, I brought my laundry in to have it washed on July 31 and was told it wouldn’t be ready until September 1. I couldn’t understand why until they explain to me that everything shut down for the month of August when everyone takes their vacation.
And I went to a store to purchase a mattress and mistakenly asked for a “matelot”. She laughingly explained I meant a “matelas”. I had asked for a sailor!
Ah, the August exodus... it's pretty amazing. And now I know the word for sailor. I seid something absurd at the electronics store Darty last week when I was trying to buy one of those things that heats and froths milk. I think the woman behind the counter was so irritated with me she tried to melt me with her eyes.
How do you say that in French? I never made my own coffee there, my favorite thing to do was to go to a café and get a grand crème. I of course, have one here and a French press.
As a Frenchman in the US, I had a symmetrical experience. I remember the first few times people would ask me " are you enjoying yourself " which, translated literally in French, would mean " are you giving yourself an orgasm?" Although I knew they did not mean to pry, it was hard not to look horrified.
Sadly, comes a day when everything feels normal. So, enjoy yourself in Paris while it lasts!
Thank you so much for this anecdote. So so funny. I thought about going into THAT particular word in this piece but chickened out. Though I think I will do something differences in what's seductive or sexy here versus the U.S. And yeah, I'll hold tight to the wonder for as long as I can. I will say, I lived in Paris for four years in my 20s and I was always just undone that I could be there at all. Best, s
Paris, late ‘60’s. Me, early 20’s. The day my landlord had to explain that “je viens”, as I was rushing to answer the door, was not the correct translation of “I am coming”. So many stories!
I cannot convey to you enough what a joy it is to awaken in the morning, brew a cup of whatever, crawl back into a warm bed and read your missives! I laughed out loud re this one! What a treat!! Such talent, such humor and a handful of wisdom thrown in. Whatever “big” means — in French or in English — it is in your future! Keep writing my dear……you’ve travelled a long road to get where you are today and there is no one, no one, who is more aware of the journey, its foibles and virtues, than you and no one who is more positive than you or who deserves to reap the rewards than you!
I’m sending you warm hugs from across the pond………much love, Judith
You're the best, thanks Judith. Makes me so happy to know you're reading these. Someday we should write the stories of our TIME travels.. ahem. I don't think my NDA goes back that far. much love from here, Sus
Susanna, wonderful to read your delightful piece on France. If any American deserves to be here with your observant and wry but humane sense of humor it is you. After all these years I am routinely amused by the names given to products or the names of companies and what they're in fact selling, and though I 'went native" years ago I still makes mistakes after all this time. But the French will forgive you because they love brilliance.
Thanks so so much Victoria! Today I saw fancy store in the Marais called "Oh My Cream!" (In English) I kid you not. So funny. And I should have mentioned in the piece that live next to a clothing store inexplicably called "Make My Lemonade." I know you know exactly what it's like. Please let me know when you come through we shall have a toast or two to Franglais. xx Susanna .
Susanna, Because of Long Covid I have to rest a lot but still manage to come into Paris about twice a week. Iwill send you a more detailed message through FB!
Welcome to France, and this world of misunderstandings!
The odd thing is how the correct translation can tell us so much about the way the French think about things, and spin us off into a whole different philosophical universe.
And how the wrong assumption of what a French phrase means can often tell us something new about our own preconceptions. Have you noticed, in your case, how everything you assume seems to be about sex!!! 🤔
you're not the first to say that! But in my defense, I don't know any other country with a national electric company that would put out a podcast simply called CLIMAX, "a podcast on a universal topic" so I tend to think they're toying with us on purpose. ;)
Thank you for the delightful posts and Mazel Tov on your brave move! You are making a somewhat gray time in my life much more intolerable. It has always been in my plans to move to Cagnes Sur Mer for s period of time and this gives me hope that I can do it, regardless of my rudimentary high school knowledge of the French language. Enjoy every moment, embrace the new, celebrate the unknown and please keep sharing!
Hi Deb, You'll learn it on site, and so many people speak English now, it's embarrassing. Anyway, glad you're keeping that dream kindled. I had this idea in my head about Paris for decades...
