Ecole

It's not back to school time for just the little ones out there. Tomorrow I start my French classes for this semester. I keep trying to remind myself that the entire semester is just 96 euros, I'm not getting a grade, and that it doesn't really matter how I do in the class. However, by the way I feel and how nervous I am, you would think I am about to present my PhD thesis. (Of course, I am blogging right now instead of cramming so I must not be that nervous).

I have recently been beating myself up about not taking enough French classes in my time here. However, as I am getting my calendar ready for the year, I am reminded why I haven't taken more classes -- they get in the way of my social calendar!!! This semster I am taking French Monday and Wednesday from 9-12:30pm. Yes, I could skip some classes, but missing three and a half hours of class time really does make you feel behind. Do you know how many events I have already realized my class will conflict with? Although I get frustrated with not knowing more French, I have to remind myself of all the other things I have been doing in the past four years with my time instead of studying. I have met great friends, visited chateaus, taken cooking classes, traveled all over and had a great time. It kills me when I meet someone who will only be here one or two years and is taking intensive French classes for most of that time. I just think of how many opportunities they are missing to actually get out in the country and really see and experience things, rather than just learning the words for them. I guess there is no perfect way to approach the language here, I just wish I had been born bi-lingual!