, trois!". I thought that was so cool. We Americans throw "bonjour", "merci", "hola", "gracias", and whatever else into our normal speech, it makes sense that other language speakers throw in English, but it's weird to hear. Who would have thought.
I think I've run out of wise reflections. There is nothing new to reflect. Except, this weird moment I had where I was just hanging out in my room thinking about how normal it is being here, this room is normal, is mine, and I'm used to it. Then out of nowhere, I was hit by it. This isn't my normal place... I kind of have to struggle to remember what my room at home looks like.
Let's do the usual run through of time I have left:
-one week in London and one weekend in Aix
-four days of classes and a Sunday trip
-five days of classes and one weekend in Aix
-FINALS WEEK... and that Sunday going to Paris to go back to the US.
Umm... When did that happen?
Let me tell you, it's so much fun ordering things online and sending them to my house, because when I get home it'll be like Christmas.
PS. Pittsburghers, don't get snowed in today! Hahahaha snow in April.
Still a good post, Catharine, thanks for keeping us up to date. Enjoy London.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post and your observations! Have fun and be careful in London. Mind the Gap!
ReplyDelete