An Effort to Learn

“J’ai accompli de délicieux voyages embarqué sur un mot.”  – Honoré de Balzac

“Just a single word has launched for me many wonderful adventures.”

If I had to choose a word or idea that was connected to my summer in France, it would have to be “effort”.  Whenever you go to a place where you do not speak the language well, it is important to put out an effort in order to enjoy anything.  Unless you truly make an effort to learn and enjoy yourself, you are not going to get the full experience and this was something that I recognized shortly after arriving in France.

When I first arrived in La Rochelle, I was very hesitant to try to speak any more than what was required of me because I did not want to sound like an idiot.  As a result of this, conversations with me early on were very short and awkward.  After a little bit, I realized that in order to really get to experience everything I had in front of me, I needed to try to become more involved in conversations around me.  I just had to embrace the fact that I was not going to be able to speak perfect French and no one really expected me to.  Once I realized that, it became a lot easier for me to ask questions and to get involved in discussions at meals.  Another thing that happened as a result of my making an effort was my spoken French improved.  By the end of the trip, my host family was telling me how much of an improvement they could see in my French and by making that effort, I enjoyed myself more than I may have otherwise.

My host family

~ Jordan Hammelman ’10

Listening is the Key to Understanding

“J’ai accompli de délicieux voyages embarqué sur un mot.” -Honoré de Balzac

“Just a single word has launched for me many wonderful adventures.”

If I had to sum up everything about my experiences during my summer in France into a few simple words, that word would simply be “listen”.  When I first arrived in France, I had only the most basic understanding of the language. I knew how to communicate well enough to get by living a fairly normal life; I could order food, get places I needed to be, and make small talk with the host family I was living with. As time went by though, I wanted to be able to have more than just the most basic, “Hello, how was your day?” types of conversations with my host parents. I wanted to get to know them on a more personal level, since I would be living in their house for all that time, so I began to make more of an effort to talk to them, despite how difficult that was in the beginning.

At first when I did not fully understand what was being said to me, my host family and I would resort to what was basically like a small game of charades in an effort to be on the same page with one another. However, I was quick to realize that was not the best way to learn the French language, which was the reason for my studying abroad in the first place.

From then on, if I didn’t understand a word or phrase my host family would say to me, instead of going back to our charades game, they would find a new way of wording what it was they wanted to say to me. I would do the same thing when speaking with them, as well. If I did not know how to say something I wanted to tell them, I would just find a new way to word it to get around it. That way, I was still thinking and speaking fully in French, because keeping in the French mindset at all times is important when learning it as second language.

Just giving my host family, and whoever else was speaking to me in French, my 100%, undivided attention while they were speaking taught me so much more about the language than any textbook or worksheet could ever do. Listening to them speak to me, asking questions if I did not understand things, and remaining focused on what they were saying to me was an excellent way for me, or anyone else in the same position, to learn. I left France at the end of my time there feeling proud of myself for knowing way more of the language than I ever thought I would.

This is my amazing host family that taught me so much while I living in La Rochelle with them.

-Brittany Dixon ’13

My German French Translator

When I first arrived here my host father and I spoke to each other in French along the way to his house. We asked each other the usually questions back and forth with me struggling to produce questions and answers. During the course of the conversation he explained to me what he does for a living. At the time, I translated his answer as either “like a teacher” or someone who looks after property. This unsatisfactory conclusion has stayed with me for the last few weeks.

Last night, Dominique and Pascal (host parents) had a friend of theirs over for dinner. She brought with her a German student who was also studying here in La Rochelle. He spoke a little English and our French was more or less on par with one another. He and I talked for a while in French and English for over two hours. During that period, he asked Dominique what he did for a living. The answer as explained to this German student was (in French) “like a teacher” but “with children who have psychological problems.” I am not certain whether this is evidence that my French has improved or that Dominique simplified his initial answer to me based on my limited language skills. Either way I must extend a warm “Danke Sie“ to my new German friend for helping clear up one of the oldest mysetious of my voyage.

~Ollie Garland

Dinner Game Show

Host and Co-Host of French Wheel of Fortune

Every night when I get back to my house conversation generally begins the same way at dinner.  They ask me about my day, what I learned at school, and then the quizzing begins.  It is actually very similar to being on a game show only there are no prizes and it does not end when I get an answer wrong.  Usually I am just quizzed on the the objects that surround us, but occasionly there are others randomly thrown in as well. 

