This summer, if all goes well, we are going back to France. We will stay in three private homes and two hotels, we will take the TGV three times, and we will rent and return a car. Each of those events will to a certain extent involve talking in French to French people. I'm terrified.
Its not that I don't think I can do it. Its that I don't think that I can do it easily, effectively, without sounding like someone who just got out of French 101. I remember when I was checking into a hotel, the last time, and I was speaking in French with the desk clerk. It was going well until she rattled something off that I did not understand. I said Sorry, I do not understand in French, and she replied in English Oh, you're fine with French until I talk about payment, huh?
I hate looking stupid.
2 comments:
She was just joking around, wasn't she? That's actually a pretty funny comment. My experience living in Paris years ago was that people appreciate our attempts to speak their language, which they are crazy about. And the most important part -- HAVE FUN! Sounds like a great trip.
In retrospect, she probably was teasing, but at the time I thought that I was getting a bit of attitude. Though my French friend thought that it was pretty funny.
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