Good Reads

Reading is a hobby many people enjoy. I only began to take to reading after high school and increasingly so after college. My preference is non-fiction. I tend to go for travel journals, grammar editorials and whatever strikes me. One could very well say that my choices are sporadic. Only in recent years have I begun to look for fiction. My reluctance with fiction is the author's ability to draw me in and keep my interest. It is not my intention to waste my time on some work that doesn't capture my attention. With a non-fiction work you have an idea of what its already about and want to learn something. Needless to say, I'm rarely disappointed. Fiction on the other hand, has let me down on many occasions where I am left thinking "thats a lot of hours out of my life I'll never get back." There are many authors I've attempted that people rave about so I try them. Often times, I hate myself for starting the book and won't forgive myself if I finish it. Maybe it does get better halfway through, but I'm not willing to devote my time to wait that long. A book better be a page-turner or I'm not interested.

One strategy I've found is paying close attention to movies that intrigue me in some way and finding out upon whose book it was based. That is how I got addicted to the Harry Potter series. I typically love children's movies, animated or real people. The buzz was already in full swing when the first Harry Potter movie was released. Prior to the movie, I really didn't know what the books were about, I knew the books were loved by children and adults alike but that didn't completely sell me on picking up a copy. The movie preview by contrast was so alluring! I saw the movie and thought to myself "wow, I could read that and love it." That's exactly what happened.

Another grievance I have is that I find an author whose writing I love to take in and read all their books. After exhausting their books, I find out that "that's all folks" and I'm stuck looking for a new author that will fulfill my reading desire. Many of the authors I am drawn to are still writing but its awhile until they publish again. Among these writers include J.K. Rowling, Peter Mayle and Dan Brown. When is that long awaited new Dan Brown book coming out?

I wish I could be more like my mom, sister and KSM, all of whom have great taste in books and get along with almost all authors. Again, its not easy being me. Anybody have another author for me to attempt?

New Idea

The Haitian girl looking at the camera is named Rachelle 

(wa-shel is the pronunciation)

I have an idea and wanted to work it out in writing.  I find my ideas get worked out if I ramble in writing for awhile.  Without further ado, I was wondering about an adult French club in my area.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I attend a French group in the summer courtesy of the Women's Club in Chautauqua.  Its a wonderful opportunity to get together with speakers of French to stay on top of the skill.  As Proverbs 27:17 says:  "iron sharpens iron. so one man sharpens another."  

A woman in our summer group belongs to a year round group and says its wonderful.  She says its more formal than our summer group as we get together to talk about random topics that just come up in conversation, nothing predetermined.  In her year round group, they hold informal discussions, read books and newspaper articles and arrange topics to debate ahead of time.  This sounds really fun.  She invited me to join her group but its an hour away.

So, some questions remain:

• will people be interested in such a group?
  
• when is the opportune time to meet?
  
• how frequently should a group like this meet?
  

I met a woman today who was born in France and immigrated to the US as a child.  She echoed the same lament of not having many opportunities to speak French often.  

 

Foreign Exchange Students

Adrien Marze from France (2005-2006)

The best thing for me is to travel abroad and meet people.  The 2nd best thing is to receive exchange students from abroad.  I have been fortunate to spend time with many students from around the world.  My first exchange student was welcomed in my family's home in high school:  Delphine from France.  While teaching, I've been fortunate to be a point person for many students.  I worked with Sholpan (female) from Uzbekistan, Adrien (male) from France, Wilmarys (female) from Puerto Rico and Che (female) from Korea just to name a few.  Today, I had the great fortune of meeting Ef Fan (male) from China, who has chosen to go by the name Johnny.  Hope the gender tags help!  If it were up to me, I'd be lost being left with the names alone.  

My colleague and friend is hosting Johnny this academic year.  He is a nice young man whose English is already at a communicable level.  I can't wait til the end of the year to hear how much he's progressed.  That is always such a joy to see the language ability grow leaps and bounds.  Often, the exchange students that I've worked with arrive with a working knowledge of English fit for a textbook.  I always see it as my job to take the textbook talk to a conversational level.  Its quite different conversing normally versus what a textbook presents.  You feel me? 

I wish the Carlson family love and luck with their exchange student.  Its always a brave act to invite an exchange student into one's home but the benefits for both parties abound.

