What one learns at tea:
In Chinese, there are 5 different sounds for each group of letters. Take "ooo," for example:
1. ooo
2. ooo
3. ooo
4. ooo
5. ooo
You know, French ain't that bad.
This semester has a different feel. Most of the Americans in my classes went home. I thought others would be coming, but I only have two new classmates from Norway and a guy from an Arabic speaking country (I didn't catch where he's from exactly). So, all in all, it's me and the Japanese! And a girl from Taiwan! My lovely Laure flew away and I suppose Jake #1 is off somewhere in the mountains of British Columbia, smoking his pipe and finishing Le Petit Prince. Caitlyn and Jake #2 moved in on Saturday. They got the usual explanation of how everything works "chez nous" and, of course, felt like they'd been hit by a train. I had to be on my best behavior. No talking to myself. No random dance moves. I figure I'll let that come after we're a little more comfortable. I will be learning how to knit very soon from one of my French neighbors. How do you say "purl" in French? I talked to my friend Becky from New Orleans last night for the first time in a year! She's in Aix! We'll meet up soon over coffee. Ha! That's so crazy! I know, Eleanor, I know! Eleanor, you're talking to yourself again. I know!
At tea, one learns how to say "hello" and "goodbye" in Chinese. I'm sure this sounds profound.
posted by Narisilme @ 7:38 AM
5 Comments:
Eleonore,
Je suis heureuse que tu aies la chance de parler avec une amie proche. Est-ce que Becky va demenager aussi a quelque part d'autre comme toi, peut-etre a Texas? Ce serait interessant, non? Ou peut-etre votre famille desire immigrer a Aix ou tu pourrais vivre pour le reste de ta vie. Tu parleras francais si couramment que tu oublieras completement a parler anglais!
Que le Bon Dieu continue a te benir!
Alice
Yeah, Chinese (and Taiwanese) are crazy languages. I remember when I was at this discipleship training month I did one summer, where we had 40 Taiwanese students come to be discipled (in northern Pennsylvania). Some of the more English-literate students were trying to teach us to say some Taiwanese words, and were telling us how important inflection is. I think they were trying to get us to say "flower," and because we couldn't get the inflection right we were apparently cussing, really badly. Does it count if it's in a foreign language, and even the speaker doesn't understand it? ;)
AJ
<><
huh. i think. i dont have anything to say. um... I don't think this has ever happened to me before. ELEANOR!!!!!! WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!
of course, something i can always say, for it is always true: I Love you!
ELEANOR!!! I LOVE YOU!
Always remember, if you feel the need to speak privately wih another American, that pig latin is insanely confusing to non-English speakers.
Post a Comment
<< Home