This reminds me of when I first ever visited Paris asked a waiter for a boat of water instead of a bottle. Several years later after another visit I was relaying some of my interactions with the locals to a French friend and she gently pointed out that I had been 'Tu-ing' people instead of 'Vous-ing' them. I was mortified but she said it was OK and they probably thought it was cute. But I don't want to be cute, I want to be right!😂
“I don’t wanna be cute, I want to be right” this needs to be on a T-shirt. Or cross stitched into a pillow so good thank you very much for the kind words.
I loved every sentence. During my first week living in Paris, I walked into a hardware store and asked for a plunger. It was as if I’d set up the perfect joke for the two men behind the counter, who rolled with it for a good two minutes, including physical comedy befitting a netflix special.
Such a refreshing perspective, thank you. I've been immersed in learning the logistics about moving to France over the last few weeks, knowing it will be daunting, and your post reinforced what I've been telling myself, that I "get" to do this, not that I have to. I long to be confused and delighted by the mundane things you describe, and love the idea of it being part 3 of your life. I'm going to borrow that one.
Well, having married a Dutch guy, I relate. At first he was full of fun verbal mistakes. Alas, after 18 years he is too fluent now and almost never says silly stuff.
Hilarious! My grade school German got worse after living in Germany for seven years, aided by the fact that when we moved there in 2017 Germans refused to speak German, but by the time we left a few months ago the German government had proposed legislation making English the official secondary language to attract foreign workers. No great loss. They are efficient and perfunctory in their sentence structure, but not very doux...
Haha! I didn't know that about the second language law. They all speak such fabulous English. And as a Schrobsdorff (who lived in Berlin till I was 5 with a German father), I agree that German is seldom doux. But it is often hilarious. xx
French Prayer:
May you go softly and sweetly,
Collecting patience,
As you cross the bridge of love
into your precious reactivity.
Not a bad summary of your post.
I love this poem so much!! How perfect. Thank you.
After having just moved to Paris
, I brought my laundry in to have it washed on July 31 and was told it wouldn’t be ready until September 1. I couldn’t understand why until they explain to me that everything shut down for the month of August when everyone takes their vacation.
And I went to a store to purchase a mattress and mistakenly asked for a “matelot”. She laughingly explained I meant a “matelas”. I had asked for a sailor!
Ah, the August exodus... it's pretty amazing. And now I know the word for sailor. I seid something absurd at the electronics store Darty last week when I was trying to buy one of those things that heats and froths milk. I think the woman behind the counter was so irritated with me she tried to melt me with her eyes.
How do you say that in French? I never made my own coffee there, my favorite thing to do was to go to a café and get a grand crème. I of course, have one here and a French press.
Hi Susanna!
As a Frenchman in the US, I had a symmetrical experience. I remember the first few times people would ask me " are you enjoying yourself " which, translated literally in French, would mean " are you giving yourself an orgasm?" Although I knew they did not mean to pry, it was hard not to look horrified.
Sadly, comes a day when everything feels normal. So, enjoy yourself in Paris while it lasts!
Emmanuel.
Hi Emmanuel,
Thank you so much for this anecdote. So so funny. I thought about going into THAT particular word in this piece but chickened out. Though I think I will do something differences in what's seductive or sexy here versus the U.S. And yeah, I'll hold tight to the wonder for as long as I can. I will say, I lived in Paris for four years in my 20s and I was always just undone that I could be there at all. Best, s
Paris, late ‘60’s. Me, early 20’s. The day my landlord had to explain that “je viens”, as I was rushing to answer the door, was not the correct translation of “I am coming”. So many stories!
Susanna,
I cannot convey to you enough what a joy it is to awaken in the morning, brew a cup of whatever, crawl back into a warm bed and read your missives! I laughed out loud re this one! What a treat!! Such talent, such humor and a handful of wisdom thrown in. Whatever “big” means — in French or in English — it is in your future! Keep writing my dear……you’ve travelled a long road to get where you are today and there is no one, no one, who is more aware of the journey, its foibles and virtues, than you and no one who is more positive than you or who deserves to reap the rewards than you!
I’m sending you warm hugs from across the pond………much love, Judith
You're the best, thanks Judith. Makes me so happy to know you're reading these. Someday we should write the stories of our TIME travels.. ahem. I don't think my NDA goes back that far. much love from here, Sus
Susanna, wonderful to read your delightful piece on France. If any American deserves to be here with your observant and wry but humane sense of humor it is you. After all these years I am routinely amused by the names given to products or the names of companies and what they're in fact selling, and though I 'went native" years ago I still makes mistakes after all this time. But the French will forgive you because they love brilliance.
