A funny thing happened to me at the dog park. Yes there is a little park 1/4 block from our new apt. There is a dog run area. I went to the dog run with Kika. I get to practice my French with the locals. No one is rude to me regarding my language skills so I often engage in conversations that quickly turn deeper than I can really manage in French.
“Vous etre Iranian?”
“Non, je suis Americain.” I said but I was thinking well I do like a nice Persian rug, has she seen our apartment? We do have some nice rugs but the nicest one really comes from Afghanistan. Do I look Afghani? Has she been spying on us? Maybe this stream of consciousness is why I didn’t understand what she said next.
“Blah blah blah and other things I didn’t understand in French.” she said.
I think she was saying that if I am American then I am certainly not Iranian. I think she was referring to the current political standoff. I hope she didn’t think I was offended that she thought I was Iranian. I used to get Mexican, Puerto Rican, Brasilian, but I have never gotten Iranian before. I guess here in France they will think I look Middle Eastern somehow.
“Ah Bon, di donc, se vrai, vraiment, tout a fait, pas de tout.” I used probably all the conversation fillers I knew. Once a conversation goes to far in one direction I can’t exactly then state that I don’t speak French very well or turn around and announce “A bientot”. I have to stick it out and try to keep up appearances. Luckily she had to go to work and I did not. Problem solved.
Popularity: 2% [?]
It’s always exciting and frustrating to interact. You know what you want to say, and you stumble over your tongue trying to say it. Keep at it. It will get easier. And after a while you stop caring about mistakes. It becomes part of your foreigner charm!
Happy holidays to you both!