Being in a place where everyone speaks another language is a new and strange experience for me. it actually started in Singapore, boarding an Air France flight, where all of the attendants spoke French. It was only when you looked dumbstruck that they spoke to you in English. I attempted to ask for red wine, but was met with ‘pardon?’ ‘vin rouge’ – that’s not particularly difficult, but still i failed. Yet, i was sandwiched between 2 guys from Australia, so felt a little embarrassed trying, and didn’t really speak much French after that. I didn’t want to respond in English either, so did lots of pointing and smiling, and muttering under my breath. But when i got off the plane, i echoed their chants of ‘au revoir’. Though i think i said café once instead of coffee. Again, this was repeating what was said to me. i was too scared to come out and say/ask for something fresh, after the red wine thing. Though there is a chance that i’m just speaking really softly, because i’m so embarrassed about how i sound.
My next interaction was with a ticket seller at Charles de gaule airport, for a train to paris. I asked in simple (few words as possible) French, but he responded in English.
I dared myself to ask the woman next to me on the train if it would stop at Chatelet les Halles, even though i knew it would. It went down well, and she was very pleasant. I thanked her and she said something that may roughly translate at “not at all it is my pleasure”. Well, that’s what i read from a few words i got, and the way she said it.
Next was a café in the Marais. I went there because they have wireless internet, but also asked for a coffee, and a plate of three cheeses. I asked for espresso, as i couldn’t remember how to ask for a long black. I suspect it’s cafe noir. But i didn’t want to have that difficult conversation in a small and busy cafe. And cheese. For over $A20. But there was a lot of cheese. And it was good cheese. Some camembert (i think), some goat’s fetta mini-wheels (i think) and some yellow sliced stuff that i couldn’t even guess, but it was nice, and necessary mild next to the other 2. Oh, and i was given a few bits of bread. Not really enough for all that cheese. But i ate it all. Including the mouldy spots on one of the fetta wheels, which didn’t look like the good mould you’re supposed to eat, but i thought surely they wouldn’t give it to me if you shouldn’t. Who am i to question the French on cheese mould. Unless the guy was really offended by my softly spoken and broken French.
I’m concerned that i’m rude when i attempt French, as i say basic words, the most direct formation, and was forgetting to smile and say merci. So merci is my new favourite word. I said it to a man in the cafe who stepped aside as i was leaving, to let me pass. Again, he came back with something elaborate and exquisitely pleasant, like my train friend. So far i’m more inclined to think that Parisians are incredibly nice, unlike the cultural stereotype.
The boy on the desk of the hotel i’m staying in was also very nice. His English is almost as bad as my French, so it was good to have a conversation that wasn’t only challenging for me. he didn’t understand my initial request for “une chambre” though. What am i doing wrong with that? So simple.
But again, very nice. And again, it was tiring. I left my bag here, went for more walking until the room was cleaned, went to the supermarket. I was pleased that the girl on the check out was disinterested and didn’t say hi to anyone. It made things easier. Then i had another chat with the boy on reception, and then the cleaners. With one cleaner, i realised the value of charade like gestures. I asked where the shower was (douche). She didn’t get it. “wash” “bath chambre”... then she went on to say “pour douche” (2 handed gesture of water trickling onto head) “un, deux” (pointing downstairs, but also counting the two with her fingers). She was lovely. they all are.
I’m very tired and think i’ll sleep now, even though it’s only 1pm. Though i can’t even begin to count the hours in which i haven’t slept. I gained 9 hours, but slept about 1.5 hours on the planes.
No comments:
Post a Comment