Cultural Problems

Things are actually going better with the language. I feel like I am understanding more, and everything is easier. For the first time today, I began speaking with someone in French, and he, a frenchman, replied in English, which was very annoying. Actually it was one of my few examples of French people being rude to me. I didn't have the price already on the potatos I was buying for thanksgiving tomorrow.
Me: Le machine ne marche pas.
Him: Les deux?
Well, I didn't know that there were 2 machines, so I looked at him blankly (and not because I did not understand what he was saying, as he thought).
Him: Both machines are not working?
Me: I don't know.
He went to check/use the machine. I guess he found one that worked.
Me: Merci beaucoup.
He continued to ring up my thanksgiving purchases.
Me: Your accent is excellent. (it was!)
Him, smiling: When I was younger I was completely fluent. North American....
Me: Ah, better... (it was obvious from his accent)
Him: But I prefer the English, their culture
Now, why would he feel the need to say that to me? Was it because I didn't have the right label on my potatos? Or was that just a normal thing to say to a North American? Maybe he was thinking of American politics, but he should know that I am not a part of that. Maybe no one ever told him that other people have feelings that can be hurt. Not that my feelings were really hurt, since I did not know him or anything. I was more shocked that he would say such a thing to me. Was he being intentionally rude?

Another example was mon professeur. She said (in French, she always speaks to me in French) "You haven't been speaking French much" (which isn't really true). Well, I didn't know how to reply. I said: Uhhhh. Which she took to mean that it was true, but in fact I was just surprised by her rudeness, and not sure how to give the right answer. I feel like I defend myself in class all the time too... maybe it is the culture, maybe she doesn't respect me, or maybe she is just trying to get my blood flowing to my brain to help me speak French. It doesn't really matter. She is only mon professeur, not someone I will know for the rest of my life.

So, yes, I returned to class this week (just once so far, I like my new flexibility) and despite the previous paragraph, I really enjoyed it. Two new girls have joined, one from Israel and the other Mexico. The Mexican girl seems to be really struggling. After class I had a crepe for lunch, and I shared some pleasant small talk with the delightful man who made it for me in French. A huge success!

Speaking of eating, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I have invited myself to have the meal with my American friend Jennifer and her family because they are a real family and the rest of the Americans I know are just a bunch of young people. I am making pies and potatos and who knows what else. I will go over there at about 4, and unlike in the states, if we find we have forgotten something we can buy it because the stores will be open on this non-French holiday. I think we are substituting chicken for Turkey because it is just too difficult to get a turkey around here.

I went to the American grocery store for brown sugar and was just amazed. Everything was about 5X its price (the box of brown sugar I bought was about 5 USD. doesn't it usual cost about 1?), and all the products they had were the crappy kinds: Ocean Spray cranberries, etc. Of course the place was packed and they spoke to you in English no matter what. One woman addressed the shop girl in French (even though it was clear that both their mother tongues were English) and the shop girl brought her the wrong thing. What an odd phenominon to find in the middle of the marais!

the good news is that they have cranberry juice, so I am finally able to make cosmos (should I wish to make a second attempt). I don't think I told you about my disasterous first attempt about a month ago, but you get the idea. I couldn't even find red fruit punch, like we used at Kirstin's Stinson Beach birthday party last year. Note for future reference, orange juice does not work for cosmos, it gives you screwdrivers, which are, of course, nothing special.

I guess the real news here is that I am surviving. I amaze myself. I sometimes think about coming home early, but it helps that I have no where to go. On the other hand, I am still planning to come back in the spring. I am certain that I am here for some very important reason (you know how I always think everything is cosmic), and if it isn't true love, it has got to be something else.