School Daze

My interests, now, are more about the "school work" and learning French. I really don't have time to tour, at least, during the week. This grammar class will take all my energy and I am, quite candidly, nervous about it. Last night, I rewrote the presentation that my sweet, Vietnamese partner and I had written. Our joint effort didn't make sense. I've decided the two of us, together, are like "the perfect storm" - a confluence of languages, gestures, and scribbling on paper isn't enough to make our presentation passable. It's not her fault. You can imagine that if I have difficulty hearing the language in a perfect environment,  how it must sound to me with a Vietnamese accent. Please know that I do not have "ego" invested in this presentation and I'm not sure she will agree to the new product and that's OK, but I couldn't go to sleep last night until I had written something...just in case we need it.

In class, we were discussing vetements (clothes) and those groups of people who wear certain types of clothes (e.g. formal clothing for business; creative clothing for the artist; sport clothing for the athletes etc). Then, the teacher explained that one couldn't always count on the stereotype to be true. That business people wear sports clothes etc...you get the idea. Then she wrote a French expression on the board. I think it went like this: L'habit ne porte que le moine, which loosely translated means: The nun wears only the habit or "what you see is what you get". So far so good. Then she asks me if there is a similar expression in my culture. Let me diverge for a minute. NPR (public radio) had a story on the brain and how it works better under pressure. Someone had scientifically proven that people who take tests with a full bladder perform better. I did not have a full bladder, but I was under pressure. I answered, in French, that we say, "one can't tell a book by its cover", (on ne peut pas raconter un livre par sa couverture). I think I butchered it. She didn't say anything. I was happy I said something.

I have found an amazing "deal". At school, I can buy a cafe au lait for 1 Euro 10 c. Of course, that's $1.65 US, but still a good deal...no cookies, however.

Other Little Tid-bits:

If you come to Paris, I would advise you to forego the car rental in Paris. Use the metro, buses, or take a cab. It is impossible to park here. PERIOD. They drive a little too fast for me and the streets are often going one-way, but not your way.

Obey all walk and wait signs. They are confusing, but may save your life.

The picture, above, is the open market. Breakfast, anyone? Below is a statue of Joffre, a general in WWI. I was told that statues of horses, after the 17th century, revealed additional info. If all 4 hooves are on the ground, then the rider survived the battle. If one hoof is lifted, he was injured, but recovered. If 2 hooves are raised, the rider died in battle. Also, above, flowers at the market. They were the most gorgeous I've seen.


I'm off to buy groceries and then to school. Have a great day.

Sally