Alliance Francais - Language School

I had no idea how long the metro would take to deliver me to school. It is across town so to speak and rush hour too. Not that long. I left at 7:45 and arrived @ 8:15. Just time enough for a cafe au lait whose prices I'm discovering vary all over town. This time I paid under 4 Euros (still expensive - a small Starbuck's is still cheaper and there are no refills).

I arrived at school and waited in the lobby, not knowing where to find my classroom. A young, darling girl came up to me and asked me if I spoke french. I mumbled something (having become very uncomfortable speaking the language here) and asked her if she spoke English. She said no. But she was from Tibet and did not speak English. So we spoke "our french" together and it was so nice. She was personable and kind and I felt I had a friend.

We were in different classes, however, and when it was time to attend class, we went different directions. I entered the classroom with another girl who, coincidentally, was Tibetan, also. Her English was limited, so we had to speak French (C'est bon). Others filed in. There are 11 of us - everyone is from a different country: Portugal, China, Viet Nam, Venezuela, France, Sweden, Iran, Tibet, Turkey, USA (me) and Bangledesh. It is amazing. All different in our languages; all the same in our struggle to speak French.

I like my professor very much. She is nice, friendly, happy like my professor at COCC. Both are well spoken and (here's the important part) both are, especially adept at understanding the sounds that students make while trying to imitate French. I think everyone was nervous in the beginning, but by break time, we were relaxed and enjoying our fellow classmates. We will be together for the month.

Speaking of break time, one of the students passed out a candy bar to every student. It was a sweet generous moment. Nothing was said, but I couldn't help revel in the irony of the moment. Hassam is from Bangledesh.

Class ended at noon. I understood more than I had anticipated. That made me happy. However, it is a closed setting and we are focused on every word. That makes comprehension easier. Sometimes, I feel the French talk so fast their language is a continuous "run-on" sentence. This experience is all good and although I have "miles" to go, I'm glad to be here.

After lunch, I went in search of a knitting shop. I found one in the 7th arrondisement, but she did not carry any of the Bergere Patterns I was looking for. I will try other knit shops later, but I am not hopeful. Retail space must be costly. The shops are tiny and the selection slim. Unless, you sell clothes. I've decided that because people do not save for their retirement (the government provides), they spend their money on clothes. Of course I'm exaggerating, but if you could see the number of retail shops in a block, you might believe me.

At my metro destination, I disembarked, ran up the stairs and through the turnstile ("sortie") to be greeted by 3 "controleurs" (metro agents). They wanted to see my metro pass. I pulled it out. She looked at it and said in a rather nasty tone, "Where is your picture". It made no difference that I was a foreigner and struggling to understand what she wanted...She directed me to a photo machine to which I donated 5 Euros for a Mug? Thug? shot. I'm legal now.

Sally