Last Wednesday night I experienced a proper French dinner. Therese and Jean hosted a small dinner party for a few of their friends, one of which is hosting another student in my program Emily. I was really nervous at first because I don't feel like I know all of the etiquette of French people and I really did not want to be offensive. Secondly, I was nervous because I have a hard time comprehending French when it is spoken really quickly.
The words in French are hard to distinguish in every day language for a newbie like me because it tends to sounds like one really long string of words with no break in between. It is kinda like trying to understand my brother Tyson when he talks (no offense Ty!), or for those that don't know Ty, someone that mumbles a lot. Well when they are finished with their long string of words looking at me expecting an answer I feel like a deer caught in headlights. I'm sure they all think it is quite hilarious because I most definitely have a blank look on my face with a touch of "huh?!" Being put on the spot I do what every normal human would do...panic! The state of panic is not the best situation for remembering what little vocabulary I have so I either "....uh.....um.....je..um....peut etre...um...repeate s'il vous plait?" or "je suis desolee....mais je parle un peu francais....." Luckily in the case of the dinner party Therese understands my level of comprehension and was able to translate my broken French to real French.
Anyway the dinner was probably one of my favorite nights so far. All the guests were in their mid - late 70's. I don't remember their names but there was one lady that had been friends with Therese for 50 years, a widowed man that was very dramatic with his words and gestures and a quiet couple. We sat down for 'imperitifs' (drinks and appetizers) at 7:00 pm, switched tables for the first course at 8:00pm, main course at 9:00 pm, cheese and bread at 10:00 pm, dessert at 10:30, second round of dessert at 11:00. To sit and watch all of these dear old friends enjoy a meal together and speak a language I could only barely understand was such a treasure. I understood what was happening by tones of voices, hand gestures, facial expressions, etc. It was so delightful to watch them thoroughly enjoy each others company and laugh with each other for hours. It reminded me of some of our Thanksgiving dinners or Christmas dinners back home...everyone is sitting around the table, totally stuffed, and the stories start rolling out and everyone is laughing and taking time to enjoy life and each other. It was once again a reminder to me that no matter where in the world you live, or what language you speak, we are all the same. We all have worries and stress and we all have laughter and joy. It is a lesson I never want to forget.
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