What to do...

Pierre and I working hard (read: hardly working) in class

For the Fall semester, I have 2 choices of courses.  

• Door #1 is Survey in French Literature
  
• Door #2 is Stylistics.  
  

So, most people would advise me to take the lesser of two evils.  The degree of evil depends on the person.  I'd much prefer Stylistics but I really should take a Lit course to get it over with.  You're probably wondering what stylistics is.  Well, its the study of language elements usage in different contexts.  Say what?  Allow me to illustrate.  The writing style we use for newspapers is different than that found in short stories.  A newspaper starts with a lead that gives a brief of the story up front.  A short story, on the other hand, will reveal details slowly and in due time.  A newspaper article uses straight forward words to present the information clearly and efficiently.  A short story tends to contain more descriptive and flowery language that will lead a reader to various conclusions.  A newspaper is pointed and forthright whereas a short story is vague.  Stylistics is the study of nuances and methods to language madness in varying genres of writing.  Neat, huh?

The reason I'm hesitant to take French Lit is because I studied a lot of it in undergrad and found its not my forte.  I took theatre of the absurd, existentialism, fiction and general lit.  That's enough to make anyone head to the hills!  I was not admitted into any of the ph.d programs because I was lacking French Lit on the graduate level.  There we have it...the bête noire of my academic path.  What do I do?

The Opposite Way

This is me in Morocco.  The vendor told me I was truly like "une princesse marocaine"

I had to take my friend this morning and was living vicariously through her by going to the gateway to anywhere in the world:  the airport.  Since I am stuck on the ground for now, I was loving the opportunity to help someone else go out into the world.  While listening to the radio in my car on the way home, a song came on that I've heard before but never really listened intently to the lyrics.  Turns out this song really spoke to me because the first half was how I grew up.  The song?  "The Opposite Way" by Leeland.

It struck me because I've always felt like in my family, profession, among peers and in whatever I do, I do it the opposite way.  In short, life for me has brought with it isolation.  I tend to go against the grain, not in a rebellious way, just in a quest for something else.  Perhaps, an alternative solution, different mode, who knows.  This is quite different than how I grew up.  Picture it: small suburb of Rochester, NY where generations of family members have lived, worked, and died.  Its almost the secret handshake or unwritten rule of our family:  live in the same place and act accordingly.  

And then there's me.  Stuck in the middle of an expected lifestyle and uncharted territory.  In high school, while looking at colleges, I remember looking outside my limited scope of the world and sought elsewhere.  Unsure as to the consequences or rewards, I knew this town's perimeter was too small for me.  I chose a school in another state, 6 hours from home.  It was perfect.  My junior year, I knew the limits needed to be pushed yet again.  I went to France for a semester and came alive.  My fate was sealed that I could not go back to where I came from, geographically or philosophically.  It was time to move on to the opposite way.

My adventurous spirit has led me to Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Monaco, Costa Rica, Morocco, Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Haiti.  Whereas the bulk of my relatives have stayed within the confines of the same old way.  My grandfather always asks me when I'm coming home.  I guess I've been disappointing him for 14 years by doing other than the family norm.  I'm so far gone, he doesn't understand my need for globe trotting.  I'm not sure where I got it from--switched at birth?  Not likely.  I just have this inner desire to know what's out there and a documentary just won't cut it.  Some call it restlessness, I call it insatiable adventure.

Lyrics for The Opposite Way by Leeland can be found here.

Les Jardins Majorelles

As some of you know, Yves Saint Laurent passed away on June 1st.  I am by no means a fashion mogul, but one can't help but respect a designer that endured so many trends for decades.  YSL was actually born in Algeria, a French colony at the time.  It was not uncommon for French citizens born in the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) to go back to France for purposes of jobs and education.  Such people were called "pied-noir."

YSL spent most of his life in France but had a house in Marrakech, Morocco called Les Jardins Majorelles.  I had the fortune of visiting this house and botanical gardens while in Marrakech.  Its the most unique gardens I've seen.  It consists of cacti from around the world, all shapes and sizes.  Also, many ponds and trellises.  The house is bright blue which is a color commonly used in Northern Africa.  Its a quiet place to be and I understand that YSL loved it as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of Paris.  His ashes were to be scattered around the estate after his cremation.  I highly recommend a visit, not just because YSL's ashes are there but because its one of the most serene venues on the planet.

