Thoughts on the French

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Today I had an experience that has shed some light on my experience so far in France. I went to the post office today because I had a lot of postcards to send home to Mom, so then she could mail them individually in the US, since stamps here are 0,90 euros. Crazy! I just wanted one envelope to send them in, but me and the guy at the window were just not having a connection. So I finally just said "oui, oui" to what he was saying. He disappeared for a minute and I thought to myself, "I suck at life. Now I'm going to be stuck paying for 25 stamps." But instead of a roll of stamps he brought out an envelope and I gratefully handed over my money. I got what I came for, but left feeling that I had made a complete ass out of myself.

So I walked down to Monoprix to get a sandwich, feeling very low and cursing the French for being so damn insistent that everybody speak their language. I got to the sandwich area in the bakery section and found that the people in front of me were speaking English. They had that thick southern drawl that made me smile to hear it, but also cringe. Lord, do we sound like that to everyone?? Couldn't they tone it down a bit? The thing is they weren't even really trying to speak French, and they were being so damn... American. Pointing at the little pizzas, saying "What's that??"

I found out they were from Alabama, and then I paid and left, leaving them to their French fates. I walked out feeling much better than I had come in. I realized that I may not be the world's most fluent French speaker, but gosh-darn it I try. I put in an effort everyday to interact with the French on their terms. So what if I screw up? At least I'm doing better than those poor fools from Alabama. It's funny how life will push you down one moment, then pick you up the next.

Cheers!

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