Spanglishfrench

Well, that was awkward.  Let me give you some background info.  

I take Allie to school every day but Wednesday.  I pick her up for lunch and bring her back for the afternoon session on those school days.  She has been at the Ecole Maternelle now for about 6 months.  By now, all the parents and nannies recognize each other but very few chat while waiting for the doors to open.  To me this is very unnatural.  As Americans, by now we usually have networked, planned the next play date and where we should take the kids for the next vacation.  

From what I can tell there are very few conversations going on at this particular Maternelle. Just in the past month however I have been seeing a change in how I am viewed by the French folks.  Some, albeit very few (because let's face it I am an American in France) are beginning to realize I am here to stay.  So, lo and behold I got a couple bonjours!  Great.  I can definitely handle that with a mild level of fear it may go farther.  

It was bound to happen though.  The little monkey has taken a liking to a little boy whose mother picks him up for lunch as well.  They have now begun to play and walk with each other as we make our way toward our homes.  Do you see where I am going with this?  Well, that leaves me and his mom to chit chat as we walk. HA.  

Bursting with the uncomfortableness of it all, I used my best miming techniques as well as my spanglishfrench to attempt to talk to her.  She claimed she spoke no English and from what I could tell she said she actually speaks Polish, but talks in French here.  Great.  This of course tells me why she is actually speaking to me.  She isn't even French.  

I tried to say that her son has grown taller since the beginning of the school year.  To which she said "grand". That means tall.  That is good I think.  Then I attempted to tell her I would like to learn more French.  She then I believe asked me if I was English, to which I said yes but later remembered I am American...very different.  Then we discussed how old our kids are.  I got that her son is four but when I tried to say my monkey is four as well I think I might have said "He sits there" or something to that effect.  Anyway, it ended quickly, thankfully, because they live close to school.  I was able to get in a "Bon appetite" and I think she might have said, "don't talk to me again." Actually, I think she said "and you as well".  So I am making strides from second grade French to third grade French today.

It sure is a good thing Troy is taking the intense language class isn't it! :)