Reunion

This is at our program's soirée. The last big hurrah of the summer.

This was taken just after a faux pas I committed which lead to great laughter. We're on a bus after having visited the Amboise and Chenonceaux castles.

After our program ended, everyone had different travel plans. Some of us were heading to Paris and decided to get together. Here we are!

Pierre and I got wet while walking to the Falls. We almost made it before the rain came down.

Its always a good time when you get to reunite with friends and loved ones. At the beginning of the summer, I had such a reunion. One of my friends that I met in Angers lives in the Midwest and was bringing a group of students to Québec. They were spending the first day driving from Indiana to Niagara Falls and staying the night there. The next day, they would continue on for a fun-filled week in Québec.

Pierre (né Peter) and I had such a great time in Angers last summer. We were in the same classes and have the same sick sense of humor. We laughed so hard most of the time, people were beginning to wonder about our well-being. Devious at times, we stuck together. One of our classmates called us the "jumeaux d'Angers" (the Angers twins). We asked him if the double entendre was intentional because it could have been understood as "jumeaux dangers" (danger twins). That flew over his head but fortunately we were swift enough to catch it. We both have a high tolerance of sarcasm and sick jokes as long as there is some sort of intellectual twist to it. Both Seinfeld fans as well.

One afternoon, Pierre and I were in a boutique near the Kent (café where we were permanent fixtures). Pierre was looking for a gift to bring back to his wife at the end of the summer. I tagged along to give him insight since this was a gift shop with lots of unique jewelry. The salesclerk approached us and asked if she could help us. Pierre told her he was looking for something for his wife. Not a second later, he looked at me and back at the salesclerk and said "she's not my wife." Looking a little startled as to who this "other" woman was, the salesclerk lost interest in us--or maybe was more interested, who knows. So, I said to Pierre, "yeah, you and every man in France." Even our professors thought something odd was going on because we had many inside jokes. That's what happens when you have class together, go to the café, visit museums and do other things together while drinking up the sights of France.

Anyhow, Pierre notified me of this trip to Québec and that was all that was needed. I went and had dinner with him and wandered around the Falls. I was so glad to meet my "twin" of either Angers or danger. Pierre and I are two peas in a pod for sure. I was glad to see my partner in crime again.

Its those rare delights that make life interesting.

My French Journey

Me and Delphine in 1993

Me and Delphine in 2007 (no one told us that we must stay in the same position after 15 years!)

As you know, I'm a francophile. I have the gift of knowing languages and speaking them, French being my favorite. In my house there are over 100 Eiffel Towers in different shapes and sizes: wine charms, stir sticks, checker sets, paintings, statues, daggars, pants, shirts, keychains, and on the list goes. I've received really great Eiffels from lots of people. Many people have told me its impossible to think of France without making a tangent to me.

I started my French journey at birth. That might sounds like an exaggeration but I was born on Bastille day--France's national holiday. Our family always incorporated French words into English conversation so my language learning took place before formal instruction. My formal instruction started in 7th grade where we were made to sing "La Marseillaise" each Friday while waiting for the bell.

Moving on to high school, I continued studying the language and loved it so much. I finally found my niche! Then came the frosting on the gâteau. My junior year of high school, my parents read an ad looking for host families for French kids. My mom was really intrigued by this opportunity and signed us up. Delphine, was her name and she was the same age as me. It was good timing to host an exchange student because she became to me the embodiment of the French language. The great thing was we got along so well. She stayed all through the summer and we taught each other tricks about the other one's language.

Four years later, after continual communication, it was my turn to go to France as an exchange student in college. I was in a different city but when my program was done, Delphine's family hosted me for a few weeks. Her family showed me Paris and all it has to offer, castles, cathedrals and all sorts of things. It was the best way to see that region of France.

As technology got increasingly available in homes, our communication became more frequent and easier. We loved the fact that we had email and messengers at our disposal. The only issue was the time difference we had to work around. Another ten years would pass before we would see each other in person again. It was me again going to France for another study abroad program. Once again I was in a different region but once it was over, Delphine hosted me for a couple weeks.