The first week was the most intense because it was just me at the table so it was like I was the sole contestant and it was when I was still getting comfortable.  I think that the quizzing was also most intense that first week in an attemp to help me with my vocabulary.  However, the second week, two British girls moved into my house as well and so I was no longer as alone and as a result the game felt as though it would go by a lot faster.  Gradually the game became fewer words until we each eventually had one word that we still randomly get quizzed on for our vocabulary and pronunciation, like  that of “sœur” (“sister).  My word is usually “une assiette” (“a plate”) and i must say that I think this is one French word that I will never forget! 

Although I was uncomfortable sitting at the dinner table being quizzed on my knowledge of French vocabulary, I think this was extremely beneficial.  Not only did this allow me to learn new vocabulary words but they would also correct my pronunciation of ones I did know.  This was all a huge learning experience which I am glad I have had.

~ Jordan Hammelman ’10

Ça sent bon!

Strong and powerful, sweet and light, and even the thick, face-cringing smell, have all been an experience. Being in a new place you always encounter new smells. I think my sense of smell has greatly improved. The smells I have experienced here will forever remind me of La Rochelle.

My host mom is an excellent cook and she makes dinner for her family every night. She loves cooking so much. Around 7pm the house begins to fill will the smells of he amazing cuisine. When you enjoy the smell of the food you are about to eat it is polite to give compliments to the chef. I never knew how to compliment my host moms cooking until I buckled down and asked her. She taught me, “Ça sent bon“, which means “Smells good” in English. I have used this line over and over and even outside of my house! This may be my new favorite phrase! Every day that I walk into town I jump over and around puddles of water from the melted ice that kept the seafood from the night before fresh. The seafood smell lingers for a little on the bottoms of my shoes. Is it weird that I now think “Ça sent bon“? I pass dozens of cafés and I smell fresh crêpes and coffe. Before coming to France, the smell of coffee made me sick to my stomach but now I just say “Ça sent bon!” Vendors line the streets selling anything from strong leather smelling bracelets to dresses to even candy. The candy just so happens to be my favorite of course. There is a large man in a dirty apron who makes the best smelling treat in the world. He scoops some type of nut into a large round pot. The pot is heated and he adds some type of sugary syrup and creates an awesome smell. Everyday I walk by I take a big whiff of this yummy smell and I think to myself “Ça sent bon“. I am hoping to one day buy a bag of the treat that smells so good. I wonder if it tastes as good as it smells? As for now, I will take my new favorite phrase and use it as much as possible! Last night my “mom” made a yummy chocolate treat for me. (Ever since se found out I love chocolate, she makes every dessert with chocolate-no complaints though!) As soon as I walked into the kitchen she told me she made me “petit chocolats” and i looked at her and said, “Ca sent bon!” she turned to me and gave me the most proud looking smile I have yet to see. We enjoyed a delicious dinner then we ate our petit chocolats!

AnnaLeah Chantry ’12

I’m a Witch!

The other night I was finishing my French homework at the kitchen table.  My host mom walked past and noticed I was working on French so she stopped and looked over what I was doing.  She ended up correcting many of my spelling mistakes which made me feel right home. 

I am not the best speller even in English and I wanted to her to know it was not just French that I have trouble spelling.  I went to my dictionary and looked up all the words in hopes of eliminating all some confusion.  I thought this was going to be great, I was finally going to tell my host mom a little bit about myself!  I told my host mom ” Désolée, je charme mauvais aux  États-Unis aussi,” intending to say “Sorry, I’m a bad speller in the United States too.”  My host mom gave me the strangest look.  Come to find out I told my host mom “I put a bad spell on her in America!”  We both got a good laugh from my misunderstanding.  Watching the hand motions of my host mom as she tried to explain a witch was almost as funny as what I figured out I said.

I quickly learned after that night that even though there are translations for specific words in the dictionary, those translations do not always translate in meaning!  This is an experience with my host mom I will not soon forget.

