Language Barriers

I am in France now, where I, completely unfoundedly, have this perverse belief that I can speak the language. Sure, I was taught French... in second grade. The entirety of my French education was to say "Hello, how are you?" "Very well, thank you, and you?" "Very well." That will get me in the door, but then what?

When I am travelling around, I try my best not to stand out as a crass American. I have this wonderful coat that I got in Rome 18 months ago, and when I wear it I seem to be able to pass myself off as a local. One obviously American woman asked me slowly, "Ou est le Metro?" I happily told her in English that I'd just passed a stop (but whipped out my map just in case). The only problem with appearing to be a local is that people do speak to you in their language. And I open my mouth honestly thinking that French is just going to naturally pop out.

What does come out? German. I haven't been this fluent in German since I was in Rome. The foreign language section of my brain seems to be completely filled with German. (The section must not be that large, because my Deutsch is pretty bad!)

But I keep trying nonetheless. I wandered around Paris this evening, and finally stopped into a little restaurant for dinner at 9:45. (I AM in Europe, after all.) The waiter, who I am sure spoke much more English that I do French, patiently played along with me and spoke to me in French... until I got to the point where I needed to ask for the bill. Mind you by then, after a glass of wine, I would have had trouble asking for the bill in ANY language!

Of course I do have all the French that I really need, though. "Pain au chocolat et vin rouge, sil vous ples." That should keep me going for a good long while!

More about France later. Now, as it is midnight, I must hasten off to bed so that I can be up and functional at 8 am tomorrow, when my hostess is going to be making me breakfast. Very kind of her, but I was fibbing when I said I got up at 8 (I didn't realize that the offer of breakfast would follow the inquiry as to what time I arose), and I certainly don't eat anything for an hour or two after I awake. So I've set my alarm for 7, so that I can at least attempt to be a gracious guest. (Of course she isn't even home from her dinner engagement yet, so maybe I should leave her a note saying nine would be better!)