Delphine and her family opened themselves to me which became some of my greatest tools of learning the language and the culture.

Summer Fun

The last few weeks have been busy, good busy. I've had the opportunity to do lots of things that I like to do. I spend every Wednesday at the Chautauqua Institution facilitating a French conversation for all who want to practice, learn or keep up with their French. Its a great deal of fun.

Tuesday, I had the great pleasure of going to the Genesee Country Museum & Village with my friend and colleague, Kim. Its a wonderful place to go. Its a working 19th century village in which the workers wear period clothing, farm the land and make food, yarn, brooms, and other objects straight from their land. The buildings are lovely. Some are mansions, others are merchants and others are houses of worship, schools or other purposes needed. This particular museum is the 3rd largest of its kind behind Dearborne, Michigan and Williamsburg, Virginia.

The rest of the week has been filled with items like babysitting, going to the gym, volunteering at the Flipside and doing household chores.

Not a great post today. Just an update on what I'm doing. Thank God for giving us restful moments of fun, friends and family in between the necessities.

Providence

My freshman year of college, I went on a missions trip to New Orleans. We spent a week on this trip in lieu of going home for spring break. It was the first time I was a great distance away from my family and home and also a chance to see what I was made of. I learned a lot on this trip and had some great opportunities. We spent the week working in clothing shelters and soup kitchens mostly doing work needed for homeless and less fortunate people and families. One day we went to an Indian village outside of the Big Easy whose village was on the bayou. This sheltered little girl didn't even know what the bayou was at the time and had no idea what world travel was awaiting her. Lo and behold this Indian tribe was French-speaking. We were brought into a meeting room and were greeted by the chief (not dressed with feathers, etc.) and gave us a brief on their village life. He then switched his speech into French, which none of my teammates understood. This was my first opportunity to do some translation, however spontaneous it was! Call it Divine Providence or just a taste of what my francophone life was going to be like. Fortunately, I rose to the occasion and spoke with him in French and did my best. Up until that time I had really only spoken French in protected environments like classrooms even though we hosted Delphine the summer before it was experimental for both her and I. One could very well say that day at the bayou began my path to incorporating French into a career.

My rant on knowing a foreign language...

Anyone who knows me, knows my passion for foreign languages.  A long-time friend of mine will tell you of a time when he questioned the importance of knowing another language.  He will tell you that I ripped him upways and downways until I was satisfied.  When I found this cartoon, I thought "finally somebody gets me!"  In case you don't know, the United States has never declared a national language.

xkcd.com

Useful Waste of Time

Recently, KSM posted notice of a website called www.freerice.com.  This is a remarkable website that provides a vocabulary test.  For each correct answer, the sponsors donate 20 grains of rice.  I sat and answered enough to donate 2000 grains of rice.  The sponsors include Unilever and United Nations World Food Program.  This site is of dual purpose:  free education to improve English vocabulary and free means to feed the world's hungry.

Happy quizzing!

Privilege

One of my favorite movies is Ever After, a Cinderella tale set in François I's time of the Renaissance.  Just recently, I had the pleasure of seeing the movie again.  One scene that I had seen numerous times jumped out at me.  Its a conversation between the Cinderella character and the Prince.  The two are engaged in a truth or dare game involving "rock, paper, scissors" and its the Prince's turn to confess.  He comes out with the fact that he would prefer not to be king when it comes to be his turn.  The Cinderella character is taken aback and tells him that he could do wonderful things being in a position to do anything.  The line that struck me the most was when she calls him out and tells him that "you were born to privilege and with that comes certain obligation."  He is quite inspired by her and decides after reflecting on it that having privilege may not be so bad after all.

What so struck me about this conversation is that many of us are born to privilege, not as this prince was, but in other ways.  We were given something that many people in the world weren't.  This was ever so apparent when I had the fortune of going to Haiti and working there on a short-term basis.  There were some children that came to our children's program that only had a shirt on, no pants, no shoes, no socks, while others were left unclothed.  None of the other children thought anything of it because that was normal life for them.  Meanwhile, back in the USA, we struggle to put together an ensemble with our 100 clothing items and dozens of shoes.  These children would be lucky if they got 1 pair of shoes to go with every stage of growth.  

With privilege comes obligation.  So, what privilege do you have?  What is the obligation attached to it?