– Monica Ware ’11

 

Friday Night with the Gueilhers

At dinner during one of my first nights here in France, my “host dad” was telling me about the summer camp Basil, one of their two sons, was going to be attending for a week. He was explaining to me how at the end of the week, as a sort of “going away party” for the campers, the families had the chance to join them for a giant dinner picnic, a bonfire, and skits and songs performed by the campers that they had learned throughout the week. He invited me to join them for the hour long car ride out to the country, saying how he thought it would be a good experience for me to see as much of France as possible, since so far I had only seen the little town of La Rochelle. Of course I agreed to go with them, so last Friday evening I had the pleasure of getting to see parts of France I had yet to see and continue to be surrounded in the French language all while spending more time with host family and getting to know them better.

At first, being with dozens of campers and their families in an unfamiliar place was entirely overwhelming. However, as the night progressed and I got more comfortable trying to communicate with those around me in French, I ended up having a great time there. Granted, the performances by the kids and the songs they sang went completely over my head at times, because since it was all so fast paced, I could not understand everything they were saying.  I could though, catch the gist of it enough to know the majority of what was going on, and I enjoyed watching and learning more from everyone.

Basil performing one of the skits he had learned during his week at camp. Photo By: Brittany Dixon

 Overall, it was an amazing experience being able to go out and be a part of everything that took place that evening. I am extremely grateful that they thought to ask me to join them on their family time.

-Brittany Dixon ’13

The End of Language

“Il y a un petit animal dans le maison.”  These were interesting words  to hear as I  ate dinner the other night.  According to my host family, there was some variety of creature living about the house.  Mon “pere” was going to take action against this invading force sometime the next day.

Being the inquisitive one that I am, I engaged the family (and their friends who were visiting) in a dialogue to determine what exactly was living in the house.  One of the friends spoke a little English, so I naturally began with him.  “Petit animal”, he said.  “Très petit animal”, I replied.  He did not know the English equivalent.  Back and forth the friend, the family, and I went in my quest to identify this insurgency.  Hand gestures, facial expressions, and exaggerated movements were employed to aid our broken French and English. 

Eventually one reaches the point where one can no longer “expliquer en Francais” in such a way that one can directly approach the issue.  You find yourself dancing around the subject and the conversation never quite reaches its destination.  I retrieved a dictionary and the mystery was finally solved…fleas from the cats!

When one does not know an answer, the wise course of action would be to research it, learn it, understand it, and build upon it with further study and analysis.  This was practiced here and it proved effective.  If only all of the world’s problems could be approached with this methodology.  For now though, with the enemy force identified, and their doom on the horizon, I can sleep well.  It is interesting to note that I engaged in a dialogue using French, English, and body language and still could not reach a definitive answer.  Are there possibly limits to language as spoken, written, and understood.

~Ollie Garland  ’12

Moullié, Moullié, Mouillé!

When I arrived in La Rochelle and found out that there would be a three-year old  boy in my house I was very excited!  To me, the youngest of three children who had always wanted a younger sibling, he was like a toy for me to play with.

Silvio!

However, my little toy turned out to have quite a personality!  His name is Silvio and he just recently turned three years old, a fact of which he was very proud!  He talks non-stop, the majority of which was lost is lost on me!  Thankfully kicking around a soccer ball and playing with toy cars is something I understand very well, even in France!

One evening right after dinner, I went to my room to get some work done.  While I was distractedly looking out my window I heard a rapid stomping approaching my room.  I looked over to a very agitated Silvio standing in my doorway!  Trying not to smile I asked him, the best I could in French, what was wrong! 

His response to my question was a rapid progression of incoherent French!  When he realized  that I had no idea what he had said, he walked up to me, sat on the bed beside me, and proceeded to hit me with he little socked foot, a wet foot at that! 

“Mouillé, mouillé, mouillé!”

I was so confused and still had no idea what he was trying to say to me! He was quite frustrated and after one final kick of his foot, he stormed back out of my room.  I grabbed my dictionary and looked up the word, “Mouillé: adjective, wet.”  Oh! It all made sense to me now!  Turns out that Silvio had stuck his foot in a puddle while his grandmother was watering her flowers. 

What he wanted me to do about the situation I still have no idea, but I know that I will never forget how to say wet!

Silvio has been an amazing little teacher for me!  This sock incident is just one of many learning experiences that he has provided for me!

– Claire Turck, ’11