Learning French

TV! 


By utilizing my extensive training in the field of electrical engineering, and by purchasing a 3 Euro cable and plugging the TV into the wall, we are now able to enjoy the wonders of cable television en Francais.  Yesterday I watched 3 hours of rugby, which apparently is awesome.  I am trying to immerse myself more in the French language, and TV is the most entertaining way to do that.  As I type I'm watching a nature show about using killer whales to fight fires.  What a great country.


I'm still trying my hardest to learn French.  I think I talked about the French class awhile back.  At that time, I concluded that it must be part of some psychology experiment.  Now I'm fairly sure that it is.  Most of the lessons involve the teachers teaching us a handful of words, and then making us read French plays.  We don't know the words that we are saying, so I'm not sure what the educational benefit is.  I can see the entertainment value, however, in having a bunch of non French speakers butcher your cultural classics with their pronunciation.  But what are they studying?  I related my frustrations to Nino, my brother from an Italian mother, who goes to my school and is also in the French class.  He was unconcerned.


"So what?  They're teaching you French for free."


"Yeah, but they're not doing it honestly.  Why are they making us read these plays?"


"I don't care, I think it's fun."


Clearly, Nino didn't get it.  What I am learning about Italians is that they are too closed minded to be convinced of your point of view.  It's a new stereotype I am developing.  But Nino is in my new band, and he's a pretty good guitar player, so I decided to wait to give him his lecture on being a team player.


Basia and her boyfriend have bolted, unconvinced that reading French plays for Belgians' enjoyment was in their best interest.  The Polish are a sensible people, I am learning.  In their place are a group of Estonian and Russian undergrad girls who giggle a lot, and Farsad, a 35 year old researcher from Iran who can't say the sound "eh".  Sample lesson:


Teacher:  "Eh"
Farsad: "Ew"
Teacher: "Ehhhhhhhhhhh"
Farsad: "Ewwwwwwwww"
Teacher: "Better"


But my French is improving.  The proving ground is the grocery store, where I am forced to stutter my way around.  A month ago, I needed to get some more wraps for Moroccan food Marine was cooking at our house.  I took the empty packaging to the store and walked up to the manager and demanded "Ou est ici?  Ou est ici?" ("Where is this?").  He looked at me like he thought I was mugging him for a second, but took me to the wraps.  My French has refined a bit since then.  Yesterday I went to the store and asked an employee "Sil vous plait, ou est les oeufs?".  I had to repeat myself a few times, but she eventually pointed me to the eggs.


So I'll read a few more plays.  But I'm watching them carefully.....