Who knows the other countries in the world where people speak French? You don't have to raise your hands. Leave a comment if you know!
The kids in class are funny because they aren't sure where people speak English (besides England). "Okay, what language do people speak in Australia?" "Australian!" They also can't quite pin point the United States on a map... some point to England, others study Russia. "Well, how do you think she got here?" "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure she arrived by train."
But how many people from the US could answer such questions fully and completely about the Francophone countries?
Yesterday I did a lesson with the kids about Great Britain, the countries in the British Isles, and all their flags. Of course, I didn't know much of that stuff before the lesson either. As embarrassing as it is to admit, (despite being an international studies major!) I had no remembrance that Wales was its own country until Megan told me last week. Or that the name of the English flag was "St. George's Cross" and that the Scottish, English and North Irish flags combine together to make the Union Jack. So there's that news for anyone who didn't know.
There's a lot to learn. It's really funny sitting in class and learning grammar or something along with the students. In a math class I observed the other day, they were taught to add and subtract by 9 by using 10 and then adding or subtracting 1. Well that is useful, why did it take 23 years for me to learn that?
Also, French game shows impart cultural tidbits. They have "Are you Smarter than a 6th Grader?" and several others that are similar to US shows, too. It's fun trying to understand the host's jokes and the crowd's remarks. The French are like Aggies in that they heckle mercilessly.
We'll see if they heckle in real life, too. This evening, I'm going to a charity soccer match in Valenciennes. Famous old french players are going to play the city's current team. Bernadette Chirac (the former president's wife) is going to open the game, so it will be interesting.
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2 comments:
i wish i knew french....and i wish i could come be french with you.
it sounds amazing all of your adventures. seriously i was just sitting here wishing with all my heart i could be there in france with you. maybe not with all my heart, cause i shouldn't degrade that the Lord has me here for a reason. but you know what i mean. it sounds like such an amazing adventure there. i love you dearly ...
Thanks Jessica. I wish you could be here, too :) Hope all is well in the sea of marroon and accounting and friends who I miss!
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