Thanks so so much Victoria! Today I saw fancy store in the Marais called "Oh My Cream!" (In English) I kid you not. So funny. And I should have mentioned in the piece that live next to a clothing store inexplicably called "Make My Lemonade." I know you know exactly what it's like. Please let me know when you come through we shall have a toast or two to Franglais. xx Susanna .
Susanna, Because of Long Covid I have to rest a lot but still manage to come into Paris about twice a week. Iwill send you a more detailed message through FB!
Yes please
Welcome to France, and this world of misunderstandings!
The odd thing is how the correct translation can tell us so much about the way the French think about things, and spin us off into a whole different philosophical universe.
And how the wrong assumption of what a French phrase means can often tell us something new about our own preconceptions. Have you noticed, in your case, how everything you assume seems to be about sex!!! 🤔
you're not the first to say that! But in my defense, I don't know any other country with a national electric company that would put out a podcast simply called CLIMAX, "a podcast on a universal topic" so I tend to think they're toying with us on purpose. ;)
Or maybe they are using AI to put out focussed advertising just for you?
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!"
Thank you for the delightful posts and Mazel Tov on your brave move! You are making a somewhat gray time in my life much more intolerable. It has always been in my plans to move to Cagnes Sur Mer for s period of time and this gives me hope that I can do it, regardless of my rudimentary high school knowledge of the French language. Enjoy every moment, embrace the new, celebrate the unknown and please keep sharing!
Hi Deb, You'll learn it on site, and so many people speak English now, it's embarrassing. Anyway, glad you're keeping that dream kindled. I had this idea in my head about Paris for decades...
Sorry, that's much more tolerable... :)
Charming essay. I loved learning the origin of the hour of the dog and wolf.
Appreciate that David. Thanks for reading and for the kind words.
This reminds me of when I first ever visited Paris asked a waiter for a boat of water instead of a bottle. Several years later after another visit I was relaying some of my interactions with the locals to a French friend and she gently pointed out that I had been 'Tu-ing' people instead of 'Vous-ing' them. I was mortified but she said it was OK and they probably thought it was cute. But I don't want to be cute, I want to be right!😂
“I don’t wanna be cute, I want to be right” this needs to be on a T-shirt. Or cross stitched into a pillow so good thank you very much for the kind words.
Hmmmm . . .maybe I will get it printed on a shirt!!!🤣🤣
Today I’m heartsick and you have made me smile.
Your writing is beautiful.
Thank you.
That is so kind, Karen. Thank you.
I’ve dropped you a DM. I loved this so much. Merci Mille fois
Judy
I loved every sentence. During my first week living in Paris, I walked into a hardware store and asked for a plunger. It was as if I’d set up the perfect joke for the two men behind the counter, who rolled with it for a good two minutes, including physical comedy befitting a netflix special.
Aw, thanks Michelle. Mr. Bricolage has been the scene of so many absurdities for me. Now I must look up the word for plunger.
Such a refreshing perspective, thank you. I've been immersed in learning the logistics about moving to France over the last few weeks, knowing it will be daunting, and your post reinforced what I've been telling myself, that I "get" to do this, not that I have to. I long to be confused and delighted by the mundane things you describe, and love the idea of it being part 3 of your life. I'm going to borrow that one.
Aw, thanks so much Page
Well, having married a Dutch guy, I relate. At first he was full of fun verbal mistakes. Alas, after 18 years he is too fluent now and almost never says silly stuff.
Aw I was married to a Swede. Same.
Bravissima Susanna. Doucement-doucement, I would like to try it in Roma's sidewalks.
I'd like to see that too!
Hilarious! My grade school German got worse after living in Germany for seven years, aided by the fact that when we moved there in 2017 Germans refused to speak German, but by the time we left a few months ago the German government had proposed legislation making English the official secondary language to attract foreign workers. No great loss. They are efficient and perfunctory in their sentence structure, but not very doux...
Haha! I didn't know that about the second language law. They all speak such fabulous English. And as a Schrobsdorff (who lived in Berlin till I was 5 with a German father), I agree that German is seldom doux. But it is often hilarious. xx