Let's see.. This weekend I am going to be at my first AFS camp/orientation until who knows when on Sunday, so I thought I had better write a blog post now. Life is good, and basically the same as last week.
At language school we had a new professor on Monday and Friday and she is really nice. This week I learned a lot about l'imparfait, le futur simple, le futur proche, les pronoms personnels, etc.. boring but useful. I think it's funny that I am obviously quite fluent in English yet I don't really know anything about the words I use.. Will it be the same in French once I start to really absorb the language? ..Yesterday (Thursday) we took a tour of Fribourg in the afternoon, walking in the medieval part of the city as well as up 365 steps to the top of the cathedral- a bit of a workout. This week I also bought a French book at the bookstore written for children but it's way way way hard. Maybe I will pick it up again in a month and do better.
My French is... who knows? It's hard for me to gauge my improvement from day to day. It's funny because everyone says that when you dream in French it means you're really fluent.. but I think they mean when you dream in French and understand it. Because I had a dream in French and it was just like listening to people talk here, it's like nonsense with a few words I know thrown in. It would be nice if my mind would give me a break and let me understand at least when I'm asleep..! But I can definitely understand more when people speak to me now, as long as they speak slowly and repeat themselves. I can get my point across on simple topics, though I say things incorrectly. But I am excited to be able to understand when, for instance, I turn on the télé or pick up a newspaper. It's been only 3 weeks here so I'm not really worried- I have a lot of time left.
Okay so in French 'host family' is 'famille d'accuiel' which is a complete pain to say. In fact I say it wrong every time. I sounds a big like 'dacksouyle' .. yeah something like that. I wish they could have a different word for something so necessary for me!
Hurm...ah yes, so I THINK I know what school I will be going to now but it's not set in stone.. I guess it's difficult for AFS to place so many students in the Swiss schools. But anyway, the school is the Cycle d'Orientation de la Glâne in Romont. In Switzerland kids go to obligatory primary school together, then are split into three groups for secondary school (those aiming for University, those aiming for technical and secretarial school, etc, and those who will go into manual jobs and apprenticeships.) CO (cycle d'orientation)is the secondary school where the best students go, and it prepares them for Collège and then University. At first I was worried when I heard that I would be going to a CO because they are generally for younger students (12-15 years of age), and all of my AFS friends are going to Collèges. But I expressed this to my host mom, saying it is really important to me that I am with my age group, and she says that the oldest grade there is ages 16/17- and she would know because both she and Pierre-Antoine went to school there. So if this is my school that is great. It is nearby and I will even be able to come home for lunch every day.
I am frightened to start school but also excited. I know it will be hard and frustrating and I won't understand much. And I am also scared to meet my classmates. But starting school is really the start of Swiss life- language school is like a buffer. I don't think I'm ready to start but I will never be more ready, so.. I guess I'm ready. Haha that really made no sense...
The AFS camp this weekend will probably be draining (I have to wake up at 7 tomorrow and probably early on Sunday too) but I am pretty excited. It is only for the students in French-speaking Switzerland, not the German speakers, and I hear the group is only about 40 people. I haven't seen the other Americans since we were on the plane coming here and I want to know how their first 3 weeks went. I am also excited to meet more students from all over the world. The autres étudiants fribourgeois (other students that I go to language school with) and myself will take the train to Travers (where the camp is) together, so that will be fun. I will be sure to bring my camera!
And, as a parting note, I think you will all be proud to know that I am forgetting english. I proof-read this and found 'there' instead of 'their', 'know' instead of 'now', 'give me a brake' instead of 'give me a break' and 'commencing school' instead of 'starting school.'
Give me a brake!
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2 comments:
I'm glad things are going pretty well for you, Ruth. Don't completely forget English, though, because I don't think I could read your blog if it was in French!!!
Love,
Karen
Hi Sweetie, maybe the precursor to dreaming in French (and understanding it), is forgetting English! I don't know which one of those things surprises me more, that you're forgetting your native language after 3 weeks' immersion, or, that you're dreaming in French with no clue what is happening - how annoying for you! I can sure understand your anxiety about starting school. Just remember, you've been through this before - granted, without the language barrier, but it was still hard and you did it, and have loads of friends to prove it. You can do it again. Lots of Love, XOXOXXO Aunt Amy P.S. Next time I see Grandma, I'll teach her how to post - I know she enjoys reading your Blog, and sends you loads of love, too!
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