Parlez-vous Français?
Well, I used to. Sorta-kinda.
I took French in high school and then for two years in college, after which I abandoned it because it was hard (for me) and I had other classes I preferred to wrack my brains over.
But now I find myself wishing I’d stuck it out. At least long enough for me to awkwardly converse with a local Parisian. Because that is what I am dreaming of these days. Paris. Cliché? Perhaps. But it’s a relatively new cliché for me. I mean, I have been dreaming of Hawaii for as long as I can remember. And while the islands are still my #1 must-visit, Paris has quickly stepped into second place. I have been pretty much obsessing over the City of Lights recently-watching and re-watching old episodes of No Reservations and The Layover, daydreaming of baguettes and cheese and chicly-dressed ladies. Stripes are a primary feature.
And when I finally make this daydream a reality, I would like-FOR ONCE-to be able to converse with the locals on my own. Historically, I have always been the Mute Traveler when traversing a country whose language is something other than my own. Italy, Spain, Portugal…with the exception of a few grazies and graciases, I barely said a word to anyone other than my traveling companion. I was completely reliant on him, actually. And while there is certainly nothing wrong with placing your trust in someone with a firm grasp of foreign languages, I think I am at a place in my life where I feel like I need to be a bit more self-reliant. I am Almost 40 after all. That is practically a grown-up.
So now that I’ve begun mulling this over, I need to think about what steps I would need to take. Scheduling stuff in my family is always tough, with a musician and a second grader in the house (the pre-schooler has yet to be over-scheduled). Adult classes are abundant in the Boston area, but they tend to be pricey. And one I found that seemed fiscally reasonable meets on his band practice night. Foiled!
Has anyone found the book/CD approach to be useful? Like…could I listen to conversational French via iTunes or something? I don’t want to half-ass it, but I need to be realistic here. I’m a working mom of 2 with potential delusions of Parisian grandeur. I need some Real Talk, peeps.
Or should I say: parler real, amis?
I took French in high school and then for two years in college, after which I abandoned it because it was hard (for me) and I had other classes I preferred to wrack my brains over.
But now I find myself wishing I’d stuck it out. At least long enough for me to awkwardly converse with a local Parisian. Because that is what I am dreaming of these days. Paris. Cliché? Perhaps. But it’s a relatively new cliché for me. I mean, I have been dreaming of Hawaii for as long as I can remember. And while the islands are still my #1 must-visit, Paris has quickly stepped into second place. I have been pretty much obsessing over the City of Lights recently-watching and re-watching old episodes of No Reservations and The Layover, daydreaming of baguettes and cheese and chicly-dressed ladies. Stripes are a primary feature.
And when I finally make this daydream a reality, I would like-FOR ONCE-to be able to converse with the locals on my own. Historically, I have always been the Mute Traveler when traversing a country whose language is something other than my own. Italy, Spain, Portugal…with the exception of a few grazies and graciases, I barely said a word to anyone other than my traveling companion. I was completely reliant on him, actually. And while there is certainly nothing wrong with placing your trust in someone with a firm grasp of foreign languages, I think I am at a place in my life where I feel like I need to be a bit more self-reliant. I am Almost 40 after all. That is practically a grown-up.
So now that I’ve begun mulling this over, I need to think about what steps I would need to take. Scheduling stuff in my family is always tough, with a musician and a second grader in the house (the pre-schooler has yet to be over-scheduled). Adult classes are abundant in the Boston area, but they tend to be pricey. And one I found that seemed fiscally reasonable meets on his band practice night. Foiled!
Has anyone found the book/CD approach to be useful? Like…could I listen to conversational French via iTunes or something? I don’t want to half-ass it, but I need to be realistic here. I’m a working mom of 2 with potential delusions of Parisian grandeur. I need some Real Talk, peeps.
Or should I say: parler real, amis?