One thing I miss about being in Paris is listening in on people’s conversations. Or should I say attempting to listen. While that sounds rude and intrusive at first glance it was in fact a way to challenge myself on a daily basis. On the metro, on my mile walk to the Alliance, at the dinner table, at the museums; everywhere I went I was challenged to comprehend what was happening around me. I do admit that it was often frustrating, but it was also rewarding and exciting when I picked up on a word here and there.
Reflecting on my time in Paris, I can recall one time in which I felt very overwhelmed with the French language. My host family was hosting a dinner for their close friends about two or three weeks into my stay with them. They prepared appetizers as well as four or five other courses. They even got out the fancy dishes and tablecloth. I remember thinking this dinner would never begin as the time was already well past 9:00. I grew even more starving as I awaited for the arrival of their friends.
They finally arrived, a husband and wife with their son, and we began the meal. This was a time in which French was more frustrating than rewarding. I say that because the meal lasted until past midnight and there were 6 people speaking french and sometimes in multiple conversations. While I enjoyed the challenge, it was mentally exhausting trying to follow all of these conversations. However, I did enjoy just being a part of the meal and watching the rest of them interact with each other. I truly felt immersed in the French language and culture that night as I was able to see these families talk, laugh and enjoy the presence of one another.
The reason that I brought the topic of listening in on french conversations up is because of an experience I had about a week ago. While on my short trip to Virginia to visit my brother, we took a day trip to Washington D.C. After we did all the touristy things we went to dinner at the popular Shake Shack restaurant. During the course of dinner, I overheard a french conversation at the table next to ours. After our meal I actually ended up talking in french to one of the women from the table. My mom was trying to make conversation with this woman and she eventually said that she couldn’t understand English very well. I then proceeded to translate for my mom and speak to this woman. She was from Africa but currently resided in Switzerland with her family. She was in America to drop two of her daughters off at an international camp. We talked for about 20 minutes about various things such as my time in Paris and her family. She also told me how she thinks French is actually a tougher language to learn than English and how her daughters were having a hard time with writing in French. It was a very rewarding and refreshing experience. I hope to have more encounters like this so that I can continue to improve my french speaking abilities!
During our stay in France I think we all had our moments of frustration and fatigue when being immersed in the French language. That said, it's these kind of encounters that make it all worth it. Personally, I think the stay helped my comprehension and conversational skills grow more than they ever had in the 6 years I had studied French in the states. I have always picked up on bits of conversation on the L or out and about in Chicago, on vacations, etc. and I look forward to actually being able to understand a conversation or make conversation in the future. It makes our experience in France that much more rewarding, I hope to keep building on the ability to understand and speak in French for the rest of my life.
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