I Lost My French Voice

Sometime along the way I lost my ability to speak and even comprehend French. When this occurred I truly don't know. However, I am sure that it started with the decision to study on my own this year and not in an organized class. Remember the independent person I spoke about in an earlier entry. Well this person thought that he could do just as well on his own and along the way save a little time. Wrong! I quickly learned on this visit.

I can always depend on my dear friend Magda to insist that I work on my language skills when I am with her in Paris. She always finds ways to place in me in situations where I have to speak the language. I used to think this was cute but this time I found it extremely diffucult and therefore not so cute!

However, she is an even more independent person than I and therefore, continued her efforts to help me along the way to mastering basic conversational French (at a minimum). Never mind that this conversation French is with the manicurist that she insisted we do together (you know the friendship bonding thing). Once I was seated with my hands in this warm, sudsy water she remembered a little errand she needed to run - "just around the corner dear ... I'll be right back ... go ahead and practice your French". There I was with a young woman staring across the table from me. We smiled for the longest time and then I just looked down into the sudsy,water and silently cursed dear Magda.

This occurred several other times during my visit - at the hairdresser (why do I follow her around like this? I am beginning to wonder myself.), at the luncheon table (Go ahead dear and order for us. I'll be right back), at the florist, or just whenever she would say to me practice (the news kiosk, the grocer).

So I've decided that I didn't like being mute and that I must return to class to claim my French voice once again even if it is a quiet one.